Points of Pride lists faculty, student and alumni achievements. It is accumulated and produced three times a year, generally in January, March, and October.
Grants and Awards
Jeffery S. Elwell, Chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts, received $100,000 from the Challenge Cost Share Program Grant of the National Park Service for the Nebraska Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Signature Event.
Karen Kunc, Professor of Art, has been selected to become a Cather Professor, which recognizes her distinguished scholarship and creative activity. Kunc has an international reputation as a printmaker and artist whose works have been exhibited in venues as varied as Kearney, Neb., and Laramie, Wyo,. to Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Japan and Russia. Kunc's medium is reduction wood cut print, a painstaking process that works in the negative and in stages. Using a variety of tools to extract layers of wood, creating patterns and strokes and lines, the technique creates prints in stages, color by color, layer by layer. Her prints are bold, dramatic, calculatedly puzzling. And instantly recognizable due to her unique style and dazzling color. She was Nebraska's Artist of the Year in 2000 and in 1998, received the university's Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award. Kunc earned her B.F.A. from UNL and her M.F.A. from Ohio State University. She has been associated with UNL since 1983.
Liz Ingraham, Assistant Professor of Art, is the first recipient of the Thatcher Hoffman Smith Prize for Creativity for her "skins" sculptures. This $40,000 award recognizes "a visionary creative work in process, which provides a blueprint for the creative process and which demonstrates the power of original thought and expression to enrich the world." The biennial prize will be presented to Ingraham on Tuesday, April 8 at the University of Oklahoma.
William Shomos, Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera, attended the National Opera Association Convention this January in Washington, D.C., to accept the first place award for UNL Opera's 2001 production of Kurt Weill's "Street Scene." The production was staged by Shomos and conducted by Associate Professor Tyler White with all roles performed by UNL students.
Students and Faculty in the Department of Theatre Arts received several awards at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival competition in January. Katherine LeRoy (MFA acting) won the Irene Ryan Scholarship competition. Michael Leonard (MFA) and Misti Bradford (MFA) won Barbizon Awards for Excellence in Theatrical Design at the regional festival. Other UNL winners included: Scott Raymond (BFA), lighting design alternate in the Barbizon Awards and 1st place undergraduate lighting design in the Design Exposition and Competition; Steve Barth (MFA), 2nd place best musical performer; Tim Hornor (MFA), Shakespeare Award in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition; Lindsey Seim (BA), Best Partner in the Irene Ryan finals; Kelly Dailey (MFA), meritorious achievement award in scenic design; Jenny Kenyon, Lecturer, meritorious achievement award in costume design; Michael Leonard, meritorious achievement award in scenic design and 2nd place in graduate scenic design in the Design Exposition and Competition; Assistant Professor Virginia Smith, meritorious achievement award in playwriting; Cat Wallis (BFA), meritorious achievement award in stage managing; and Travis Walker (MFA), 1st place graduate sound design in the Design Exposition and Competition.
Two graphic design students in Associate Professor Ron Bartels' advanced illustration seminar class were among 32 finalists nationwide in the Smithsonian Institution's 37th Annual Kite Contest. More than 500 entries were submitted to the contest. Christian Mogensen (BFA senior) and Scott Eastman (BFA senior) were finalists. Their winning kites were on display in Washington, D.C., in March. A third student, Jerod Blayney (BFA senior) was a semi-finalist in the contest.
The following faculty received 2003 Research Council Grants, totaling almost $50,000 for the College:
- William Grange, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, $6,321, "Comedy and Popular Fare on the Stages of the Wilhemine Empire, 1871-1918."
- Paul Barnes, Associate Professor of Piano, $10,000, "Commemorating Lewis and Clark: commissioning, performing and recording a new piano concerto by Phillip Glass."
- Gail Kendall, Professor of Art, $6,321, "British Slipware: Traditional Pottery in the West Country."
- Sandra Williams, Assistant Professor of Art, $6,022, "Gas, Food, Lodging" exhibition.
- Brenda Wristen, Assistant Professor of Music, $6,297, "Motion Analysis of Piano Technique in Performance Versus Sight-reading Tasks."
- Elizabeth Ingraham, Assistant Professor of Art, $4,879, "Sensing Antarctica: An Interactive Multimedia Web Project."
- Michael Hoff, Associate Professor of Art History, $6,321, "The Temple of the Roman Emperor Trajan at Selenius, Turkey: An Archaeological Study."
The following faculty received the "Certificate of Recognition for Contributions to Students" from The Teaching Council and UNL Parents Association (the number in parenthesis indicates the number of years a recipient has received this recognition):
- Art and Art History: Andrea Bolland (2), Bill Shaffer (1), Sandra Williams (2).
- School of Music: Scott Anderson (5), Peter Eklund (4), Anthony Falcone (2), Allen French (5), Lisa Fusillo (3), Donna Harler-Smith (3), William McMullen (3), Dawn Pawlewski (1), Clark Potter (5), William Shomos (1), Carol Swanson (1).
- Theatre Arts: William Grange (1), William Kenyon (2), Virginia Smith (1).
Faculty
Scott Anderson, Assistant Professor of Trombone, has presented a number of performances throughout the Midwest this spring. He performed as a trombone soloist with the University of Nebraska Symphonic Band in concerts at UNL and on a tour in March that included performances in Lincoln, Holdrege and Kearney. The Nebraska Trombone Ensemble performed on the Omaha Brass Ensemble "Trombone Extravaganza" at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in March.
John Bailey, Larson Professor of Flute, spent two weeks at the University of Colorado at Boulder on a Big 12 Faculty Fellowship Exchange, teaching lessons, giving masterclasses and lectures, and performing a solo recital. He also gave a guest recital and lecture at the University of Iowa.
Carolyn Barber, Associate Professor and Director of Bands, was selected as one of ten conductors from a nationwide pool chosen to present a segment of the "Chosen or Forgotten Gems" session at the College Band Directors National Association National Convention in Minneapolis in March. On March 26, Barber guest conducted the University of Minnesota-Duluth Wind Ensemble in Ralph Vaughan Williams' Scherzo alla Marcia, from his Symphony No. 8 in d minor.
Paul Barnes, Associate Professor of Piano, was the featured artist at the Huntington College Theology and the Arts Symposium held February 6-8. Barnes lectured, gave a masterclass and performed a solo recital. He also gave a solo recital as part of the Organ-Vespers Series at the Presbyterian Church of the Cross in Omaha. Barnes performed a series of Byzantine Lenten chants as part of the Sacred Arts Council-Lincoln Lenten Concert at St. Cecilia's Cathedral in Omaha on March 14. Barnes' new recording of the music of Philip Glass will be released nationally next month on Glass' own Orange Mountain Music label. Barnes was interviewed and his concert with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in November was featured in the November 1 Indianapolis Star.
Karen Becker, Associate Professor of Cello, was featured in the November 11 Huntington, W.V. Herald-Dispatch in a recital preview.
Diane Cawein, Associate Professor of Clarinet, performed the Nebraska premier of Mark Schultz's CaweinLair in early March with the UNL Wind Ensemble, directed by Director of Bands Carolyn Barber. The work was commissioned by the Nebraska Music Teacher's Association in 2000 specifically for Cawein, and the composer is currently at work expanding the composition into a full-length, three-movement concerto for solo clarinet and wind ensemble for a Fall 2003 premiere.
Judy Cherry, Senior Lecturer in Art, had a solo exhibition of Trompe l'oeil paintings at the Tatistcheff and Co. Gallery in New York. The exhibit was from February 12 through March 15.
Mark Clinton, Associate Professor of Piano, and Nicole Narboni, Assistant Professor of Piano, were guest piano soloists with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra on February 9, performing Saint-Saëns' popular Carnival of the Animals. A review in the Lincoln Journal-Star praised the "virtuosic expertise" of the Clinton/Narboni Duo and reported that "fast scales and runs seemed like old hat for the talented piano duo." Clinton collaborated with flutist Kyle Dzapo on a guest artist recital March 11 in Westbrook Recital Hall that featured works by Mozart, Joachim Andersen and Frank Martin.
Jeffery S. Elwell, Chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts, had his play, "Marriage," selected for production at the DNA Festival of the Idaho Rep in Moscow, Idaho, April 11-12. His play, "The Night We Met," will be published in Monologues for Men by Men, Vol. 2, by Heinemann in June. Elwell received $3,624 from the University Research Council Grant-In-Aid to travel to the Schepkin School of Theatre in Moscow, Russia, to work on a new play. He is also a panelist on "Open Hearing on M.F.A. Issues" on April 11 at the NAST 2003 Annual Meeting and Retreat.
Larson Professor of Organ and Music History Quentin Faulkner's article, "More than Meets the Eye: slurs and metrical ambiguities in Bach's Prelude and Fugue in E-Flat (BWV 552)," first published in the October 2002 issue of the American Organist, was reprinted in the February 2003 issue of the British journal, Organist's Review. On March 28 he delivered lecture/demonstrations on the performance practice of early music and on issues surrounding the performance practice of Bach's keyboard works to music students at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Gretchen Foley, Assistant Professor of Music, delivered a paper entitled "Arrays and K-Nets: Transformational Relationships Within Perle's Twelve-Tone Tonality" at the annual conference of the Texas Society for Music Theory held in February at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and at Music Theory Southeast's annual conference held in March at Davidson College in North Carolina.
Lisa Fusillo, Professor of Dance, has been invited by the Ministry of Culture to teach a ballet workshop and lecture at the National Taiwan University of the Arts. She is there until April 12.
Keith Jacobshagen, Willa Cather Professor and Professor of Art, was featured in an article in the December 2002 issue of Art in America, for his solo show, "Beautiful World," at the Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe, N.M. Jacobshagen was also quoted in the November 7 Denver Post on movies about artists, based on the release of several new films like "Frida" and "Pollock." He was profiled in a fulllength feature and accompanying photo in the December 13 Denver Post.
Gail Kendall, Professor of Art, has a solo exhibition at the Firehouse Art Center in Norman, Okla., until April 19. She had a piece accepted in the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts Biannual juried exhibition in San Diego. Jurors selected 67 works out of more than 1,400 submitted. Kendall is also participating in a group invitational exhibition at The Worcester Center for Crafts in Massachusetts until April 10. The exhibition is entitled "Dinner is Served" and features functional ceramics from a group of American potters.
Joseph Kraus, Professor of Music Theory, was quoted in a December 8 story in The New York Times on Tchaikovsky.
Shirley Mason, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, is appearing as Mrs. Malaprop in "The Rivals" at Brigit St Brigit, which operates out of the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. The play opens April 4 and runs through April 27.
William McMullen, Associate Professor of Oboe, was the guest artist teacher in the Fifth Annual Oboe Workshop for middle and high school oboists held at the University of Maryland in College Park on February 1. During that weekend event, he taught two masterclasses (one for the college students at the university and one for the high school students in the workshop) and performed on three recitals (one for the students of the workshop and two as part of the "Happy Birthday, Mozart" series of concerts in Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in the Gildenhorn Recital Hall. On February 22 for the annual Double Reed Day events at UNL, McMullen appeared in the recital performing two works with Nicholas Daniel, an internationally known oboist from England, including a trio sonata by Handel and a work by Andre Previn titled "Wedding Waltz."
Tice Miller, Professor of Theatre Arts, was elected to membership at the National Theatre Conference in New York. He gave a paper at the Mid-American Theatre Conference in Indianapolis in March. Miller wrote the introduction to the upcoming reprint of William Dunlop's A History of the American Theatre (1837), from the University of Illinois Press. Miller will chair a program at the NAST Conference in Salt Lake City in April.
The Moran Woodwind Quintet (John Bailey, flute; William McMullen, oboe; Diane Cawein, clarinet; Albie Micklich, bassoon; and Allen French, horn) had an exchange with the Konza Prairie Winds of Kansas State University in April. The Quintet performed a recital at Kansas State, including Charles Gounod's Petite Symphonie for nine winds (joined by Kansas State faculty) and gave masterclasses on April 1. The Konza Prairie Winds will give a masterclass and recital at UNL April 3 with a repeat performance of the Gounod. The Moran Quintet also gave a recital at Park University in Kansas City.
Nicole Narboni, Assistant Professor of Piano, appeared as a guest soloist with the UNL Symphony Orchestra on March 13. She performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor with Dr. Tyler White conducting the orchestra.
Glenn Nierman, Steinhart Professor and Chairman of Music Education and Interim Associate Director, has been nominated for President of the North Central Division of the Music Educators National Conference. As President of the Nebraska Music Educators Association, he is in charge of the program for the 2003 NMEA In-service Conference Clinic hosted by the School of Music in November 2003.
Giacomo M. Oliva, Dean and Professor of Music, presented Ragtime performances for the UNL Speakers Bureau at Eastmont Towers, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Bryan/LGH and for the Seward Senior Citizens. He also performed in the home of Dean Emeritus Larry and Karen Lusk. Oliva recently completed a program review for the Music Division of the New World School of the Arts in Miami, and a NASM Review for the Department of Music at SUNY New Paltz in New Paltz, N.Y. He also attended the Executive Committee Meeting of the International Society for Music Education in Hong Kong.
George Ritchie, Scribante Professor of Organ, gave an organ recital and lecture March 22-23 for the 16th Annual University of Minnesota Bach Festival. His lecture topic was "The Recently Restored Naumburg Organ: A Direct Link to J.S. Bach." On April 4-5, he will give an all-Bach recital and a masterclass at Bethel College in Newton, Kan.
Joseph M. Ruffo, Chairman of the Department of Art and Art History, will exhibit two new works of art (mixed media paintings) in the Museum of Nebraska Art "R.S.V.P. Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition," which opens April 27.
William Shomos, Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera, adjudicated the final round of the National Opera Association's chamber opera competition. In February, Shomos appeared as a soloist with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra in a program of opera arias and ensembles, then in March, on the Omaha Organ Vesper Series in a similar program of operatic selections performed with full orchestra. Shomos also took part in a program of Operatic Arias and Ensembles performed in recital at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Neb., this March.
Virginia Smith, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts, has been invited to be the Hendrix-Murphy Literature and Language Resident Director in the Fall of 2003 at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. The Hendrix-Murphy program is designed to enhance and enrich the study and teaching of literature and language at Hendrix College.
Pamela Starr, Associate Professor of Music History, served on the National Endowment for the Humanities peer review panel for collaborative research projects in January. She has also been invited to serve on the committee to redesign the Major Field Test in music administered by the Educational Testing Service in Princeton.
Janice Stauffer, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, presented a paper, "A Fantastic Journey with James Christensen," at the Costume Society of American Region II Symposium in Baltimore on March 22.
Brenda Wristen, Assistant Professor of Music Education, is currently principal investigator in a study entitled "Motion Analysis of Piano Technique in Performance Versus Sight-Reading Tasks." She is collaborating with Dr. Sharon Evans, UNL Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, in examining the types and characteristics of motions observed in the two tasks among 45 participants. The study is taking place at the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital with the aid of a grant received from the UNL Research Council.
Students
Denise Brady (MFA art) has been invited to exhibit, read and discuss her print, "The Prodigal Daughter Wears Out" at The New College of California's Women's Spirituality Conference in May.
Tyler Hottovy (BME junior) was runner-up in the John Shildnek Solo Competition in Lincoln.
Amanda Leaders (BA music senior) was accepted for graduate study at the University of South Dakota and Kansas State University.
Mike Leonard (MFA in Theatre), was selected to receive a $500 USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) Heart of America Region Travel Grant to attend the 2003 National Convention in Minneapolis.
Ian Moschenross, DMA candidate in piano and student of Dr. Mark Clinton, was a featured soloist with the UNL Symphony Orchestra on February 7, as a result of winning the 2002 School of Music Graduate Concerto Competition. He performed Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto.
Marcus Oatis, BM junior, was a featured flute soloist with the Youth Symphony of Kansas City in a concert and program in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., in Kansas City, Mo., on January 18.
Bill Shaffer (MFA in art) had a piece accepted into the 17th Annual Self-Portrait Juried Show at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. He had two entries accepted into the 9th Annual Great Plains National Show at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. His bike design for the Tour de Lincoln has also been sponsored.
Alumni
Jeremy Bankson (BM 1997) has composed three of the hymn settings for choir, orchestra and organ that are included on the CD "Sing with All the Saints in Glory," issued by Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he is associate director of music.
Karen Blessen (BFA) helped organize performances of "Today Marks the Beginning" in Dallas, which helped raise almost $40,000 for Adopt A Village, to help Malawi in Sub-Saharan Africa. The money goes to help villages hit hard by famine and AIDS. Her efforts began after her article, "Faces of a Plague" appeared in the Dallas Morning News last June.
Prilla Smith Brackett (MFA 1981), had an exhibition, "Uncertain Balance: Prilla Smith Brackett, 1995-2002" at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., last fall. She also had an exhibit last fall entitled "Prilla Smith Brackett: Paintings" at the Christopher Brodigan Gallery at the Groton School in Massachusetts.
John Friesen (DMA 1995) performed the dedicatory recital on the new 49-stop Bedient Organ at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln, where he is organist.
Don Jacobson (BME 1970, MM 1977) retired from the Millard Public Schools last June. He taught band for 31 years in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Ryan Johnston (BA Theatre 1999) is performing the role of Brutus in "Julius Caesar" at the Firefly Theater in Los Angeles this spring. Last fall, he appeared in an episode of "The District" on CBS-TV.
Jeremy Kolwinska (MM 1999) has been offered the trombone position at the University of Tennessee-Martin.
Affiliates
Arts Are Basic: Puppeteer Hobey Ford presented his shadow puppet theater piece, "Turtle Island Tales" in the classrooms of Lincoln's public and parochial schools and at First Plymouth Preschool, as well as in North Bend and Albion/Newman Grove in March. He also worked with a group of students at the Lincoln Hispanic Center.
An ongoing project Arts Are Basic has undertaken, in collaboration with the UNL Opera program, is part of the Lincoln Community Learning Centers initiative. The are working with a small group of 8th grade students from Goodrich Middle School in Lincoln in a pilot program that is introducing the students to opera in a series of weekly experiential encounters that explore the making of an opera. William Shomos, director of the UNL Opera program, and the Marriage of Figaro cast are working with AAB on this pilot program.
Friends of Arts Are Basic received a $3,774 grant from Lincoln Benefit Life Insurance Company to help organize two exhibitions and sponsor two receptions to honor the work of Wood Lake, Nebraska, photographer and sixth grader Jason Combs. Jason's exhibitions will be in Wood Lake and at the UNL Great Plains Art Gallery in May.