Music
Faculty Accomplishments
Dr. Jon O. Carlson, professor of music and director of choral activities, was honored on Oct. 20, at the 30th anniversary of the Evansville Philharmonic Chorus (EPC) in Evansville, Ind. In 1977, Carlson, then director of music at Indiana State University in Evansville, along with Minas Christian, orchestra conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, organized the EPC to perform with the orchestra. The chorus’ first performance was held on April 16, 1977. To celebrate the occasion, Carlson conducted the EPC in "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" (From Requiem) by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).
In addition, Carlson led the Jacksonville University Concert Choir and the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus in a combined performance with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection at Jacoby Symphony Hall on April 19, 20 and 21, 2007. All three performances received standing ovations.
In May 2007, Dr. William Schirmer, professor of composition and theory, completed Fugal Partita #199, which is the 4,016 original musical composition of his career.
Dr. Thomas Harrison presented musicology papers in Edinburgh, Indianapolis, Honolulu, Mexico City, Zurich, and Paris during the 2006-2007 academic year. He was also published by Pearson, and in the journals Popular Music and Society and the International Journal on the Humanities recently. His piece Indeterminate Space #1, in memoriam of Brad Silverstein, was performed on campus in August. Dr. Harrison will be appearing in documentaries for Fuse Music Television in November.
Prof. Tony Steve premiered the music for the ballet Typewriter in September 2007. As a composer and performer under the auspices of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSO) he presented a short silent film with his score. This presentation was the educational pre-concert event prior to the JSO 1/26/08 Family concert.
His composition As Myth Gives Way was accepted for publication by Percussion Arrangers Music Publishing. The company is located in Columbia, South Carolina. As a performer he has recently entered into an endorser agreement with Paiste (cymbals) American. and is currently performing with the national tour of Spamalot. Beginning on 2/27/08 he will performing in the Florida portion of the national tour of the Mannheim Steamroller.
In December of 2007, John Ricci, Professor of Jazz Studies and saxophonist, released a jazz quartet CD of his original compositions and arrangements entitled: Holding Time. Available at CD Baby http://cdbaby.com/cd/riccijohn