Accolades
CLAIRE
CHASE, a senior flutist from Leucadia, California, recently received
the 1999 Presser Music Award - a $5,000 grant from the Presser Foundation
- to commission, perform and record new chamber music for flute. Chase,
who studies with professor of flute Michel Debost, will use the grant
to fund the commissioning of new works by four composers (including
one Oberlin Con student and a Con alum). It will also fund an April
2000, performance of those new works with conductor Timothy Weiss,
associate professor of wind conducting, and a recording of that performance.
During her stint as an apprentice at Glimmerglass Opera this summer, mezzo-soprano MARIE LENORMAND (BM '99), student of Richard Miller, was asked to audition for the Houston Grand Opera Studio. She was accepted into the program where her contract began in September.
Baritone
MICHAEL PREACELY, a senior from Chicago, Illinois, student of
Richard Miller, recently won first place in the district level,
and fourth place at the national level of the Leontyne Price Vocal
Arts Competition, held in Flint, Michigan, and Norfolk, Virginia.
The competition, sponsored by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Womens' Clubs, isdesigned to recognize African-American singers for achievement in the vocal arts.
TWO CONSERVATORY PIANISTS WIN RUSSIAN-AMERICAN MUSIC COMPETITION, PERFORM AT CARNEGIE HALL AND MOSCOW CONSERVATORY
Two sophomore pianists, WILLIAM McDANIEL from Springfield, Virginia, and JA-HYE KOO from Fairfax, Virginia, both students of Lydia Frumkin, professor of pianoforte, were honored in the Russian-American Music Association Young Virtuosos competition. Both were invited to perform in Carnegie Hall, and McDaniel also performed at the Moscow Conservatory. The annual competition, which began in 1998, is open to students of Russian teachers from around the world.
In March baritone Daniel Okulitch (BM, MM '99), a student of Richard Miller, returned to his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where he performed the role of Morales in Calgary Opera's production of Bizet's "Carmen." In April, Okulitch was named Best Male Vocalist when he competed in the 70th annual Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival, held in the Jubilee Auditorium of Calgary. Additionally, he was awarded $2,500 and various scholarships during the 12-day festival, which hosted 15,000 participants. Okulitch is currently enrolled in the two-year Artist Diploma program at the Cincinnati Conservatory where he studies with William McGraw.
The OBERLIN SMALL JAZZ ENSEMBLE "Community Service" was judged Most Outstanding of 35 participating ensembles at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival held at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, February 26-28. The ensemble was also chosen to perform at the festival's closing concert as the opening act for singer/pianist Diana Krall and her bassist Ben Wolf and guitarist Russell Malone.
VIOLINIST EMILY FOWLER WINS TOP PRIZE AT KIWANIS MUSIC FESTIVAL
VIOLINIST
EMILY FOWLER, a junior from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, student of
Almita Vamos, professor of violin, recently won top honors at the
Kiwanis Music Festival. Fowler was judged the most outstanding performer
among 15,000
participants in the 70th annual festival at the Jubilee Auditorium
in Calgary. Her prizes included a silver trophy bowl filled with
pink roses, and a check for $5,000, which brought her total winnings
for the 12-day event to $10,000. Having won the provincial competition,
Fowler advanced to the Canadian National Music Competition where
she took first place honors iin the strings division, for the second
time.