SPRING 2009
Faculty Awards
The professional achievements of our faculty have been very impressive this year. Our
field does not offer a large number of awards for the kinds of work that we do, but two of
our faculty have received prestigious forms of outside recognition:
Geoffrey Burleson became a voting member of the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY Awards) in October of 2008.
Ryan Keberle won the 2008 Trombonist of the Year award from Latin Jazz Corner (a
well respected online music publication). He also played on 2 grammy-winning
records over the past 2 years: Maria Schneider's "Sky Blue" for best jazz
composition, and "In The Heights" for best Broadway Soundtrack.
Student Accomplishments
Our students achieved remarkable success in the many performances that they gave at
Hunter, ranging from individual recitals to gala concerts involving multiple ensembles,
this year. Events worthy of special note are:
Bartók Festival: This was a series of events celebrating the composer Béla Bartók
that involved students in several special performances and academic initiatives. The
principal performance events were: (1) a gala concert involving the Hunter
Symphony, the Chamber Singers, both Jazz ensembles, and the winners of a special
competition for performances of solo and chamber works; (2) a concert featuring
student performances of solo and chamber works; (3) a special concert of the
Chamber Singers and a faculty-student chamber ensemble; and (4) a performance of
books 4, 5, and 6 of Bartók’s Mikrokosmos (a collection of short pieces) by most of
our advanced piano students and some of their teachers. We also offered several
academic courses in which Bartók played a special role. Students received cash
prizes for the best performances and the best academic papers on Bartók-related
topics. The festival generated much enthusiasm and helped us toward our goal of
integrating the academic and performance sides of our department more effectively.
Opera: The students in the Opera Performance class gave an impressive performance
of three short operas in the Kaye Playhouse.
Hunter Symphony: We are especially proud of the Hunter Symphony, which has
become an almost entirely student ensemble after functioning for many decades as a
semi-professional, mostly hired group. We look forward to the group’s continued
growth in both size and quality in the coming years.
We received the following information from students in response to a request for
information about their outside achievements:
Jason Benjamin became the Music Minister of his church, Greenpoint Reformed.
The dixieland band he leads was hired for several weddings, club dates, concerts of
spirituals at churches, and was invited by the Louis Armstrong House and Museum
(part of the Queens College Armstrong archives) to perform at the Armstrong house
in July 2008.
Amanda Hick performed concerts in Nogales, AZ and Tubac, AZ at the Governor's
Mansion (among other locations) with pianist Evan Kory and cellist Min-Jeong Kang.
The music focused on Spanish composers and was funded by the Santa Cruz
Foundation. She also sang in a joint recital at Steinway Hall, NYC., served as a
substitute Voice teacher at the Bronx Conservatory (Saturday classes), and was
offered the role of the Countess in Mozart's 'Le Nozze di Figaro' for the Amalfi Coast,
Italy, Festival (summer 2009).
Tu Quyen Hoang Tran accompanyied for the Suzuki school in Long Island.
Matthew Klauser is finishing a two year apprenticeship with the Dicapo Opera and
will be singing with the Lake George Opera this summer.
Deepali Kulkarni stood First in India in the exam "Sangeet alankar," which was
conducted by Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (a famous music institutions
in India).
Christopher Minarich sang the Verses of the Paschal Canon in duet with the priestmonk, Fr. Christopher (Savage), as well as sing in the tenor section of the monastic
choir for services, at New Skete Monastery, in Cambridge, NY. He also plays
Baroque Violin in Claremont Baroque, a Trio of Period Instruments, of which he is a
founding member. They are giving 4 private house concerts in New York and
Philadelphia this spring.
Michael Peer (alumnus) is participating in the Colorado Opera in the Young Artist
Program.
Berit Rundquist sang the role of Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Operesque at
the Ansonia Concert Hall, NYC on 1/27/09 with Anthony Daino as Edgardo and Jay
Gould as Enrico.and Judith Schaaf at the piano. She sang the role of Gilda in
Rigoletto as an Operalogue at Merkin Hall on 3/19/08 and with Operesque at the
Forest Hills West Jewish Ctr on 4/06/08. She also sang the role of Inez in Il
Trovatore with Opereseque at Brian Hunter Studios, NYC on 5/25/08.
Brenna Sage sent me a long list of achievements:
* I am currently serving as Director of Music for the First Reformed Church of
Astoria, in Astoria, NY. I direct their Senior Choir, Men's Choir and Sunday School
Choir, as well as play piano and pipe organ for Sunday services and other special
services. I have been their Music Director since November, 2006.
* This past year, over the summer, I have also music directed two children's
educational programs. The first was Project Broadway, a program for grades 5
through 8, at Playhouse on the Green in Bridgeport, CT. The second was the US
Performing Arts Camp at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. I music directed the
Musical Theatre Camp the first week, then music directed Voice for the Musical
Theatre the following week. Robert Pullen of the Kennedy Center contracted me for
this position.
* I also recorded orchestrations for two regional theatre companies in my home
studio. I worked on the scores for "Beauty and the Beast", "Annie", "Miracle on 34th
Street", and "Camelot" for a company in Ohio, La Comedia Dinner Theatre. and one
in Alabama, The Whole Backstage.
* During the winter vacation, I subbed on the Keyboard 2 book for The Marvelous
Wonderettes, which is currently running off-Broadway.
* February 14, 2009 I accompanied "Mingling With The Old-Time Throng: Love
Songs for New York" at the New York Society Library, with Author and Lecturer
Michael Lasser. (The link above includes video and audio clips, as well as my
headshot and a very brief bio.)
* I performed as a vocalist with Cilla Owens' Jazzvox ensemble at Don't Tell
Mama on April 19, 2009 for a second CD release party.
Tom Smith performs three gigs per week, Fri-Sun.
Carly Steif played in the musicals pit for 1776. She also played in the pit of The
Music Man for a temple in the upper west side and will play in Jekyll and Hyde in
June.
Eva Vossmerbäumer played gigs in 4 different Bars, on 2 gallery openings, at one
wedding. She released her first album (self-produced) entitled "Initial Melodies" in
November 2008.