Music Since 1945

The College of the Ozarks Music Department provides students with the opportunity to take a variety of classes that cover different eras of music. One of these classes is "Music Since 1945." This course, taught by Dr. Luke Carlson, focuses on music that has been composed since 1945 with combined elements of classical and modern themes. Today's class reviewed the student's diagrams they created on Lutoslawski's "Livre pour Orchestre."

Topics of this course include:

1. LISTENING

The students will be listening to a variety of music, developing the skill of focused, analytical listening. The goal is to "receive" as the composer intended, not to "use" the music for our preconceived purposes. Whether or not we "like" or "dislike" the music is not the main issue; students will be focusing their attention on learning from the music and expanding their understanding of what modern music has been and can be.

2. PHILOSOPHY

The students will be asking difficult, philosophical questions in this course. What is music? What is good music? What is the purpose of "art" music or "concert" music? What is the difference between modern classical music and popular music? What do we get out of the listening experience? What are the controversies, if any, with modern music, and how do we engage with these issues as Christians?

3. ANALYSIS

The students will be learning how to describe musical compositions in terms of the following criteria: form, style, harmonic language (sound world), musical ideas, historical context, etc.

4. READING & WRITING

In order to better understand the historical context, intentions of the composer, and ideas behind a specific work, we need to read what composers and music theorists have written. The students will process this material and incorporate it into our own analytic work, developing informed observations and conclusions.

Today's class reviewed the student's diagrams they created on Lutoslawski's Livre pour Orchestre.

The diagrams are featured on the class website: https://sway.office.com/sL1J73pjuUoYLwJD

March 29 Music Faculty Recital

On March 29^th, 2019, the College of the Ozarks Music Department hosted a faculty recital featuring seven faculty members performing pieces by several composers, from Franz Liszt to Frank Wildhorn, including two pieces from the college’s own Dr. Luke Carlson.

The recital opened with Dr. Clara Christian’s performance of Liszt’s Au bord d’une source, which Dr. John Cornish followed with “Per la gloria d’adorarvi” by Giovanni Bononcini. 

Mr. Jay Parks appeared next, performing Cavatine by Camille Saint-Saens on his trombone.

The next two pieces, “Keys to the Machine” and “God’s Grandeur”, performed by Dr. Christian and Ms. Rebecca Claborn, respectively, were both composed by Dr. Luke Carlson. 

Next, Dr. Christian reappeared with William Bolcom’s “Knock Stuck”, followed by Mr. Gregg Busch’s performance of “This is the Moment” from Frank Wildhorn’s Jekyll and Hyde.

Mr. Bill Reder and the Jazz Combo finished off the night with a lively performance of Frank Mantooth’s arrangement of “The Girl from Impanema”.

     

February 15: Guest Pianist Richard Fountain Masterclass and Recital

On February 15^th guest pianist Dr. Richard Fountain came to College of the Ozarks to host a piano masterclass. Dr. Fountain worked with College of the Ozarks students Min Hyeok Kang, Spencer Fleury, and Erin Hall, and helped senior Kaylen Draschil prepare for her piano recital on April 13th. Dr. Fountain also gave a piano recital that night, where he performed pieces by Beethoven and Liszt. We appreciate him coming to help our students grow in their skills!

Praised for his “clear, expressive playing,” “mature display of pyrotechnics,” and “seasoned artistry,” pianist Richard Fountain has steadily garnered recognition for his versatile abilities as soloist, collaborator, and teacher. Dr. Fountain’s accolades include the Early Achiever Award from the Nebraska Alumni Association, the “Teacher of the Year” award from the Lubbock Music Teachers Association, and joint Third Prize in The American Prize for Solo Piano for his solo recording “American Ivory.” Dr. Fountain is also a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Music Teachers Association. Dr. Fountain is currently a full-time Professor of Piano at Wayland Baptist University, where he has received WBU’s highest recognition for professional activity, the “Contribution to the Profession” award.

February 5: Mary Vanhoozer and Josh Rodriguez Guest Recital

On February 5th, College of the Ozarks had the honor of welcoming Dr. Mary Vanhoozer, a professional concert pianist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. Dr. Vanhoozer, who received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, performed works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Debussy, and her husband, Dr. Josh Rodriguez. She also took time to discuss the pieces, helping the audience to understand the story of each composer and their music. We are thankful that she shared her musical talents with us!

Mary Vanhoozer is a sought after chamber musician and soloist, with a passion for live music making in her local communities. An active performer, she has played solo recitals at numerous institutions, including Oakland University, Biola University, and Wheaton College. She released her debut solo piano album this past fall, which features the complete keyboard partitas of J. S. Bach, and a newly commissioned work by composer Josh Rodriguez. Dr. Vanhoozer received her BM from Wheaton College Conservatory, her MM from the Eastman School of Music, and her DMA from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her music mentors are Daniel Shapiro, Daniel Paul Horn, Douglas Humpherys, Paul O’Dette, and Peter Slowik. Currently, Mary serves as adjunct professor of piano at the Collinsworth School of Music at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. 

On February 6, 2019, guest composer Dr. Josh Rodriguez gave a presentation to College of the Ozarks students on the topic of graduate school. Dr. Rodriguez is a professor at California Baptist University along with his wife, Dr. Mary Vanhoozer, who performed a piano recital at College of the Ozarks the night before.   

Dr. Rodriguez gave wisdom to students considering applying to graduate school and spoke of his personal journey through grad school.  At the end of the presentation, Dr. Rodriguez opened the floor to questions from the students in attendance, which both he and Dr. Vanhoozer answered. 

As a scholar, his research at UCLA culminated with his dissertation ("Tiemble y estalle la fiesta:" Toward Understanding Alberto Ginastera’s Musical Language in the Final Decade of his Neo-expressionist Phase Through Analysis of the Cello Concerto No. 2 with a Focus on Symmetrical Structures and Symbolism). Rodriguez’s further research post-graduation continues to explore Ginastera’s late works, and his relationship with North American orchestras and universities. 

February 4: Aether Eos Guest Recital

On Monday, February 4^th, College of the Ozarks welcomed guest performers Leah Asher and Chris Goddard of Aether Eos as they performed new and experimental music of the twenty-first century. Composers Rebecca Saunders and Pang Chun-ting wrote the first two pieces Asher and Goddard performed. College of the Ozarks assistant professor of music theory and composition, Dr. Luke Carlson, wrote the third piece, Last Light. Asher also composed a solo violin piece that she performed at the recital, and Eric Wubbels composed the last piece that Aether Eos performed.

Leah Asher has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe with artists and ensembles such as Jennifer Torrence, Sanae Yoshida, Mary Auner, AJO ensemble, NOSO Sinfoniettaen, The Arctic Philharmonic, The Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, eighth blackbird, and The Rhythm Method. She served as solo violist of the NOSO Sinfoniettaen and co-principal viola of the Arctic Philharmonic 2013-2016 and joined as violinist of The Rhythm Method in 2016. Asher completed her undergraduate degree at Oberlin College and Conservatory, studying violin with Gregory Fulkerson. She also earned a Master’s in Contemporary Performance at Manhattan School of Music, studying with Curtis Macomber.

As a performer and advocate of contemporary music, Christopher Goddard has presented dozens of premieres by his colleagues, appearing with new music groups such as Ensemble Moto Perpetuo, Columbia Composers, Penn Composers Guild, the Wet Ink Ensemble and others. Goddard performed with TACTUS, the contemporary music ensemble at the Manhattan School of Music, while studying with pianists Christopher Oldfather and Anthony de Mare. Goddard was recently commissioned to compose music for Esprit Orchestra (Toronto), No Exit New Music Ensemble (Cleveland) the Royal Conservatory/Koerner Hall for the 21C Festival and by the City of Reutlingen. Goddard currently serves as Artistic Director of Ottawa New Music Creators.

November 14: Hudson Powers Senior Composition Recital

Hudson Powers’ Senior Composition Recital was held on November 14, 2018, in the Newman Recital Hall. Hudson initially studied under Dr. Bruce Gerlach, before finishing his composition degree with Dr. Luke Carlson.

The event began with Hear My Cry, an A capella quartet based on biblical text, performed by Elizabeth Miller, Elizabeth Jordan, Isaac Taylor, and Jordan Bryant. Hudson’s electronic piece Fractal Factory utilizes industrial sounds and subtly nods to the tradition of dubstep. Mixed ensemble Apotheosis featured performers Jenna Carey, Dalton Elery, Benjamin Bradley, and Joshua Koretoff. 

His second electronic piece, Eternium, creates an ethereal soundscape and was written with the idea of artistic creation in mind. Dr. John Cornish performedThe Infinite Horizon Collection, a piano suite with each movement written in a different style. Jennifer Beal joined Dr. Cornish on stage to sing the song cycle Of Planting and Plucking, which is set to the poetry of Amy Lowell. 

The recital concluded with Dance Of The Ancient Celestials, a percussion piece performed by Dylan Coleman and Brian Hofmann.

The Music Department is very proud of what Hudson has accomplished during his time at C of O, and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

November 11: Laura Berthold Senior Piano Recital

 On November 9, 2018, piano major Laura Berthold presented a senior piano recital. Laura is from the studio of piano professor Clara Christian. The first half of the recital consisted of a prelude and fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach and a sonata by Joseph Haydn. 









After the intermission, Laura played preludes by Frédéric Chopin and Alexander Scriabin. She concluded her recital with two duo pieces by Claude Debussy and Francis Poulenc, joined by piano major Kaylen Draschil. Following graduation, Laura plans to remain active as a performer and a teacher.