Following is a list of projects/service work:
The Sorel competition, now in its 7th year.
The Sorel Fellows Day, which occurs the day before the final round of the competition, will also be offered as a virtual experience. We currently have two undergraduates in the Piano Area that started as an applicant for the competition, became Sorel Fellows, and are now in the Music Education program.
2021 Robert Jordan Festival
A conversation with William Chapman Nyaho on solo piano music by underrepresented composers.
#PianoShortsRJPF: a playlist of pianists from the piano area in SUNY Fredonia and the US present short videos on solo piano repertoire by underrepresented composers. The videos were streamed live as one of the festival's events.
A recital of the piano area faculty and students celebrating music by underrepresented composers.
Ekstasis 2.0 concerts student performances were live-streamed directly from the different venues in the 20-21 and 21-22 seasons. We were back to in-person performance in 22-23. Locations include: The Fredonia Opera House, The Westfield Library, and Fellowships of the Spirit in Cassadaga
The piano area virtual open day presented on Sunday, Nov. 15th, 2020, for prospective students. Multiple Zoom meetings were held in succession and included the admissions process, a Q&A panel with faculty and students, and a virtual tour of Mason Hall.
Interim Chair, Piano Area , Fall 2022
Coordinator of the Claudette Sorel Piano Competition
Coordinator of the Robert Jordan Piano Festival
Coordinator of the Ekstasis 2.0 concert series in various locations in Western NY
Coordinator of faculty members performance at Merkin Hall
Initiate and member of the student workload committee to help address student concerns
Faculty Advisor to FSKA (Fredonia Student Keyboard Association)
Weekly meetings
Original programming (History of the Prelude, Debussy Celebration, etc.)
Cleaning pianos initiative: all piano majors and I got together to clean the practice pianos in Mason
Piano day: offering piano lessons to the community
Assist in putting together performances and invitations to masterclass guests
Member of the flute position search committee (initial search only) / Barry Crawford
Member of the chamber music series committee, led by Jefferson Westwood
Faculty meeting attendance
Department meeting attendance
Student Advisement
Run a fundraising campaign to purchase a new grand piano for a student concert series (Ekstasis 2.0) at Cassadaga
Collaborate with Jennifer Darrell-Sterbak on improving the Instagram page of the School of Music (more than 50% increase in followers and views)
Creating a Facebook forum for students and faculty to address issues and disseminate information
Creating the Sorel Fellows Meetup sessions for recruitment purposes.
Concerto competition jury member, 2020 & 2021
Masterclass for students at the Special Music School in Manhattan, May 7, 2021.
CLAUDETTE SOREL PIANO COMPETITION
Lead the 7th Claudette Sorel Piano Competition with an annual endowment from the Sorel Foundation to help support young pianists ages 15-18 and help raise the keyboard area profile.
Run social media posts for the competition
Coordinator of the jury
Marketing and promotion
Recruit young talented pianists
Meet with the Sorel foundation to solidify support
Manage guest artist performance: Anne Schelest, Tony Caramia, etc.
Oversee recording project of the winners
All communications with participants
Secure additional funds for Acceptd costs
In 2019, Ekstasis Duo launched a new concert initiative titled Ekstasis 2.0., in which students from SUNY Fredonia as well as faculty members from the School of Music are featured in venues in Western New York. Venues include Fellowship of the Spirit in Cassadaga, NY, St. Columbans Retirement community, NY, Brocton Church, NY, and Lakeshore Center for the Arts, Westfield, NY.
Create a library of videos addressing a myriad of problems pianists face; from basic technical principles to analysis of compositions. The objective of which is to create a library of tutorials students could use in addition to their one-on-one lessons.
VIDEOTAPING LESSONS
Starting spring 2018, most lessons and coaching have been videotaped and uploaded to Google Drive. This has proven to be an important tool in helping students review information presented in lessons as well as evaluating their own progress.
PIANO DAY
Students and faculty in the piano area offered half an hour lessons at nominal cost to the university community and people of the surrounding areas. The objective was to raise the profile of the piano area as well as raise funds for FSKA (Fredonia Students Keyboard Association)
COLLABORATION PIANISTS DATABASE
An online database where piano majors can list their availability for collaborating with instrumentalists and vocalists. This forum is designed to help facilitate communication between all parties as well as take off some of the overwhelming pressure placed on staff accompanists.
Draft a sample contract outlining the basic terms of the collaboration between pianists and instrumentalists./vocalists.
ONLINE PIANO AREA CALENDAR
Create the Piano Area online Google calendar.
DEBUSSY’S CENTENNIAL CONCERT
In collaboration with FSKA, the piano area presented an evening of Claude Debussy’s piano music celebrating the composer’s centennial.
CONCERTO COMPETITION
Judge, August 30, 2020
Judge, May 2, 2021