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Department
Updates Check out the inside scoop on faculty, students, staff, and more. See the Alumni Spotlight page for news on alumni. MASON GROSS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS Faculty Activities and Accomplishments Music Christopher Arneson was a guest lecturer at New York University's Theater Education department. His lecture was entitled "The Use of Classical Singing Techniques in the Training of the Acting Voice." Dr. Arneson was also invited to serve on the board of directors of The New York Singing Teachers Association. Dr. Arneson is heading up a project in conjunction with the American Television and Radio Museum in NYC, creating an audio/visual exhibition of the American opera singer. Antonius Bittmann performed organ recitals at Oberlin College, St. Peter's Church in NYC (on the "Basically Bach" series), and at Walla Walla College in Washington, where he also taught a master class for organists and pianists. In October, he presented his paper, "Brahms, Strauss, Sheep, and Apes: Reger's Heroic Struggle with Tradition," at the national conference of the American Musicological Society and the Society for Music Theory in Columbus, OH. Stanley Cowell was the featured pianist with Canadian flautist/soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett in concert at John Addison Concert Hall, Harmony Hall Regional Center, Fort Washington, Maryland, in December. Nancy Rao's article entitled "Songs of the Exclusion Era: New York's Cantonese Opera Theatre in the 1920s" was published in December 2002, American Music 20/4 (2002): 399-444. Frederick Urrey was tenor soloist in a performance of Beethoven's Mass in C Major with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Concert Choir and Orchestra, William Cutter, conductor, in November. Professor Urrey was tenor soloist in concerts for the Calvin Oratorio Society, Pearl Shangkuan, conductor, Devos Hall, Grand Rapids, MI, and for the Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra which performed at Carnegie Hall, NYC and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ, in December. Richard Westenburg was conductor for both concerts. Theater Arts Lee Blessing's plays are scheduled for a number of venues this month. Whores was read at New Dramatists in New York City in January and is scheduled to be produced by the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in July. Thief River will open at the New Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in January. Professor Blessing has been commissioned to write plays for the following theaters: La Jolla Playhouse (new commission), Guthrie Theater commissioned The Scottish Play in 2002 and Flag Day was commissioned by the Actors Theater of Louisville in 2002. Other 2002 productions include Independence which was produced in Belgium and France. Going to St. Ives had its East Coast premiere in November at InterAct Theater in Philadelphia and is currently under option for a television movie. F. Mitchell Dana will participate on a panel, "Finding Work in the Performing Arts," at Marymount Manhattan College in February and a panel on United Scenic Artists at the United States Institute of Theater Technology in March 2003. Public/Community Service; Outreach Efforts Theater Arts Avery Brooks, distinguished Mason Gross alumnus, appeared at the New Theater in December as part of the Mason Gross Presents series. Hal Scott conducted the interview. Professor Scott is on the faculty and had directed Brooks in the ground-breaking production of Othello costarring Andre Braugher, Cynthia Martelles, and Jordan Baker. Conference, Seminars, Other Events Music Music Performances The Rutgers University Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble performed with Ray Charles in "A Garden State Salute" in December. The program was broadcast on New Jersey Network. The Asbury Park Press review stated: "The Rutgers University Orchestra provides a sweet shading for Charles' classics and the Jazz Ensemble helps the evening swing." This was the second time these groups had performed with Ray Charles. February 7 & 14 - Opera at Rutgers, The Magic
Flute, Pamela Gilmore, director, Nicholas Music Center,
8 pm Other (e.g., new appointments; alumni relations; staff activities; new websites) Music Alumni Diana Livingston Friedley, DMA in voice 2002, recently performed as soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, California. Visual Arts Staff There was a premiere screening of Damian Catera's (video tech) new video short, Weapons of Mass Banalization at the Art In General Video Marathon in New York City in January. The same weekend Damian participated in a group sound performance at The Puffin Room in New York City. Eileen M. Foti, master printer, was invited to do an artist residency at Silpakorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. She received a Global Education grant from Montclair State University to fund the trip. MFA Alumni Peter Arakawa, '84, has work in the exhibition Personal Perspectives at the Mason Gross School of Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ. The exhibition will run until February 6, 2003. In the winter edition of the Rutgers Magazine on page 12, there is an article on Richmond Garrick, '02, and his work which deals with the atrocities resulting from the Civil War in his homeland of Sierra Leone. Keary Rosen, '00, curated an Independent Study Student Show at Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, New Jersey. BFA Alumni Judith Wray and her Community Art Organization, Visual Arts League, have an exhibition at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY. The exhibition, The Great Pipe Dream, will run until January 21, 2003. Theater Arts Andrea Anders (MFA) is performing as Elaine Robinson in The Graduate on Broadway. Roger Bart (MFA), who originated the role of Carmen Ghia in Broadway's The Producers, is now starring as Leo Bloom. Bart received 1999 Tony and Drama Desk awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. William Mastrosimone (MFA) wrote and produced Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor for A & E Television. The production starred Aidan Quinn and Kelsey Grammer and was the cover story in the New York Times Television Section on January 12. Heidi Dippold (MFA) has performed in several episodes of The Sopranos, Law and Order, and Everybody Hurts, directed by Steve Bucemi. She has recently been seen in Homebody/Kabul in the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's production. Tammy Trull (MFA) starred in All Night Bodega, a new movie produced by Odessa Films. Joan Twiss (MFA) is a first year Meisner teacher at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Gene Tarusso (MFA) is the head of the theater department at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Aaron Jackson (MFA) has an art show opening on January 22nd at Posh on 51st Street. Lamont Stephens (BFA) is playing Prospero in The Acting Company's production of As You Like It. April Yvette Thompson (MFA) is appearing in The Exonerated with Richard Dreyfuss at the 45 Bleecker St. Theater.
Archives: Spring 2002
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