Lebanon Valley College

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.

Dr. Justin Morell, assistant professor of music, composed Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Orchestra, which he performed with Adam Rogers, guitarist, and the Frost Concert Jazz Band of the University of Miami and its conductor, John Daversa. A reviewer for All About Jazz called it “a product of great beauty and depth,” and it can be purchased on ArtistShare, Amazon, and iTunes, among other avenues.

Three musicians who met at LVC—Phil Freeman ’11, Jonny Ross ’12 (O’Neil), and Ben Guiles—are receiving national notoriety after their band, Small Town Titans, remade the holiday classic, “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch.” The York Dispatch covered the story after the group’s video passed 22 million views.

Frances Borowsky, adjunct instructor of music, cello, was invited by the Foundation for the Revival of Classical Culture to perform works by Brahms and Dvořák for a 125th anniversary celebration of Antonín Dvořák, at the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage of Carnegie Hall on December 18. Borowsky, who began teaching at LVC in fall 2017, has performed internationally as soloist and chamber musician in venues such as Carnegie Weill Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Penderecki European Music Centre with the likes of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, and Alexandria Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Johannes Dietrich, Newton and Adelaide Burgner Professor in Instrumental Music and conductor of the LVC Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, earned third place in The American Prize in Orchestral Programming contest, the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award, 2017–2018. The national competition included finalists Cornell University, Davidson College, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Washington. According to their release, The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit, national competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles, and composers in the United States based on submitted recordings.

Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman, professor of music and College organist, gave a concert tour in Brazil recently, including an appearance with the Mogi das Cruzes Orchestra at the Festival do Inverno, the largest classical music festival in Latin America. Her work was covered by several Brazilian media outlets. This year, Moorman-Stahlman was joined on the trip by Dr. Sharon G. Davis, director of music education, and three music education students—Robin McAnally ’18, Abby Stoner ’19, and Rachel Schulz ’19—to travel to four cities in Brazil. They gave workshops in handbells, tone chimes, bucket drumming, and boomwhackers, and the students performed handbell concerts.

Aaron Furry ’19, a triple major in music, music education, and business administration, was recognized by his hometown newspaper as one of three winners of the College’s annual concerto aria competition. Marie Grenchik ’19, music education, and Catie McClain ’19, music, were the other selectees.

Henry Devorick ’20, an audio & music production and music double major, was named VALE Artist of the Year becoming just the third artist to receive a contract with VALE Music Group, the College’s student-run record label. As VALE’s newest artist, Devorick opened for We The Kings during ValleyFest and release an EP, Nelson’s Umbrella, during VALE’s Spring Festival.