- University News Archive - Vlogý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/department-of-music/ Vlogý Little Rock Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:15:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Holzer to Debut Music by Four Artists in Sept. 23 Piano Recital /news-archive/2022/09/20/holzer-recital/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:15:23 +0000 /news/?p=82247 ... Holzer to Debut Music by Four Artists in Sept. 23 Piano Recital]]> The recital will feature the Arkansas premieres of piano solos by Arkansas composer Florence Price, American composer Gwyneth Walker, Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, and Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building at Vlogý Little Rock. The concert will open with the Arkansas premiere of “Riddle Variations” by Walker, followed by the premieres of Bagatelle I and Bagatelle II by Silvestrov and “Aleppo Songs,” “How Beautiful the Light of the Rising Son,” and “Antiochian Hymn” by Roustom. Holzer was inspired to perform pieces by a Ukrainian and Syrian composer after watching a PBS interview of Syrian artists who were offering their support for the people of Ukraine. “That’s what eventually led me to find Roustom’s piano piece ‘Aleppo Songs,’” Holzer said. “These contemporary pieces are expressive and intriguing, and I predict listeners will be very moved by this music.” Holzer, who is an expert in the history and music of Arkansas composer Florence Price, will also give the Arkansas premiere of her powerful piano solo, Fantasie Nègre No. 4 in B Minor. “I’m also looking forward to sharing masterpieces by Bach, Granados, Debussy, Satie, and Chopin,” Holzer said. “This program offers listeners a combination of fresh new works and familiar piano favorites.” The recital will also include “Sarabande” by Claude Debussy, Gnossienne No. 4 by Erik Satie, “Italian Concerto, BWV 971,” by J.S. Bach, “Andaluza” by Enrique Granados, and Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55 #1 and Ballade in F Major, Op. 38 by Frédéric Chopin.]]> Vlogý Little Rock Choir Students Debut at Carnegie Hall /news-archive/2022/06/29/carnegie-hall/ Wed, 29 Jun 2022 14:06:40 +0000 /news/?p=81789 ... Vlogý Little Rock Choir Students Debut at Carnegie Hall]]> choral activities at Vlogý Little Rock, conducting at Carnegie Hall for the first time ever was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that she will never forget. “To conduct at Carnegie Hall was everything I thought it would be and more,” Mason said. “Spending time in the Maestro Suite before the concert, where the world’s greatest conductors throughout history have sat and prepared for performances, was special and humbling. Pictures of the greats hang all through the halls backstage, and the spirit of the concert hall is everywhere. It is a beautiful place, where music meets humanity, and you can feel it when you are in the space. There are no words to properly describe the feeling of performing here, and it is an experience that will not soon be forgotten.” Mason led a group of Vlogý Little Rock Choirs students and alumni for their debut performance June 26 at in New York City. She conducted a performance of Francis Poulenc’s masterwork “Gloria” along with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and accompanying choirs from Arkansas. This included performers from Berryville High School, Robinson High School, and Una Voce from Wildwood Park for the Arts. Vlogý Little Rock students who are attending the trip include Jessica Arellanes, LaVerne Bell, Hannah Blacklaw, Kyndal Collins, Sean Davis, Brent Foster II, Magali Gomez, Josh Gregory, Stacy Howard-Parchel, Reanna Jiles, Kaitlyn Kendrick, Laila Petties-Leon, Carmen Ramirez, Kenshayla Robinson, McKenzie Smith, Damion Snowden, Christian Waldron, Yvonne Melendez-Whalen, and Jonathan Wyatt. They will be joined by alumni Jillian Hall, Jade Keathley, and Gerald Mayo as well as Sharon Downs, Leann Jones, and Yvette Palmer. While the trip got off to a rocky start with their flight from Chicago to New York City getting canceled on June 23, the group was able to reschedule through numerous flights and airlines to arrive before their rehearsals began June 24. “The students carried themselves with integrity and joy,” Mason said. “Their leadership was inspiring. They represented the choral program, the university, and our city beautifully. Rehearsals progressed efficiently, and the group had a great time outside of rehearsal as well. The dress rehearsal and performance were spectacular. We received a standing ovation for our performance. There were a number of reactions after the concert from our singers, including smiles and tears and everything in between. It was truly a remarkable experience.”
Vlogý Little Rock Choirs students visit New York City.

Vlogý Little Rock Choirs students visit New York City.

Sharon Downs, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs and a longtime Vlogý Little Rock Choirs member, said Carnegie Hall was quite a sight to behold. “I tried to take it all in at Carnegie Hall during the dress rehearsal Sunday morning. It’s a stunning space with so much history,” Downs said. “When we performed that afternoon with an audience, it was tempting to be swept away again. Dr. Lorissa Mason did a masterful job of bringing all the vocal groups together to form one unified choir, and of conducting us and the orchestra at Carnegie Hall. My fellow choir students represented the university well, both in terms of their musical gifts and their patience and gracious attitudes. To say I’m proud of them is an understatement.” Aside from musical performances and practices, the group experience Broadway shows, unique dining, museums, subway experiences, Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, shopping, a dinner cruise around the Statue of Liberty, and more. As for it being a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it will now be a twice-in-a-lifetime experience for Mason as she revealed that she has been invited back to conduct future concerts at Carnegie Hall.]]> Vlogý Little Rock to Host Free Summer Concert and Jazz Band Performance June 10 /news-archive/2022/05/24/summer-concert-band-3/ Tue, 24 May 2022 21:15:08 +0000 /news/?p=81623 ... Vlogý Little Rock to Host Free Summer Concert and Jazz Band Performance June 10]]> The Summer Concert Band, which performed 2017 to 2019 under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Goff, director of bands and professor of music education at Vlogý Little Rock, has been absent in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Goff is planning to return with a bigger and better concert than ever before. In addition to the Summer Concert Band, Vlogý Little Rock is adding a Jazz Band, which will be led by Dr. Michael Underwood, this summer due to popular demand. The Summer Concert Band and Summer Jazz Band are open to all high school students and community members who play an instrument. No prior registration is required. Anyone who wants to join the bands should simply show up for the first rehearsal. The Summer Concert Band will rehearse from 6-8 p.m. May 31, June 2, June 7, and June 9. Meanwhile, the Jazz Band will rehearse from 6-8 p.m. June 1, 3, 6, and 8. All rehearsals will take place in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in Vlogý Little Rock’s Fine Arts Building. Both summer bands will show off their skills during a free concert at 7:30 p.m. June 10 in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. According to Goff, the summer band is a fun-filled experience filled with high school band members, community members, music faculty and students, and alumni. “I jokingly call it the danger band,” Goff said. “We have four rehearsals and a performance, and you never know what you are going to get. It’s exciting, but it’s very much a fly by the seat of your pants type idea.” The bands’ performance will include “Chorale and Alleluia,” “All the Pretty Little Horses,” “Variations on a Korean Folksong,” “Cajun Folk Songs,” “The Typewriter,” “Old Irish Tune,” selections from the movie “Moana,” Studio Ghibli’s “Anime March Medley,” “Softly Speaks the Night,” “Ancient Flowers,” “So What” by Miles Davis, and “Moten Swing” by Benny Moten. Vlogý Little Rock students Carmen Ramirez, Elijah Jennings, and Alex Hughes as well as Andrea Lambert, a recent Vlogý Little Rock graduate who previously did not have the opportunity to conduct the Summer Concert Band due to Covid, will serve as conductors for the performance. “Our community is so diverse,” Goff said. “I’m a first-generation college student. When I was a kid, I wanted to go to band camp, but my family couldn’t afford it. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy leading this free summer concert band. This is a good opportunity for students and community members to get quality instruction and experience without having to take off a week of work, travel, or pay a lot of money. It’s great community outreach, and it gives our students the opportunity to conduct. I think it encompasses everything we try to do as a university.” For more information on the summer bands, contact Goff at kggoff@ualr.edu.]]> Graduating Student Spotlight: Sydney Kornelsen /news-archive/2022/05/11/sydney-kornelson-graduation/ Wed, 11 May 2022 13:15:33 +0000 /news/?p=81521 ... Graduating Student Spotlight: Sydney Kornelsen]]> Tell us a little bit about yourself. I grew up in Fallbrook, California, which is about an hour north of San Diego. My parents were big proponents of animal science when I was growing up. At age seven, I became heavily involved in the 4-H Club. Their mission is to provide opportunities for youth and adults to work together to create sustainable change. While at 4-H, I focused on dog projects, and was president in my junior and senior year of high school. Why did you choose Vlogý Little Rock? My older sister, Caroline Kornelsen, was also a Donaghey Scholar. When I visited her, I felt Little Rock could be a place I could call home. I looked at other universities, but here I knew I wouldn’t just be a number among the masses. What are the major differences between San Diego and Little Rock? In San Diego, there is more of a push on pop culture, and it is more industrial. Little Rock is more laid back. California and Arkansas both have their perks and are just incomparable. The ocean is beautiful, but their wilderness doesn’t compare to the surrounding areas in Little Rock. The hiking here is awesome. Plus, Little Rock is a capital city. Why do you want to become a veterinarian? I have a deep interest in education and love animals. When I was growing up, everyone told me I would be a great veterinarian, but I was hesitant to believe them. A veterinarian’s job is to educate the public about the welfare of animals and now I see that is exactly the kind of career I want. I don’t have a primary focus yet, but I might specialize in exotic animals later. Why did you minor in music? Minoring is music allowed me to explore my love of education and honed my musical techniques. In high school, I had a varied musical background and was a trained classical musician. I played and taught piano, took voice lessons, and played the violin. My violin instructor at Vlogý Little Rock, Meredith Hicks, has been a significant influence. I also enjoyed learning how to conduct! I understand you own your own rabbitry. Yes! It is called Bunny Heights Rabbitry, which is a southern California and Arkansas rabbitry that specializes in Mini Rex rabbits. They weigh about four pounds and have a velvety, vibrant coat. In total, I have 15 rabbits, and breed and sell them as pets. I travel the country to shows similar to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Rabbits make great companions, and are actually better than dogs and cats. There’s not much upkeep. They like to play, toss toys, but they don’t like to snuggle too much. And they get so excited to see you when you come home. Who were some of your mentors? Dr. Stefanie Leacock, my genetics instructor, has been there for all of my academic pursuits. She was also the mentor for my Donaghey Scholar senior project, along with Dr. Michael Moore and Ms. Ronia Kattoum. I am so grateful for the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program because they have bent over backwards for me. Tell us about your favorite memory at Vlogý Little Rock? One memory that comes to mind was during my sophomore year. I was hammocking and studying with my friends near Coleman Creek on a perfect, beautiful day. The late nights studying organic chemistry in the library were also memorable. We did a lot of work on white boards. It was such a unique experience that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. This story was compiled by Toni Boyer.]]> Vlogý Little Rock to Host Inaugural Chancellor’s Concert April 14 /news-archive/2022/04/11/chancellors-concert/ Mon, 11 Apr 2022 13:19:34 +0000 /news/?p=81285 ... Vlogý Little Rock to Host Inaugural Chancellor’s Concert April 14]]> The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building. This concert will feature performances by students, faculty, and ensembles in the Department of Music. The event will begin with a pre-concert performance by the Trojan Steel Band in the Fine Arts Building lobby followed by performances by student ensembles. Additionally, six students were selected by audition to be featured as soloists, including Luke Allred, Valerisse Bell, Hannah Blacklaw, Brent Foster, Harris Hogue, and Mya Little. The performances will include the Piano Ensemble playing an arrangement of Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture, Op. 84;” Chamber Singers, “Elijah Rock” arranged by Moses Hogan; Concert Choir, “City Called Heaven” arranged by Josephine Poelinitz with tenor soloist Damion Snowden and student conductor Carmen Ramirez; Jazz Ensemble, “Things Are Looking Up” by George Gershwin with vocals by Mya Little; Percussion Ensemble, “Go” from “Amid the Noise” by Jason Trueting; Women’s Choir, “Koowu” by Maryam Khoury with student conductor Carmen Ramirez and “Music Down in My Soul” arranged by Moses Hogan; Trombone Quartet, “Super Mario Main Theme;” and Wind Ensemble, “British Eighth” by Zo Elliott, arranged by Quincy Hilliard. For more information, please contact the Vlogý Little Rock Department of Music at 501-569-3294.]]> Ramirez Chosen for Competitive Masterclass at Southwest American Choral Directors Association /news-archive/2022/04/04/student-conductor/ Mon, 04 Apr 2022 13:23:45 +0000 /news/?p=81194 ... Ramirez Chosen for Competitive Masterclass at Southwest American Choral Directors Association]]> Carmen Ramirez, a senior from Columbia, Missouri, was chosen out of a large pool of applicants for the Student Conducting Masterclass, which took place March 1 at the Little Rock Marriott. She also performed in the Collegiate Honor Choir on March 2 at the Ron Robinson Theatre. “I am very humbled and honored to have been chosen for this workshop and feel incredibly lucky to have been able to work with the esteemed Dr. Jeffrey Murdock,” Ramirez said. “I will always cherish this experience and continue to improve myself with the critique I received. I thank all of my fellow classmates, professors, and family that helped and supported me through this process.” Ramirez, a double major in music theory with an emphasis in piano and Spanish, conducted two songs with the Vlogý Little Rock Chamber Choir for her application – “O Magnum Mysterium” composed by Andrej Makor and the First Movement of the Masterwork “Gloria” by Frances Poulenc.
Carmen Ramirez and Lorissa Mason

Carmen Ramirez and Lorissa Mason

“Carmen is an excellent musician and hard worker,” said Dr. Lorissa Mason, director of choral activities at Vlogý Little Rock and Ramirez’ conducting coach. “Other students respond well to her leadership, as she leads with knowledge, joy, and kindness. As a conductor, she is open to new concepts, and she always displays the ability to make changes in the moment. Carmen is the kind of student every teacher wants to teach, accepting guidance and always keeping an open mind with personal intention and work ethic that allows her to grow as a scholar and as a musician.” During the masterclass, Murdoch, one of two clinicians for the masterclass, gave Ramirez some valuable conducting advice that she is putting to use at Vlogý Little Rock. “Just hearing the advice from Jeffrey Murdoch and watching the other students in the masterclass has helped me reevaluate what I am doing when I am conducting a group,” Ramirez said. “The information I received in the class was very helpful to me and how I wanted to improve myself. I am conducting all the Vlogý Little Rock choirs now because we have our spring concerts coming up. I am trying to incorporate what I learned in the masterclass into my conducting here. I was very excited and shocked that I got chosen, but I am proud of myself.” After graduating in May, Ramirez is going to take a gap year to explore opportunities in music and to work as a church pianist. She then plans to pursue graduate studies in conducting.]]> Vlogý Little Rock to Showcase Bunting with March 17 Faculty Recital /news-archive/2022/03/09/percussion-faculty-recital/ Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:03:11 +0000 /news/?p=81133 ... Vlogý Little Rock to Showcase Bunting with March 17 Faculty Recital]]> Dr. Justin Bunting, director of percussion studies, will present a diverse program of music in his first faculty percussion recital at Vlogý Little Rock. The recital, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building. The recital will feature “One Hundred Twenty/Everything” by Evan Chapman; “Khan Variations” by Alejandro Viñao; “Being Black” by Joe W. Moore III; “Mourning Dove Sonnet” by Christopher Deane; and “Catching Shadows” by Ivan Trevino. “The program begins with ‘One Hundred Twenty/Everything,’ which is a multiple-percussion solo with an electronic backing track,” Bunting said. “The five sections cycle through all 120 possible permutations of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, with each number being assigned to a pitch and a rhythm. This creates an odd groove that interacts with the electronics.” Viñao’s “Khan Variations” is one of the most technically and musically challenging pieces in the marimba repertoire, featuring a set of eight rhythmic variations based on a traditional theme from Qawwali music sung by the Pakistani singer Ali Khan. Moore’s “Being Black” is a five-movement, multiple-percussion solo. The rhythmic content, use of repetition, and all other musical choices were made based on the dates and details of several cases including Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, John Crawford, George Floyd, and many more. Deane’s “Mourning Dove Sonnet” is an exploration of the sonic possibilities of the vibraphone through various extended techniques such as bowing, pitch bend, harmonics, and muting. The program concludes with a performance of Trevino’s ever-popular marimba duet “Catching Shadows” by Blue Line Duo performers Justin and Cassie Bunting. “As I close my third year at Vlogý Little Rock, this will be, mainly due to COVID restrictions, my first faculty recital on campus,” Bunting said. “I am incredibly excited to present this program of works for percussion for the Vlogý Little Rock and Little Rock communities.”]]> Vlogý Little Rock to hold Percussion Concert April 27 /news-archive/2021/04/23/percussion-concert-april/ Fri, 23 Apr 2021 18:18:05 +0000 /news/?p=78846 ... Vlogý Little Rock to hold Percussion Concert April 27]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a Percussion Concert on Tuesday, April 27, featuring the Vlogý Little Rock Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band. The concert will be livestreamed at 7 p.m. April 27 on the and will be available to view afterwards. Justin Bunting, director of percussion studies, will lead a lively concert with a diverse group of works by the Percussion Ensemble and a mix of popular and traditional music by the Steel Band. The Percussion Ensemble will start the concert with “Scavenger Music” by Christopher Deane, a piece for ‘found’ percussion instruments. The following piece will be John Psathas’s “Fragment,” a contemplative duet for piano and vibraphone. The program continues with the world premiere of Bunting’s piece “Dance of Water,” a duet written specifically for the ensemble. “An open improvisation by members of the ensemble will follow based on the sounds of the rainforest,” Bunting said. “Finally, a medley of traditional frame drumming and the Arabic rhythm Baladi will feature brand new drums acquired for the program earlier this semester through a Vlogý Little Rock Middle Eastern Studies grant.” The Steel Band will play tunes from various popular and traditional styles. The set includes “Jump in the Line” by Harry Belafonte, “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley, “Jamaica Farewell” by Irving Burgie, “Big Shot” by Billy Joel, and “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars. In the upper right photo, the members of the Vlogý Little Rock Steel Band practice in the Fine Arts Building. Photo by Benjamin Krain.]]> Vlogý Little Rock Choirs to hold March 14 performance celebrating Women’s History Month /news-archive/2021/03/04/choirs-performance-womens-history/ Thu, 04 Mar 2021 22:33:02 +0000 /news/?p=78485 ... Vlogý Little Rock Choirs to hold March 14 performance celebrating Women’s History Month]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a live-streamed performance celebrating Women’s History Month at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 14. The performance, “We Sing! A Celebration of Women’s Heritage,” can be viewed via YouTube . The event is presented by Dr. Lorissa Mason, director of choral activities, and the Vlogý Little Rock Choirs in the Department of Music. “This program has been a long time coming,” Mason said. “Originally planned for fall of 2020 to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment ratification granting women the right to vote, current circumstances pushed the concert back to March of 2021, equally appropriate to celebrate Women’s Heritage Month.” The program includes historically informed music performed by the Vlogý Little Rock Women’s Chorus, poetry reading, a special musical oratory presentation of Gwyneth Walker’s “Gestalt at 60” featuring Dr. Linda Holzer, professor of music, on piano and Dr. Yslan Hicks, former chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, as the narrator, and invited speakers from the Department of History with commentary on notable women of the suffrage movement. The Vlogý Little Rock Women’s Chorus will perform “One Voice” by Ruthy Moody, “March of the Women” by Ethel Smyth as well as  “They May Tell You” and “Hope Lingers On” by Andrea Ramsey. “We are women speaking about women, singing about women, and performing music written by women,” Mason said. “Working with the choirs at Vlogý Little Rock is an honor and a privilege, and planning this program with these students has strengthened all of us along the way.”]]> Vlogý Little Rock Percussion Ensemble, Steel Band to hold virtual concert Dec. 11 /news-archive/2020/12/08/percussion-ensemble-steel-band-to-hold-virtual-concert-dec-11/ Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:21:30 +0000 /news/?p=78018 ... Vlogý Little Rock Percussion Ensemble, Steel Band to hold virtual concert Dec. 11]]> The concert, “Changes,” will be at 5 p.m. The program features music by John Cage, Colin Bell, and Alex Stopa, as well as Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and the Beatles. The concert marks the debut performance of the Steel Band, which is directed by Dr. Justin Bunting, director of percussion studies. For more information, contact Bunting at jbunting@ualr.edu.]]>