Student composer Conor Brown walks a snowy trail near Rovaniemi, Finland, during a trip there last year.

Finland is one of those far-off places that you may not often think about. When you hear the name, you might picture a scene out of 鈥淔rozen鈥濃€攄arkness, snow, ice. After all, it鈥檚 one of only eight countries on the planet that is partially located north of the Arctic Circle.

But the unique musical and folk traditions of the Nordic country are coming to life this fall at the College of Music, starting with a Faculty Tuesday performance featuring Finnish music and its influence on the work of one composition student.

鈥淭ime feels different there than it does here鈥攎ore visceral. For one thing there鈥檚 a built-in rhythm to the language, which through its lengthened phonemes, has a musical weightiness to it. Also, because it鈥檚 so far north and daylight is so scarce in the winter, there is a patience and even a joy that is learned from darkness.鈥�

Conor Brown is a second-year master鈥檚 student and the first recipient of the College of Music鈥檚 Finnish Jubilee Composition Scholarship. Spearheaded by Composition Chair Daniel Kellogg and donors Don and Maria Johnson鈥攈e a local architect and she a dancer, both with ties to Finland鈥攖he scholarship began as a commission for a student to write a piece to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the country鈥檚 independence, happening this year.

Then, it started to evolve. 鈥淚 met with the Johnsons, and after talking about the project, it became clear that in order to do the piece justice, I needed to go to Finland.鈥�

Brown spent 10 days in the capital city of Helsinki and in Rovaniemi, a town on the Arctic Circle, learning from experience and shaping his work with the help of Finnish accordionist Hannu Rahikainen. The on-the-ground learning led to his piece, which Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver, graduate quartet in residence the Ajax Quartet and vocalist-accordionist Alicia Baker will premiere on Oct. 24 at Faculty Tuesdays.

鈥淭he text comes from two poems from two different rural regions of Finland,鈥� Brown explains. 鈥淏ut the music isn鈥檛 meant to imitate Finnish music. Part of my background is in Bulgarian, Macedonian and klezmer music as a clarinetist, so that influence is felt in all my compositions. I decided not to write that out of the piece, but rather to include the Finnish influence primarily through text.鈥�

This won鈥檛 be the only performance of the piece: It travels down U.S. 36, where the same group will perform on the 欧美口爆视频 Denver campus, and east to Washington, D.C., where the College of Music has been invited to perform at the Finnish Embassy.

Dean Robert Shay says in addition to celebrating Finland鈥檚 culture, the hope is that this fall鈥檚 events will help nurture a partnership between the college and Finland鈥檚 Sibelius Academy.

Accordionist Hannu Rahikainen

鈥淒ean Emeritus Dan Sher first started building a relationship with former Sibelius Academy Dean Tuomas Auvinen when he was president of the National Association of Schools of Music, and I had a chance to talk with current Dean Kaarlo Hild茅n earlier this month at a meeting with the Sibelius Academy鈥檚 other partner schools in New York,鈥� Shay explains. 鈥淧art of the vision of the 鈥�College of Music Advantage鈥� is to create impactful partnerships with a handful of leading international schools, to provide our students and faculty with opportunities to make connections and gain insights into other approaches to musical study.鈥�

In what the college hopes is the first of many exchanges with the academy, Daniel Kellogg joins Shay and Director of Orchestras Gary Lewis on a trip next week to Helsinki. He says the chance to observe composers, conductors and educators at one of the most highly regarded musical institutions in the world doesn鈥檛 come up every day.

鈥淲e鈥檙e from different parts of the world, so it broadens our view to observe different philosophies and exchange ideas about teaching methods and music.鈥�

Kellogg and the composition department welcome a Sibelius Academy faculty composer to the college later this month for a seminar with students, yet another element of the month-long celebration set in motion by Don and Maria Johnson鈥檚 creativity and generosity.

鈥淢aria is from Finland, and the Johnsons have been forging a relationship between Finland and 欧美口爆视频 Denver鈥檚 College of Architecture and Planning for years,鈥� Kellogg says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to have donors with such a passion for creating these amazing opportunities, beyond the classroom, for our students.鈥� Check out this Q&A with the Johnsons about why they support the College of Music.

Brown, a Boulder native who began composing music when he was just 10 years old, says the cultural exchange between 欧美口爆视频 and Sibelius could take musical study at both institutions to a new level.

鈥淚 think the culture at the academy is very different from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder. Seeing those two different styles in action can be helpful in training composers here and in Finland.鈥�

is Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. In addition to Conor Brown鈥檚 鈥淟adun hiihin lau lajille,鈥� the program includes works by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and others.

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Principal Trumpet Michael Sachs (left) works with members of the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder trumpet section during the 2015 residency of members of the Cleveland Orchestra.

That old familiar fall buzz is back at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder. Students are starting new classes, meeting new roommates, finding new routes through the ever-improving campus grounds.

At the College of Music, the excitement of a new year means more than just fresh repertoire and seating auditions. This year, for the third time since 2013, members of the Cleveland Orchestra are planning a visit to the college from Sept. 11-13. The principal and associate principal players from each section of the renowned orchestra will work side by side with 欧美口爆视频 students and faculty during what has become one of the most anticipated biennial events on the college鈥檚 calendar.

鈥淭he opportunity to be coached by members of one of the greatest orchestras in the world and to sit with them, playing repertoire we鈥檙e preparing to perform, is invaluable,鈥� says Gary Lewis, director of orchestras and Bob and Judy Charles endowed chair in music. He will lead the 欧美口爆视频 Symphony Orchestra in a side-by-side rehearsal with the musicians from Cleveland.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to attend a master class or play excerpts, but to have input based on your performance in an orchestra is really second to none.鈥�

The rehearsal is the culmination of three days of sectional and small-group work. It鈥檚 a unique experience that both the students and the professional performers relish.

鈥淭he side-by-side rehearsal is the best part,鈥� says clarinet DMA student Jacob Eichhorn, who was here for both of the previous residencies. 鈥淟ast time they were here, I was playing principal on Rachmaninoff鈥檚 Symphonic Dances. To my right was [now-retired principal clarinet] Frank Cohen, in front of me was [flutist] Marisela Sager and to my left was [principal bassoonist] Barrick Stees. They taught us so much about how the woodwind section could coalesce and become one unit.鈥�

Cleveland Orchestra Principal Trumpet Michael Sachs, who makes his third trip to the college next month, says the students鈥� enthusiasm is contagious. 鈥淚 do a lot of master classes throughout the year, and I love going back to places where the students are charged up and willing to try new things and evolve what they鈥檙e doing.

鈥淭hat curiosity is really strong at 欧美口爆视频.鈥�

New on this year鈥檚 full slate of events is a special Faculty Tuesday recital featuring members of the College of Music faculty and the visiting musicians. Associate Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver is one of the performers. A Cleveland native himself, even this seasoned performer says he鈥檚 a bit starstruck at the thought of working with clarinetist Dan McKelway.

鈥淏y any standard, the Cleveland Orchestra has for decades been considered one of the greatest in the world. It happens to be my hometown orchestra, so I grew up in the town with one of the greatest orchestras of all time,鈥� Silver says.

鈥淔aculty Tuesday will be a treat because when you combine these internationally known performers with our fine faculty, there will be a friendly rising to the occasion.鈥�

Faculty performers aren鈥檛 the only members of the college community rising to the occasion. Senior violist Allyson Stibbards distinctly remembers the extra preparation she did for 2015鈥檚 residency. 鈥淚 was definitely a little bit nervous. I got to play in the master class for strings, and I wanted to be really ready for that. But situations like that make you a better player.鈥�

And teaching situations make you a better orchestral performer, says Marisela Sager, assistant principal flute for the Cleveland Orchestra. 鈥淓ducation is definitely a priority for us. Performing shouldn鈥檛 exist in a bubble of its own.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a two-way street,鈥� she adds. 鈥淲hen we teach young musicians, we鈥檙e there to share our knowledge, but we also get to soak up all of the energy from the students and professors. The energy exchange is really great.鈥�

For Sachs, the atmosphere at the College of Music adds to the learning experience for the members of the orchestra. 鈥淚鈥檓 always inspired when I go to Boulder, and I鈥檓 always learning. The fact that we were invited in the first place, under these unique circumstances, sets a welcoming tone that you want to come back to.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrific joy to be a part of this partnership,鈥� Silver says. 鈥淚t creates a ripple effect throughout the college and in the broader community. I think most of the faculty feel a real sense of gratitude to be in a place that can pull something like this together.鈥�

The residency was made possible by a $150,000 pledge from The Clinton Family Fund. Bruce Clinton is a longtime philanthropist and supporter of orchestras nationwide. The Clinton Family Fund鈥檚 commitment supports this year鈥檚 residency and two more in the future at a higher level as part of the Daniel P. Sher Master Class Program.

Faculty Tuesday with guests from the Cleveland Orchestra is Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, visit .

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Alejandro G贸mez Guill茅n

Sometimes, you just don鈥檛 know where life is going to take you.

Alejandro G贸mez Guill茅n first came to 欧美口爆视频 Boulder as a violin master鈥檚 student in 2006. This spring鈥攎ore than 10 years later鈥攈e was hooded a doctor of music in orchestral conducting.

鈥淚 was greatly inspired by Gary Lewis. When I was getting my master鈥檚 in violin, he saw me conducting something for the violin studio and encouraged me to apply for the conducting doctoral program.鈥�

Guill茅n, who finished up the last months of his doctoral studies from afar, doesn鈥檛 see conducting as that much of a departure from his days as a violinist. Instead, he sees this new vocation as an extension of the old.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize at first that I loved conducting. I guess deep down I wanted to be a conductor, but I didn鈥檛 consciously say it or organize my dreams around it. But I see it as another expression of being a musician.鈥�

Guill茅n grew up in Bogot谩, Colombia, the son of two conductor parents and grandson of the founder of the Bogot谩 Philharmonic Orchestra. He鈥檚 been playing violin since he was 5 years old, and considers music to be a vital part of his upbringing.

鈥淚 could sing before I could talk,鈥� Guill茅n says. 鈥淢y parents say that they took me to symphony concerts as a child and I would point to the violin section and tell them that I wanted to do that.鈥�

Having always known the importance of music, Guill茅n has spent the last year working with with the Chicago Sinfonietta. The program promotes diversity among musicians, conductors and administrators through professional development. Guill茅n splits his time as a professional conductor between Chicago and Bloomington, Indiana, where he is artistic director of the Bloomington Symphony.

鈥淧roject Inclusion is all under the umbrella of diversity and inclusion,鈥� he explains. 鈥淗ow do we give more people access to music, how is classical music a tool for change in the community? I鈥檓 passionate about building community in my own work so it鈥檚 been a perfect fit.鈥�

In addition to the service Project Inclusion offers to underserved communities, Guill茅n says it has provided him with invaluable experience as a conductor.

鈥淭he program truly deals with all aspects that a conductor needs to know in order to be successful. Not just musical experience, but professional experiences. We meet to discuss marketing, fundraising and relationship development, and then we are put in real-world situations with the Sinfonietta.

鈥淚t also led to my appointment as associate conductor for the Fort Worth Symphony, a position I will begin in the fall,鈥� he adds. 鈥淗elping the fellows secure a professional appointment like this is one of the main goals of the program, and I plan to remain involved with the Sinfonietta as a mentor for the next year.鈥�

Guill茅n says his time in the Chicago community parallels one of his most formative projects during his time at the College of Music, when he and fellow doctoral students Joshua Horsch and Joel Schut helped grow the campus orchestra.

鈥淭hat was one of my most treasured memories. Gary brought the campus orchestra back, along with [graduate students] Michael Boone and Chris Walls before us, but he really let the graduate students take it on. It was kind of our baby. It was a great thing to be able to help build that.鈥�

Though he鈥檚 a full-time conductor with a full plate of outreach activities and performances, Guill茅n says he still finds time to practice his violin鈥攂ecause of something he learned in Boulder.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 emphasize enough how important it is to be your best as an instrumentalist when you鈥檙e a conductor. You also have to learn as much as you can about the history and context of the music you鈥檙e conducting. We鈥檙e always so eager to wield the baton, but you have to get the big picture and focus on the music first.

"Only then will you be able to impart anything through your actions.鈥�

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Carter Pann and Tom Myer listen as the Black Diamond Quartet rehearses "The Mechanics."

It鈥檚 been a whirlwind year for composer Carter Pann. Since being named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his saxophone quartet 鈥淭he Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor,鈥� Pann has been working on new chamber music, large ensemble pieces鈥攅ven an homage to Ravel鈥檚 鈥淏ol茅ro.鈥�

And of course, plenty of saxophone commissions.

鈥淭he sax world is kind of gluttonous for contemporary music. They clamor for it,鈥� says the composition professor.

And this weekend, after about 20 other performances around the country, 鈥淭he Mechanics鈥� comes to 欧美口爆视频 for the first time. The premiere performance is at the Dairy Arts Center. Tackling the piece is the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder graduate saxophone quartet, the Black Diamond Quartet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool,鈥� Pann says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a 欧美口爆视频 professor, a 欧美口爆视频 quartet and the 欧美口爆视频 premiere here in Boulder.鈥�

The concert is part of the 鈥淥ne Night Only鈥� series and is sponsored by former Smithsonian curator and Boulder resident Arthur Lieb. It鈥檚 the second 鈥淢echanics鈥� performance in a week for the quartet: They played the piece Sunday at the in New Mexico. Add to that an upcoming in-studio performance on a new 欧美口爆视频 Public Radio contemporary music series, and you could say it鈥檚 been a whirlwind year for the four students as well.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the hardest pieces we鈥檝e played yet as a group. The majority of our rehearsal time is spent on this piece,鈥� soprano saxophonist Ryan Van Scoyk says.

The Black Diamond Quartet鈥攃omprised of Van Scoyk, Chris Ruiz, Sean Edwards and Robert Ward鈥攆irst began rehearsing the piece together at the behest of saxophone professor Tom Myer in August. Since then, Van Scoyk says they鈥檝e worked on it at least a couple of hours every week.

鈥淭he piece is driven by the energy of a car engine and a mechanic鈥檚 shop, so that means it has to go fast,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also extremely complicated. Most of the work we鈥檝e done on it has been pulling it apart, finding all the different underlying melodies woven together. It鈥檚 really fun to play.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 been great to rehearse with them. This is not an easy piece and they鈥檙e giving it a good stab. It鈥檚 going to be a great performance,鈥� Pann says.

Van Scoyk, who was at the world premiere of 鈥淭he Mechanics鈥� in 2014, says though Pann isn鈥檛 a saxophonist himself, he writes adeptly for the instrument. 鈥淎 lot of music we play was written by a pianist or some other instrumentalist, and it doesn鈥檛 feel quite right for sax,鈥� he explains. 鈥淏ut Carter understands all the idiosyncrasies of the instrument and this piece works really well on the saxophone.鈥�

The 欧美口爆视频 group isn鈥檛 the first student ensemble to take up 鈥淭he Mechanics鈥�: Pann says it鈥檚 becoming part of the collegiate saxophone repertoire.

鈥淚t鈥檚 finding itself on a lot of conference schedules,鈥� he says. 鈥淎 lot of sax teachers are giving it to their students to perform.鈥�

鈥淭he Mechanics鈥� isn鈥檛 Pann鈥檚 first saxophone piece, and it definitely won鈥檛 be the last. He says it鈥檚 spawned more commissions, including a technically 鈥渂rutal鈥� follow-up for the Capitol Quartet鈥攖he group that made the Pulitzer-nominated recording鈥攆ittingly titled 鈥淐apitol Punishment.鈥�

鈥淚 also just finished a saxophone sonata for the alto player of the Capitol Quartet,鈥� Pann adds.

Van Scoyk says the more closely he and his colleagues work with composers, the more deliberate their playing becomes.

鈥淐arter is very specific in his writing. He notates every dynamic, every articulation. So we鈥檙e trying to play what鈥檚 on the page as much as we can.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a cool opportunity to have composers like Carter Pann and Dan Kellogg right down the hall,鈥� the Denver-area native says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really amazing that we鈥檙e at the center of a thriving arts scene in 欧美口爆视频.鈥�

The 欧美口爆视频 premiere of 鈥淭he Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor鈥� is this Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Gordon Gamm Theater at the Dairy Arts Center. For ticket information, visit the . Listen for the piece and the Black Diamond Quartet on CPR this spring.

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Professor of Piano David Korevaar presents his Distinguished Research Lecture on the music of Chopin, Perrachio and Liebermann on Friday, Feb. 24.

Start with the score.

That鈥檚 David Korevaar鈥檚 method as he sits down to a new piano piece. It鈥檚 also the advice he gives all his students.

鈥淎 lot of musicians get to know a piece by listening to a recording. And that鈥檚 something I almost always discourage. You have to start with notes on a page. That鈥檚 the primary source.鈥�

Korevaar, Helen and Peter Weil Professor of Piano at the College of Music, talks about the score as the root of context for any musical work this Friday as he presents 鈥淭he score is alive 鈥� with the sound of music.鈥� The lecture-performance is part of the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Research and Innovation Office鈥檚 series.

Korevaar is the first music faculty member to be awarded the lectureship, which is awarded annually to faculty based on peer nominations and the nominee鈥檚 body of academic or creative achievement and prominence, as well as contributions to the university鈥檚 educational and service missions.

鈥淢y primary focus is not on what鈥檚 conventionally considered research, which makes this even more exciting,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he research component of my career tends to be very performance directed.鈥�   

The event will focus on three very different works by three very different composers鈥攁nd the three very different processes Korevaar goes through to prepare the pieces for performance. He鈥檒l run the musical gamut, from Fr茅d茅ric Chopin to early 20th-century Italian composer to living composer and friend Lowell Liebermann.

Each piece, the Juilliard-educated pianist explains, presents its own unique challenges to the performer.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all at different parts of the process. Chopin is a completed project for me; Liebermann is still alive, so I can get feedback from him whenever I want; and Perrachio is a composer that [Professor of Musicology] Laurie Sampsel and I discovered while we reassembled the collection at the music library here.鈥�

Unlike Chopin, whose work has a rich history and a long tradition of performances and recordings, Perrachio is a relatively unknown composer. His scores are rarely seen; recordings are even more rare.

鈥淸Perrachio was] much less intimidating than Chopin,鈥� Korevaar explains. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have the anxiety of influence. You feel irresponsible if you can鈥檛 hear all the recordings that are out there before you play a piece by Chopin.鈥�

But, he says, there are other pressures associated with being one of the first people to perform a piece鈥攅ven if it is 100 years old.

鈥淣ow you鈥檙e the beginning of the performance tradition. You have to look at the notes on the page and begin to interpret them鈥攖o figure out what the composer was trying to say鈥攚ith only the score as your initial point of reference. From there you begin to grasp, through an understanding of the time period and the place the composer was active, a world of sound that is preserved in the page.鈥�

And then, in this case, Korevaar will have to talk about how he arrived at those conclusions.

鈥淎s a pianist, you spend a lot of time alone. You don鈥檛 often have to put your thoughts into words. But when you鈥檙e teaching or demonstrating, you have to decide what鈥檚 important and translate emotions into coherent verbiage.鈥�

For Korevaar, who has taught at the College of Music since 2000, the process of teaching鈥攚hether it鈥檚 students or a crowd of scholars鈥攊s also a process of learning.

鈥淭here are plenty of pieces that my students play that I鈥檝e never heard, and I learn through them. And when I present this lecture, it鈥檒l be aimed at an audience of people who are perhaps much more adept than I am in some of the fields I鈥檒l be dabbling in, such as language or philosophy or history.

鈥淏ut that鈥檚 what makes it so exciting to be here in Boulder. We鈥檙e surrounded by people who are extraordinary in their fields, and we get to collaborate with them. And back in my studio, the better my students get, the better I get.鈥�

is this Friday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. For more information, visit the Events page.

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欧美口爆视频 artist in residence Matteo Mela works with a participant in the International Guitar Festival.

For three days this February, the classical guitar will once again take center stage at the College of Music. The third 欧美口爆视频 International Guitar Festival and Competition is Feb. 10-12 at Imig Music Building and Macky Auditorium.

Nicol貌 Spera, director of the , organized the festival in 2013 as a tribute to the lyrical and instrument for which so many have an affinity.

鈥淭he festival was born because we don鈥檛 often have people from all over the world come to Boulder. This is bringing together a community of people who play the guitar and people who love the guitar.鈥�

The festival鈥檚 finale is the competition, which takes place all day on Sunday, Feb. 12 in Grusin Music Hall. Around 40 guitarists from far-flung places like China, Italy, Mexico and all over the United States will compete, with Lynn McGrath, artists in residence SoloDuo and other accomplished guitarists serving as judges.

Spera, who himself hails from Milan, says the competition is always a unique opportunity for the multicultural audience and the contestants to share in a common bond.

鈥淭hey will get to meet people from other cultures who speak different languages鈥攖o find a different way to play guitar and view music and even the world,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e tapped into that the last two competitions, and it鈥檚 happening again this year.鈥�

Spera says his students will also expand his students鈥� musical understanding, especially those who may not be able to spend time abroad. 鈥淧aradoxically, to be a music student can be isolating. We spend so much time in the practice room that we forget there鈥檚 a whole world out there.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for my students who can鈥檛 travel that we bring that world to them.鈥�

Participants in the 2015 International Guitar Competition.

In addition to the competition, guest recitals are planned. On Friday night, Matteo Mela and Lorenzo Micheli, who together make up the Italian guitar pair , will perform a free concert in Grusin Music Hall. And on Saturday, two 欧美口爆视频 alumni take the stage.

鈥淸] have a great story,鈥� Spera says. 鈥淭hey met here, began playing together here and now they have a wonderful career together as a duo. And soon, they鈥檒l be married. We鈥檙e so excited to be hosting them this year.鈥�

Spera says the power of music to bring people together is indescribable鈥攜et unquestionable.

鈥淭hese three days in Boulder, when people come together to share their love for music, can strengthen our determination and our bond. The fact that so many young people are coming is a sign of hope. In fighting anger and ignorance, there is hope in civil discourse and in education, and there is hope in music: The message rooted in our guitar festival has never been this inspiring, and this important.鈥�

For more information on the 欧美口爆视频 International Guitar Festival and Competition, visit the event website.

Schedule of Events

All events are free and open to the public

Friday, Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

Sunday, Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m.
Grusin Music Hall

Sunday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Grusin Music Hall

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James Austin (right) leads the JMTE editorial team with help from editorial assistant and College of Music PhD student Bryan Koerner.

The trajectory of research surrounding music teacher education lies, in part, in the hands of a longtime College of Music faculty member.

As of July 1, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies James Austin is the latest editor of the Journal of Music Teacher Education.

鈥淚 consider it a huge responsibility,鈥� Austin says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to advance the understanding and practice with regard to preparing people to become teachers.鈥�

Published by the (NAfME), the Journal of Music Teacher Education is the definitive source for philosophical, historical and methodological articles related to music teacher education. The audience is vast: the online publication has an annual readership of approximately 67,000 NAfME members and 7,000 organizational subscribers. Indeed, there were 18,000 full-text downloads of JMTE articles in 2015 alone.

So it鈥檚 no easy task to be the gatekeeper who determines which research makes its way to readers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just filling out the issue or the volume. We need to make sure the research we feature is done at a level that provides meaningful understanding of the process.鈥�

Austin got the nod because of his years of teaching and his history of service on editorial committees: he was a reviewer for four different journals over the course of about 12 years before taking a three-year hiatus to focus on his own work. This summer he was elected to a six-year term heading up the 10-person editorial committee for JMTE.

Because of the sheer volume of papers he鈥檚 charged with reviewing鈥擜ustin says previous editors have received around 50 manuscripts a year鈥擜ustin has help from PhD student Bryan Koerner, who鈥檚 serving as editorial assistant as he finishes up his dissertation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed me to have an insider鈥檚 perspective on what the hot topics are,鈥� explains Koerner. 鈥淏y digging into some of these manuscripts, I鈥檓 entering that conversation. Reflecting about these topics inspires me in my own writing.鈥�

Those topics can range from alternative licensure to professional development鈥攁nything relevant, Austin says, to music teacher training.

鈥淭hings like teacher-musician identity, undergraduate curriculum and recruiting high school students鈥攚hich is very challenging right now given some of the negative high-level rhetoric surrounding schools.鈥�

With such crucial challenges to face鈥攁nd the very future of music in schools at stake鈥擜ustin says he鈥檒l use his time as editor to expand the scope and accessibility of JMTE.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to see us get into the macro issues affecting the field. We don鈥檛 have to always publish original research articles ... there can be 鈥榖ig think鈥� pieces as well,鈥� Austin says.

And Koerner says getting readers to pay attention to complex problems impacting the profession can be challenging given the array of media and information already at their fingertips.

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 necessarily have time to dig into a 20-page paper. We need to think about different ways to make the content accessible to people who are busy in their lives and careers.鈥� 

鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檝e challenged the editorial group to do is engage with me in how to grow the journal鈥檚 scope, influence and impact. How do you distill ideas in a meaningful way for teachers?鈥� Austin adds.

鈥淲e have to use this powerful opportunity to help education evolve the way other professions have.鈥�

Closer to home, Austin hopes his appointment will add even more prestige to the already highly regarded music education program at the college.

鈥淭he other thing that came to mind for me as I accepted this position was that it would give us a chance to elevate the status of our graduate program,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat we will have this editorial assistant role available for many years will be a good recruiting opportunity.鈥�

For more information about the Journal of Music Teacher Education, visit the .

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The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition comes to the College of Music on Saturday, Dec. 10. Photo courtesy Schmidt Foundation.

The College of Music is opening Grusin Music Hall to the top high school vocalists in the region.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the voice department hosts the , one of the nation鈥檚 largest singing contests for high school students.

Organized by the and named for longtime Indiana arts supporter Bill Schmidt, the competition is held in 15 different locales around the country and offers more than $200,000 in prize money to young singers every year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big deal to host it because it gives us a chance to meet these talented singers and showcase the strengths of our voice department,鈥� says tenor and Assistant Professor of Voice Matthew Chellis, who helped bring the event to Boulder this year.

In past years, the competition has been held at places like the New England Conservatory and Seattle Opera. The winning singer receives $2,500 in prize money. Ben Smolder, director of the Schmidt Foundation and the director of the opera program at Miami University of Ohio, says the decision to bring the event to 欧美口爆视频 for the first time had a lot to do with geography鈥攁nd the standing of the vocal program at 欧美口爆视频.

鈥淚 knew about the great reputation of the school, and we also were interested in coming to an area that would capture some of the students we haven鈥檛 worked with before,鈥� Smolder explains. 鈥淭he goal of the competition is to encourage and nurture young people in the arts, and it was important to get into this region.鈥�

At a time when competitiveness with peer institutions is steep, Chellis says he and his colleagues are thrilled to be able to interact closely with the brightest talent in the West.

鈥淲e鈥檝e tried to let every high school in the area know we were hosting. The pool of people pursuing voice degrees keeps getting smaller and at this level, we鈥檙e competing for the same young freshmen.鈥�

One perk of hosting the day-long event is the brief presentation the voice department will give to contestants while the judges are tallying their votes.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be speaking about some of the unique opportunities our students have鈥�full opera productions, 欧美口爆视频 NOW and the close mentorship they get with faculty professionals who are known around the world,鈥� says Chellis. 鈥淲e鈥檒l also have some of our undergrads come on stage and present some of the scenes they鈥檙e working on.鈥�

Chellis will serve as adjudicator, along with William Florescu from the Florentine Opera Company. Dana Brown from Roosevelt University will play piano.

In addition to the competition, which is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, the Schmidt Foundation will host a master class with the judges and offer the winner a chance to participate in the organization鈥檚 summer music program.

鈥淭he foundation runs a for almost free tuition. It鈥檚 a wonderful pre-college experience that includes instruction from Juilliard professors, renowned composers and other professionals,鈥� Smolder explains.

And perhaps the biggest incentive for 欧美口爆视频 Boulder to play host: the Schmidt Foundation offers a $2,000 matching scholarship for one of the contestants to attend school whichever music program hosts the event.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we try to come to institutions that will benefit from the undergraduate recruiting opportunity,鈥� Smolder says.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for us to bring prospective students to our facilities and show them what we offer that maybe they haven鈥檛 seen elsewhere, whether it鈥檚 performance opportunities or the collaborative teaching atmosphere,鈥� Chellis adds.

More than 5,000 young singers have participated in the competition over the past 30 years, including many who have gone on to do big things鈥攕uch as the . The Schmidt Foundation partners with the Kennedy Center, the National Opera Center, Cincinnati Opera and others.

Students interested in entering the competition must submit an application by Nov. 28. Only 35 singers will be accepted into the Boulder event; for more information on rules and to apply, visit the .

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[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5BCEh9qaE]

Since 1983, a force and a legendary name in chamber music has called Boulder home. And for more than 30 years, students, faculty, staff and the community at large have benefited from that presence.

The Tak谩cs Quartet and its original members鈥擥abor Tak谩cs-Nagy, K谩roly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and Andr谩s Fej茅r鈥攃ame to the College of Music as artists in residence eight years into their career together. Today, they鈥檙e known to the world as one of the great ensembles of our time.

But in Boulder, Schranz, Fej茅r and newer members Edward Dusinberre and Geraldine Walther are also known as patient and knowledgeable educators.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e considered titans in the world of classical music, and we鈥檝e looked up to them for a long time,鈥� says Zachary Reaves, cellist of the . Reaves and his colleagues鈥擩oshua Ulrich, Andrew Giordano and Andrew Krimm鈥攁re the latest participants in the college鈥檚 Graduate String Quartet-In-Residence Program, which is coached primarily by the Tak谩cs.

He says the deep background the group brings to the college is inspiring. 鈥淭hey know the ins and outs of what we鈥檙e doing, both logistically and artistically.鈥�

Geraldine Walther of the Tak谩cs Quartet works with members of the Altius Quartet at a master class.

Tak谩cs violist Geraldine Walther, a member of the quartet since 2005, says the relationship is mutually beneficial.

鈥淲e鈥檙e lifelong students,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen you teach, you gain a perspective on what you鈥檙e doing as a performer. I find it helps me be more objective about what I鈥檓 trying to do as a player.鈥�

Along with Associate Professor of Viola Erika Eckert, the Tak谩cs has been instrumental in making the Quartet Program possible. The program hosts a graduate string quartet, providing performance and mentorship opportunities for a group that鈥檚 already nurturing a professional career.

鈥淲e take our roles as mentors very seriously,鈥� says Edward Dusinberre, Tak谩cs Quartet violinist since 1993. 鈥淲e remember being students, the ups and downs, and we want to show them that it鈥檚 all part of the process if something doesn鈥檛 go well. It鈥檚 all helping you build and grow as a musician.鈥�

Altius violinist Andrew Giordano says the Tak谩cs has brought a balance of support and constructive criticism, which will make all the difference as he and his colleagues continue their journey in the professional chamber music world.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so competitive. It鈥檚 been so helpful to have mentors like the Tak谩cs Quartet, who really help us become the best musicians and the best quartet we can possibly be.鈥�

Dusinberre says the quartet鈥檚 hope is not only to train the musician but also to train the overall person.

鈥淚n this age, when you look at the current political situation especially, there鈥檚 such a lack of compassion and cooperation between people with different views,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚n a string quartet, you can鈥檛 survive like that. You have to work out your differences. You learn how to take criticism, how to give criticism.鈥�

As for the future of the Quartet Program, Dusinberre says interest is growing. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been very happy with how the program鈥檚 been evolving. An obvious goal at this point would be to grow and perhaps host more than one quartet at a time.鈥�

Walther says the professionalism of the Altius Quartet will contribute to that bright future.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e very mature. And we are really enjoying that quality that they bring to the program.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檝e contributed to the community here,鈥� Dusinberre adds. 鈥淭he Altius members play newer works, coach student groups and act as role models for the other students at the college.鈥�

Reaves says the welcoming atmosphere at the College of Music has made that sort of immersion easy. 鈥淲e have a lot of support from our colleagues, from the professors. We鈥檙e treated very much as equals, and that鈥檚 a wonderful feeling to have.鈥�

That collaborative spirit is also part of what鈥檚 made the Tak谩cs鈥� career in Boulder so rewarding. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really supportive and nurturing. There are so many great people here,鈥� says Walther.

鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky to be here,鈥� Dusinberre adds. 鈥淚 think music can be a rather self-absorbed pursuit and we like the atmosphere of collaboration at the College of Music very much.鈥�

In 2015, the Tak谩cs Quartet was nominated for its fifth Grammy for a CD of Shostakovich chamber music. It also premiered a piece by Timo Andres, which was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Baltimore鈥檚 Shriver Hall.

Read more about the Quartet Program in the latest edition of 欧美口爆视频 Music Magazine >>

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Members of the 欧美口爆视频 Horn Quartet will take part in a number of outreach opportunities in the New York area.

When students from the College of Music head east next week to the Big Apple and the bright lights of Carnegie Hall, the Weill Recital Hall stage won鈥檛 be the only one they take.

The four members of the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Horn Quartet have a packed schedule of side-by-side youth orchestra rehearsals and master classes ahead of them鈥攊n addition to their concert-opening performance of Kerry Turner鈥檚 鈥淔anfare for Barcs.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e taking the show on the road early鈥攑erformance is an acquired skill, and the more opportunities we create, the better the final product,鈥� says Associate Professor of Horn Michael Thornton, who is traveling with the quartet and helping organize a series of outreach opportunities in New York. 鈥淭he Carnegie performance is the culmination of a long process of ensuring that the quartet is as strong as possible and they get the most out of this experience.鈥�

The quartet鈥攗ndergraduates Jason Friedman, Maggie Rickard and Cort Roberts and grad student Jordan Miller鈥攁rrives on the East Coast this weekend. Their itinerary before Monday night鈥檚 Weill Hall showcase concert includes a master class with the principal horn for the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, a recital and master class at the Manhattan School of Music and a side-by-side rehearsal with the eight horns in the Long Island Youth Orchestra.

鈥淲e鈥檙e so grateful for this opportunity,鈥� says Jordan Miller. 鈥淲e just started playing together this semester, so it鈥檚 been intensive to get ready for the concert. All the extra performances are going to help us feel more comfortable and really make the trip worthwhile.鈥�

The students will also observe Thornton rehearsing Richard Strauss鈥� Horn Concerto No. 1 with the Long Island Youth Orchestra ahead of a Nov. 13 concert at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

Thornton, who is the principal horn and will also perform the Strauss concerto with the Cape Town Philharmonic in South Africa in December, says it鈥檚 crucial for him and his colleagues at the College of Music to continue working as professional musicians.

鈥淭he music world is fluid in its style and interpretation,鈥� Thornton says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e teaching our students in a manner that will prepare them to be successful on the national and international level because we give them the most current information.鈥�

Miller herself teaches every week with El Sistema 欧美口爆视频. She says the side-by-side rehearsal with the youth orchestra will give the group a chance to bring what they learned at last year鈥檚 Cleveland Orchestra residency full circle.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e teaching, you have to think about what you鈥檙e doing yourself when you play. Sometimes I catch myself telling a student to do something that I myself am not doing. So it challenges me to be better as a musician.鈥�

As the reality of a Carnegie Hall appearance sinks in for the students and faculty involved, there鈥檚 a sense of excitement building for the future of music at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder.

鈥淭his is one of the first chances for the college to showcase our most outstanding products outside of 欧美口爆视频,鈥� says Thornton. 鈥淎nd the fact that this group was all born and raised in 欧美口爆视频 makes us feel such a high level of investment.鈥�

鈥淭here is such a large pool of musicians who could have performed at this concert,鈥� Miller adds. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to represent the high level of talent at the college.鈥�

Performing with the 欧美口爆视频 Horn Quartet on Nov. 7 are Joshua Ulrich, Andrew Giordano, Andrew Krimm and Zachary Reaves of the Altius Quartet; Michael Hoffman, tenor; Emily Alley, piano; Benjamin Anderson, horn; Kellan Toohey, clarinet; Cecilia Lo-Chien Kao, piano; and Grace Burns, piano. Find more information on the Weill Hall Showcase Concert page.

You can get backstage access to all the Carnegie festivities next week by following on Instagram.

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