HARTT PERFORMS AT GOODSPEED FESTIVAL OF NEW ARTISTS IN JANUARY

The Eighth Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Artists begins its three-day festival of three new works on Friday, January 18, at 7:30 PM, at the Goodspeed Opera House with a staged reading of Nine Wives, followed on Saturday, January 19, at 7:30 PM, with Come From Away, and concluding Sunday, January 20, at 1 PM, with Princesses: a new rock musical.

Through their partnership-in-training, Hartt Music Theatre students share the stage with Equity professionals as they perform these staged readings and also perform in the weekend's post-reading cabarets.

Pictured: Hartt students perform as part of the 2011 Festival of New Artists. Photo courtesy of Goodspeed Musicals.

Hartt Opera Theatre presents Johann Strauss II's frothy comic operetta Die Fledermaus, Thursday, January 31, through Saturday, February 2, at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, February 3, at 3:00 PM, in Millard Auditorium, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford.

Fully staged, with orchestra, and sung in English, this perennial favorite is sure to delight.

For tickets and information, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Music Theatre students from The Hartt School join the Hartford Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the music and magic of Goodspeed Musicals' golden anniversary in a spectacular concert event - The Impossible Dream - 50 Years Of Goodspeed Musicals - on Saturday, February 23, 2013, at 7:30 PM, in the Mortensen Theater at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford.

Led by guest conductor Michael O'Flaherty, now in his 21st year as Resident Music Director for Goodspeed Musicals, the program will feature the talents of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra; performances by Broadway artists Sarah Uriarte Berry, Quentin Earl Darrington, and James Snyder; and Hartt music theatre majors. The set list includes favorites from some of musical theatre's greatest hits.

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Tess Collins was featured in a wonderful television news piece, where she talks about her career, The Hartt School, and Hartt faculty member Nat Reeves, who encouraged her to attend Hartt. The video is available at: http://www.wcsh6.com/video/2050359883001/1/Bill-Green-talks-with-singer-Tess-Collins

Hartt affiliates performed on recordings recently nominted for Grammy awards. Kenny Garrett's CD Seeds from the Underground, which features Hartt faculty member and renowned bassist Nat Reeves, has been nominated for a Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album! Hartt alumnus and Tony nominee (for his portrayal of Crown) Phillip Boykin is part of the Broadway cast album The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. Visit www.grammy.com to learn more about all of this year's nominees.

Recent months have seen Hartt alumnus Peter Boyer very busy with orchestration work on several exciting projects for Hollywood composers. Most recently, he worked on Skyfall, the 50th anniversary James Bond film, for composer Thomas Newman and lead orchestrator J.A.C. Redford. Earlier in the summer, he worked on Pixar in Concert, orchestrating the suites from Randy Newman's score for Toy Story 3 and Thomas Newman's score for Wall-E, working with lead arranger Mark Watters. This show was premiered by the San Francisco Symphony and performed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Other recent orchestration projects have included The Amazing Spider-Man, for composer James Horner and lead orchestrator J.A.C. Redford, and episodes of Once Upon a Time, for composer Mark Isham and lead orchestrator Brad Dechter. He also has begun his term as the 2012-13 composer-in-residence with the Pasadena Symphony, and continues to work on his Symphony No. 1, commissioned by this orchestra to close its 85th anniversary season. Peter will conduct its premiere at Ambassador Auditorium on April 27, 2013. Other highlights next spring will include Pasadena Symphony performances of "Apollo" from Three Olympians and Festivities; and a performance of New Beginnings by the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall.

Christopher Swist's MM '99 latest orchestral work, Abaprima, was premiered by the Bard Conservatory Orchestra at the Fisher Center in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, on December 9. Swist worked with the conservatory orchestra and the percussion studio before the premiere. Abaprima is a full-size 20-minute orchestral work that has prominent percussion, harp, and piano parts. Marcelo Lehninger, assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and music director of the New West Symphony, is conducting this world premiere. Swist currently is Artist in Residence at Keene State College (NH), where he teaches percussion, composition, music theory, and music technology.

Yves Clement, guitar, and Roberto Aronica, viola, recently premiered Six Moments Musicaux, composed for them by Hartt alumnus Dr. Thomas Schuttenhelm, in Paris, France, and they were featured by a number of French print and television outlets.

Tony nominated Hartt alumna Marin Ireland '00 recently portrayed the title role in Marie Antoinette at Yale Rep.

Hartt alumnus Richard Chiarappa, founding music director and conductor of the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra, active composer, and faculty member at the Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, was granted an Honorable Mention in The American Prize competition last fall.

Ryan Bauer-Walsh '06 starred in the New York Production of Homo The Musical at the Wild Project Theatre last fall. This musical has been called the child of John Waters, Charles Busch, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Hartt violin performance alumnus John Zion - Booking/Artist Manager, Melvin Kaplan, Inc. - has been featured by Musical America in a special report highlighting "rising stars in the performing arts," 30 under 40. John earned his Bachelor of Music from Hartt in 2007 and spend the following year in the our GPD program. The article is available at: www.musicalamerica.com/specialreports/STARS_2012.pdf

Hartt student Liana Paniyeva, student of Phillip Kawin, was chosen as a First Place Winner of the American Protégé International Competition of Romantic Music 2012 in the Advanced Category, College Students and Professionals. The Winners' Recital was held on November 24, at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Details are available at: http://www.americanprotege.com/Romantic.htm.

The Spanish harpsichordist and Hartt alumnus Ignacio Prego MM was awarded the First Prize at the 2012 Westfield International Harpsichord Competition, organized by the Smithsonian Institution, the Westfield Center and the University of Maryland, last summer. Competition participants hailed from Germany, France, China, Taiwan, Finland, South Africa, the United States, Korea, Russia, Estonia, Canada, and Spain. Mr. Prego, who resides in New York, was awarded $7,500 as well as a concert tour at prestigious venues in the United States. Mr. Prego also released a new CD last summer under the Verso label entitled Chromatic Fantasy, exclusively dedicated to the music of J.S. Bach.

Hartt alumnus and Glastonbury Teacher of the Year Tony Connaway was featured in the cover story in a recent issue of Glastonbury Life. Patrice Fitzgerald GPD '08, gave a concert of jazz and Broadway favorites with her husband Richard Leslie to celebrate her 57th birthday at the Dragonfly Ranch, a resort in Captain Cook, on the Big Island of Hawaii, in August. Her political thriller Running has become a bestseller on Kindle, as well.

The Isaac Young '09 Quartet was named the "Best Jazz Band" in Connecticut in the Advocate weekly's Grand Band Slam 2012.

Members of Hartt's saxophone studio continue to place well in competitions around the country. Andrew Barnhart MM '13 was selected to compete in the 2012 International Saxophone Symposium and Competition, held in October at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. During the competition, he advanced as one of 12 semi-finalists. He also was the winner the the MTNA Young Artist Competition for the state of Connecticut, held in October at The Hartt School. He will compete in the Eastern Division MTNA Young Artist Competition in Maryland in January 2013. Ian Robinson '15 was selected as the alternate for the state of Connecticut. The La'Ventus Quartet (Alyssa Hoffert MM '14, Lauren Wasynczuk MM '14, Ben Carraher MM '14, and Li-Chun Hsiao MM '14) was the winner of the MTNA Chamber Music Competition for the state of Connecticut, held in October at The Hartt School. The group will compete in the Eastern Division MTNA Chamber Music Competition in Maryland in January, 2013. The La'Ventus Quartet and Quartet TMS (Ian Robinson BM '15, Kara Cook BM '14, Vicky Medeiros BM '13, and Lisa Conant MM '13) were selected to perform as part of the College Quartet Series at the 2013 United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia, this January. Alyssa Hoffert MM '14 was selected to perform in the 2013 United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium Masterclass with guest saxophonist Otis Murphy in Fairfax, Virginia, this January. Colette Hall DMA '14 was selected to perform at the 2013 United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium with her professional quartet QuadrATOMIC Saxophone Quartet in Fairfax, Virginia, this January.

Community Division student Anysia Lee, student of Sima Brodsky, was The Grand Prize winner in the Windham Regional Arts Council Young Artists Music Competition, Concerto Division. She was also First Place winner in piano, Senior Division. In addition, Anysia was the winner of the Patricia Bellingham Music Fund Award for the most outstanding pianist. Anysia is in 10th grade, and lives in Storrs, CT.

Former long-time Community Division voice, piano, and percussion student Lydia Steier was nominated for a Faust Award for Directing in the category of "Musiktheater" in 2012, for her production of the oratorio Saul at the Staatstheater Oldenburg. "Der Faust," a national award in Germany, is presented to those artists whose work is considered to have pioneering potential for German theatre.

Former HCD dance student Meaghan Grace Hinkis, formerly with the American Ballet Theatre, danced the role of Clara in the London Royal Ballet 2012: The Nutcracker. The filmed version was released in December.

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On November 17, Hartt piano faculty member Luiz De Moura Castro was recognized for his lifework and achievements, awarded the title of Honorary Hungarian and the Medal of the Silver Raven, by the Corvina Cultural circle for his outstanding contributions in the preservation and perpetuation of the Hungarian culture - music and word - in the United States of America and throughout the world.

Hartt faculty member Mihai Tetel, cello, has been busy both on the UofH campus and at other locations around the country. In November and December alone, he presented a master class at Boston Conservatory, performed as a soloist with the Hartt Philharmonia, presented a master class at DePaul University in Chicago, and presented a recital in the Faculty Recital Series at Hartt. In early 2013, he will teach master classes at Florida State University, the University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, Boston University, and University of Rhode Island, and give lectures/performances at Georgia State University and Western Michigan University.

The Hartt School was represented well at the recent Society for Music Education in Ireland conference held at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, November 9-11. Drs. Joshua Russell (music education) and Robert Barefield (voice) presented a research paper entitled "Integrating the Musician and Educator Occupational Identities: The Role of University Music Education and Studio Faculty Members," while Dr. Warren Haston (music education) presented a workshop entitled "Modeling and Imitation in Rehearsals: A Four-Step Modeling Sequence."

Drs. Warren Haston and Joshua Russell of The Hartt School's Music Education Division published an article in the peer-reviewed journal Arts Education Policy Review, titled "Multiple Constituent Mentoring: A Policy for Capitalizing on Authentic Learning Contexts in University Curricula." Haston and Russell provided policy and curricular recommendations for higher education institutions based on the award-winning partnerships they administrate with the University of Hartford Magnet School and the Simsbury Public Schools. In these partnerships, Hartt undergraduate music education students gain teaching experience in public schools, and graduate music education students receive experience supervising the undergraduates, preparing the graduate students for careers in higher education.

Donna Menhart, Assistant Professor of Ear Training at Hartt, has been recognized as a Master Teacher in Kodály Methodology and Pedagogy by the Kodály Institute at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where she teaches Musicianship Levels I, II, and III for the summer Kodály Certification Program, a post-graduate program endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE). Over the past year Professor Menhart has given presentations on Kodály Pedagogy at Adelphi University in Long Island, NY, and Phoenix, AZ, for OAKE; in Providence, RI, for the Rhode Island Music Educators Association; and in Hartford, CT, for the Connecticut Music Educators Association. Menhart currently is President of the Kodály Educators of Southern New England, and serves OAKE as National Program Chair for the 2013 National Kodály Conference to be held in March 2013 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown.

Hartt dance faculty member Hilda Morales was nominated for the first Martha Hill Foundation Students' Choice Dance Educator Award!

A new five song EP combines the compositional talents of Hartt faculty member and alumnus Lief Ellis (electronic) with the performance prowess of guitarist and faculty member Christopher Ladd in a recording of Nordic mythological flavor. Entitled Five Nordic Sketches," this EP is a musical interpretation of five well known Nordic mythological figures for solo guitar. It is available for download on iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/album/lief-ellis-five-nordic-sketches/id557002322?v0=9989&ign-mpt=uo%3D1

The Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) was born on July 28, 2012. FAME is dedicated to promoting and supporting the work of Hartt's Director of Music Education Dr. John M. Feierabend through collaboration, advocacy, training, and resource sharing. Dr. Feierabend is recognized as an international leader in the field of music education, and is committed to collecting, preserving, and teaching the diverse folk music of our country. His research has resulted in two music curricula: First Steps in Music, and Conversational Solfege, and numerous publications of books, CDs, and DVDs. Details are available at: www.feierabendmusic.org

In June 2012, Hartt faculty member Paul Rutman received a Medal of Honor together with Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso for "Outstanding Contributions to Brazilian Culture"

Hartt Vocal Studies faculty members Maureen O'Flynn and Claude Corbeil were featured in The Artful Mind artzine in October. The entire article is available at: http://issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine/docs/issuu.com_oct_tam_2012 - to read the entire four-page article, scroll to page 12, and click o n "click to read" to read in full-size.

Hartt faculty member Vanessa L. Bond has published a research paper in the Fall/Winter 2012 issue of Update: Applications of Research in Music Education entitled "Music's Representation in Early Childhood Education Journals: A Literature Review." Update's focus is to bring current research to both scholars and practitioners in music education. The journal is published by MENC, the Music Educators National Conference. For more about the journal, visit http://upd.sagepub.com/.

An interview with Hartt faculty member Luiz de Moura Castro, as well as a review of his current CD, will be featured in the May/June 2013 issue of Fanfare magazine, and his CD cover will be one of those included on the front cover of the issue.

Stephen Pier, Hartt's Dance Division Director (who also danced the role of Drosselmeyer), and Samantha Dunster, Community Division Dance Department Artistic Director, were interviewed on Better Connecticut December 12, to preview the December Community Division performances of The Nutcracker. An HCD dancer also performed an excerpt on air. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLu3Qqikw9Q to view the segment.

Lions Gate Trio, Hartt's trio in residence (which includes Hartt faculty member Katie Lansdale), has been awarded a WELFund grant again this year to continue their project involving the compositions of Rebecca Clarke. In January, the Trio will record a CD for Centaur Records that includes music by Clarke, as well as related trios by Ravel and Ives. To read more about this year-long project, see the press release about their October concert and prison visit: http://harttweb.hartford.edu/news/default.aspx?story=8560§ion=260&year=2012