The Big Little University Rising
“Popular Music in Higher Education: Finding a Balance,” an article by Harrison Endowed Chair in Piano, Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Professor of Jazz Piano Robert Larson ’08, D.M.A., was recently accepted for publication in the College Music Society’s College Music Symposium.
Shenandoah Conservatory celebrated the creative and academic achievements of its aspiring artists this past weekend with its annual Honors Recital, Awards Recognition and Graduate Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 17, in Armstrong Concert Hall.
The Honors Recital presented an array of music, theatre and dance performances featuring:
Following the recital was the Awards Recognition event, where 37 total awards were presented to 29 individual students, as were seven Performance Certificates, which are presented to students who complete applied study beyond the requirements of their specific curricula. A complete list of award and and certificate recipients is listed below.
The Graduate Hooding Ceremony recognized 37 master’s, one artist diploma and three doctoral students.
Special Events Coordinator for Conservatory and Professor of Trumpet and Conducting Scott Nelson, D.M.A., was recognized for his 30+ years of service as he retires at the end of this academic year.
The evening ended with a reception in the green space in front of Armstrong Hall featuring a jazz trio comprising pianist Isaac Williams ’21, bassist Michael Pratt ’21 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology) and drummer Chace Washington ’20 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology).
The weekend celebration culminated during Shenandoah University’s annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 18, in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center, when 139 undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas and certificates were awarded to conservatory graduates.
Avery Apgar ’20 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) • Nicole Harney ’20 (Bachelor of Music Therapy)
Audrey Weatherstone ’19 (Bachelor of Music Therapy)
Ethan Gross ’19 (Bachelor of Music Therapy)
Casey Miller ’19 (Graduate Professional Studies Certificate – Music Therapy Certification Eligibility)
Sara Woodward ’19 (Master of Music Therapy)
Ryan Cook ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology)
Michaela Lantzy ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology)
Joshua Frey ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology)
Christopher Goodwin ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre)
Alexandra Paganelli ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education)
Angela Garcia-Clark ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Performance – Voice)
Seth Lowery ’19 (Master of Music in Pedagogy)
Ethan Gross ’19 (Bachelor of Music Therapy)
Rachael McDermott ’19 Bachelor of Arts in Dance) • Kaylee Noble ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Walker Konkle ’19 (Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership & Management)
Jonathan Wyatt ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Composition)
Anne Griggs ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Nicholas Jackson ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Rachel Seibel ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education)
Brian Woods ’19 (Artist Diploma)
Angela Garcia-Clark ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Performance – Voice) • Christos Kokkinis ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Performance – Voice)
Jacob Pembelton ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies)
Ryan Cook ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology) • Anne Griggs ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Nicholas Jackson ’19 • (Bachelor of Music Education) • Janine Milan ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Rachel Seibel ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Audrey Weatherstone ’19 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) • Jonathan Wyatt ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Composition)
Stephen Dransfield ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre)
Taylor Burke ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Production – Costume Design)
Christopher Goodwin ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre)
Madison Fregosi ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Emily Pavelko ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Marissa Myers ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Rebecca Hoffman ’20 (Bachelor of Music Therapy)
Joshua Frey ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology)
Marissa Myers ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Christopher Goodwin ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre) • Anne Griggs ’19 (Bachelor of Music Education) • Kaylee Noble ’19 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance)
Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., added a second full-time music therapy position to its oncology unit, and the current music therapist, Mariagracia Rivas Berger ’13, ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance, Master of Music in Music Therapy) is beginning a research study focused on the benefits of a music therapy intervention for teenagers experiencing pain related to sickle cell disease. This study, which is part of her research at Shenandoah, is opening up opportunities for an ongoing research collaboration with the hospital.
Conservatory Assistant Dean for Student Learning and Associate Professor of Theatre Carolyn Coulson, Ph.D., was elected vice president of the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society, an international academic association of scholars and other persons interested in medieval and Renaissance drama whose activities include organizing annual meetings, sponsoring long-range research projects, and publishing material of interest to the society, including the journal Research on Medieval and Renaissance Drama (ROMARD). The society awards numerous annual awards for studies in the field of early drama, which are overseen by the vice president. After a two-year term, Coulson will rise to the presidency of the society.
Johanna Horn ’19, MT-BC (Master of Music in Music Therapy) and Perinatal Education Coordinator at INOVA Loudoun Hospital Jaimee Robinson, MSN, RNC-OB, recently had their poster, “The Psychosocial Benefits of Music Therapy for Hospitalized Antepartum Patients: A Case Series,” accepted to the Virginia Nurses Association and Virginia Nurses Foundation fall conference in Richmond, Virginia. This is the first study of its kind to examine the benefits of music therapy on specific side effects experienced by women hospitalized for complications related to pregnancy.
Chair of Instrumental Division, Coordinator for Conservatory in the Community and Professor of Saxophone Timothy Roberts, D.M.A., was recently the featured guest artist on the Australian podcast “The Barry Sax Show.”
Several Shenandoah Conservatory undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines were recognized for their research and scholarship at this year’s Student Project & Research (SUpr) Summit on Tuesday, April 30, in the Brandt Student Center, Ferrari Room. This year’s event showcased 66 projects by 150 students. Conservatory students recognized and research topics include:
Visit www.su.edu/academics/academic-resources-information/center-for-teaching-and-learning-2/symposiums-events/supr-summit/ for a full list of participants and winners, and to learn more about SUpr Summit.
At the Student Project & Research (SUpr) Summit, students from across the university’s programs, engaged in a broad range of study being done inside and outside classrooms, present their projects and research, works-in-progress and scholarly creative endeavors through digital media, fine art, audio and video recordings and posters. They display their findings, express their curiosity, and interact with those who stop at their presentation tables.
Now in its sixth year, the summit is redefining research from a new base of operations in the Office of Shenandoah Associate Provost Amy Sarch, Ph.D. “I look forward to this event every year,” said Dr. Sarch. “What a valuable opportunity for Shenandoah University to showcase the creative, fabulous work our students accomplish here and to applaud the work that faculty do to get students to this point.”
The SUpr Summit was the brainchild of Associate Professor of Psychology Mark Chan, Ph.D., who is the faculty director of the SUpr Summit. Instructional Support Coordinator Virginia Armagh, M.A., is the summit coordinator.
Since SUpr Summit began in 2014, more than 300 students have taken advantage of this opportunity, which provides them with the ability to network with VIPs at the awards ceremony, practice presentations for regional and national conferences, and vie for prize money. Students of winning presentations have been awarded $5,025 collectively.
Shenandoah Conservatory was recently ranked as one of the top 25 music programs by SuccessfulStudent.org. Programs were selected based on the quality of the program, types of courses offered, the faculty, awards, rankings and reputation.
