SOM Awards DJ Alstadt Distinquished Alumnus Award
The School of Music has begun a tradition and it starts with DJ Alstadt. He is the recipient fo the first SOM Distinguished Alumnus Award. It is not hard to see why. DJ has been a consistent supporter of the SOM in his role as the Director of Bands at Naperville Central High School.
As the Director of Bands at Naperville Central High School, where he conducts Wind Ensemble (I of IV), Symphonic Band (III of IV), Theory, Jazz Band (I of III), Marching Band, Chamber Ensembles, Pep Band, and oversees all areas of the program.
Under his direction, the music program has been recognized as a Grammy Signature School. The Wind Ensemble performed at the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) All-State Convention. The Jazz Ensemble (Jazz Studio Orchestra) was a featured performer at the 2007 Illinois Music Educator's Conference. The Marching Redhawks have been finalists in the Illinois State University Invitational, and appeared in the 'Weather Man' starring Nicholas Cage. The band has traveled in festivals, competitions locally and internationally.
Mr. Alstadt currently serves as the Artistic Director for the Illinois Ambassadors of Music and toured Europe in the summer of 2008. He has served, in a sabbatical role for one term, as the Conductor of the North Central College Wind Ensemble.
Mr. Alstadt received his B.A. in Music Education from Western Illinois University and his Masters Degree from Vandercook College of Music. Additionally, Mr. Alstadt earned National Board Certification in 2008. He has studied trumpet with mentor teacher Dr.
Bruce Briney along with Mr. Tito Carrillo, Dr. Leah Schumann, and currently Mr. Doug Sharf. Principal conducting teachers are Dr.
Jon Dugle, Dr.
James Stegal, Mr.
Dale Hopper, and Dr. Charles Menghini.
DJ Alstadt was a cover story in "Drum Corps International" Magazine; he was profiled and listed as the Illinois representative "50 Directors Who Make a Difference" in the School Band and Orchestra Magazine publication. Mr. Alstadt's extensive background in marching band comes from intensive tours with two-world champion DCI corps: The Cadets and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. As a member of The Cadets, he performed in the closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia; as a Cavalier, he participated in their first World Championship season. Mr. Alstadt was recognized as an outstanding first year teacher in Naperville District 203 (Arlo Schilling).
He remains active as a trumpet player continuing to hone his craft in all styles of music. DJ and his wife, Kate, recently welcomed their first child, David Joseph ("Joe") Alstadt. DJ Alstadt credits any success humbly to the amazing education he received at Western Illinois University and in particular master trumpet teacher Dr. Bruce Briney.
Student News
Anna Smith (junior BM-Music Education and Piano Performance major) gave a podium presentation entitled
Maria Szymanowska: A Female Pioneer in Composition and Piano Performance at the April 29 Undergraduate Research Day.
Allison Marcum, senior music therapy major, participated in Undergraduate Research Day. She presented a poster displaying her study titled
The Effects of Music on Physical Activity in Groups.
The Graduate Students of the WIU School of Music presented
Stop Making Sense!
A mini-conference on popular music studies on from 11am to 4pm Saturday, May 9, 2009 in Sandburg Theater at Western Illinois University Union. The conference was free and open to the Public.
Sessions included the following:
The Art of De/Constructing Art Rock
- Michael Bielecki, Radiohead's Intellectual Subversion: OK Computer as Transition to a Posthuman Landscape;
- Michael Scheck, From Songs to Symphonies: Progressions of Form in Popular Music; and
- Brian Locke, Step Three, Chord Progression: Weezer and the Cultivation of Audience.
Private Practices and Public Places: Rock and Spirituality
- Sheryl Hardesty, David Crowder*Band: Two Worlds Merge;
- Paul E. Reese, Disposable Teens: The Rhetoric of Healing in Marilyn Manson's Post-Columbine Album Holy Wood
Americanism and Generational Identity in Classic Rock
-
Sara Gregory, American Pies: The Day the Music Lived;
- Jeremy Zima, Fear is a Beautiful Thing: Sexuality and the Performative Identity of Ted Nugent
Jill King (BA 2000) began a new position in September 2008 as a music librarian (Reference/Instruction Librarian and Music Bibliographer) at DePaul University in Chicago. Prior to this, she worked for the Chicago Public Library for four years after receiving a dual MM in Musicology from Northwestern University and MA in Library Science from Dominican University.
Faculty News
Matt Warnock was recently hired as a columnist for
Modern Guitars Magazine. His weekly column,
The Modern Guitarist, will feature product and concert reviews, interviews with guitarists and other guitar related featured articles.
The column can be found at:
Modern Guiters — Warnock.
Matt also spent the week of April 12-19th in residency at the University High School in Tucson Arizona. During the week Matt gave workshops and coached the school's Jazz Band I as well as worked privately with guitar students at UHS. Matt also performed at the Old Pueblo Jazz Club with a trio that featured drummer Artt Frank, formerly of trumpeter Chet Baker's quartet. On April 26th Matt was a member of the jury panel for the Milwaukee Conservatory's annual scholarship competition. As part of his duties he judged the classic, rock and blues scholarship categories.
Dr. Tammie Walker presented a 2-hour masterclass to piano students at Illinois Central College (Peoria) on April 7, 2009. On April 22, 2009
Dr. Walker presented a 90-minute lecture to the Springfield chapter of the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs in the morning, and adjudicated the Springfield MTNA performance exams in the afternoon (held at the piano studio of Dr. Maria Horvath). On April 25,
Dr. Walker adjudicated the annual Piano Scholarship Auditions in Quincy, IL.
James Caldwell's fixed electroacoustic composition
Inflorescence was performed at the national conference of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on April 17, 2009.
Paul Paccione (Professor of Music Theory/Composition) delivered pre-concert lectures, on April 23, 24 and 25, at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink conductor. His lectures were on the reconstruction of nature in Anton Webern's
Im Sommerwind, Gustav Mahler's
Ruckert Leider, and Franz Schubert's
Symphony (The Great) in C major.
John Cooper served as an adjudicator for IHSA- Rockridge HS on April 3, 2009.
The Western Illinois Jazz Studio Orchestra conducted by
Dr. John B. Cooper, Director of Jazz Studies, provided the dinner dance music April 4, 2009 for the YMCA of McDonough County’s grand gala event at Western Illinois University's Grand Ballroom celebrating 120 years of service to McDonough County and the surrounding communities.
Cooper authored and received a grant from the Fellheimer Trust of Wesley United Methodist Church to produce with the Macomb Ministerial Association
two concerts of the Baecker Jazz Worship (John Cooper composer and conductor) to benefit Loaves and Fishes on April 5, 2009. The event raised over $4000. Members of the
John CooperJazz Orchestra include the following: Chip McNeil, Director of Jazz Studies U of I; Dave Hoffman, Knox College and the Ray Charles Orchestra;
Michael Stryker, Marlene Rosenberg, Kevin Nichols, John Vana, Michael Fansler of the WIU School of Music Faculty; Thomas Reeder; Pete Hannen; Anthony L Bartucci; Travis Lopez; Ryan D Kastel; Justin Heinekamp; Matthew R Traeger; Michael J. Musto; Mike Pashenee; Kyle Traeger;
Jennifer Wallis, WIU jazz studies alumna ('06), vocalist.
Cooper was the
Guest Artist at Milligan College,
Johnson City, Tennessee on April 27, 2009. Directed by Rick Simerly, associate professor of music at Milligan, the 22-ensemble performed a seven-movement, Pulitzer Prize nominated composition entitled
The Baecker Jazz Worship Service, written by
Cooper
and named for Garth and Terry Baecker. Cooper narrated and directed 2 movements. He also lead a master class in music composition.
The Jazz Studies Area,
John Cooper, Michael Stryker, Marlene Rosenberg, and
Brian Zeglis, hosted
Italian jazz artists Maestro Marco Renzi—Italian Big Band Conductor known as the father of big band jazz in Italy—and Bepi D'Amato—renowned jazz and classical clarinetist—April 18- 23, 2009. Highlights of the 6 day visit included a combined concert with both big bands from the WIU Jazz Program (Jazz Studio Orchestra and Jazz Band) featuring Italian Big Band Music, with Renzi conducting and D'Amato as the guest soloist; master classes with WIU students; performance at Macomb Country Club with the
Hopper Jazztet (jazz faculty ensemble); and a visit to St. Paul Catholic School 4th and 5th grade music classes. Michael Stryker served as the coordinator for the WIU portion of the duo's 3 week tour. From WIU, they were hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago and performed with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble with Jon Faddis.
John Cooper was in attendance as a guest for the concert and post concert dinner.
School of Music Website.
