Day # 2 Rehearsal of Tiger Band at Lake Brantley High School

It was close to a record cold morning (37 degrees!) when the Tiger Band rehearsed at the wonderful facilities of Lake Brantley High School. Thank you Ms. Cindy Berry for arranging for the use of this wonderful field.

Assistant Director of Bands Mr. Roy King and his family

At the Tiger Band Banquet, Prof. Roy King, with his wife Monya and daughter Olivia.

A serenade to a girl.....

At the Tiger Band Banquet, the men of LSU's Phi Mu Alpha Chapter serenaded "their girl," Dr. Linda Moorhouse--the Sweetheart of Phi Mu Alpha.

Day #1 The Dean in Tigerland--Capital One Bowl in Orlando

Well, those grainy photos from Sunday evening are of the truck and busses. I got to fly....so we pick up on day No. 1 at the Tiger Band Banquet.

This was a wonderful event. It was very touching to see the students in the band all dressed up, receiving awards, and to see/hear Prof. Frank Wickes deliver his farewell speech to the Tiger Band (he retires this May, 2010).

I counted it as a high honor to be there and hear this wonderful man recount the life he has dedicated to music, young people and LSU.

The Dean in Tigerland--Capital One Bowl in Orlando

Well, has all of my artistic experience, intellectual pursuits and creative endeavors prepared me for this foray into the heart of Tiger Nation? We shall see.

I must say that it is an honor to be traveling with the nation's finest collegiate marching band and 3 College of Music and Dramatic Arts faculty colleagues who are honored and recognized leaders in their field (Frank Wickes, Linda Moorhouse and Roy King).

Sunday evening, December 27, 2009 at 11:30 pm--the adventure begins with the load-in of 7 full-sized tour busses, one 18 wheeler (for the equipment and instruments), 2 Louisiana State Police escort vehicles and 3 Louisiana State Troopers.

This is serious stuff!

On to Orlando.

Director of LSU Symphony to direct Louisiana Philharmonic Saturday, December 12

The LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts is very proud to announce that Maestro Carlos Riazuelo, music director of the LSU Symphony and conducting professor, has been engaged to fill in for Maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto--music director of the Louisiana Philharmonic.

Ticket information: http://www.lpomusic.com/?q=node/482

The Louisiana Philharmonic is one of the few major symphony's (completely staffed by full-time players), in the United States.

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1991 by musicians from the former New Orleans Symphony, is the only musician-owned and collaboratively managed professional symphony in the United States. The members of the LPO are dedicated to creating live symphonic music and maintaining a resident full-time orchestra that serves as an integral part of the cultural and educational life of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. The LPO, led by Music Director, Carlos Miguel Prieto, performs a full 36 week concert season featuring an array of Classics, Casual Classics, Spotlight, Family, Education, and Outreach concerts. The members of the LPO are honored to be home-based in New Orleans and serving the Gulf South region.
from http://www.lpomusic.com/?q=Orchestra

A press quote about Maestro Riazuelo:

“... Has the ability to make you sit and listen because he has an exceptional ear for color and orchestral balances and some personal ideas on how the music should sound... Consequently, Mr. Riazuelo made both the hall and the music sound live and exciting.”
John Ardoin, The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX

LK on the Jim Engster Show

Dean Kaptain was the special guest on the Jim Engster Show on WRKF-FM in Baton Rouge on December 10, 2009. This is one of the most popular interview/call-in shows in the region.

Link to Dean Kaptain's Interview with Jim Engster

Information on Jim Engster

Identifying four traditional dynamics that are challenged by social media

Andrew Taylor, director of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration in Madison, WI, presents a framework for understanding social media and their effects inside and outside arts organizations, identifying four traditional dynamics that are challenged
by social media:

1. Who creates and who produces. Old model: Artistic staff creates and hands to marketing. New model: thebroth.com, for example, where anybody creates, and artistsonline.com, where there are no intermediaries.

2. Who curates and who critiques. Old model: Professionals curate and critique. New model: sonicliving.com, for example, that will tell me when something is coming to town that I might like.

3. Who controls the message. Old model: Arts organizations created and edited their website, making it easy to create a consistent message. New model: the photo-sharing website Flickr, for example, where content is controlled by its users.

4. Where’s the useful boundary of the organization? Old model: All activity was organizationally focused, building institutional capacity was aimed at doing what serves the organizational mission. New model: Kutiman at www.thru-you.com, which spans almost all boundaries between individual artist, creation, audience,
and organization.

Taken from engaging audiences Report On: Wallace Foundation Art Grantee Conference, April 1-3, 2009, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Arts education and graduation rates tied together

Here is some important information from the November 2009 Arts e-bulletin published by Richard A. Baker, Jr. M.Ed.,
Fine Arts Program Coordinator, Louisiana Department of Education

Arts education and graduation rates tied together. In a two-year study, researchers
found that schools that offered the most access to arts education had the highest
graduation rates. Schools in the top third were more likely to have certified arts
educators and dedicated space for arts learning. View the report at

http://schools.nyc.gov/offices/teachlearn/arts/Documents/AnnualArtsReport08.pdf
or access the story at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/arts/19arts-ARTSEDUCATIO_BRF.html?_r=1.

The study presents current, comprehensive, and comparable information on arts
education policy in 30 European countries. It provides a detailed picture of the aims
and objectives of arts education, its organization, the provision of extra-curricular
activities, as well as initiatives for the development of such education at school. It
includes information on pupil assessment and teacher education in the arts. Besides the
comparative study, detailed country descriptions on all topics covered are also
available.

View the report at http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/thematic_studies_en.php
or access at

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=95825.

Sandra Ruppert, Director of the Arts Education Partnership, wrote The Arts Education
Effect in Education Week. This was a response to the 2008 Arts Report Card. In this
commentary she identifies research that indicates why schools with arts programs do
better at narrowing achievement gaps. “Arts learning experiences play a vital role in
developing students’ capacities for critical thinking, creativity, imagination, and
innovation.”
Access at http://www.aep-arts.org/files/EdWeekCommentary-ArtsEducationEffect.pdf.

Lisette Oropesa stars at the MET

It was my good fortune to attend Lisette Oropesa's ('05) November 30th performance of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. It was wonderful--but what do I know? Here's the review from the New York Times.

New York Times review--Marriage of Figaro

Hamiruge Performed at 2009 Percussive Arts Society International Convention

Hamiruge – The LSU Percussion Group performed at the 2009 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis. Under the direction of Dr. Brett Dietz, the group performed a ninety-minute program that featured new works for percussion ensemble. Many of compositions were actually written for and dedicated to Hamiruge. The concert featured composers such as David Stock, Alan Chan, Stanley Leonard, Michael Burritt, Anders Åstrand, Andrew Beall, Stuart Saunders Smith, Jude Traxler, Eric Moe, Christopher Deane, Blake Tyson, Daniel Adams, and Brett Dietz. Michael Burritt, Professor of Percussion at the Eastman School of Music said, “I thought the ensemble sounded terrific and the choice of repertoire was outstanding. Great mix of styles and instrumentations. It was a tremendously successful concert and one of the best I have heard in the new literature slot. Under your direction, LSU is becoming an established leader in the percussion community Dr. Dietz. I know there are many more great things to come from Baton Rouge.

Press conference and major announcement on December 9, 2009

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Please join Provost Astrid Merget and Dean Laurence Kaptain for a press conference and major announcement about the future of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts at LSU!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 11:45 a.m. in the newly restored Claude L. Shaver Theatre.

No tickets or RSVP's necessary. Seating will be available until capacity is reached.

Swine Palace receives grants

Congratulations to Swine Palace for being awarded:

$10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts for SELF DEFENSE

$19,700 in Economic Recovery Funding for general support of Swine Palace

Download the season brochure.

Dinos Constantinides to receive an honorary doctorate

Dinos Constantinides will be awarded an honorary doctorate on May 24, 2010. This honor will be conferred by The University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece. Specific events surrounding the award ceremony include a composition master class, an evaluation of scores for student works, serving as a board member (judge) for the student composition award, and conference his music and evening concert of selected Constantinides’ compositions.

Constantinides is currently a Boyd Professor at the LSU School of Music where he has served on the LSU faculty since 1966. Constantinides artistic endeavors include performing as violinist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and now conducting the Louisiana Sinfonietta.

The LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts is proud to Have Dr. Constantinides as a colleague.

http://www.music.lsu.edu/faculty/constantinides.html

Swine Palace Board Chair receives honor

The Baton Rouge Brotherhood and Sisterhood Award Committee selected Dr. Myrtle E.B. Dorsey, chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College and Dr. Christel Slaughter, SSA Consultants, LLC as this year’s distinguished recipients. The 47th annual awards banquet, hosted by 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, included a dinner Thursday, November 19th at 7 p.m. in the Hilton Capitol Center.

Dr. Slaughter is a tireless advocate for many initiatives that enhance the quality of live in Baton Rouge and the State of Louisiana. We are so grateful that she recognizes the value of the performing arts and share her valuable time in visibily supporting LSU, the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, and Swine Palace.

Dr. Christel Slaughter, speaking at the Rededication of the Claude L. Shaver Theatre and renovation of the M&DA Buildng on September 20, 2009.

Dr. Michael Tick Receives Service Award

Chair, LSU Department of Theatre and Artistic Director of Swine Palace, Dr. Michael Tick, was presented with a 10-year service award at a recent CMDA faculty meeting. Congratulations Dr. Tick.

Frank Wickes' last home football game

I felt very fortunate, and highly honored, to march in with the band to Tiger Stadium and participate in the ceremony to honor Frank Wickes in his final home game with the Tiger Band on November 28, 2009. Sitting with the wonderful faculty, staff and students of the Tiger Band at a home game is an experience like no other. It was especially poignant at this game--and being with Prof. Wickes, his family, and several band alumni.

Dean's Letter to the Editor in The Advocate

The Dean's Letter to the Editor in the Nov. 16, 2009 edition of the Baton Rouge Advocate.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/70159737.html?showAll=y&c=y

Golden Girls 50th Anniversary Party

Prof. Pamela Pike presentation in Portland, Oregon

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Prof. Pamela Pike's presentation in Portland, Oregon at the College Music Society National Meeting. She produced and staged a real-time/hand's-on interactive keyboard ensemble event for senior citizens.

Tiger Band article in New Orleans Times-Picayune

Click here for a terrific article about the Tiger Band

LSU contingent at Louisiana Philharmonic Gala Conert

LSU alums and Louisiana Philharmonic members Jim Atwood and Patti Adams, guest artist Laurence Kaptain (LSU Dean) and percussionist Brett Dietz (LSU faculty). October 18, 2009 concert with Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Antigonne--BE THERE!!

LSU Theatre Mainstage

Re-dedication Slide Show from 092009

Re-dedication Slide Show

LK Facuty Coach at LSU vs. Florida Football Game

Faculty Coach Slide Show

Swine Palace Productions--Royal Family Video Clip

Click here

Swine Palace Opening Night Production of--The Royal Family

Friday September 18th, 2009 was the opening night production of The Royal Family in the newly restored Claude L. Shaver Theatre.

LSU Symphony with Gregory Sioles on Piano

The LSU Symphony had a brilliant opening concert with new Musical Director Carlos Riazuelo and piano faculty member Gregory Sioles.

Fantastic turnout at Friends of Opera Special Event

The Friends of LSU Opera had a 2-hour season preview event at Valentino's Home Entertainment in Baton Rouge on Sunday, September 13, 2009.



Left to right, Malcolm Richardson, President, Friends of LSU Opera, Jay Valentino, Presoident of Valentino's Home Entertainment, Jerry Fischer (co-sponsor of LSU Opera Season 2009-10), John Turner (co-sponsor of LSU Opera Season 2009-10), Sue Turner, Bill Conti (Academy award winning composer and LSU School of Music Alum), and Dean Laurence Kaptain.

Slideshow with photos from this excellent event.

The New Dean's First LSU Game Day

LSU Game Day Video

Renovations added more classrooms, Black Box Theatre

Another great article from the Advocate.

LSU's Music & Dramatic Arts Building reopens after 4-1/2-year renovation

Nice story by Robin Miller of the Advocate about the re-dedication and grand opening of the newly refurbished Music & Dramatic Arts Builidng at LSU.

Swine Palace Opening Production

LSU’s 'Royal' goes backstage with the Barrymores

Where the Dean will be on Saturday!!!

Video tour of LSU's refurbished Music and Dramatic Arts Building

Here's a video clip that's on the front page of LSU's web site.

4 CMDA Faculty Honored

Four CMDA Faculty have received a distinguished recognition from LSU. 100 faculty whose high-profile scholarly activities enhanced prestige and generated greater visibility for LSU this year, will be honored at the Rainmakers Gala on Oct. 13.

In the School of Music Frank Wickes, Andreas Giger and Steven Beck. Michael Tick from Theatre is also being recognized

The faculty honorees, dubbed LSU Rainmakers for the widespread recognition and technical excellence of their work, represents 50 university departments within a dozen broad academic divisions.

The list of LSU Rainmakers includes both senior and junior faculty in fields spanning the behavioral, life, physical and social sciences; performance and fine arts; and humanities. Each honoree was nominated by a department chair or other administrator with detailed knowledge of his or her work over the preceding year.