Feature: MSU Honors Its Sesquicentennial with a Musical Outreach Tour
As it nears 150 years of service to Michigan, MSU is staging numerous concerts throughout the state—one of which might be near you.
It’s 7:50 p.m. on a Friday night. The Michigan State University Men’s Glee Club takes its last 10 minutes to mentally prepare as it divides into two single file lines on either side of the stage. At 8 p.m. the curtains rise and the lights come up as the group hits its first note in a procession on to the stage to captivate yet another audience. Rich tenor and baritone voices fill the performance hall with passionate renditions of sacred and secular songs, including the group’s signature piece Ave Maria.
But the Glee Club is not on stage at the Chartes Cathedral in France, the Salisbury Cathedral in England, or the many other European and national venues to which they are accustomed. Tonight, the Glee Club is performing at the Northport Community Arts Center.
While Northport may not sound nearly as spectacular as some of the international venues in which the Glee Club performs, the opportunity to bring a live, varied repertoire of music to rural Michigan communities is a real treat for the choir, especially since it rarely performs as a full group—all 123 of them—when on tour.
The Northport performance was part of MSU’s ongoing Sesquicentennial Tour, a series of concerts throughout the state leading up to MSU’s 150th birthday in 2005. These concerts are among many other services, events and festivities planned by MSU. The tour began in Fall 2001. Various ensembles from MSU’s School of Music are bringing live music to the hometowns of residents in all corners of the state. This outreach project is a joint partnership between the MSU School of Music and Wharton Center for Performing Arts, which implemented and coordinates the tour concerts.
During the last academic year, 2001-02, more than 4,100 people attended the various performances by School of Music ensembles. Performances took place at locations including Tecumseh, Southfield, Macomb, Jackson, Benton Harbor, Coldwater, Brighton, Clarkston, Muskegon, Holland, Northport, Traverse City, and Roscommon. Many of the performing groups were student ensembles, including the Gnarly Woods Woodwind Trio, the Wind Symphony, the Men’s Glee Club, and the Ardent String Quartet. In addition, three student pianists performed solos and duets.
In 2002-03, MSU ensembles are scheduled to perform in Port Huron, Brighton, Interlochen, Greenville, Kentwood, Petoskey, Cheboygan, Saginaw, Thunder Bay, Roscommon, and Traverse City. This year’s tour will feature performances by the MSU Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theatre, jazz ensembles, and Men’s Glee Club. The goal is to cover every corner of Michigan by 2005, especially the rural towns that are rarely able to bring in professional music groups.
“The feedback is amazing from the rural areas,” says William Wright, director of the Wharton Center and coordinator of the tour. “The Glee Club’s performances in Holland and Northport were major community events for these towns. It’s a big deal, and students are treated like real celebrities at many of the meet-and-greet receptions that the local MSU Alumni Clubs host after the concerts. There’s a real excitement about it.”
Adds MSU pre-law student Brian Wing, president of the MSU Men’s Glee Club, “For as many tours as we’ve been on, we’ve never toured Michigan, and rarely do all 123 of us get to tour together, let alone for three days straight. It was a huge bonding experience for us, and it was nice to get to know other members of the group. And we were pleasantly surprised that two-thirds of the entire town of Northport filled the audience—a turnout you just wouldn’t expect from a small, rural town.”
“Through its many national and international performances, the Men’s Glee Club is very well known by the professional choral world outside of Michigan, so it was fun to be able to finally show them off in our own state,” said Jonathan Reed, director of the MSU Men’s Glee Club. “What many don’t realize is that our Men’s Glee Club is—if not the best men’s chorus in America—certainly within the top three.”
Wright implemented the Sesquicentennial Tours after identifying a need to bring music to the lives of residents throughout Michigan.
“After a contact of mine from Roscommon’s Kirtland Center for the Arts called exclaiming that he couldn’t find a violinist within his three surrounding counties, I knew we had to do something,” explains Wright. “This got me thinking about how we could combine our resources to bring music to these communities, in which many don’t have local music programs, or the means to bring in professional music groups.”
Since the tours started in 2001, demand has been greater than supply in that more venues want performances than the School of Music could possibly accommodate. So the goal is to target different communities each year, including the Upper Peninsula.
HOW THE TOUR BENEFITS MSU
“While the university benefits from carrying the flag to all corners of the state, the greater beneficiary are the students who have the opportunity to put their best professional foot forward and get a taste of what life might be like as a performing artist,” notes Wright. “The tours provide students with an educational component and experience that they just can’t get in the classroom.
“In addition to experiencing the rigors of touring, they are under a great deal of responsibility since many of the students are touring on their own without faculty accompaniment unless there is a need for a conductor. In addition, they are treated like professionals and gaining recognition as musicians, which really develops their confidence.”
James Forger, director of the MSU School of Music, concurs. “The opportunity to repeat concerts—to practice performing—is an important aspect of musical growth,” he explains. “The ability to travel to and perform at various venues across Michigan serves both the students and the broader community.”
"The Sesquicentennial Tour is a wonderful example of MSU's long-standing commitment to outreach," says Provost Lou Anna K. Simon. "Not only are the students gaining invaluable experience, Michigan residents are reaping the cultural benefits of nationally-recognized musical performances in their own communities.
"The tour will play an integral part in our overall Sesquicentennial celebration, which will chronicle MSU’s history and will serve as a projection of the future, creating new perceptions of the university. It is also hoped that the tour will strengthen ties to alumni and friends of the university."
Other events and festivities in honor of MSU’s official Sesquicentennial in 2005 are still in the planning stages. However, one event confirmed to take place in 2005 is a home football game against Penn State University, which will also be celebrating its Sesquicentennial anniversary in 2005. Along with the game will be festivities and events for students and alumni.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC PERFORMANCE
In addition to Sesquicentennial performances, the MSU School of Music presents more than 275 student, faculty, guest-artist, and ensemble performances on campus and throughout the U.S. each year. Student ensembles include numerous chamber music and woodwind groups, seven choirs, five jazz bands, three orchestras (Philharmonic, Chamber, and Symphony), and seven bands (Wind, Symphony, Concert, Spartan Brass, two campus bands, and the 300-member Spartan Marching Band). Many of its nationally recognized faculty also perform regularly on campus, and at major venues and music festivals throughout the United States and abroad.
Along the same lines as the Sesquicentennial Tour, the MSU Jazz Studies and Music Education areas are active partners in the Detroit Public School Music Partnership. Through the partnership, faculty and students present seminars, workshops, master classes and performances for children in various Detroit public schools. The Jazz Studies Program also partakes in community residencies throughout Michigan, and plans to extend outreach in the schools to Flint, Grand Rapids and Lansing.
Within the first five weeks of the Fall 2002 Semester, the School of Music had already presented outstanding concerts by its major ensembles. The MSU Chorale under the direction of David Rayl performed for the College Music Society in Kansas City. In Summer 2002, the MSU Children’s Choir under the direction of Mary Alice Stollak represented the United States at the Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music in Minneapolis. And, in collaboration with the MSU Program in American Studies, members of the MSU jazz faculty, students and nationally known guest jazz artists performed the newly composed score by MSU artist-in-residence Wycliffe Gordon for the screening of the Paul Robeson/Oscar Micheaux silent film, Body and Soul.
In order to maintain its level of quality students and elevate the music program to one of exceptional national prominence, there has been a pressing need for a state-of-the-art School of Music facility, where the musical performing arts can thrive on campus. A big step was taken to address this issue when the MSU Board of Trustees hired the nationally prominent team of architects BOORA, Inc. of Portland. In addition, the university has confirmed the proposed School of Music building as its top priority for a new academic building on campus. Preliminarily planning has begun with prospective features to include more performance space; a major concert hall; rehearsal halls; a multi-media center including a music library; more classrooms; computer music laboratories; teaching studios; a recording studio; and academic offices—all equipped with excellent acoustics and up-to-date technology.
“Therefore, it will be crucial for the future of the university and the School of Music to move forward with a successful capital campaign that will seek support, not only for the new facility, but for student scholarships and fellowships, program endowments, and endowed faculty chairs,” says Forger. “I am confident that the five-year campaign will help transform the School of Music into an even stronger place of learning and inquiry, enabling us to achieve the highest levels of artistic creativity, research, outreach, and service.”
Author’s note: Jill Quincy McMillan is the information officer for MSU’s School of Music.
CHICAGO JAZZ TRAIN WEEKEND
The weekend of April 26-28, MSU’s College of Arts & Letters held its annual Chicago Jazz Train trip—a travel experience for MSU alumni and friends, complete with social events, concerts, and a full day in Chicago. This year 67 alumni and friends joined dean Wendy Wilkins and Rodney Whitaker, director of jazz studies, on the trip. Also on hand to perform on the train were Wycliffe Gordon, trombone; Rick Roe, piano; and Randy Gelispie, drums.
On Friday travelers visited Chicago’s Jazz Showcase, the world’s second oldest jazz club. On Saturday, Andrew Speight, former director of jazz studies at MSU, dropped in for a surprise visit. He joined the ensemble that evening for a private reception, dinner and jazz concert at the Sutton Place Hotel and helped to showcase some of Whitaker’s compositions. On Sunday morning, the ensemble presented a special jazz performance as guests enjoyed brunch.
SESQUICENTENNIAL TOUR SPRING 2003
Saturday, January 18
MSU Jazz Band I
7 p.m. Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, 7878 Brighton Rd., Brighton, MI
Tickets: $10.
For tickets/ information, call (810) 229-1419.
Monday, January 27
MSU Symphony Orchestra
Dmitri Berlinsky, violin; Suren Bagratuni, violoncello; and Steven Lang, organ
7:30 p.m. Corson Auditorium, Interlochen Center for the Arts, MI
Tickets: $6 adults, $3 senior citizens and students.
For tickets/information, call (800) 681-5920.
Wednesday, February 12
A Celebration of the Beautiful Voice
7 p.m. Greenville Area Community Center, Greenville, MI
Tickets: $5
For tickets/information, call (616) 754-9163.
Saturday, March 15
MSU Wind Symphony
East Kentwood High School Band, James Ross, Conductor
8 p.m. East Kentwood H.S. Auditorium
FREE
For information, call (616) 698-6700.
Friday, April 4
Men’s Glee Club
8 p.m. Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, MI
For ticket prices/information, call (231) 347-4337.
Saturday, April 5
Men’s Glee Club
8 p.m. The Opera House, Cheboygan, MI
Tickets: $10
For tickets/information, call (231) 627-5432.
Wednesday, April 9
MSU Octet I jazz band
Saginaw Arts and Science Academy, MI
FREE
For performance time, ticket prices, and information, call (989) 759-3610.
Friday, April 11
MSU Octet I jazz band
8 p.m. Thunder Bay Arts Council, Alpena, MI
Tickets: $11 adults, $4 students.
For tickets/information, call (989) 356-6678.
Saturday, April 12
MSU Octet I jazz band
8 p.m. Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts, Roscommon, MI
FREE
For information, call (989) 275-5000.
Sunday, April 13
MSU Octet I jazz band
Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City, MI
Tickets: $10
For performance time, tickets, and information, call (231) 995-1055