Students in the News
Kevin Arena is the new band director at Shawnee High School in Evesham, NJ.
Brian Bersh, Instrumental Music Education Major and Undergraduate Research Scholar, took first place with his research presentation, "Music education: Is it time to go with the flow?" at the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences In View symposium. As part of the award, Brian will give a research presentation at the Colonial Academic Alliance conference, which highlights academic achievement.
Xing Chen was a finalist in the 22nd International Young Artist Piano Competition and competed at the finals in June 2008 in Washington D.C.
- Organ Class
Gregory Dalakian (’08 BM) was awarded an Alumni Enrichment Award for a performance at the Rome Festival Orchestra. He is the new band director at Parsippany HS in Parsippany, NJ, his hometown.
Hyun Soo Kim was invited to participate as a pianist with the Rocky Ridge Music Center Festival this summer in Colorado. He also participated in the Summit Music Festival in New York.
The Organ Class of Dr. David Herman performed a recital in May 2008 in Bayard Sharp Hall.
Jessica Santiago attended the Aspen Music Festival & School a 9-week program in Aspen, Colorado, for approximately 750 students and professionals from all over the world. She was one of 25 students in the French Horn studio, most of which were Graduate Students. She studied with Eli Epstein (Boston Conservatory), Jennifer Montone (Philly Orchestra, principle) and Julie Landsman (MET Opera, principle) who gave a master class at Delaware Horn Day last fall. In addition she also had the wonderful experience of working with John Zirbel (Montreal Symphony, principle) and David Wakefield (American Brass Quintet). She was a part of the chamber music program in a woodwind quintet, coached by Per Hannevold of the Bergen Philharmonic and Wind Quintet. Working with such distinguished conductors as David Zinman (past conductor of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & Festival Director), and James Conlon, as well as esteemed soloist Yefim Bronfman (pianist), it all concluded at the final concert where they performed Arnold Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder, a mammoth 107 minute late romantic work with two choirs (Colorado Symphony Choir & United States Army Chorus), 5 soloists and over 150 instrumentalists on stage.
UD Graduate Quartet first violinist and UD Orchestra concert mistress, Laura Scalzo became the first Tanglewood fellow in UD history. The fellowship (which includes tuition and all living expenses) to one of the world's top orchestral festivals (Tanglewood Music Festival ) is only awarded to a very small number of top orchestral instrumentalists after a year of international audition tour.