Georgia College Keynotes
...notes and musings from the Department of Music.
Issue 1 | May 5, 2020
Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, co-editor
Jennifer Flory, co-editor, layout and design coordinator
Note from the editors…
Greetings! We are excited to bring to you the inaugural issue of Keynotes, the official newsletter of the Georgia College Department of Music. The current circumstance in which we find ourselves presents many challenges for us as educators. But as our customary forms of communication are less accessible, we have found alternative ways to connect with our students and our communities. The personalized attention and innovative instruction that parents, students, and other stakeholders have come to expect from the Department of Music have in no way wavered in this time of crisis. Faculty and students alike are embracing the challenges (and triumphs) that online instruction has to offer. Our students are still regularly meeting their teachers in virtual classrooms and studios, they are continuing their research projects and preparing for recitals. At the same time, we are diligently planning for our return to the brick and mortar of Porter Hall, the historic space that incubates great performers, compassionate therapists, innovative educators, and grand ideas. That is to say, new projects, concerts, workshops, and events are already in the works! In the meantime, we encourage you to sit back and enjoy our newsletter! In it, we (shamelessly) tout the accomplishments of faculty, alumni, and students alike, as well as update you on our department’s latest news. In this past year, we have established new connections, instituted new service projects, and welcomed new faculty into our fold. More importantly, there are even more exciting things to come!
We are truly fortunate to have the continuous support of the Georgia College faculty, staff, and alumni, our Friends of Music, and the Milledgeville community. We are glad that you are a part of our journey!
Dana Gorzelany-Mostak & Jennifer Flory
Message from the Chair
As spring begins to take hold here in Milledgeville, it is hard to believe that we have arrived at the end of the semester. In fall 2019, we welcomed new faculty into our fold, including Andrew Allen (Assistant Professor of Music), Hue Jang, (Staff Accompanist), and Sungbae Kim (Part-time Voice Faculty). The music faculty have been actively pursuing their research and various creative projects, and many have received invitations to perform and present regionally at the Georgia Music Educators Conference, and internationally in Spain, France, and the Czech Republic, to name a few. Several faculty-student collaborations were in full swing this past year. Gorzelany-Mostak and her student research team at Trax on the Trail worked with other scholars across the country to track and catalogue the soundscapes of U.S. presidential campaigns. Cliff Towner and Jennifer Flory worked alongside students to conduct a survey of band method percussion books and develop an online index for American treble choral music, respectively. All three projects were awarded GC Journeys/MURACE Undergraduate Research Department Mini-Grants.
In addition to the forty-two plus performances planned for the 2019-20 concert series, we turned our attention to community outreach opportunities. Owen Lovell launched the Bobcat Keys After-School Piano Program which offers Wilkinson County Elementary School students lessons under the guidance of Georgia College students. The Center for Music Education expanded its offerings to include new workshops for All-State jazz preparation, wind, brass, and percussion players. Under the auspices of Jennifer Flory, GC welcomed ninety students from five area high schools to the 14th Annual Choral Day. A visit from composer-in-residence Steven Bryant offered our composition students the opportunity to attend classes and performances of original works by students and faculty. Other collaborations included the musical Heathers with the Department of Theatre and Dance and Jazz at the Magnolia, a new fundraising initiative co-sponsored by Allied Arts, which featured the Melvin Jones Quartet. In March 2021, our students will have the opportunity to work alongside professional musicians for a performance of Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, the second installment of the biennial Terry Endowed Concert Series.
Three major initiatives are on the horizon this coming year. First, Porter Hall, will undergo a much-needed HVAC system overhaul which will be completed before the start of the fall 2020 semester. Second, the music faculty will be preparing a self-study for our re-accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The third initiative was a welcomed surprise! For twenty-three years, the Departments of Music and Music Therapy served our students as two separate and distinct units. As of July 1st, the two units will be reunified in the College of Arts and Science. These initiatives have afforded us the opportunity to closely evaluate our programs and create some exciting plans for the future.
On March 13, 2020, we began a two-week transition to an online learning environment due to the school’s closure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This drastic change forced the cancellation of our remaining concert and events, but it demonstrated the resiliency of our students and faculty. With Facebook live performances from the faculty, creative ideas for delivering instruction using platforms such as D2L, Zoom, and YouTube, a virtual scholarship award ceremony, online workshops, and virtual performance/recording opportunities, the music department has demonstrated its ability to adapt, lead, and thrive.
Just as we have graduating seniors and masters students, which you will read about in this issue, we also have some departing faculty. Bradley Sowell will be pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Memphis in fall 2020, and William McClain will be assuming the positions of Music Director and Conductor of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra and Associate Professor of Music in the School of Music at Millikin University. We would like to thank them both for their service and contributions to the Department and wish them well as they embark on their new pursuits. As for additions to our faculty, we welcome Jennifer Piazza-Pick as our new Lecturer of Voice and Aural Skills. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and excitement that will energize the music department for the coming year.
In closing, this newsletter affords us the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students and faculty during these tumultuous and unprecedented times. We look forward to connecting with all of our students, alumni, and friends of music. Please stay in touch and stay safe.
Don N. Parker
Upcoming Concerts
We welcome you to join us for an exciting lineup of concerts and events this coming year. We start off in August with a program of chamber music featuring two of our own faculty, David Johnson (violin) and Hue Jang (piano). Our saxophone professor, Andrew Allen, now in his second year at GC, will join pianist Lev Ryabinin for a solo recital featuring the works of Jean-Baptiste Singelee, Alfred Desenclos, Erwin Dressel, Betsy Jolas, and Leslie Bassett. The fall will also bring two studio recitals. Owen Lovell’s piano studio will perform an All-Chopin program and Andrew Allen’s saxophone studio will showcase works commissioned by Elise Boyer Hall, patron of the saxophone and founder of the Boston Orchestral Club. Our lineup of guest artists will include pianist Joseph Fleetwood, who will perform a program titled “Virtuosity through the Centuries.” We hope you will also join us for concerts featuring our own ensembles, including the Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, University Chorus, Women’s Ensemble, and Max Noah Singers. And if you are a jazz fan, please consider joining us for monthly Jazz Jams at Amici’s downtown and our Jazz at the Magnolia Fundraiser. For a complete list of our 2020-21 concerts, please download our concert calendar below.
Center for Music Education Events
For educators...
At Georgia College, we encourage our students to become lifelong learners. It is in this spirit that we offer a series of workshops for music educators. We encourage you to join us for our 2020-21 workshops, which will be held in Porter Hall at Georgia College.
- Intro to Student Leadership, led by Jeffrey Rowser, August 15, 2020, 12–3 p.m., free
- Intro to Music Literature Selection, led by Jay Davis, August 29, 2020, 12–3 p.m., free
- Intro to STEAM, led by Courtnaye Wood, September 26, 2020, 12–3 p.m., free
- Every Child Can!, led by Rachael Fischer and Kristin Justras, October 10, 2020, 9:30am–4:30pm, $60 participant fee
- Intro to Orff, led by Mandy Wood and Tiffany English, January 23, 2020, 12–3pm, free
For more information, please contact Tina Holmes-Davis at tina.holmes-davis@gcsu.edu or sign up here.
For students...
Calling all music educators and studio teachers! Are your students looking for an opportunity to hone their skills or prepare for auditions? Please let them know about our workshops for students, all to be held on the GC campus.
- 2nd Annual Jazz All-State Workshop, September 12, 2020 (in collaboration with Jazz at Magnolia). Contact andrew.allen@gcsu.edu for more information.
- 15th Annual Fall High School Choral Day, September 25, 2020. Contact jennifer.flory@gcsu.edu for more information.
- 2nd Annual Winds and Percussion Workshop, November 14, 2020. Contact andrew.allen@gcsu.edu for more information.
Music Therapy Events
- Music Therapy Performance with the Baldwin County School District, Oak Hill Middle School Theater, Milledgeville, GA, November 6, 2020, 9:00 a.m.
- Creative Expressions Performance, Northridge Church, Milledgeville, GA, November 10, 2020, 6:00 p.m.
- Christmas Performance Downtown, in front of the Campus Theater, Milledgeville, GA, December 3, 2020, 6:00-6:45 p.m
- Music Therapy Performance with the Baldwin County School District, Oak Hill Middle School Theater, April 8, 2021, 9:00 a.m.
- Song Creations Concert, featuring original music by Music Therapy Students, Buffington's, Milledgeville, GA, April 13, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
- Creative Expressions Performance, Northridge Church, Milledgeville, GA, April 19, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
Area Updates
Choral
We opened the year with auditions for Max Noah Singers and The Cat’s Meow in the first week of school and held our annual choral retreat in September. During Alumni Weekend, the Max Noah Singers participated in a “performance” exchange with the Aeolian Singers reunion choir. The combined GC Choral Ensembles: University Chorus, Women's Ensemble, The Cat's Meow, and Max Noah Singers presented choral settings of texts by William Shakespeare in our fall concert, “If Music Be the Food of Love.” The program featured ‘songs’ from Shakespeare’s plays, a popular source for choral composers for more than 400 years. These ensembles also performed at the department’s annual holiday concert in December.
Max Noah Singers had a busy fall semester with performances at the following events: 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, Jaunty Tunes and Delightful Ditties (Constitution Week Concert), the Peabody Reunion Luncheon, and the Golden Anniversary Alumni Dinner. Their annual tour spanned five days in December and featured three full concerts in the following venues: Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion, Davisboro United Methodist Church (home church of senior alto Bethany Severance), and First Presbyterian Church in Milledgeville (home church of Jennifer Flory). Our outreach and recruiting performances are detailed in the Making Connections section of this issue Eight members of Max Noah Singers also represented Georgia College in the GMEA All-College Chorus event in Athens this past January. February was a busy month for Max Noah Singers and The Cat’s Meow as both presented the 12th Annual Valentine’s Day Rendezvous Concert and the 2nd Annual Heartfelt Harmonies Concert in Greensboro. See below for a compilation video from The Cat's Meow.
Jazz
In September 2019, Allied Arts and the Georgia College Music Department teamed up for Jazz at the Magnolia, a community fundraiser that featured the renowned Melvin Jones Quartet. All proceeds from ticket sales went to support Allied Arts and the Georgia College Department of Music programming and scholarships.
Music History
This past year, students in GC music history classes spent as much time engaging with the present as they did the past. In Music History I students challenged the assumption that “early music is boring” by working together in groups to plan a concert, festival, or other musical activity intended to educate and entertain a reluctant audience. Developing a theme, program, budget, and marketing plan for their event required the students to synthesize the historical information that they learned in class and apply it to a real world task. Through this activity the students also acquired real world skills—to write clearly and persuasively, to plan and coordinate the behind-the-scenes labor of a concert performance, and to acquire basic knowledge about marketing and brand development. At the culmination of the semester, the students presented their grant proposals to a panel of professionals in the fields of marketing, grant writing, and music. The winners—Jazmin Hunt, Becky Fisher, Sara Davis, and Ansley Montgomery—offered a compelling proposal titled “Pet, Picnic, Play,” a day-long picnic combined with an early instrument petting zoo and concert of 15th-century music.
Music History II afforded students the opportunity to engage with contemporary composers and situate their work within the contemporary classical music landscape. Following the lead of Esther Morgan-Ellis, Associate Professor at the University of North Georgia, who developed a similar project in 2017, each student conducted an interview with a living composer and wrote a paper where they examined the composer’s life and work. The “Living Composer Project” was a great opportunity for the students to hone their ethnographic skills and research skills, while promoting the visibility of living composers, including those from underrepresented communities.
Students enrolled in Studies in World Music similarly worked to develop their ethnographic skills through interviewing groups of musicians within the Milledgeville community. One student combined archival research with ethnographic inquiry in order to develop a history of the Max Noah Singers, GC’s auditioned choral ensemble. Another student conducted interviews with worship leaders to gain insight into the connection between personal theology and music programming.
In short, Music History courses at Georgia College not only teach students about history, but also provide them with the opportunity to apply that knowledge, cultivating the wide range of skills integral to becoming a successful performer, educator, therapist, or advocate.
Music Therapy
The Music Therapy program has been very busy this year! We began by welcoming new faculty members, Laurie Peebles, Assistant Professor of Music Therapy, and Susan Craig, returning part-time Lecturer. The Music Therapy program continued its partnership with the Baldwin County Public Schools, providing music therapy services in the classrooms and culminating in a performance at Oak Hill Middle School in November. The Music Therapy program also continues to work with the student-led Creative Expressions groups at the Life Enrichment Center in Milledgeville. Music Therapy students led groups such as The Rock & Rollers, The Jungle Royals, Music in Motion, and the Orff Ensemble to prepare for their bi-annual performances.
Our Music Therapy students have also been busy with their research projects. Katie Brashear ('20) was awarded a summer MURACE research award to study Special Olympics Programming in the state of Georgia under the guidance of Jeff Turner. Ashley Newkirk ('20) presented her observational research at the 2nd Annual Posters at the Capitol Event in February.
During the 2019-20 school year, the GC Community Drumming Group drew over 75 individual participants over the course of more than forty sessions through on-campus and community outreach programs. The group led community outreach programs at the Georgia College Lake Laurel facility and Carlyle Place in Macon, in addition to on-campus events including a fundraiser for the Life Enrichment Center, Health Science’s ArtHealthy Festival, and the Environmental Science Club’s Earthfest. This year Meghan Jennings became the new lead facilitator, joined by Emily Kirkland, Matt Seymour, and Mackenzie Blevins as co-facilitators. Long-time group leader Christopher Karow stepped down to work as mentor while he prepared for his internship and completion of his graduate project, a handbook for the drumming group. The Music Therapy Society’s purpose is to increase awareness of music therapy in the community and provide members with fun and educational experiences. The MTS participated in Milledgeville’s First Friday events each month during fall semester and will participate in the Baldwin County Relay for Life event in September 2020, for which they have already raised over $700. They also held multiple jam sessions for members to socialize and practice musical skills with friends. They were able to encourage members’ pursuits of knowledge by funding nine members to attend the SER-AMTA regional music therapy conference in March.
The Georgia College Music Therapy program was well represented at the 2020 Southeastern Regional American Music Therapy Conference in LaGrange, GA. Bess McIntire ('20), Jay Warren ('20), Sara Whitten ('19), Shawn Greene, and faculty member Katie Whipple (faculty) presented a session on the Makey Makey (an electronic instrument created specifically for Greene). Laurie Peebles (faculty) presented on her music therapy advocacy experience in China and the clinical use of GarageBand. In addition, senior Caroline Miller presented her original research proposal at the research poster session.
The music therapy program currently has fourteen students completing their internships, representing Georgia College in six states as well as New Zealand. Clinical sites include medical settings, hospice, residential facilities, private practice, and schools.
Jasmine Bailey: Therabeat, Inc., Canton, GA
Caroline Buckner: Seasons Hospice Tampa, Tampa, FL
Claire Cogland: Fulton County Schools, Atlanta, GA
Zach Farr: Raukatauri Music Therapy Center, Auckland, New Zealand
Macy Fehl: Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR
Maddie Eads: Prisma Health, Columbia, SC
Brent Goldsmith: Vitas Healthcare, Sunrise, FL
Caroline Miller: Carlyle Place-Navient Health, Macon, GA
Torri Morgan: Capital City Hospice, Columbus, OH
Taylor Kersey: Hospice Savannah, Savannah, GA
Jacqueline Sertell: NeuroRhythm Music Therapy, Colorado Springs, CO
Jake Thorn: Joseph Sams School, Fayetteville, GA
Alpha Torres: Carlyle Place-Navient Health, Macon, GA
Jay Warren: MT Clinic & Life Enrichment Center, Milledgeville, GA
Percussion
Guest artist Brad Meyers presented a clinic for the percussion students and a solo recital for the public in January. Meyer is Director of Percussion Studies at Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music. The recital featured electroacoustic works for multi-percussion, brake drum and djembe, as well as two acoustic works for marimba.
In February 2020, Georgia College hosted the 2nd Annual Day of Percussion, featuring clinics and performances by Quintin Mallette (Fayetteville State University), Ricky Burkhead (University of Mississippi), Don Parker (Georgia College), and Nathaniel Gworek (Georgia College). Thirty students and directors from Washington County, Peach County, Dublin, and Baldwin County Schools participated.
The Haydon/Parker Duo, featuring pianist Geoff Haydon (Georgia State University), bassist Craig Shaw, and percussionist Don Parker (Georgia College), presented a masterclass/clinic on playing in the rhythm section for Georgia College music students prior the performance and participated in a late-night jam session at Amici’s.
Piano
The keyboard area continues to grow in size, quality, and camaraderie. In fall 2016, when Prof. Lovell started at Georgia College, we had two piano majors by the end of that year. Fall 2020 will be a studio packed full with twelve majors! Annual themed piano studio recitals continue in week six of each fall semester. The past year featured, “Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora,” while the upcoming September recital will be a more traditional all-Chopin affair, performed in the Magnolia Ballroom on the beautifully restored 1889 Burrell Steinway Model A.
Georgia College music alumni know how special it was to be accompanied in lessons, recital hour, competitions, and degree recitals by our professional staff pianists. This year, we welcomed Hue Jang, a wonderful pianist from the Chicago area, as part of our staff pianist team, alongside Lev Ryabinin, who has been here for a decade.
Strings
Congratulations to Sarah Davis, Mark “Alex” Ragan, and Nicholas Koebert for their work with the Putnam Strings Program. As music education majors they are gaining valuable real-life experience in teaching and mentoring in addition to contributing to the vibrancy of our greater community. This program, which was recently featured in the news, has helped to bridge the gap and to bring strings to young students in Putnam County who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn music.
This year the Georgia College Orchestra hosted its second bi-annual “Side by Side” concert in November. This concert, entitled “Orchestral Classics,” featured George Frideric Handel’s celebrated Water Music in its original version along with other works, including The Odyssey (Journey of Odysseus) by Soon Hee Newbold. Attracting almost thirty high school students to campus, students were treated to sectionals with members of the Kazanetti String Quartet and a final performance sitting alongside our Georgia College students.
Sidney Woodruff coordinated a wonderful day of guitar in conjunction with an exceptional performance by the Levante Guitar Duo for the Guest Artist Series in February. Woodruff is a friend of Brion Kennedy, Director of the St. Pius Guitar Orchestra, and invited the ensemble to perform a special pre-concert performance before the Levante Guitar Duo. Along with the performance, students were offered a tour of the Georgia College campus and lunch at the Max. St. Pius X Catholic High School has strong connections to Georgia College students and alumni. With President and Mrs. Dorman in attendance, young guitarists from the award-winning ensemble charmed the audience with Latin rhythms, sparkling strums, and lyrical tunes from the soul.
During this unprecedented crisis, our students continue to work hard and remain committed to learning and to their art. The string faculty at Georgia College are so proud of the resiliency of the string students and the dedication they have shown to continuing quality work and collaborations. Each week students are submitting written reports on composers, genre, and solo literature centered around this semester’s repertoire, in addition to recording numerous videos of the music. As a final project, the very first Georgia College Loop Recording will be made of the finale to Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture.
Nicholas Koebert teaching Putnam Strings
Dusty Woodruff playing with GC Orchestra
William McClain at Lambert High School
Voice
The voice area has grown in quality over the last two years. Students learn both classical and musical theatre repertoire. We have begun to invite non-major voice students to our studio classes, which has given students the opportunity to work with voice faculty members other than their primary voice teacher. The biannual Voice Honors Recital has been a great success and an excellent motivator for students who have enjoyed performing for family, friends, and community members in a formal setting.
In November 2019, eight students participated in the student auditions at the Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition at Clayton State University. Sophia Clark (first year, B.A.) placed second and Ansley Montgomery (senior, B.A.) placed third.
Woodwinds and Brass
The woodwind, brass, and percussion area gained a new coordinator in Andrew J. Allen this academic year, and the area has been very busy. In September, Allen, Don Parker, and Cliff Towner introduced the 1st Annual Georgia College All-State Jazz Workshop for area students. They received help on all-state jazz etudes, as well as advice on improvisation and jazz sight-reading.
Several woodwinds and brass faculty and students aided in a successful 1st Annual Georgia College Winds Workshop in February. Nearly forty area high school students received a day of clinics and masterclasses, followed by a closing concert. Look for the 2nd Annual Winds Workshop, coming in the Fall of 2020!
In addition, the Georgia College Saxophone Quartet (Sarah Griffin, Casey O’Neal, Reed Tanner, and Eric Treco) was featured in a lobby recital at the 2020 Georgia Music Educators Conference in Athens this past January. They performed a recital of works by J.S. Bach, Steven Bryant, and Paquito D’Rivera to a rapt audience.
Research and Creative Activity
Students
Katie Brashear, MURACE summer research award, to study “Special Olympics Programming in the State of Georgia,” with mentor, Jeff Turner, Summer 2020.
Caroline Buckner, Masters Degree in Arts Leadership and Management and Certificate in Special Music Education, Wichita State University.
Sophia Clark, Second place in Category 7A-1, First-Year College/Independent Studio Treble Voice, Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA, November 22, 2019.
Sarah Clegg and Jennifer Flory, American Treble Choral Index, database and website, in progress, Spring 2020.
Sarah Davis, Columbus State University, Master of Music, starting August 2020.
Maddie Eads, University of South Carolina, Master of Social Work, starting August 2020.
Madison Graham, Finalist for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in the Czech Republic, April 2020.
Georgia College Saxophone Quartet (Sarah Griffin, Casey O’Neal, Reed Tanner, & Eric Treco), Invited Lobby Recital Performance at the Georgia Music Educators Conference, Athens, GA, January 24, 2020.
Sarah Griffin, Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, and Haley Strassburger et al., Trax on the Trail: Researching Music on the U.S. Campaign Trail (poster), 23rd Annual GC Research Conference, Georgia College, April 20, 2020.
Cole Markland, Columbus State University, Master of Music in Saxophone Performance (with graduate assistantship), starting Fall 2020.
Caroline Miller, Georgia College, Master of Music Therapy, starting January 2021.
Ansley Montgomery, Third place in Category 11B-2, fourth/fifth year College/Independent Studio Treble Voice, Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA, November 22, 2019.
Ashley Newkirk presented her observational research at the 2nd Annual Posters at the Capitol event, February 25, 2020, with mentor Katie Whipple.
Sister Mary Price, accepted to Peabody Conservatory (Master of Composition).
Haley Strassburger, presentation for the Student Led Research Circle, Georgia College, February 18, 2020.
Haley Strassburger and Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, “Studying the Presidential Soundscape: Trax on the Trail in the Classroom,” Presented at the Georgia Music Educators Conference, Athens, GA, January 24, 2020.
Haley Strassburger, “Band Method Percussion Books Survey” (poster), 23rd Annual GC Research Conference, Georgia College, April 20, 2020.
Faculty
- Andrew J. Allen, Solo Recital and SAGA Quartet Recital, 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference, Tempe, AZ, March 8–9, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, Rogue Two Recital, Carolina Saxophone Quartet Recital, and SAGA Quartet Recital, 42nd United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, Fairfax, VA, January 10–11, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, “The Saxophone in the National Solo and Ensemble Contest: 1928-1937,” Lecture presented at the 42nd United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, Fairfax, VA, January 10, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, “Stop the Honks! Beautiful Saxophone Sounds From Day One,” Clinic presented at the Georgia Music Educators Conference, Athens, GA, January 24, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, Carolina Saxophone Quartet Recital, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, January 15, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, Carolina Saxophone Quartet Recital and Masterclass, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, January 16, 2020.
- Andrew J. Allen, “So You Want to Be A Music Major?” The Instrumentalist, October 2019.
- Andrew J. Allen,“The Sky’s the Limit! The Soprano Saxophone in Jazz,” JazzEd, (November/December) 2019.
- Andrew J. Allen, “The Saxophone in the National Solo and Ensemble Contest: 1928–1937.” The Saxophone Symposium, Vol. 42 (2019)
- Andrew J. Allen, tenor saxophone, Balloonman for solo tenor saxophone and electronics on Spring Shadows: Solo Electronic Works by Anne Neikirk. RR 8028. Compact Disc. North Hampton, NH: Ravello.
- Jennifer Flory and Sarah Clegg, GC Journeys/MURACE Undergraduate Research Department Mini-Grant for “American Treble Choral Index,” Georgia College, February 2020.
- Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, Haley Strassburger, Sarah Clegg, Naomi Graber, Zack Sheffield. Trail Trax 2020: A Campaign Music Research Database, online resource, www.traxonthetrail.com
- Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, “Kamala Harris Rap Genius?” Colloquium presented at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, February 28, 2020.
- Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, Faculty Research Grant for “Trail Trax 2.020: Tracking the Electoral Soundscape,” Georgia College, April 2020.
- Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, Haley Strassburger, Sarah Griffin, Naomi Graber, and Zach Sheffield, GC Journeys/MURACE Grant for “Trail Trax 2020: Tracking the Electoral Soundscape,” Georgia College, February 2020.
- Nathaniel Gworek, Gworek Speaks, a recital featuring spoken-word poetry with musical performance and six world-premiere songs, Georgia College, February 13, 2020.
- Nathaniel Gworek, Music by Women, Mississippi University for Women, Columbia, MS, March 5–7, 2020.
- Nathaniel Gworek, Women’s Composers Festival of Hartford, Hartford, CT, March 19–21, 2020.
- David Johnson, Friday Afternoon Recital Series, GC Facebook Live stream, March/April, 2020.
- Owen C. Lovell, Exhibition, solo piano recital, Facebook live stream, March 30, 2020.
- Don N. Parker, A Chamber Music Experience, with Double Take (featuring Sheryl Linch Parker) and the Haydon Parker/Duo, Georgia College, September 10, 2019.
- Laurie Peebles, Roy Joyner, and Lauren Lever, “Insight Into The Music Therapy Profession,” Panel presented at the Southeastern Regional Music Therapy Conference, LaGrange, GA, March 7, 2020.
- Laurie Peebles, “Music Therapy Advocacy in China: Starting A Music Therapy Program,” Concurrent session presented at the Southeastern Region Music Therapy Conference, LaGrange, GA, March 6, 2020.
- Laurie Peebles and Hilary Yip, “Jammin’ In The Garage: The Clinical Use of GarageBand in Music Therapy,” Concurrent session presented at the Southeastern Region Music Therapy Conference, LaGrange, GA, March 6, 2020.
- Cliff Towner and Haley Strassburger, GC Journeys/MURACE Undergraduate Research Department Mini-Grant “Band Method Percussion Books Survey,” Georgia College, February 2020.
- Katie Whipple, Shawn Greene, Jay Warren, Sara Whitten, and Bess McIntire, “Making Music with the Makey Makey,” Concurrent session presented at the Southeastern Region Music Therapy Conference, LaGrange, GA, March 5, 2020.
- Youngmi Kim, From Strozzi to Previn, solo voice recital with Sunhee Kim (piano), Georgia College, January 21, 2020.
- Youngmi Kim, “Liszt’s Selected Songs and Ballad No. 2,” lecture with You Ju Lee, Georgia Music Teachers Association State Conference, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA, November 7, 2019.
- Youngmi Kim, Chamber recital, with You Ju Lee (piano) and Todd Skitch (flute), Spivey Hall, Morrow, GA, August 31, 2019.
- Youngmi Kim, Benefit Chamber Concert, with You Ju Lee (piano) and Todd Skitch (flute), Grace Chapel and Performing Arts Center, Toccoa Falls College, Toccoa, GA, August 29, 2019.
- Youngmi Kim, Solo Recital, with You Ju Lee (piano), Saison du Conservatoire, Menton, France, June 19, 2019.
- Youngmi Kim, Solo Recital, with You Ju Lee (piano), Franz Liszt Museum, Budapest, Hungary, June 15, 2019.
Making Connections
Bobcat Keys
Fall 2019 marked the inauguration of our after-school piano outreach program, “Bobcat Keys.” This collaboration between ten Wilkinson County Elementary School students and six Georgia College piano majors, in conjunction with the Center for Music Education, brought students on campus each Tuesday for lessons in our state-of-the-art keyboard lab and culminated in a community concert in Max Noah Recital Hall. Through this volunteer outreach opportunity, our piano majors were able to refine their teaching skills and provide lessons and pianos for students who may not otherwise have access. Bobcat Keys will launch again in spring 2021, following the next piano pedagogy course.
GC Choral Ensembles
At the end of September, our 14th Annual Fall High School Choral Day welcomed around ninety students from five high schools. This is a favorite event with repeat customers, and former participants have become members of Max Noah Singers (MNS) and other choral ensembles at GC. During the Max Noah Singers annual tour in December, they performed in a service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Macon (home church of senior bass Turner Howell). They also offered outreach performances and carol sing-alongs at Stone Brooke Suites in Gray and Fellowship Home at Meriwether in Milledgeville. Max Noah Singers also made recruiting visits and participated in exchange performances at the following high schools: Howard High School in Macon (alma mater of senior basses Turner Howell and Jacob McDonald), Jones County High School in Gray (alma mater of junior alto Sarah Clegg), Washington County High School in Sandersville (alma mater of senior Bethany Severance), Putnam County High School in Eatonton, Decatur High School in Decatur, and Walton High School in Marietta (alma mater of freshmen Jack Grimes and Reed Manderfield). MNS also did an outreach performance of parts of their Valentine’s Day Rendezvous program at Stone Brooke Suites in Gray.
Jazz Jams
The newly formed GC Faculty Jazz Combo (Andrew Allen-saxophones, Don Parker vibes/drums, Nathaniel Gworek drums-vibes, and Chris Enghauser-bass) gave their debut performance at Amici’s on November 5, 2019. In addition to local performances, the faculty combo has served as the host band for the Jazz Jams that occur each month with students and community participants.
Music Education
Don N. Parker presented clinics and performances with his trumpet and percussion duo, Double Take (with Sheryl Linch-Parker, trumpet instructor at Georgia College) at the Greenfield School in Wilson, NC and Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, NC in October 2019. Over two hundred students from 9th through 12th grade participated in group and individual sectionals. They also presented clinics at Langford Middle School in Augusta, GA in January.
Music Therapy Clinic
The Music Therapy Clinic of Georgia College continued to provide services to over ninety individuals this year through its on-campus clinic and outreach services. The MT Clinic offered a new group ukulele class, Keiki Ukulele, last fall for children ages 5-7, as well as providing home and classroom visits in the community. The central mission of the MT Clinic is to contribute to the professional training of Georgia College music therapy students by providing opportunities for engaged learning through hands-on experiences in music therapy sessions with its clientele. The highlight of the year was the music performance "We Stick Together," a collaboration between the MT Clinic and the Baldwin County School System. The performance featured music selections from eight different performing groups, including approximately eighty-five students with disAbilities from Kindergarten to the 12th grade. Directed by alumna Emily Beggs (MT-BC), and assisted by Master of Music Therapy graduate students Kelsey Adams and Jay Warren, clinic coordinator Katie Whipple, and fourteen music therapy students, the event was the 8th annual performance showcasing the musical abilities of these exceptional students.
Congratulations to our Spring and Summer 2020 Graduates!
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Knox Boss
Jared Etheridge
Madison Graham
Turner Howell
Jacob McDonald
Sister Mary Price
Bachelor of Music Education
Matthew Billingsley
Sarah Davis
Cole Markland
Amy Minnoch
Bachelor of Music Therapy
Caroline Buckner
Claire Cogland
Madeline Eads
Zach Farr
Macy Kersey
*Caroline Miller
Torri Morgan
Jacqueline Sertell
*Madison Smith
Jake Thorn
*Alpha Torres
*Graduating in December 2020 due to internship site closures and COVID-19
Master of Arts in Teaching: Music Education
Ashley Hicks
Jerrod Perry
Master of Music Education
Lacey Barnes
Kenneth Boykin
Taylor Clayborn
Bethany Davis
David Dingess
Sophia-Karis Harlan
Keith Heard
Rachel Legrand
Christopher Libby
Greta Thomas
Earl Puckett
Ashley Steen
Sarah Waller-Price
Joshua Williams
Master of Music Therapy
Jasmine Bailey
Kylie Reiber
Jay Warren
Alumni News
Alumni Spotlight: Alyssa Harris (B.A., ’19)
Where are you from?
Flowery Branch, GA
What year did you graduate and what degree did you receive?
2019, B.A. in Music
What have you been up to since your graduation from Georgia College?
After graduation, I worked at a church as a Music Director conducting a small church choir. The following spring, I was hired at Baldwin County Schools as the Chorus Teacher, teaching chorus at Oak Middle School and working with the high school theatre department on their musical Little Shop of Horrors! This fall, I will be moving to Indiana to begin my Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at Ball State University as their new graduate assistant!
What is your fondest memory from your time at Georgia College?
This was so hard because I have SO MANY fond memories from Georgia College. I would have to say one of my fondest memories was receiving the Sword of Honor from Sigma Alpha Iota, an International Music Fraternity for Women.
In what ways did your time at Georgia College prepare you to achieve your professional goals?
I could not be happier with the decision that I made to attend Georgia College. Being a part of a small classroom setting really made me feel like the teachers cared about my education, and the students really supported each other in all things. The professors at Georgia College really pushed me to be my best and gave me the opportunity to try new things. Even after graduation, my professors were so helpful when I was applying for grad schools and jobs.
What advice would you give to current music students?
My advice to you would be this: don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your teachers and friends only want to see you succeed and they will do everything in their power to help you. The Georgia College Music Department is like a family, there is nothing they won’t do to help you on your way to achieving your musical and professional goals.
What are our recent grads up to?
Kelsey Adams, Georgia College, M.M.T., started Fall 2019
Gabby Banzon, Space: A Journal for (Future) Music Therapists to Explore and Express through Song-writing. Lawrence, KS: Sarsen, 2019
Walter Cornwell, Columbus State University, M.M. Piano, started Fall 2018
Shelbea Fordham, Samford University, M.M. Vocal Performance, starting Fall 2020
Hugo Galvan, Florida State University, M.M. Music Therapy, started Fall 2019
Alyssa Harris, Ball State University, M.M. Choral Conducting, starting Fall 2020
Ryan Johnson, Columbus State University, M.M. in Jazz Studies, started Fall 2019
Lauren Lever, Florida State University, M.M. Music Therapy, started Fall 2019
Dottie Ruth Mitchell, Georgia State University, M.A. Gerontology, started Fall 2019
Mitchell Moore, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, M.M. Choral Conducting, graduating Spring 2020
Bradley Sowell, University of Memphis, D.M.A. Vocal Arts, starting Fall 2020
Sean Workman, West Virginia University, D.M.A. Percussion Performance, started Fall 2019
Are you an GC alum with a professional achievement or milestone that you would like to share?
If so, we want to hear about it! Please fill out this form to let us know.
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If so, please fill out this form to update your contact information: Update Your Contact Info.
Timehop
Who are our Friends of Music?
Friends of Music are alumni, members of the community, faculty, staff, and music-lovers from all walks of life who generously support the Department of Music.
Interested in joining our Friends of Music?
Your gift to the Department of Music allows us to offer our students scholarships, fund tours for our ensemble members, and support outreach efforts, such as the Bobcat Keys After-School Piano program.
If you would like to make an online donation, please click here. Once there, choose “Other” in the designation drop-down menu and type whichever designated music area(s) you prefer in the “Other” box.
If you would like to discuss ways your gift might support our endeavors, please feel free to schedule an appointment with us via email (music@gcsu.edu) or by phone at 478-445-8289.
Department of Music Information
2020-2021 Audition Dates
To learn more about auditions for the Department of Music at Georgia College, please visit our website.
Majors, Minors, and Degrees
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Bachelor of Music Therapy
Creative Music Media Minor
Master of Music Education
Master of Arts in Teaching: Music Education
Master of Music Therapy
Music Minor
Music Precertification Minor
To learn more about the degree programs offered by the Department of Music, please visit our website.
Georgia College Department of Music
202 Porter Hall | Campus Box 66
Milledgeville, GA 31061
Fax: (478) 445-1633
Email: music@gcsu.edu
Website: music.gcsu.edu
Location: 210 North Wilkinson Street, Milledgeville, GA, USA
Phone: (478) 445-8289
Facebook: facebook.com/GCMusicDepartment
Twitter: @gc_musicdept