UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State School of Music is pleased to announce “Music & Dance: Exploring Connections Between Two Art Forms” as its theme for the 2015-16 academic year.
The idea of a unifying theme resulted from in-depth faculty discussions concerning how to “enhance visibility, communication and collaboration within the school,” said Sue Haug, director of the School of Music. The result was to choose a comprehensive focus allowing performance and academic faculty members to offer cross-curricular events which would enhance the education of the students.
While many themes were explored, “Music & Dance” was chosen because of its all-encompassing appeal. Composers throughout the course of history have written music based on dance, and this music can be performed by soloists and ensembles. The association of dance and music is also a subject of scholarly inquiry, allowing musicologists and theorists to explore rhythm, form and historical performance. In addition, the relationship of music with movement is a strong component of music education classes — and a subject of scholarly research in that field.
Multiple classes throughout the 2015-16 school year have been envisioned with the “Music & Dance” theme in mind. Music theorists Maureen Carr and Eric McKee will offer special topics courses titled “Stravinsky’s Russian Ballets” and "Dance and the Music of Mozart and Beethoven." Music education professor Ann Clements plans multiple dance encounters as part of her “Teaching Musical Cultures” course, including African and Contra dancing, as well as Maori Kapa Haka and Hawaiian Hula. In addition, general music education courses will offer training in “Dalcroze Eurhythmics,” which introduces musical concepts through movement and leads to heightened body awareness and an association of rhythm with physical experience.
Dance music written by composers ranging from the 17th to the 21st centuries has been programmed on faculty recitals of hornist Lisa Bontrager, cellist Kim Cook and pianist Christopher Guzman, among others. The Concert Choir, conducted by Christopher Kiver, will perform Benjamin Britten’s “Choral Dances from Gloriana” and Johannes Brahms’ “Liebeslieder Walzer, Op. 52” in the fall semester. In addition, the Philharmonic Orchestra’s February 2016 program will include Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” (from the ballet of the same name) and “The Chairman Dances” by John Adams, conducted by Gerardo Edelstein.
Marica Tacconi, professor of musicology and associate director of the School of Music, reflected on the educational benefits provided by a theme that unifies the school. “We hope to widen students' musical horizons by emphasizing that music can be approached in a variety of exciting ways," she said. "A great work can be shared with audiences in live performance, understood as being part of a historical context, and also appreciated in all its complexity through musical analysis.”
Programs during the 2015-16 school year that include reference to “Music & Dance: Exploring Connections Between Two Art Forms” will include the graphic logo and the following text: “A year-long series of performances, classes and presentations that focus on the unique relationship between music and human movement.”