CW Post Symphonic Band - Long Island University

FALL 2008
art • media • music • theatre • film • dance
C.W. Post Symphonic Band
also inside
to tour Australia & New Zealand
French Horn at the Heart of the Band
Two SVPA Students Named
Salutorian, Class of ’08
C.W. Post Actors and
Dancers Storm Manhattan
Art Department – a Magnet
for Students from Asia
Media Arts Grad
Directs at MTV
Welcome from the Dean
In this issue of inSIGHT
we celebrate the achievements of
students, alumni and faculty of the
School of Visual and Performing
Arts (SVPA) who have distinguished
themselves academically and professionally over
the past year. It is exciting to observe how C.W.
Post continues to provide a stepping-stone for so
many exceptional artists and scholars who, in turn,
bring great honor to the University.
From the Big Apple to Africa, our students span
the globe. Theatre and dance majors have graced
stages in the ‘city that never sleeps’ to wow audiences with their performances. Student graphic
designs, films and television productions have won
local and national awards. This year two SVPA seniors, Bailey Stark (Theatre) and Ambar Arancibia
(Art and Philosophy), made history when they were
both named Salutatorian of the class of 2008.
Some students have continued to graduate school
while others have set out to fulfill their dreams of
success as professional artists.
As I enter my third year as Dean of the School,
I am ever more impressed with our faculty who
continue to accrue honors for their achievements.
This year SVPA is enriched by the addition of four
new accomplished faculty members, and a new
assistant dean, Dr. William J. Gustafson, who
comes to us from a distinguished academic and
professional career in music.
It is my pleasure to announce that the awardwinning Hillwood Art Museum, home to some of
the finest exhibitions in the region, will once again
be part of SVPA expanding opportunities to our
outstanding art majors and faculty.
In closing I ask you join me in recognizing that
ASSISTANT DEAN
Dr. William Gustafson - Assistant Dean of the
School of Visual and Performing Arts
William Gustafson, a professor of music, administrator
and stage director, has been appointed Assistant Dean
of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Prior to his
appointment, Dr. Gustafson served on the music faculties
of both the New England Conservatory of Music in
Boston and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
As an operatic stage director with companies including
Sarasota Opera Company and Opera Birmingham, he brings substantial
interdisciplinary background and experience to the School. In 2007 Dr.
Gustafson directed the University of Colorado production of “Dead Man
Walking,” based on the prize-winning book by Sister Helen Prejean. At his
invitation, composer Jake Heggie and Sister Prejean, came to campus for
panel discussions and performances.
Dr. Gustafson earned his B.M. in music from the University of
Connecticut, and both his master’s and doctor of musical arts degrees from
the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
SALUTATORIANS
Double the Honors: Two SVPA Students Named Salutatorian
Two students from the School of Visual and Performing Arts have made
C.W. Post history. Theatre Arts Management major Bailey Stark and Art
and Philosophy major Ambar Arancibia, who exemplify the high achievements of students from our School, were named Salutatorian of the C.W.
Post Class of 2008.
“Both Ambar and Bailey
are dynamic, extraordinary
students,” said Chester
Barkan, convener for the
Valedictorian/Salutatorian
Selection Committee.
“After much debate, the
committee came to the
realization that they were
both deserving of this high
distinction.”
Bailey Stark (left) and
Ambar Arancibia (right)
our successes would not be possible without the
donations, large and small, made by an expanding
group of alumni, friends, members of the University
administration and Board of Trustees whose lives
continue to be enriched by the students and faculty
of SVPA. At this very difficult time when many
University students cannot afford to continue their
education, I urge you to consider making a contribution or pledge to the SVPA Scholarship Fund.
Checks can be written to Long Island University,
SVPA Scholarship Fund and mailed to School of
Visual and Performing Arts, C.W. Post Campus of
Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd.,
Brookville, New York 11548-1300.
I encourage you to become involved in the life
of SVPA. Reports on your activities are warmly
welcomed. Please write to me at:
[email protected]. – Rhoda Grauer
FACULTY APPOINTMENTS
Rachel Baum - Assistant Professor of Art History
Rachel Baum, newly appointed as an assistant professor of art
history, has taught at Hunter College of the City University of New York for
the last three years. She frequently authors work for art publications
including “Art Journal” and “Camera Austria.” Several of her projects will
be published in 2009, including the essay “The Mirror of Consumption”
in the exhibition catalog “Andy Warhol by Andy Warhol” and a monograph text on contemporary artist Daniel Joseph Martinez. Dr. Baum has lectured at numerous symposia and
conferences on topics ranging from digital photography to the philosophy of Michel
Foucault. She received her doctorate from Harvard University in 2005.
T.K. Blue - Assistant Professor of Music and Director of
Jazz Studies
T.K. Blue (aka Eugene Rhyme), who began his career at C.W. Post
last fall as an adjunct professor of music, recently accepted a full-time
position as assistant professor of music and director of jazz studies. His
outstanding background and industry experience gives his students the
opportunity to perform alongside professional musicians. At a recent concert at the
America Museum of Natural History’s “Starry Nights” series, T.K. invited some students to
join him on stage. This privilege was also bestowed on young musicians at a tribute
concert for legendary sax player Charlie Parker at the Lenox Lounge in Manhattan. T.K.
earned his B.A. from New York University and his masters in music education from
Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Winn Rea - Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Art Foundations
Winn Rea joins the Art Department faculty after having been an
adjunct professor and coordinator of student exhibits. Professor Rea’s
research investigating the landscape and our relation to it transcends
artistic categories from public sculpture to wall installations, topographic
works on paper and web-based interactive projects. Her work has been
exhibited internationally in Gonju and Seoul, South Korea, and recognized by grants from
the New York Foundation for the Arts, artist residencies and reviews in The New York Times.
Professor Rae earned her B.F.A. from James Madison University and her M.A. and M.F.A.
from the University of Iowa.
Mark Shapiro - Assistant Professor of Music and
Director of Choral Studies
Mark Shapiro, a long-time faculty member of Mannes Conservatory
and three-time ASCAP Award winner, has been appointed assistant
professor of music and director of choral studies.
Dr. Shapiro is artistic director of Cantori New York and The Monmouth
Civic Chorus in New Jersey and director of the Conducting Program of the European-American
Musical Alliance in Paris. He has conducted opera with American Opera Projects, the Center for
Contemporary Opera, and the Actors Studio and is currently associate conductor of the opera
company Teatro Grattacielo. Dr. Shapiro can be heard conducting the soundtrack for
Rick Burns’ PBS series “New York.” Dr. Shapiro earned his B.A. at Yale University, graduate
performance diploma at Peabody Institute and doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.) at Stony
Brook University.
FILM
“Flying Kites,” a Documentary Film by Chad Shagren ’07, shot in Kenya
With a video camera and a deep seeded desire to capture the current realities of the world, '07 alumnus Chad Shagren submerged himself in the culture of
Kenya’s By Grace Orphanage, creating a visual bridge between the children of this African shelter and the viewers of his documentary.
The film, titled “Flying Kites,” brings the audience through the hardships of 150 children orphaned by the effects of rampart domestic violence and the ongoing
HIV/AIDS epidemic. Careful not to use this footage to exploit the children who live in these horrifying conditions, Shagren sees his documentary as a way to reveal their
unwavering determination to prevail against all odds.
According to Shagren, “Too often, images of under-privileged children in foreign countries do not elicit the help needed because people become distanced, overwhelmed and helpless in the
face of such great need.” He admits there were times when it
would have been easier to bend
the truth, make the film easier to
watch, but he felt a responsibility
to the children to be accurate
and to get their story right.
Shagren knows the problems of
orphans in Kenya will not be fixed
by a documentary film, but believes
that viewers will see that hope is
not lost in these youngsters.
Will he continue making films?
“If you can find a way to use your
craft and make the world a little
better, you’ve got something
worth pursuing.”
Shagren just left for India to
shoot his next documentary. This time he is taking
other SVPA film majors
with him.
Children from By Grace Orphanage view video footage of themselves. Inset: Filmmaker Chad Shagren chatting with one of the film’s subjects.
TILLES CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Tapping Into the Curriculum
Major artists who perform at Tilles Center continue to devote
their time and knowledge to SVPA students. This year’s
highlights include master classes by members of Chanticleer,
known as “the world’s reigning male chorus,” and Maurice
Chestnut, a protégé of tap legend Savion Glover, who will
work with vocal, jazz and dance students. Following the
success of the 2007 Paul Taylor Dance Company collaboration, members of the PILOBOLUS, another of America’s great
dance companies, will be in-residence in the dance program
for a semester. Orchestra students will attend a New York
Philharmonic rehearsal in Lincoln Center and meet with
Gustavo Dudamel, the 26-year-old superstar conductor
from Venezuela.
The program is funded by the Gilbert and Rose Tilles
Endowment for Arts Education. While this program is limited to
students of the SVPA, all C.W. Post students can attend Tilles
Center events for just $12. Visit www.TillesCenter.org for
information.
Philobus Dance Company
Remarkable Opportunity to Study Ancient Puppet Traditions in Asia
We all grew up with the Muppets but who did the Muppets grow up with?
American puppetry is strongly influenced by ancient traditions, many of them from remote areas of Asia.
This summer, C.W. Post students will have a rare opportunity to study some of those traditions with Asian
masters.
The SVPA and the
Honors Program of C.W.
Post, in partnership with
Sarah Lawrence College, Barnard College,
California Institute of
the Arts (CalArts) and
The Empty Space,
Thailand, are developing
the Chiang Mai
Puppetry Program. The
workshop will combine
master classes in the
design and making of
puppets and performance. Participants will
also explore the rich
culture of one of the most
beautiful areas of Asia,
the Chiang Mai region of
Northern Thailand.
Students can apply for
this adventure by contacting: Dr. Joan Digby, director of the Honors
The Empty Space Compound, Northern Thailand; Inset: Burmese Puppets
Program, or Rhoda Grauer,
dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts.
FACULTY
Joan Powers Promoted to
Senior Professor
Professor Joan Powers has taught at
C.W. Post for 27 years, the past 18 years as
director of photography. Her photographs have
been included in more than 22 one-person and
group exhibitions throughout America, Europe and Asia. This
September she will have a solo exhibit at the Sirius Gallery in
Tokyo, Japan. To obtain the rank of senior professor, one must
be a full professor for a minimum of five years and excel in
teaching, service and research that is evaluated by three
experts in her field. Professor Powers received an M.F.A. from
Brooklyn College, CUNY.
Filmmaker and Aids Activist
Promoted to Full Professor
Professor Richard Del
Rosso Awarded Tenure
Richard Del Rosso, assistant
professor of art, has been awarded
tenure. An artist with 20 years
experience in the editorial field,
Del Rosso began his career as a
syndicated cartoonist for The New
York Times. As a freelance illustrator,
his clients have included Mobil Oil,
The New York Times, Stern Magazine, Newsday and the Philadelphia
Enquirer. One of our own, he earned
both his B.F.A. and his master’s
degree in digital art from C.W. Post.
Del Rosso’s artwork has been
Glen Cove Immortalized: Professor Joan Harrison Authors Pictorial History
exhibited in museums and galleries
Home to the wealthiest families like the Morgans and Pratts as well as the poorest, Glen Cove possesses a wealth of history that
worldwide, including the United
Joan Harrison, professor of photography at C.W. Post, has unearthed. “Glen Cove,” (Arcadia Publishing) a historical look at one of
States, Europe and Canada.
Long Island’s oldest cities, is compiled from over 220 photos Professor Harrison culled from public exhibits, private collections and
Currently, he has a piece on display
family albums.
at the Tie Art Museum in Beijing.
Harrison, who has been chronicling the contemporary town for seven years, has a series of her own photographs of Glen Cove
on display. “What We See Where We Live” can be seen in the Robert R. Coles History Room of the Glen Cove Public Library.
Professor Harrison’s work was funded in part by research grants from C.W. Post.
Documentary filmmaker and social activist
Jean Carlomusto, a professor in the Media
Arts Department for nearly 20 years, has been
promoted to full professor.
As an undergraduate in C.W. Post’s Theatre and Film
Program, she graduated magna cum laude. She went on to earn
a master’s degree in professional studies in the Interactive
Telecommunications Program at New York University’s Tisch
School of the Arts. Professor Carlomusto does a great job of
balancing teaching with her creative work. Her interactive installation, “Offerings,” was part of an international exhibition at the
Fowler Museum in Los Angeles. She is currently completing a
documentary on the history of HIV.
SCHOOL OF VISUAL AND
PERFORMING ARTS
Elsinore c.1865, the first of the great North
Shore estates. Photo: Glen Cove Public Library
Ladew Factory Floor c.1905 once the world’s
largest industrial belt manufacturer.
Credit: Glen Cove Public Library
Glen Street c. 1905 The old Post Office building
is still standing today. Credit: Glen Cove Public
Library
MUSIC
“On The Road Again” New York-Australia-New Zealand
What will
you do on your
summer vacation?
The C.W. Post
Symphonic Band
members, under
the direction of
James McRoy,
assistant
professor of
music, will be
packing their
bags. This
summer the group
is planning a tour
of both Australia
and New Zealand.
The news of the
tour comes on the
heels of a rousing
performance at
the New York
State School
Music Association
(NYSSMA) Winter
All-State Music
Conference last
December. The
C.W. Post Symphonic Band
80-member group
was one of two chosen from a blind review of recordings submitted by scores of schools. “Their performance ended in with a roar of applause and standing
ovation, acknowledging the outstanding level of accomplishment taking place in the Department of Music,” said Dr. McRoy, who is the conductor of the
Symphonic Band and director of the Band Program at C.W. Post.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO....
Students Win Accolades and Awards for Outstanding Artistic Achievements
Digital Arts students (’08 and ’09) swept the 34th annual student division at the Long Island Advertising Club's Best
of Long Island Awards (BOLI) for the fifth year in a row for ad campaigns for the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium.
Awards went to: BOLI: Ann Marie Blatt, Rocco Gennaro, Zachery Scher and Jenna
Sulin. GOLD: Arthur Boos, Jennifer Nelson, Joseph Shanley and Renee Reid. SILVER:
Casandra Dake, Benjamin Ireland, Mike Pesale, and David Roach. BRONZE: Julianne
Dahlem, Kelly Halpern, Anthony Minieri and Sydney Risser.
Film majors took to the screen at Long Island Film and TV Foundation’s International
Film Expo. The movies “Long Way Home” (directed and edited by Shannon Weiss, and
written by Kevin Schwoer) and “Siblings” (directed by Al Monelli and written by Chris
Godburn) were selected for screening over scores of other films. The Pocono Mountain Film
Festival showed “Spooky Cabin” (directed by Alex Megaro and written by Brian Ariotti)
three times earning their lead actor, Brandon Hannon, the festival prize for Best Acting.
Award winning designs by
Digital Arts students
inSIGHT is published twice yearly by the Office of the Dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd.,
Brookville, NY 11548
inSIGHT welcomes postings from our alumni about your professional lives and suggestions for articles, as well as job and internship opportunities for our students and
graduates. Please e-mail us at: [email protected]. Include your name, major and year of graduation.
ALUMNI
Alan Clary ’04 Moves from PTV to MTV
Not one week after graduating from the School of Visual and
Performing Arts in 2004, Alan Clary began climbing the ladder at MTV
as a freelance production assistant. Clary’s directing skills were evident
from his reel of original programs made at C.W. Post and MTV offered
him an opportunity to direct. By May 3, 2008 Clary was promoted to
segment producer, directing a multi-camera shoot of mtvU’s Campus
Invasion Tour Concert with top bands including Wyclef, Cobra Starship, Kidz InThe Hall, and The Spill Canvas. Since graduation, Alan
has worked as a production coordinator, associate producer, segment
producer and event producer for mtvU, MTV’s college channel where
he runs high-profile shows like Spring Break, Summer Concert
Series, and more.
For the last four years Greg Schult ’01 has been at ESPN working
on live events ranging from MLB, NBA, college basketball and the X
Games. He has just accepted a job with SNY as an associate producer
for New York Mets games.
After competitive auditions and callbacks, Jen Danby ’98 was
Alan Clary in the MTV control room.
invited to join the 2008 HB Ensemble. The Ensemble, a project of the
Herbert Berghof Studio and the HB Playwrights Foundation, is a company of dedicated artists who work with talented actors and directors in known plays and new
plays. It is a rare honor and opportunity. Danby, who received her Ph.D. in Theatre in 2004 at the CUNY Graduate Center, has taught at Hofstra and Parsons School
of Design. She is active in scholarly circles, publishing regularly in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education while
continuing her professional acting career.
Brittany Jones-Pugh ’07 received a B.F.A. with honors in Theatre Arts/Production and Design.
At C.W. Post she designed costumes for “Third Child” which was presented at the International
University Theatre Association’s World Congress in Urbino, Italy and on tour in Europe. Jones-Pugh
won a 2007 Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in Costume
Design and, since graduation, has worked on “39 Steps” and “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” on
Broadway and “A Man for All Seasons” with New York’s celebrated Roundabout Theatre Company.
Her outstanding work has earned her membership in the Theatrical Wardrobe Union.
Amanda Bouonocore ’08 B.F.A. in Fine Arts graduate is carrying the creative energy and
skills learned at C.W. Post on to her M.F.A. Printmaking Program at Cranbrook Academy of Art,
an internationally recognized center of learning in the visual arts. Buonocore finds that printmaking
“is more than an art to me. I enjoy the science of it.” She credits Professor Rick Mills for her
fascination with paper, the chemistry of printmaking and her decision to continue to graduate school.
Miniature Chairs made of metal and paper, part of a larger work by
Amanda Bouonocore.
THEATRE and DANCE
“I’ll Take Manhattan”
Seniors in B.F.A. Acting Program Actors Showcase (left to right) Lesley Scheiber, Maria Barcia, Joe Montenerello, Christina Garner, Robert Hooghkirk, Maria Dalbotten, Julia Tokarcik, Liz Perritt,
Zack Locuson, Henry Borriello.
Each spring, seniors from the School of Visual and Performing Arts take the isle of Manhattan by storm announcing their arrival as young professionals
ready to begin their careers. This year the theatre majors presented the “Actors Showcase ’08” at the 45th Street Theatre, in the heart of old Broadway.
Students had the opportunity to shine in front of an audience of theatrical agents and professionals.
Two weeks later and a few blocks north, the Post Concert Dance Company presented the “2008 Choreographer’s Showcase” to a sold-out crowd at
Symphony Space, performing dynamic new works by guest choreographers Karen Arceneaux, David Guggino, Felice Lesser, Aly Rose, and Makeda
Thomas. Dr. Cara Gargano, chair of the Theatre, Film, Dance, and Arts Management department said, “These showcases are an important part of our
commitment to provide professional preparation within the context of a strong liberal arts education.”
FRIENDS AND DONORS
SUCCESS!!!
“Farewell Concert” Funds the Alexander “Lex” Dashnaw
Endowed Scholarship
The farewell concert for Alexander “Lex” Dashnaw,
C.W. Post’s former director of choral studies, held in Tilles Center on March 30, was a rousing s
uccess. Current as well as former C.W. Post students, faculty, administrators, members of Long
Island University’s Board of Trustees and friends paid tribute to their mentor for his 43 years of
devotion to his students and the University. The goal of the evening was to endow a scholarship in
Lex’s name, and thanks to more than 150 gifts ranging in size from $10 to $5,000 the goal was
met and surpassed. The event was celebrated with a performance of the university choir and the
student Jazz Combo. Calligraphy students created a 30-foot long scroll featuring the names of
donors who contributed to the scholarship fund. Broadcast majors created a 90-minute film
of the evening. Tributes were offered by Dr. David Steinberg, president of Long Island University, the
SVPA, and Stephanie Watt, chair of the Department of Music, as well as colleagues, students and
friends. It was a night to remember for all who love music and the dedication of the teachers who
make the difference!
Craft Center Receives Gift of Two Kilns
Building on the Craft Center’s reputation as one of the major centers for ceramics in the state,
C.W. Post has received a donation of two major kilns from a most generous benefactor. One is a
saggar kiln that provides a hybrid firing process combining ancient traditions of pit firing with
Stephanie Watt, chair, Department of Music, and Professor Lex Dashnaw
American Raku. The other is a soda kiln that provides a self-glazing atmosphere for the pieces in it.
These kilns enable the students to fire work with an endless variety of surface embellishments.
Frank Olt, professor of art and director of ceramics, said, "This is the kind of gift that goes directly to the education of our students."
HILLWWOOD ART MUSEUM
Once again part of the School of Visual and Performing Arts, Hillwood Art Museum continues to offer a
year-round schedule of changing exhibitions, lectures, and special programs. The renewed partnership will
expand collaboration between the School and the Museum providing more exhibitions and educational
opportunities for students and faculty.
The Museum launches its Fall 2008 schedule with two dynamic new exhibitions. “People, Politics and
Perversion: The Photographs of Helene Gaillet” (September 8-December 19); and, “Paintings by Ilya
Bolotowsky and Esphyr Slobodkina: Advocates of Abstract Art.” (September 8-November 22).
The annual Faculty Show will be on view from December 1-19 and we look forward to the annual Masters
of Fine Arts exhibitions in Spring 2009. These exhibitions, organized by the Art Department provide the
Campus and surrounding community with an opportunity to see the wealth of talent on the C.W. Post Campus.
Helene Gaillet, Muhammad Ali, 1979, Gelatin silver print.
Collection of Hillwood Art Museum
FACULTY
Play by Professor Premiers at New York Fringe Festival
“Grecian Formula,” written by Carter Anne McGowan, director of the Arts
Management Program, and produced by Professor McGowan and Elizabeth S.
Hines in association with the Post Theatre Company was performed to critical
acclaim at the New York International Fringe Festival. Hailed by the Village Voice
as an "amazing feat," the cast featured professional actors, current students and
recent graduates of the B.F.A. acting program. Students also worked as stage
crew on this comedy "that reminds you what it means, in the best of all possible
worlds, to be an audience member." (nytheatre.com) The production exemplifies
the School’s commitment to providing bridges for our students from the academic
to the professional world of the arts.
Todd Lawson and the cast of “Grecian Formula.” ©2008, Mariela Lombard Photography
VISUAL ARTS
Asian Fine Arts Students Thrive at C.W. Post
Oil on canvas by Yaehee Choi
The M.F.A. program in Fine
Arts has become a magnet for
outstanding young Asian artists.
Yaehee Choi, Puneeta Mittal
and Nung-Hsin Hu are just three
of the many M.F.A. graduates
from Asia whose careers are
already blooming. Born in South
Korea, Yaehee Choi moved to
New York to pursue her M.F.A. in
Fine Arts at C.W. Post. She continues to paint and exhibit internationally while working toward a
Ph.D. in Art History at Columbia
University. Since her graduation in
2008, Indian-born Puneeta Mittal
has exhibited in New York’s Manhattan Center Gallery, the Alfred
Van Leon Gallery in Huntington,
N.Y. and the Firehouse Gallery in
Bayshore, NY and is teaching at
Adelphi University. Sculptor, installation and video artist NungHsin Hu moved to New York from
Taipei in 1981 specifically to
pursue her M.F.A. at Long Island
University. She has exhibited
extensively in the U.S. and abroad. Her most recent exhibit
is at Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota. Hu has just
received an honorable mention in the 2008 International
Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in
Contemporary Sculpture Award.
In addition to the outstanding faculty and curriculum, students are attracted by the opportunity to participate in major
exhibits on campus and in trendsetting galleries in New York
City. Students are involved in mounting these shows, writing
program materials and greeting the public. “It’s not enough to
develop students’ talent as artists, we have an obligation to
give them skills they will need to enter the competitive world
of the arts,” said professor Seung Lee, director of the M.F.A.
Program.
“Being able to prepare a portfolio, describe and present
their work are essential tools when one enters the professional world.” Professor Lee, himself a native of Korea, understands the challenges faced by international students and is a
great asset in helping them become a part of SVPA.
Happy Birthday by Nung-Hsin Hu
Ceramics and Paint by Puneeta Mittal
Partial list of donors to the Alexander “Lex”
Dashnaw Endowed Scholarship. Calligraphy
by SVPA students and professor Linda Prentiss.