News From the Hartt Dean's Office
November 28, 2007

Senior Dance Concert, Nov 30- Dec 1

The University of Hartford, in collaboration with the Charter Oak Cultural Center, presents the Hartt School Dance Division’s, Senior Dance Concert.  The evening will feature premiere works by Senior Dance Composition students Jenna Dannenberger, Caitlin Doody, Danielle Harper, Cassandra Malizia and Heather Lombardo, as well as solo works by guest choreographers Lorelei Li Chang, James Robey, Katie Stevinson-Nollet and Paul Monaghan.  The performance will be held at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Ave, Hartford on November 30 and December 1, at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 seniors, $5 U of H faculty, staff and students.  Reservations: 860.249.1207

Senior works include Elongate THIS, a fierce and quirky new work by Heather Lombardo, set to music by Johnny Greenwood showing the boundaries of two drastically different, yet complimentary movement styles; a premiere composition by Caitlin Doody, showing off her version of abstract movement for women, set to the powerful music of Bartok; Feast Your Eyes, done by Cassandra Malizia to Maiz by Murcof challenges the audience with unpredictable moments that demonstrate the strength and ability of women; One of a Kind, choreographed to the music of Vitamin String Quartet by Danielle Harper explores the development and dynamics of natural energy; The Beckoning, a story that follows a family expressing their reactions in a time of fear, choreographed by Jenna Dannenberger to music by Scanner.

Solo works featured are Stormy Blues a premier work by Katie Stevinson-Nollet, Artistic Director of Full Force Dance Theatre, set to the sultry music of Billie Holiday and performed by Heather Lombardo; a dance premier by Lorelei Li Chang uses an abstract modern style to depict the life of a sea creature and features Caitlin Doody; Quelqu’un M’a Dit (Somebody Told Me) a riveting new work choreographed by Paul Monaghan to Carla Bruni’s Quelqu’un M’a Dit and performed by Cassandra Malizia; Danielle Harper is featured in The Wind that Shakes, a culturally expressive solo work choreographed by James Robey.

Photo by Thomas Giroir

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Parade, Dec 6-9

The Hartt School Theatre Division will present the Tony-award winning musical Parade, in Millard Auditorium on the campus of the University of Hartford December 6 through 9, 2007.

Performances will be Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.  Tickets are $20, with discounts for senior citizens, students and groups.  For more information, contact the University Box Office at (860) 768-4228 or (800) 274-8587.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Winner of two Tony Awards, Jason Robert Brown’s Parade tells the tragic, true story of a Jewish man from Brooklyn accused of the murder of a young factory worker. This compelling musical recalls the press frenzy and public hatred surrounding the trial, and his wife’s crusade for justice. In a time of religious intolerance, political injustice and racial tension, the musical explores the endurance of love and hope against all the odds.

Hartt’s production of Parade is directed by Michael Montel. The music director is Michael Morris and choreographer is Justin Andrews, a senior dance division student.  Michael Montel has directed The Hartt School Theatre Division’s projects Lightening From Heaven, Rhinoceros, The Threepenny Opera, Hair and Sweeney Todd.  His Broadway credits include The Phoenix Theatre productions of Phillip Barry’s Holidayand McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding as well as Inge’s Summer Brave.  Recent off-Broadway productions include Last Train to Nibroc (seen also at the Spoletto Festival in Charleston), Jeffrey Sweet’s With and Without, Carol Galligan’s Killing Louise, as well as many York Theatre performances including Darling of the Day, Fanny, and this season’s Greenwillow.  Internationally, his work includes Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers for Tel Aviv’s Cameri Theatre, and Last Train to Nibroc for the Edinburgh Festival.  His regional productions include the Jefferson award winning production of Christopher Hampton’s The Philanthropist with Brian Murray and Swoosie Kurtz at the Goodman, Sweeney Todd at the Paper Mill Playhouse with George Hearn and Judy Kaye, several productions for Williamstown as well as Dinner With Friends for both Miami’s Coconut Grove and Pittsburgh’s Public Theatre.  Among his proudest achievements are the years spent along with Hal Prince, Stephen Porter and T. Edward Hambleton as Artistic Director of the Phoenix Theatre, actually presenting rotating repertory on Broadway.

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Bright Sheng- The 2007 Unclaimed Property Composer-in-Residence Concert Series, Dec. 12-14

The Hartt School is proud to announce the 2007 Unclaimed Property Composer-in-Residence Concert Series featuring Bright Sheng. Hailed as one of today’s most influential composers, Sheng will bring his brilliance and innovation to The Hartt School stage in a three-day concert series on Wednesday, December 12, through Friday, December 14.  The Hartt School Contemporary Players, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra will be performing Sheng’s compositions.  Hartt faculty will also be featured as soloists in the concert series.  All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., and will be held at Lincoln Theater on the University of Hartford campus.  Admission is free for the December 12 concert.  Tickets for the December 13 and 14 performances are $20 with discounts for senior citizens, students and groups.  Contact the University of Hartford Box Office at (860) 768-4228 or purchase tickets online at www.hartford.edu/hartt. 

Wednesday, December 12, 2007: The Hartt Contemporary Players, under the direction of Christopher Zimmerman, will perform Sheng’s work Postcards.  Mr. Sheng will also conduct John Adam's Chamber Symphony with the ensemble. The ensemble will be joined by Hartt faculty members Robert Black, Mihai Tetel and Anton Miller performing chamber works of Sheng.  The performance will take place in Lincoln Theater on the campus of the University of Hartford.  Admission is free.

Thursday, December 13, 2007: The Wind Ensemble will perform Sheng’s work La’i (Love Song).  Also on the program is Ingolf Dahl's Sinfonietta and Stravinsky’s Piano Concerto featuring piano soloist Anastasia Seifetdinova.  Renowned international conductor Tim Reynish from England will be guest conducting. The performance will take place in Lincoln Theater on the campus of the University of Hartford.  Admission is $20, with discounts for students, seniors and groups. 

Friday, December 14, 2007: Under the direction of Christopher Zimmerman, the Orchestra will perform Sheng’s work Nanking, Nanking! for Pipa and Orchestra.  The concert also includes Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra.  The performance will take place in Lincoln Theater on the campus of the University of Hartford.  Admission is $20, with discounts for students, seniors and groups. 
Bright Sheng, born in Shanghai, China in 1955, is a Chinese-American composer, conductor, and pianist. He has lived in the United States since 1982 and is on faculty at the University of Michigan.  In April of 1999, Mr. Sheng received a special commission from the White House to create a new work for a state dinner, hosted by the president, honoring the Chinese Premiere Zhou Rongji. In October 2001, Bright Sheng was named a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow with a cash prize of $500,000.  Sheng’s Nanking! Nanking! was recently premiered by Northern German Radio Symphony in Hamburg, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. Other recent premiers include Red Silk Dance, Silver River, Flute Moon, China Dreams, Four Movements for Piano Trio, Madame Mao and a quadruple concerto for the New York Philharmonic celebrating the twentieth debut anniversary of Yo Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax. He was Distinguished Guest Composer of Winnipeg Symphony in Canada and he recently conducted the China National Symphony Orchestra in concert of his symphonic music in Beijing.  Mr. Sheng has appeared as solo pianist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, as a conductor with the San Francisco Ballet, Tanglewood Music Center, and the Asian Youth Orchestra among many more. He has collaborated with many distinguished musicians including Leonard Bernstein, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, David Zinman, and Neeme Järvi. His music has been widely performed in the United States, Europe and in Asia.  In addition to many national and international awards, Mr. Sheng has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, Guggenheim Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Naumberg Foundation, and Copland Foundation. Last year, he was the recipient of the Michigan Arts Award and a Rackham fellowship from the University of Michigan.  Mr. Sheng’s music is exclusively published by G. Schirmer, Inc. and records on the Sony Classical, Delos, Koch International, New World, and Grammofon AB BI labels.  Among his important teachers were Leonard Bernstein, George Perle, Hugo Weisgall, Chou Wen-Chung, and Jack Beeson.  Sheng is currently in demand throughout the world as a composer, and will have his work featured at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. 
The 2007 Unclaimed Property Composer in Residence project, featuring Bright Sheng, has been made possible by generous grants from:
                            Susan Brake
                            The Saunders Foundation

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FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Percussion Group Cincinnati, December 9 at 3:00 p.m.

The Hartt School presents Percussion Group Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 3:00 p.m. in Berkman Auditorium.  Percussion Group Cincinnati consists of faculty members from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, where they are ensemble in residence.  In addition to community concerts, workshops, and master-classes, the Group regularly appears as concerto soloists with symphony orchestras, and is particularly respected for its work with the music of John Cage.  Admission is free.  Please call the University Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt for more information.

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

Judy Maddox recently passed away on September 5.  After graduating from Weaver High School, Maddox attended The Hartt School, where she studied with piano teacher Moshe Paranov, founder and director of the school. She was a soloist with the New Haven Orchestra and the Hartt College Orchestra.  Following her graduation, she taught piano at Hartt from 1960-1970.
(The Courant, November 27)

Professor of Percussion Ben Toth presented a recital at the University of Delaware this past November. 
(UDaily, November 19)

Dennis Price, Hartt’s Dance Division Director, is currently featured in the production of The Public Theatre’s, a Lewiston/Auburn, Maine Professional Theatre Company, presentation of their acclaimed adaptation of A Christmas Carol.  A Christmas Carol will be performed on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For tickets call The Public Theatre Box Office at 782-3200.
(MaineToday.com, November 13)

Vocal Studies Instructor Cherie Caluda will be the soprano soloist for Hartford Symphony's performance of Handel's Messiah with the Hartford Chorale on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 at 3:00 p.m. at the Belding Theater, Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.  Students will be able to purchase tickets for $10 one hour prior to the performance.  They may also be purchased at any time with the purchase of one full-price ticket.  Go to Student ticket link. 

STUDENT & ALUMNI NEWS

Adam Corcoran (BFA, 2003) is currently performing in the production Forever Plaid at the Oregon Cabaret Theater.  A native of New York City, Corcoran is a graduate of The Hartt School, with credits including the Surflight Theatre, Lakes Region Summer Theatre and Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre. (Mail Tribune, November 16)

Joseph D’Eugenio (BM, 1994) celebrated his 10th anniversary as artistic director and conductor of The Greater Middletown Chorale.  The chorale also celebrated its 31st season. “One of the greatest beauties and joys of being with the same singers for as long as I’ve been with the group is, in a sense it becomes a family centered in trust,” D’Eugenio said. “We get to always explore and get outside our comfort zones, and that’s what’s needed to get to the next level.”  
(Middletown Press, Nov. 17)

Debra Cheverino (MM, 2000) has become dottoressa this June 2007 receiving a Laurea Specialistica in Musicologia e Beni Musicali from the University of Florence. 

Victor Khodadad (GPD, 2005) will be singing the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto for Commonwealth Opera in Northampton, MA. The performances are Wednesday, November 28 and Friday, November 30 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available through Commonwealth Opera (www.commonwealthopera.org) This production is directed by Ron Luchsinger and will be presented in Italian with full orchestra.

Robert Losinno (BM, 1987) performed with Latin Grammy Winner Nestor Torres as part of his South Florida tour with the Florida Sunshine Pops.

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The Alturas Duo will perform on Sunday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. presenting “Fire and Ice” at the New York Viola Society in NYC, Christ and St. Stephen's Church (120 W.69th Street, between Broadway and Columbus).   This concert will feature an evening of exciting and unusual viola music from New Zealand, Argentina, Iceland, Norway, Chile and Russia.  The Alturas Duo is comprised of Hartt Community Division Faculty Members Carlos Boltes (viola) & Scott Hill (guitar).