Cali School Faculty

Things Fall Apart, a composition by Marcus Balter (Associate Professor, Composition), was commissioned and performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in January 2018.

Valerie Bernhardt (Adjunct Faculty, Voice) reprised the title role of Victoria Bond’s opera Mrs. President, about the first woman to run for president of the United States in 1872, with the Lyric Opera of Rochester in November. While in Rochester, she was also asked to be on a panel discussion about the opera at the American Musicological Society’s Annual meeting.

Heather J. Buchanan (Director of Choral Activities) gave keynote presentation: “Embodied & Expressive” (applying Body Mapping to choral pedagogy and performance) at New York ACDA state conference (Oct 2017–Vassar College).  She received the Barbara Conable Teaching Award presented by Andover Educators at their biennial conference in recognition of exemplary teaching, innovative ideas, support to colleagues, active involvement in Andover Educators and personal growth.

Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet (Associate Professor, Voice) performed the role of Public Opinion in New Orleans Opera Association’s production of Orpheus in the Underworld. While in New Orleans, she gave Masterclasses at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts/Riverfront, Tulane University, and Benjamin Franklin Senior High School. She taught masterclasses and private lessons in Berlin and Pavia, Italy, during the holiday breaks, continuing her work as a mentor for professional, as well as university singers.

Soprano Karen Driscoll (Adjunct Faculty, Voice), made her Carnegie Hall debut singing as the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with New Jersey based Masterwork Chorus. She also debuted as the guest soloist with The MSU Chorale in the East Coast premiere and chamber orchestration world premiere performance of Appalachian Requiem by Michael Conley.

In November, Sasha Enegren (Adjunct Faculty, Bassoon) gave a recital and presented a masterclass at the Lynn Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, FL.

Raif Hyseni (Balkan Ensemble, Director) led the Ensemble in two performances in New York. In October they performed at Symphony Space (New York City) and in January gave their fourth performance at the biggest folk festival in the east coast, the Golden Festival in Brooklyn, NY.

Music therapy alumna Kristen (Brennan) O’Grady (BA ’04, Clinical Site Supervisor, Adjunct Faculty) works with terminally ill children and their families at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center in Yonkers. She was mentioned in the article: “Music Therapy Offers an End-of-Life Grace Note” (New York Times, Jan. 15, 2018). Sara Kropoth (BA ’15) works with children at St. Peter’s University Hospital (New Brunswick, NJ). She was quoted about the benefits of music listening and training for children in long-term treatment in “Dispensing Music as Medicine for Kids” (Star Ledger, Oct. 14, 2017).

Lawrence Markiewicz (MA ’15; Adjunct Faculty, Brass) is completing a DMA in Orchestral Conducting at Rutgers University. The research topic for his lecture recital paper will be an analysis of the symphonic literature of Christopher Rouse. In January, he conducted a full production of Marriage of Figaro.

As guests of the Norwegian government, Cali faculty members Lori McCann (Associate Professor, Voice), Susan Palma-Nidel (Adjunct Faculty, Flute), and David Witten (Professor, Piano), spent the week of January 8, 2018, at Agder University in Kristiansand, Norway. They gave private lessons, masterclasses, and a performed a joint recital. The Cali School of Music has an active exchange program with Agder University.

Chris Opperman (MA ’10; Adjunct Faculty, Music Industry) presented his PhD dissertation piece The Cribbage Variations in a world premiere performance in November at Schare Recital Hall at Rutgers University conducted by Kynan Johns and performed by the Helix! New Music Ensemble. Opperman also did an extensive interview about his work with Make Weird Music.

Amy Reich (Adjunct Faculty, Theory/Aural Skills) premiered her composition Winter Dances with the Baroque Orchestra of NJ. She also presented her compositions in concert at the Cali School with performances by many MSU faculty.

Marissa Silverman (Associate Professor, Music Education) spoke about artistic citizenship and social justice in music and music education at Reflective Conservatoire 2018: Artists as Citizens (Guildhall School, London, England) and Rhode Island Music Educators Association Annual Conference (Providence, RI). She published the following: “I drum, I sing, I dance: An ethnographic study of a West African drum and dance ensemble” in Research Studies in Music Education and “The gifts of artistic citizenship” in Frank Abrahams & Ryan John (Eds.), Becoming Musical: Planning Instruction in Music. New York, NY: GIA.

Joseph Turrin (Adjunct Faculty, Film Music) has several works in progress, including one commissioned by Yo Yo Ma to be premiered in Australia next year, and a chamber work for flute commissioned by Carol Wincenc. The BBC Symphony is performing Hemispheres, a work commissioned by the NY Philharmonic. He has published Regiment of Heroes (commissioned by the US Marine Band, Washington DC) and Music in Film, a textbook.