The Solid Gold Sound of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band performing “El Toro Caliente” by Scott Boerma at the UCLA vs. Washington football game on November 7, 2009, at the Rose Bowl. Used with permission from the composer.

UCLA organ professor Christoph Bull demonstrates the 1981 Noack tracker organ at the UCLA organ studio, including pedals, couplers and a build-up from soft to full organ. Live painter Norton Wisdom interprets the music.

UCLA organ professor Christoph Bull demonstrates the 1981 Noack tracker organ at the UCLA organ studio, starting with the manuals.

UCLA organ professor Christoph Bull joins UCLA students Hitomi Oba (tenor saxophone) and Nick DePinna (trombone) in “Triangular Improvisation” at 1st Organ Studio Strawberry Jam on June 11, 2008, at the UCLA organ studio. Live painter Norton Wisdom interprets the music. The organ is a 1981 Noack tracker.
The performance was filmed and recorded by UCLA Senior Electronics Technician Umberto Belfiore.

UCLA organ professor Christoph Bull and UCLA saxophone student Hitomi Oba play Bach’s “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme”, re-arranged for organ and tenor saxophone, at 1st Organ Studio Strawberry Jam on June 11, 2008, at the UCLA organ studio. Live painter Norton Wisdom interprets the music. The organ is a 1981 Noack tracker. The performance was filmed and recorded by UCLA Senior Electronics Technician Umberto Belfiore.

UCLA organ professor Christoph Bull and UCLA clarinet student Max Kaplan improvise in the key of A minor at 1st Organ Studio Strawberry Jam on June 11, 2008, at the UCLA organ studio. Live painter Norton Wisdom interprets the music. The organ is a 1981 Noack tracker. The performance was filmed and recorded by UCLA Senior Electronics Technician Umberto Belfiore.

We have received the following great news about two of our graduates–Monica Covitt, BA Education 2009, and Penelope Turgeon, DMA Performance 2009. Please see the two press releases, below.

LOS ANGELES RESIDENT AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GRADUATE MONICA COVITT SELECTED AS FALL 2009 INTERN AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The John. F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts selected Monica Covitt of Los Angeles, CA for its prestigious internship program this fall as part of the Kennedy Center Institute for Arts Management.

Monica, daughter of Gary and Laurie Covitt, graduated from the Cleveland High School Humanities Magnet as valedictorian of her class. In June 2009, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from The University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with an emphasis on Education and a K-12 Teaching Credential in Music. Monica was on the Dean’s Honor List from 2005-2009 and a recipient of the Jacqueline and Ben Klein Memorial Scholarship. A classically trained musician in voice and piano, Monica taught voice and music at a middle school during all four years of college, has taught early childhood music to children ages 2-5, and has music directed four children’s musical productions.

While at the Kennedy Center, Monica is an intern in the education department’s National Partnerships program. The National Partnerships program creates liaisons between arts education outreach programs and public school districts across the country. Monica assists with the planning and implementation of major national meetings: a membership annual conference, advisory committee meetings, grant and awards programs, and artist training seminars. She is also responsible for a national newsletter.

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GRADUATE PENELOPE TURGEON SELECTED AS FALL 2009 INTERN AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The John. F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts selected Penelope Turgeon, of Union City, CA, for its prestigious internship program this fall as part of the Kennedy Center Institute for Arts Management.

Penelope, a native of Quebec, Canada, immigrated to the United States and graduated from James Logan High in Union City, CA. Penelope received a Bachelor of Arts in music performance and a Music Masters from UCLA in June 2009. While at UCLA, Penelope was an Orchestra Manager for two years, and was awarded a Teaching Assistantship and a Gluck Fellowship.

While at the Kennedy Center, Penelope is an intern in the National Symphony Orchestra Operations department. Penelope works in symphony orchestra production and administration with the NSO Operations and Productions staff; this includes administrative and technical preparation for rehearsals and concerts, various festivals, and tours among other programs. Penelope is involved in projects and assignments (as determined by the NSO’s season programming) while experiencing how symphonic, education, pops, and televised concerts are produced.

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THE KENNEDY CENTER INSTITUTE FOR ARTS MANAGEMENT

The Institute is an experiential training initiative that is rooted in the practical application of management skills within the context of administering programs and initiatives in an international arts organization. Through internships, fellowships, and management and board symposia, participants examine the many roles and responsibilities of successful managers in today’s complex world of performing arts.

Internships: The Kennedy Center selected 22 interns for a fall internship from September 8 through December 11, 2009. Assignments are full time and responsibilities include assisting with the administrative and/or technical aspects of the Center. In addition, interns attend weekly seminars led by executives of the Center and other major arts institutions in Washington, D.C., that cover major issues in arts management. The Kennedy Center Internship Program is recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the “Top 100 Internships” in the United States.

Fellowships: The Kennedy Center Institute for Arts Management also offers fellowships for highly qualified and motivated individuals who aspire to manage performing arts institutions and arts service organizations in both the public and private sector. The 10-month long arts management fellowship program, which opened with its first class of Fellows in September 2001, includes extensive coursework in contemporary business practices and practical management experience through the lens of planning, presenting and producing performing arts programming at an internationally recognized performing arts institution. Fellows are assigned a Kennedy Center mentor and have departmental assignments in addition to ongoing course work. Participants also attend performances and additional educational events and complete significant projects within the context of the Kennedy Center.

For more information about internships and/or fellowships contact:
The Kennedy Center Education Department (202) 416-8800
http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/artsmanagement

UCLA Organist and professor Christoph Bull performed music by and improvisations on Bach (augmented by a laser light show) on one of the world’s two largest church pipe organs, at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, on October 23, 2009.

Professor Neal Stulberg, Director of Orchestral Studies for the Department of Music, has shared this news about a recent performance by the Shanghai Jiaotong University Orchestra’s visit, and the photos below were shared by Director Tim Rice of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music:

“On September 25 at Schoenberg Hall, the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and the Confucius Institute hosted the opening concert of a United States tour by the Shanghai Jiaotong University Symphony Orchestra. Shanghai Jiaotong University is one of China’s great scientific research institutions, and its orchestra has a long and honored tradition in China and abroad. The hall was packed for this free concert, led by one of China’s most revered conductors, Cao Peng, and the program was a fascinating mix of classical symphonic showpieces and arrangements of Chinese traditional folk and classical music. The students in the orchestra – none of whom are music majors – played with great skill and energy (especially given that they had just arrived in the U.S. the day before and had spent most of their concert day touring Universal Studios!) The president of the university, a former violinist in the orchestra, spoke proudly to the audience before the concert, and it was my pleasure to present Maestro Cao Peng with a Certificate of Artistic Achievement from our school.

The president and others from the university expressed their strong interest in inviting UCLA Philharmonia to perform in Shanghai. Nothing would please me more!

New York Times
October 8, 2009, 11:17 AM
Cast Changes in Met’s ‘Stiffelio’
By DAVE ITZKOFF

The role of Lina in the Metropolitan Opera’s coming production of Verdi’s “Stiffelio” will be shared between the American sopranos Sondra Radvanovsky and Julianna Di Giacomo. They are replacing Angela Marambio, the Chilean soprano, who has withdrawn, the Met said in a news release. Ms. Radvanovsky will sing the performances on Jan. 11 and 14, and the matinee of Jan. 30; Ms. Di Giacomo will sing the role on Jan. 19, 23 and 26. Both are performing the role for the first time at the Met. Ms. Radvanovsky previously sang Lina at London’s Royal Opera Covent Garden in 2007, and has performed in Verdi operas including “Il Trovatore” at the Met. Ms. Di Giacomo made her Met debut as Clotilde in “Norma” in 2007, and made her La Scala debut this past season as Lucrezia in Verdi’s “I Due Foscari.”

The Met’s performances of “Stiffelio” will be conducted by Plácido Domingo. Its cast also includes José Cura in the title role, Andrzej Dobber as Stankar and Phillip Ens as Jorg.