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Music Performing Ensembles The Music Program The Faculty

 

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The major performing ensembles at UW-BC are The Red Cedar Choir, Communiversity Band, Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra, The Dean's List, and Northwinds Brass Band. All of these groups take advantage of combining student performers with established community members, an enormous advantage for UW-BC students. They are able to sing/play alongside professional and amateur musicians, and learn from the conductors and those performing with them - there is no better teaching tool available. All of these ensembles are recognized in the region for their excellence.

The Red Cedar Choir, a joint effort of the Music Department and surrounding communities, gives students directly out of high school the incredible chance to sing and be part of one of the best choirs in the area. The choir performs to sold-out houses in Rice Lake throughout the year, and is the cornerstone of the Holiday Festival.  Benjamin Schoening serves as the conductor of the choir and Artistic Director of the Holiday Festival. The choir dates back to 1932 when it was associated with the Rice Lake Federated Music Club. The group is open to all student and community members through a voice test process.

Communiversity Band, a joint effort of the Music Department and the surrounding communities, is comprised of both students and area musicians, giving students the same opportunity to perform with professional players as The Red Cedar Choir gives singers. The band performs at several concerts throughout the year and is conducted by Mike Joosten. This ensemble is open to any student or community member through audition on their instrument (prior work on the instrument is expected).

Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra is the areas only full symphonic orchestra. The symphony has its roots with community members and provides an outlet for young string players who do not have any other opportunity to play in a symphony. Tom Howell conducts the symphony, which performs in Rice Lake and in surrounding communities. The group often collaborates with The Red Cedar Choir and features professional soloists in its concerts.

The Dean's List is one of the longest standing ensembles at the university. Founded by former college dean John Meggers, The Dean's List performs music from the Big Band era at concerts, dances, balls, and other events throughout Wisconsin and the surrounding states. The Dean's List is an audition-only ensemble that features the talents of some of the best musicians in the Northwoods. For information on schedules or auditions, please contact Joseph Erickson at 715-296-1248 or Mark Rutherford at 715-434-6508.

Northwinds Brass Band, conducted by Jim Potter, was formed in 1986 and has been a mainstay of the UW-BC music community since 1989. The band plays music in the British Brass Band tradition and has performed concerts in numerous venues. The band plays two concerts a year at the University and one concert in the city park during the summer as part of the Music in the Park series.

The Music Program

The University of Wisconsin-Barron County Music Department continues to be an area leader in the performing arts. Although UW-BC is a small college, there is nothing small about the music program. It consists of five major performing ensembles, numerous opportunities for small group and solo performance, and a full range of music classes for those interested in a major or minor in music as well as those just looking for general interest courses on various topics. UW-BC's music classes offers students the opportunity to study music in a small setting with one-on-one attention from the instructor. Because of this close attention, more of our students are retained within the music program (80-90%) and nearly all are successful music students upon transferring to another institution. Students also have special opportunities in opera and musical theatre that are rare for the first and second year college student.

Course Offerings *Music Theory I, II, III, and IV *Aural Skills I, II, III, and IV Fundamentals of Music Music Literature and Appreciation I and II Jazz History and Appreciation Vocal Techniques World Music *Class Piano *Applied Lessons (Voice, Piano, Instrumental) Music Theatre Performance Special Topics in Music/Independent Study (* Required for music majors/minors )

The Facilities

Students have access to a 340-seat theatre, 12-foot Baldwin and 7-foot Steinway concert grand pianos, numerous smaller practice pianos, a full keyboard lab, along with an array of other instruments. The University is anticipating the addition of a state-of-the art MIDI/listening lab and a new percussion lab. The MIDI lab will provide students with the opportunity to be trained on the latest in music computer software as part of the course requirements. The performing ensembles often present their concerts in community venues as well, with major concerts being held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Rice Lake. St. Joseph's is one of the best acoustical venues for music in the Northwoods and provides a thrill for all of the ensemble and audience members.

Benjamin S. Schoening Assistant Professor of Music Director of Campus Musical Activities Music Director, The Red Cedar Choir

Described as ‘very talented for is young years,’ Benjamin Schoening is one of the up and coming conductors of his generation. He began his conducting career in 1999 as a student conductor of the Luther College Chamber Orchestra. Later he founded the Luther College Volunteer Orchestra and was music director until leaving Iowa in 2001. In 2001 Benjamin became an assistant conductor with the University of Illinois Chamber and Symphony Orchestra where he stayed until 2003. Benjamin’s teachers include Daniel Baldwin, Timothy Peter, and Donald Schleicher. He has also attended workshops with Yves Cohen, Rossen Milanov, and world famous teacher Gustav Meier. Benjamin is also a talented composer writing mostly for the full orchestra, choral and chamber genres. He has had works premiered in Wisconsin and Arizona including his works "Elegy" for chamber orchestra in 2004 and "May You Rest" for a cappella choir in 2006. Benjamin’s most recent conducting includes appearances wit the University of Illinois Orchestra, the University of Illinois Chamber Orchestra, and the University of Illinois Opera, the White Mountain Symphony Orchestra as well as guest appearances with the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and Student Orchestra of Provence in Aubagne, France.

Mike Joosten Communiversity Band Rice Lake Municipal Band

Joosten has a B.M.E. from UW-La Crosse. Since 1984 he has been teaching instrumental music in the Cameron School District; directing the high school and middle school concert bands, marching band, and jazz ensembles. He has been an active clinician, adjudicator and adjudication facilitator for the Wisconsin State Music Association. He has performed in many ensembles in northwestern Wisconsin and is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

 

Pamela Johnson Associate Lecturer Class and Applied Piano

Johnson earned a B.A. in performance on woodwinds with a piano minor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a M.A. in teaching, band, and piano pedagogy from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  For over ten years she has taught piano, clarinet, flute and alto saxophone to private students.  She also assists music faculty at local high schools with accompanying and coaches woodwinds.  She studied piano with Elizabeth Paul of Minnetonka, MN.  Johnson has performed in chamber groups, the Thursday Musical Orchestra in Minneapolis, and as a soloist.

 

 

Tom Howell Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra

Howell attended the Juilliard School and received a Bachelor of Music degree.  He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.  Tom's first performance in Carnegie Hall was at eighteen, and he held his first professional position at age nineteen in the Aspen Festival Orchestra.  As a Juilliard student, Tom toured Europe three times; in his senior year he won the Juilliard concerto competition.  Also in his senior year Tom auditioned for and subsequently joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  As a professional musician, Tom has toured Russia, Japan and Australia, as well as numerous tours of Europe.  He has conducted in America and Europe, primarily with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and Italy's Sessione Senese Orchestra.  The Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1983 and Howell is its sixth conductor.

Contact:
Benjamin S. Schoening
benjamin.schoening@uwc.edu
715.234.8176 ext. 5480
Meggers Hall, room 135

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