Dr. Justin Morell, associate professor of music, will release All Without Words on April 30 . The album is a jazz/orchestral trumpet concerto featuring John Daversa, a multi-Grammy winning soloist from the University of Miami. Morell wrote the composition based on his experience as a parent of a non-verbal autistic child. It’s a theme and variations, the theme of which is a transcription of his son Loren’s vocalizations.

Professor Jeff Snyder, chair and professor of music and director of music business, moderated a panel with four other higher education recording and music business directors for the Millennium Music Conference. Snyder and his fellow faculty facilitated “A perspective of the future of the music industry: post pandemic by music educators.” The discussion centered on preparing music industry/recording students for a shifting post-COVID landscape.

Dr. Kyle Zeuch, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, published an op-ed in PennLive earlier this week. In “Why we need to sing again,” he shares the mental and emotional benefits of communal singing, and encourages all to join a choir once it is safe to do so.

Michelle Barraclough, adjunct professor of music, and students MacKenzie Kyzer ’21 and Alydia Marangoni ’22 published “Flute Tools in the Age of COVID-19 Examining Practicality” in the December issue of The Flute Examiner. The students, part of Barraclough’s fall Flute Pedagogy class, discussed the practicality of various devices used on the flute to aid in COVID-19 protection in the article. 

Dr. Kyle Zeuch, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities presented “Social Justice Songs in the Choral Classroom,” at the Pennsylvania Music Education Association Summer Conference,” and “Panel Discussion: Rehearsing, Programming, and Leading Socially-Distant Choirs,” at the Pennsylvania American Choral Directors Summer Webinar. Dr. Zeuch also served as guest conductor for the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Middle Level Honor Choirs, Wisc., and Lancaster Lebanon Music Education Association County Choir, Quarryville, Pa. 

Dr. Sharon Davis, assistant professor of music and director of music education, presented “Reflections on an inter-collegiate music creation collaboration,” at the Modern Band Colloquium.

Hannah Pell ’16, physics and music, published an op-ed piece on Three Mile Island on Physics Today this week. Pell, an LVC Fulbright, wrote about “Three Mile Island and lessons in crisis communication.”

Professor Jeff Snyder, chair of the Music Department, director of the Music Business Program, and founder of VALE Music Group, will be honored with the “Educator of Note” award by the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame. Snyder will be recognized during the hall’s Music Awards & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Whitaker Center Jan. 30, 2020, along with notable artists and acts such as Poison, Dan Hartman, The Sharks, and Robert Willie White of Motown’s Funk Brothers.

Kreider ’55 and Lutz Walter ’58 to Appear in CATV Video

Elma Jean Swope Kreider ’55 and Patricia Lutz Walter ’58 were interviewed for a video documentary about Christmas at The Valley and the very first Christmas Concert they participated in almost 61 years ago. They then sat in on the choir rehearsal and answered questions from students. Dr. Mark Mecham, long-time chair and now professor emeritus of music, Dr. Kyle Zeuch, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, and Rachel Cheston ’20 were also interviewed for the video that will be released shortly before this December’s concert.

Dr. Robert Lau ’65 Publishes Organ Works

The Organist, produced by the Lorenz Corporation, which was founded by Rev. Edmund S. Lorenz H’36, LVC’s fourth president, recently published an organ work by Dr. Robert Lau ’65, long-time chair and now professor emeritus of music. Morningstar Music published Lau’s SAB and 2-part versions of his SATB anthem All Things Bright and Beautiful, bringing his number of published works close to 550.

Shirley Huber Miller ’63 is Still Fiddling

Shirley Huber Miller ’63 wrote that she received a great music education at LVC and, after moving to Chicago and meeting graduates of Northwestern, the University of Chicago, and other schools realized none had the methods she did, noting “Yea, yippee, yahoo!” Living at Messiah Village in Mechanicsburg at 78, Miller is still fiddling, playing the violin for different levels of care in the nursing center. She also plays in the Coachella Valley Symphony in the desert east of Los Angeles where she spends the winter months.

Ron Poorman ’63 and Karen Mellinger Poorman ’65

Karen and Ron, who met in the band at LVC, formed the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble (SJAWE) with two friends in 1997. The ensemble started with 45 members and today has 75 college-trained members, and have commissioned 12 new works for the band, played in the Kennedy Center, performed at two Association of Concert Bands National Conventions, and received the Sudler Silver Scroll Award from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. SJAWE, whose members range from age 21 to 91, have almost 300 YouTube videos that have amassed more than a million views. They noted Professor Frank Stachow said, “Always try new things, buy the latest equipment, and music will remain inspiring and fresh.”

Dr. Trent A. Hollinger’s ’01 Band Wins Second Place

The Quincy (Ill.) Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Trent A. Hollinger ’01, associate professor of music at Culver-Stockton College, was awarded second place in the American Prize for Band/Wind Ensemble Performance, community band division, 2018–19. The ensemble was also selected as a finalist in the American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music, community ensemble division, 2018–19, for their performance of David Maslanka’s Give Us This Day.  

May Ertle ’54 Reminisces

May Ertle ’54 taught music and 5th grade English in Marietta, Bangor, and Bucks County after graduation and still keeps in touch with some of her West Hall cohorts. A life highlight was a seven-week European tour attending music events with classmate Joann Butt Roberts ’54. At age 87, May and her daughter toured the U.S., repeating a trip she made 70 years earlier. Today, she sings in her church choir, teaches singing in Sunday School, and sings with the Pocono Concert Choral.

Dan Crawford ’12 Teaches and Directs

Dan Crawford ’12 started his seventh year as a middle school band teacher in Freehold, N.J., and eighth year as assistant band director at Freehold Township High School. This past year, He co-guest conducted the All Shore Intermediate Band (middle school level) and noted that Dr. Chris Heffner guest conducted the All Shore Band (high school level). Dan said “The conducting skills I honed through his classes helped me feel very comfortable and taught me to conduct confidently and clearly, and study scores and prepare rehearsal material. Dan also shares his thanks to the faculty in the LVC Music Department and that, because of them “He never felt unprepared to teach music.”

Ken Anderson ’64, Musician and Photographer

Ken Anderson ’64 has had an extensive music, teaching, writing, and photography career, earning a second prize in the Asahi Pentax World Photo Contest in 1972. He toured with the U.S. Air Force Band, wrote arrangements for a Panamanian TV entertainer, and led the TV band. Ken played oboe in the Binghamton (N.Y.) Opera Orchestra, Brico Symphony of Denver, Colo., U.S. Air Force bands in Colorado and the Canal Zone, and Spring Garden Band of York, Pa.

Dr. Justin Morell, associate professor of music, is completing a cycle of 21 new works for guitar, centered around the theme of climate change. He shared one of the pieces, Hadley Cell, on YouTube for listeners to enjoy in the meantime.