The Bridge fall 2018

September 2018

The Bridge shares news and information about the string program at Augustana College. We invite you to share with anyone interested. Please pass it along to other string players and contact us with your questions and comments.

Cordially,

The Augustana String Faculty

Dr. Daniel W Chetel, conductor, director of orchestral activities
Dr. Susan Stone, violin
Dortha Dewit, violin
Dr. Deborah Dakin, viola
Dr. Janina Ehrlich, cello
Dr. Patricia Silva, bass
Dr. Erin Freund, harp
Randy Pobanz, guitar

Dr. Dawn Farmer: music for a lifetime

Please join the string faculty in welcoming our new instrumental music education faculty, Dr. Dawn Farmer. 

She has a B.A. in music education from the University of Arizona, 2002; M.A. in music education, University of Maryland, 2008; and Ph.D. in music education, Arizona State University, 2015

Dr. Farmer comes to us most recently from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind. Her teaching experience ranges from K-12 to the college level in band and orchestra conducting. Her areas of research include urban music education, teacher preparation, women in music and social justice.

Let’s meet her!

Why were you interested in Augustana?

I wanted to join a vibrant, engaged music program, so learning about the strong musical traditions at Augustana was attractive. I have enjoyed my experiences at liberal arts colleges and look forward to working in such an environment. I love educating students who want to become music teachers.

What strengths do you bring to your new position?

In addition to my pre-college teaching, I have a background with diverse learners. This allows me to offer music ed students multiple strategies and ideas, particularly in urban schools.

For example, I have strong beliefs about music involvement across the lifespan; I hope to encourage future music teachers to continue to make music themselves as well as encourage that in others. I also have interests outside of music because I believe that a balance of work and life delays teacher burn out. I model this for my students.

Please share with us one of your favorite memories from your own time as a music education student.

One defining moment I had as a music education major was during my final year of school. It was my last semester of classes before student teaching and it was my very last college band concert at the University of Arizona.

I had performed in the group for five years, and it was an emotional concert. I will never forget that at the end of the concert, when the director came out for his encore bow, he gestured for me to come stand next to him at the podium. I thought he wanted me to bring his scores to the band library or something, but in front of the full audience and my peers, he handed me his baton, and then the whispered in my ear, “Go get ‘em, Dawn.”

I still use that baton when I conduct some of my concerts.

What plans do you have for the Augustana students this year?

My plan for my first year at Augustana is to get to know the students. I believe that every student has their own voice, dreams, needs, and path, and it is my job to help them reach a level of success. I will be working on getting a feel for what the community at Augustana College is and then figuring out how I can contribute in the most beneficial and positive ways. I do have plans on revamping some of the courses in the major, but again, that comes once I am able to understand the needs and wants of the community.

Please meet Dawn at the ASTA luncheon in Peoria in January. I know she looks forward to meeting all of you.

Special events

Harp professor Erin Freund has a new baby! He’s Adam James, born on June 27. The entire family (including big sis Alice) is happy and healthy.Congrats!

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January marked the debut of Parenthesis! — the collective noun for a group of cellos. For this concert, all the cello students were paired for duets — anywhere from Bartok to Blacher to Offenbach, and a premiere of a fantasia by Augustana organ/cello alum Ross Jallo.

The concert ended with performances of Villa Lobos’ Bachianas Brasilieras, with Dr. Michelle Crouch as soloist. Here’s a picture!

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On a Saturday afternoon in March, local luthier David Pope joined the string faculty, honors quartet students and other string students in a workshop on instrument repair.

Before our very eyes, David rehaired a bow, demonstrated the mechanics of our instruments, and described care/maintenance guidelines. We all came away with a lot of information and a wiser approach to our most valuable possession.

One student commented: “I learned new things that will help me further my career and also gained information that I can use in my practice right now.”

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Violapalooza! returned to a full house on Friday, May 11. More than 50 violists from Iowa and Illinois attended. Ages ranged from beginner level to adult teachers.

One student (Sophie Douvris from Conant High School) drove three hours to attend and Augustana alumna Millie Dowling-Comisky brought 12 violists from Burlington, Iowa. And of course Deborah Dakin’s wonderful students were there to participate and host their guests.

At the finale, the group performed the premiere of Modal Variations for Viola Quartet by Augustana violist/composer Gabe Lance. 

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The ASTA student chapter had a great year under the presidential leadership of Allessandra West (violin performance, ’20). The students sponsored a movie night open to the campus and a successful bake sale — even professors helped out!

Proceeds from all their fundraising events will help send two or three students to the national convention. Meet our members at the ASTA luncheon in Peoria in January.

Student and alumni news

Anne Bak (cello performance, ‘21) is the recipient of a $10,000 scholarship from the Evalee C. Schwarz Charitable Trust for Education. It is rare for a student to receive such a large award from this trust, so we are really proud of Anne. She is also the 2018/19 recipient of the Nathanson Award for the string area.

Grayson Dixon (cello performance, ’20) is now a film star! Here he is in My Augustana Story.

Emily Fischer (business/finance, accounting, ’18) was one of the winners of the first Augustana Symphony concerto competition winner, and joined the orchestra in the first movement of the Kabalevsky violin concerto. Emily has also served as concertmaster and was a four-year member of an honors string quartet.

Joshua Iyer (composition/violin, ’19) is the first winner of the first Augustana Symphony Orchestra Composition Competition. His piece, "Music for the Galactic Palace," will be performed by the orchestra on its winter term concert. Joshua will also serve as concertmaster for the year. Last spring, the music faculty voted Joshua the Presser Scholarship winner for 2017/18. Bravo Joshua!

Katherine Krajewski (viola performance, ‘18) attended the Pierre Monteaux Festival in Maine last summer. This fall she is a graduate student in the master of music program at Chicago Musical College where she was awarded a performance assistantship.

Lizzie Lundine (music education, ’16) is moving venues in Davenport, Iowa. This fall she began teaching orchestra at three elementary schools as well as the freshman orchestra at North High School.

Caitlin Thom (harp performance, ’18) was one of the winners of the first Augustana Symphony concerto competition, and joined the orchestra in the Ravel "Introduction and Allegro." Last summer she attended the Monteux Festival for the second time. Caitlin has a graduate assistantship at Baylor University in harp performance where she enrolled this fall.

Allesandra West (violin performance, ’20) received a Nathanson award in composition. Dr. Jacob Bancks regards her as a dedicated and hard-working composer, who is really committed to her personal expressive voice.

Mineo Patrick Yasutake (cello performance, music ed, composition, ’16) will be the new orchestra director at Harrison, Truman, and Wood Intermediate schools in Davenport, Iowa. In his third year of teaching, Mineo is moving from a successful two years in Woodstock, Ill.

Madison Logan (CSD/Psychology, cello, ’14) earned her MS in Speech Language Hearing Sciences from Purdue University in 2016. Since then she has worked at Cornerstone Autism Center in West Lafayette, Ind. This fall she joins the Augustana faculty as an instructor and clinical supervisor, as well as teaching in the FYI program.

Faculty news

Janina Ehrlich completed a sabbatical leave last spring. She continued work on her project “An Annotated Bibliography of Music for Cello by Jewish Composers.” She is currently preparing it for electronic publication, as well as continuing to add to the hundreds of pieces already catalogued.

When Mary Neil (piano) retired last spring, she went out in style. Included on her final recital was a performance of the "Dvorak Piano Quintet" featuring grads Lizzie Lundine, Mae Ruzek, Adam Bengfort and Cole Guillien. Congratulations to all!

Upcoming concerts and recitals

You’ll find ensemble concerts listed on the calendar of music events. Here are some special ones. All recitals listed are in Wallenberg Hall in the Denkmann building.

Quad Cities Viol Consort: 7 p.m. on Sept. 18

Joshua Iyer senior composition: 2 p.m. Oct. 14

Allessandra West junior violin: 4 p.m. Jan. 20
 
Grant Estes sophomore cello: 4 p.m. March 9
 
Anne Bak sophomore cello: 4 p.m. March 16
 
Grayson Dixon junior cello: 4 p.m. March 23

Ashley Ramirez senior cello: 4 p.m. May 11