2008 School of Music and Dance Fundraiser: The School's major fundraiser for 2007-2008 will be the recreation of a 1920's Radio Broadcast performed by SJSU piano professor Gwendolyn Mok and the Symphony Silicon Valley. About the show, Dr Mok states:
"I created and produced The Gershwin Radio Hour in 1998 for Citibank UK, where it was presented in the deco ballroom of the Parklane Mayfair Hotel which George often visited during his stays in London. The show was a re-creation of a 1930's broadcast, complete with radio commercials from the time and a radio announcer. The program included Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F and vocal selections from Porgy and Bess and many of Gershwin's hit shows, using the original arrangements for the Paul Whiteman Band."
On May 8th, 2008 Dr. Mok will be the featured soloist in this production with the Symphony Silicon Valley led by Paul Polivnick in the beautiful California Theater in downtown San Jose. The script written for Hoyt Smith, our guest radio announcer from KDFC, will tie in the Gershwin's California experience and will mention the recent gift to our university of an important collection of Gershwin related memorabilia from the Goldberg family. The same works from the London show will be on this program as well as selections from Funny Face which was written in 1927, the same year the California Theater was built.
Tickets to this gala evening are $100, which includes the concert admission and a pre-concert reception of white and sparkling wines and hors d'oeuvres. For ticket information and reservations, call the School of Music and Dance at 408-924-4673.

Scholarship Auditions: Scholarship auditions for Music will be held this year on February 9th, 22nd, and April 5th of 2008. Contact the School of Music and Dance for more information.

Be a Music Major for a Day is an opportunity for prospective students to visit the School of Music and Dance. Students will sit in on courses, meet faculty members and other students, as well as sit in on ensemble rehearsals in their performance area. Students are welcome to bring a parent or guardian and experience a typical day in the life of an SJSU music student. There are several courses available to choose from and lunch will be provided along with information packets and materials. Be a Music Major for a Day is an excellent way to see first-hand what the student community is like in the School of Music and Dance, and realize the incredible opportunities that await you here at SJSU. Don't miss it, mark your calendar now for Wednesday, April 16, 2007. For further information call (408) 924-1377.

Summer in the City: Our inaugural year of Summer in the City went so well we can't wait for our second year! It is amazing to see the progress that can be made in one week's time when everyone is focused and working toward a common goal of being the best musician one can be. The 2008 camp will be held June 22nd through June 28th with both junior and senior sessions running concurrently. Until then we will be working to make sure the camp goes as well as our inaugural year. We look forward to seeing you at Summer in the City: Music at San Jose State, 2008. Contact the School of Music and Dance for more information.

New SJSU Guitar Ensemble: The Guitar Ensemble is comprised of guitarists in the School of Music and Dance as well as other students who wish to expand their performance skills. A vital component of the guitar program at San Jose State University, the Guitar Ensemble offers guitarists exposure to a wide range of repertoire, the benefit of collaborating in a large ensemble, and regular performance opportunities in venues on and off campus. Select members of the Guitar Ensemble are chosen each semester to perform in the community, acting as representatives of the Guitar program and the University.


New Faculty for Fall 2007 --

J.D. Burnett, Interim Director of Choral Activities
Mr. Burnett has recently completed his master's degree in choral conducting from the Westminster Choir College and holds a bachelor degree in vocal music education from Oklahoma State University. After a very successful high school teaching career in Texas, Mr. Burnett was appointed as the Music Director of the Houston Masterworks Chorus and in 2006 was hired as the Artistic Director and Conductor for the New Jersey Chamber Singers. During his career, Mr. Burnett has studied with some of the choral profession's most respected conductors including Joe Miller, Timothy Brown, Joseph Flummerfelt, Andrew Megill, Craig Hella Johnson and Jerry McCoy. In addition, Mr. Burnett is also a gifted tenor and has most recently performed in the internationally noted Spoleto Festival in South Carolina, the Oregon Bach Festival and the Victoria Bach Festival.

Catherine Payne, Flute
Catherine Payne, who joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1996, performed and recorded with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as acting second flutist for two seasons, including the 1994 and 1995 Tanglewood seasons. As a member of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, she appeared on many Evening at Pops telecasts, including the annual July 4th broadcasts live from the Esplanade. Ms. Payne was formerly principal flutist of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston and Associate Principal Flute and piccolo player with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, the Portland Symphony, and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, where she was a featured soloist in concertos of Mozart and J.S. Bach. In the 2003-04 season, Ms. Payne was invited to perform for several weeks with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Barenboim, playing concerts in Chicago and Europe. While pursuing her musical education, Ms. Payne also attended Tufts University, where she majored in English, and she graduated summa cum laude from both the New England Conservatory and Tufts.

Dr. Patrick Francis, Guitar
Dr. Patrick Francis has been selected as the new guitar instructor area coordinator. Patrick is currently a member of the renowned San Francisco Guitar Quartet. A composer, arranger, and improviser, he holds degrees from Millikin University, San Francisco State University, and Arizona State University, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Frank Koonce. Patrick has also performed in masterclasses for Manuel Barrueco, David Leisner, Nicolas Goluses, Robert Wolff, Ricardo Cobo, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, and Jakob Lindberg. His original music, lessons, reviews, and articles regularly appear in the pages of Acoustic Guitar, Play Guitar, and Guitar Teacher magazines.

Andrew Heller, Recording
Mr. Andrew Heller will be teaching Music 170A in the technology area. Mr. Heller owns Location Digital Recording and Sound in Redwood City and holds a BA in Audio Engineering from CSU Chico. He has done advanced studies at the New York Institute of Technology and for several years served as a recording engineer at the Aspen Music Festival.

Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, Music Education
Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio will teach Music 185 and 370A in elementary education. Mrs. Ireland D'Ambrosio received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of New Hampshire and her MM in Music Education from Holy Names College where she specialized in the Kodaly method.

Dr. Namik Sultanov, Piano
Dr. Sultanov, born in Baku, Azerbaijan, was Chairman of the Piano Department and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts at Bilkent University in Turkey. He received his doctorate from the Moscow State Conservatory. Since that time, Dr. Sultanov has taught many students who have become winners in piano competitions and has been invited as a jury member in national and international competitions. He is frequently invited to give master classes.