News From the Hartt Dean's Office
September 5, 2007

Community Division Appoints New Director

The Hartt School has announced the appointment of Dr. Mark George as the new Director of The Hartt School Community Division, the University of Hartford’s prestigious community arts school for music, dance, and theatre.  Dr. George has enjoyed a unique career making music and connecting people of all backgrounds to the performing arts.  As a musician, educator and administrator, he has created or participated in a series of exciting and significant endeavors. 

"I am so pleased to come to a community that cares deeply about its young people," Dr. George noted.  “The Hartt School Community Division has a well-deserved national reputation.  I am honored to lead the school into a new era."

The Hartt School is the internationally acclaimed performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford.  The school’s Community Division is a comprehensive arts school with programs in the performing arts for all ages and abilities.  Locations in West Hartford, Hartford, Simsbury, South Windsor, and Middletown, and a professional faculty of over 150 members serve nearly 2,700 students. 

The Division also runs youth programs at The Hartford Boys & Girls Club and Jumoke Academy; The Fund for Access, an endowment which provides tuition assistance to students with demonstrated financial need; and the Dance Program for City Youth provide additional opportunities for young musicians and dancers to study at Hartt.  Expanding the school’s outreach to the community figures heavily in Dr. George’s future plans for the school:  "The Hartt School Community Division must play an essential role in the Greater Hartford community: to make the performing arts an integral part of the education and experience of every citizen."

Dr. George previously held the post of Director of Distance Learning at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he established his program as a national leader in adapting interactive videoconference technologies for music performance and teaching.  He developed a number of innovative arts outreach programs, including ICARE (the Initiative for Cultural Arts in Education), a program that created long term partnerships between public schools and arts organizations, and one that has had a profound impact on arts education in Cleveland, Ohio.  His work as an interdisciplinary curriculum developer and consultant has rendered the arts and humanities more accessible to diverse communities hungry for knowledge.

Dr. George has held faculty positions at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Case Western Reserve University, Mount Union College and the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music.  He received a master of music degree from Indiana University in 1985 and a doctor of musical arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1989.

A highly regarded pianist, Dr. George has performed and recorded extensively throughout the United States.  His chamber ensemble, North Coast Trio, was grand-prize winner of the 1992 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and first prize co-winner of the 1993 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition.  He has appeared frequently as a recitalist and soloist with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Trinity Chamber Orchestra, Epicycle: An Ensemble for New Music, the University Circle Wind Ensemble and many others.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Hartt Convocation, Sept. 6

Convocation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 12:15 p.m. in Lincoln Theater.  There will be performances featuring all of Hartt’s departments, including a special performance by newcomer cello faculty Mihai Tetel.

Performing Arts Center Kickoff

State and local officials, neighborhood residents, and members of the University community gathered at the corner of Albany Avenue and Westbourne Parkway in Hartford to celebrate the start of construction on the first phase of the Mort & Irma Handel Performing Arts Center. The project will transform the former Thomas Cadillac distributorship into a vibrant center for performing arts education.
UNotes Daily, June 21

Ballet Company Donates Dance Collection to Allen Library

The Board of Directors of The Connecticut Valley Regional Ballet Company, Inc. has voted to donate the C. Tracy Dorman Video and DVD Library to The Hartt School Dance Department of the University of Hartford. Containing over 175 items, this library represents a broad collection including Afro-Caribbean dance, ballroom, classical ballet, court dance, and dance from a variety of cultures, modern dance, musical theatre dance, character dance and tap dance. The collection is named in honor of C. Tracy Dorman who has been the company's president since 1978.

A non-profit educational organization, The Connecticut Valley Regional Ballet Company, Inc. was founded in 1966. The company has created the Hannah and Sam Silverherz Dance Collection at the Hall Memorial Library in Ellington, Conn.; is co-sponsor with The Ethel Walker School of "Momentum: Images of Dance", an international dance photography contest in memory of Sanford L. Rosenberg; and produced archival materials on the careers of dance educators Marguerite de Anguera, Larry Humphries and Martha Myers. In its early years the company gave 250 performances throughout New England.

Natalie Wing awarded Outstanding Staff Award

Natalie Wing was awarded an Outstanding Staff Award during the 2007-08 Faculty/Staff Kickoff in August.  Natalie is now in her 18th year at the University.  After stints with Residential Life, the Department of Athletics, and the bursar’s office, she moved to Hartt where she has been a vibrant presence for 14 years in the Academic Studies Division. 

As Coordinator for the five departments that comprise the division (Music History, Composition, and Music Theory; African-American Music/ Jazz Studies; Music and Performing Arts Management; Music and Production Technology; and the B.A. in Music program) Hartt faculty describe Natalie as an “ideal colleague” and her support as “invaluable”.  She is well known for going above and beyond her regular job duties, often rewarding faculty and student achievements with parties and other kinds of special recognition.  “She has made our workplace a much better and more enjoyable place, and has been doing so for many years,” wrote one colleague.

Wing also managed to earn two degrees while working at the University, a BA in 1995, and then in 2006, an MA in communications.  She is particularly proud that she and her son received the same degree at Commencement that year.
UNotes Daily, August 30

Full Force Dance Theatre Events

Hartt’s residence dance company will pair up with Connecticut Opera for an afternoon performance at The Bushnell Center’s Belding Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m.  Enjoy operatic favorites sung by Connecticut Opera's resident artists, mixed with modern dance, choreographed by Hartt faculty member Katie Stevinson-Nollet. Before the performance, have a drink in the Great Hall and enjoy a few selections by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's touring quartet.  Admission is free.

Full Force Dance Theatre will hold auditions on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 12:30 p.m. at the Hartt dance studios on Farmington Ave. in Hartford.  The company is seeking strong male and female dancers with backgrounds in modern (Limón training preferred), ballet, improvisation, and partnering.  Auditioning dancers must be 18 years or older.  Come warm and ready to dance. Please bring a photo and resume to the audition, or email it in advance to Katie.

For more information on Full Force Dance Theatre, visit their web site.

Hartt faculty, students & alumnus in Hartford Stage's Our Town

Hartt faculty Bob Davis, Theatre Division students Jessi Ehrlich and Michael Angelo Morlani, and recent graduate Justin Fuller (BFA 2007) are appearing in Our Town at Hartford Stage starring Hal Holbrook.  The Show runs through October 7.

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

Anthea Kreston’s piano trio, the Amelia Trio, will be playing a newly commissioned triple concerto at Hartt on March 28 of next year.  They will perform this piece throughout the country next season with college and youth orchestras, and have set up a facebook group so that students can contact each other and discuss the project.  Students can post pictures, video, and messages to each other in anticipation of the trio coming to their school.  For more information, go to the projects link.

Hartt adjunct professor Teri Einfeldt has been named Chairperson Elect of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, a non-profit organization that aspires to support, guide and promote Suzuki education in North, Central and South America.  Prof. Einfeldt is the Chair of Hartt’s Suzuki Department and the Community Division’s String Department.  She is also the Assistant Director of Hartt’s summer Suzuki Institute.
UNotes Daily, Aug. 23

Elaine Mishkind of Amherst, who taught violin at The Hartt School for about 25 years, has found a new passion in her life. Suffering from arthritis, which made bowing the strings too painful, she turned her artistic talents to photography. She will have her first exhibition at the Rockridge Retirement Community in Northampton, according to a feature story in The Amherst Bulletin.
Amherst Bulletin, Aug. 17

The Artists in Residence program at the University of Central Arkansas has invited Katie Lansdale, Hartt faculty violinist, to the campus.  She will be visiting the university on two separate occasions.
UCA Today, Aug 23

After a whirlwind summer abroad with the Kenny Garrett Quartet and the Eric Alexander Quartet in Canada, Serbia, Austria, Denmark, Croatia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, France and Japan, fans of bassist Nat Reeves can catch him at several gigs closer to home.  He’ll be appearing with the Pharaoh Sanders Quartet on Sept. 6 and 7 at Scullers in Boston, Sept. 11 to 15 at Birdland in NYC, and Sept. 16 at Cornell University.  Reeves is a faculty member in Hartt’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz.

New Hartt Staff and Faculty Announcements

New theater division faculty include Elizabeth Huebner (Alexander Technique) and Joni Weisfeld (Movement/Acting-Suzuki).

Karen Peters has been named the new Coordinator of the Instrumental Studies Division.  Karen succeeds Anne Griffin who retired last spring.  Karen worked for three years in The Hartt School Community Division office.

The Music Education Division is pleased to welcome new associate professor Warren Haston. He will be teaching instrumental music education, working with student teachers and directing the Hartt Band Project.  Warren Haston earned his PhD at Northwestern University and his Bachelor's and Master's at the University of Texas at El Paso. He has taught Band and Music Education from elementary through post-secondary schools in Texas, Virginia, and Georgia. He has particular interest in teacher education and democratic music ensembles. His wife Amanda is also a music educator. He enjoys sports (way too much!), reading, and cycling.

Denise Leetch-Moore joins the dance division faculty this year.  Denise moved to Connecticut to join the Hartford Ballet under the direction of Kirk Peterson fourteen years ago. As a principal dancer with the company her repertoire included full-length classics as well as a wide range of works by George Balanchine and Choo-San Goh to name a few. Prior to joining the Hartford Ballet, Denise was a member of the Nashville Ballet, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Pennsylvania Ballet, Chautauqua Festival Company, and Septime Webre Dance.  For the past twelve years, Denise has taught and directed the ballet program at the International Skating Center of Connecticut in Simsbury working with beginning skaters as well as World and Olympic competitors, teaching ballet class as well as on-ice choreography.  While a member of the Nashville Ballet, Denise taught a wide variety of classes, including the Creative Movement program for young children, Adult level and the Jazz program.  She also worked with elite gymnasts training for national competitions. Additionally, Denise was part of the outreach program, offering ballet and movement classes to underprivileged children. 

The Stage Director for Hartt’s undergraduate opera Orpheus in the Underworld in Feb. 2008 will be Ron Luchsinger.  Associated with Opera North since 1988, he was named Director of Productions in 1997. Luchsinger also maintains a busy schedule of guest assignments: In 2000/2001 he directed Roméo et Juliette for Shreveport Opera, Rigoletto for Anchorage Opera, Le nozze di Figaro for Abilene Opera, Così fan tutte for Eugene Opera, Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing for Simsbury Light Opera, Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona at Dartmouth College, and Offenbach's The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein for Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Engagements for 2002 have included Tosca for Anchorage Opera and productions of La Traviata, Roméo et Juliette, Carmen, and Ruddigore. He has been Visiting Artistic Director at the University of Connecticut and has served on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music, New England Conservatory, the New York Opera/Drama Studio, and the California Music Center.

Kevin Jones will be teaching French Diction for the Vocal Division in the spring semester.  Jones attended Southern Methodist University and completed his undergraduate degree at Ashland College; he went on to earn graduate degrees in Collaborative Piano and in Organ Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  From 1996-2004, Mr. Jones held the post of Musical Director/Conductor of the New York City based Gilbert & Sullivan ensemble, the Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd. With that ensemble he made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut as guest with Skitch Henderson’s New York Pops Symphony Orchestra. He has worked as assistant to conductor Anton Coppola in productions of Aïda, Gianni Schicchi, La Bohème, Lucia, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rigoletto. He appears frequently at Carnegie Hall with Mid-America Productions, and has made his Weill Recital Hall début with flutist Koaki Fujimoto. He has performed at Ashland University, Cleveland Museum of Art, Oberlin College, Merkin Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Purchase, and Weill Hall. Internationally, he has performed throughout Europe and the Far East.  In 2001, Mr. Jones founded his own professional ensemble, Æxxus, which has performed several concerts in New York City and has collaborated with tenor Peter Buchi in his debut recording Peter Buchi – An American Voice on the AZICA label.  Mr. Jones has served as an Associate Artist and Assistant Chorus Master with Cleveland Opera as well as a staff pianist at both the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He currently resides in the greater Hartford area, and began his work as Director of Music at the Cathedral in June 2007.

STUDENT & ALUMNI NEWS

William Andrew Sevedge, 19, is a freshman in Hartt’s theater program, and a former Little League player who took aim at Broadway. "The Hartt School will be a real challenge for me in dance and voice," Sevedge said. "That’s why I’m going. I interviewed at several places, but I wanted the challenge of the conservatory program."
Columbia Tribune, Aug. 24

On Sunday, Sept. 9, Laura Breznick and Samuel Dorr, both pre-cantorial students at The Hartt School, will perform with Cantor Pamela Siskin and Natasha Ulyanovsky of the Congregation Beth Israel in a performance entitled “Past/Present/Future” celebrating the New Year.  The concert will be held in Millard Auditorium at 4 p.m.  Admission is free.

A Hartford Courant review of the JVC Jazz Festival-Newport noted that “one of the [Ben Riley's Monk Legacy] Septet’s most captivating soloists was young tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery (BMus 1997), a New Haven native. The rising star also contributed significantly to a performance by The Mingus Orchestra, conducted by Gunther Schuller.” Escoffery studied with Jackie McLean at Hartt’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz.

Cantor Charles Osborne (BMus ’72), a graduate of The Hartt School and an internationally recognized cantor, conductor and composer, was named the new spiritual leader of the Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms in Pike County, Pennsylvania. Osborne, who also attended the Juilliard School of Music, was the cantor at Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass. for 18 years.

Grade 4 students of Congregation Shir Ami, a reform congregation serving Lower Fairfield and Westchester Counties, will be studying with Noah Axe (BMus ‘04 Jazz Studies). In addition to teaching at Congregation Shir Ami Religious School, Noah teaches private lessons on drums and guitar, and plays percussion with several New York City based bands. 4th grade students will explore life-cycle ritual and customs and how they impact the lives of Jewish families here in the U.S. and in Israel.
Greenwich Post, Aug. 20

Legendary singer and Hartt School alumna Dionne Warwick will perform on campus on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 9 p.m. as part of the University's ongoing celebration of its 50th anniversary. The concert will be a highlight of Fall Weekend, which includes Homecoming and Parents Weekend.
UNotes Daily, Aug. 27

Read the Community Division's Newsletter

A farewell reception was held on Thursday for Jenny Miglus, budget assistant for The Hartt School Community Division. Miglus, who has been with the University for nearly 10 years, has accepted a position as archival assistant at Wesleyan University's Olin Library. 

Fall Audition Day, Sunday, Sept. 16
The Hartt School Community Division is scheduling audition times for students interested in participating in one of the school instrumental ensembles during the upcoming academic year. Fall Audition Day on Sunday, Sept. 16 will feature auditions for Connecticut Children's Chorus, Connecticut Youth Symphony, Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, Opus 89 Orchestra, Vivace Orchestra, Performer's Certificate Program, and Chamber Music Ensembles.  To sign up, contact 860.768.4451, ext. 0, send an email, or visit our web site.

New Fall Adult Classes
The Fall 2007 schedule includes several exciting new classes geared towards adult students.

Adult Voice Class, Saturdays 12:30-1:30 p.m., Fuller Music Center
If you are looking for voice lessons and have little or no formal experience singing, come try one of our group classes. This series offers adults who are not looking for private voice lessons or community chorus activities the chance to learn basic singing and musicianship skills in a relaxed environment alongside other adults with similar interests.  Gain basic vocal skills and musical understanding and enjoy some social time with other adults!  All backgrounds and ages welcome.  Classes are taught by Nancy Andersen, an exerienced voice instructor at The Hartt School and its Community Division.
 

Alexander Technique for Musicians, Tuesdays 7-8 p.m., Fuller Music Center
10 week sessions offered
Do you experience pain or discomfort when you play or sing?  Are you perplexed by repeated injuries, and seek effective practicing techniques and methods for managing performance pressures? Taught at performing art schools world-wide, the Alexander Technique is an effective method for managing the many demands musicians face both on and off stage. In this experiential course you will begin to improve your body awareness and reduce the unnecessary muscle tension that effects how you play. Through group activity and one-on-one instruction you will gain insight into the pain and injuries you may be facing, learn healthy practicing techniques, and skills for improving your musicality and sound. This class is intended for all instruments and vocalists at all levels. Please bring your instrument if applicable.

Adult Piano Class, Wednesdays 7:00-8:00pm, Hartt piano lab
10 week sessions offered
If you are looking for piano lessons and have little or no experience playing the piano, come try one of our group classes designed specifically for adults.  This series offers adults, who are not looking for private piano lessons, the chance to learn basic piano skills in a relaxed environment alongside other adults with similar interests.  Gain basic piano skills and musical understanding and enjoy some social time with other adults!  All backgrounds and ages welcome.  Classes are taught by Greg Babal, an exerienced piano instructor at The Hartt School and its Community Division.

Joza Karas Adult String Ensemble
Named after faculty member Joza Karas, who founded the ensemble and has taught in the Hartt Community Division for over 50 years, the Karas Adult String Ensemble is an intermediate string ensemble for adults who are not yet ready to perform with a regional community orchestra. Rehearsals are held on Saturdays from 11:15 am - 12:45 pm at The Hartt School. Students must be able to "get around" on the instrument. Please feel free to speak with the director for more details about playing levels.