Graduate student featured as a guest conductor at the fall percussion ensembles concert

By Ashlie Albrecht

Jason Piers, a graduate student at Utah State University, was featured as a guest conductor at the annual fall percussion ensembles concert on Monday night in the Kent Concert Hall. 

Jason Nicholson, the director of percussion studies at USU, said Piers did a wonderful job conducting the group. Nicholson said he wanted Piers to conduct one of the songs to give him experience, since he might be teaching in the future.

“I like to vary it up, to give the students a different experience as well,” Nicholson said.

Piers conducted the second song in the program, “No Exit.”

“It was a great performance,” Piers said. “It was pretty fun to be in charge. I want to be like Dr. Nicholson someday. Following in his footsteps is what I want to do.”

Betsy Nelson, a percussionist who performed in the song Piers conducted, said leading a percussion ensemble is difficult because in other types, such as a symphony orchestra, the conductor’s main focus is on expression. She said in a percussion ensemble, there are very complex meters to work with, meaning the conductor really has to work on keeping the group together. According to Nelson, Piers still has some things to learn.

“As a conductor, Jason is pretty inexperienced,” Nelson said. “Dr. Nicholson is very precise. He has a tendency to be very small in his conducting which almost makes it easier to follow. That is something that Jason is still learning. It’s something that comes with experience. He’ll get better at it.”

Piers graduated from the University of North Texas and applied to Utah State to work toward his master’s degree.

“Of course I accepted him,” Nicholson said. “It was a pretty easy decision to have him out here.”

Nicholson was pleased with Piers’ conducting job as well as the concert as a whole.

“You know, overall the students had fun, so that’s always a pleasure to see them reacting like that,” Nicholson said.

Utah State University jazz ensembles will be joined by special guests for fall concert

By Ashlie Albrecht

The jazz ensemble members at Utah State University will perform their annual fall concert on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in The Performance Hall, joined by special guest musicians Josh Skinner and Kate Skinner.

Jon Gudmundson, the director of jazz studies at USU, invited Josh Skinner and Kate Skinner to be featured in the show because they are the newest music faculty members at the school and he thinks they are great musicians.

“Our second piece will be an almost orchestral arrangement of a beautiful pop song called ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,’ sung by Kate Skinner, who teaches voice and keyboards in our music department at Utah State,” Gudmundson said. “We are going to close out our portion of the concert with a good old swinger called ‘Soupbone’ that features our bass professor Josh Skinner.”

Gregory Wheeler, the assistant director of bands for USU, said both of the guests came to the university with professional skills.

“Their performing abilities are on a level that will provide a memorable experience to all,” Wheeler said.

Along with Josh Skinner and Kate Skinner, there are two big bands that will be playing. A big band is defined as customarily having five saxophones, four trombones, four or five trumpets and a rhythm section which consists of piano, guitar, bass and drums. The USU Jazz Orchestra will perform first and the USU Jazz Ensemble will follow.

The concert is titled “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,” named after the song Kate Skinner will be singing. Gudmundson said everyone who attends the concert will be entertained.

“One of the great things about jazz music is that even if we played the same music at every concert, it would sound different every time because there is a lot of improvisation that goes on in our concerts,” Gudmundson said. “One thing is for sure, listeners will hear a wide variety of music during the concert and there will definitely be something for everyone.”

For ticket information visit, https://arts.usu.edu/htm/box-office

Arizona State University professor of intermedia speaks to art and engineering students at USU

By Ashlie Albrecht

Dan Collins, a professor of intermedia, or art involving the use of multiple mediums, within the School of Art at Arizona State University, spoke to both art and engineering students at Utah State University today in the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art. The guest lecture was part of Art Museum and Engineering Week, a collaboration between the curators of the museum and the professors in the engineering department. Collins discussed his work with mediated sculptures, figures made with or by incorporating technology, as a demonstration of how artists can pool resources with engineers.

Collins presented many examples of the work he has done using three dimensional scanning lasers. He scanned his subjects and then used computer technology to morph the digital 3-D images into pieces of artwork.

“Your capacity as an artist, who has refined visualization skills, brings certain skills that are of great value to the engineers who can partner with artists to do these higher level kinds of experiments,” Collins said.

Mark Lee Koven, an assistant professor of art at USU, invited Collins to be the keynote speaker of the week because he feels Collins’ artwork embodies the thinking engineers should be using in their research.

“Dan is a perfect fit as an artist who is using art at the onset of the research rather than just as it is typically used, at the end of a research component,” Lee Koven said.

Katie Lee Koven, the director of the museum, said Collins showed there are many opportunities for artists who are asking questions and engineers who are seeking answers to work together.

“When you are able to combine these two, from opposite ends of the spectrum, and incorporate different technologies and tools, some really interesting things can happen,” Katie Lee Koven said.

Brooke Jacques is a graphic design student at USU who is very interested in art combined with technology, like the pieces Collins created.

“I think it is a good direction for me,” Jacques said. “I don’t consider myself entirely an artist. I do graphic design which is more of a functional art, so I think his type of work could take me to the next level.”

Collins’ art is not just influenced by science, but it also utilizes science, according to Mark Lee Koven.

Collins explained there are often limitations to the things that can be produced and encouraged the students to develop patience and endurance.

"Sometimes we’re ahead of what machines can actually accommodate,” Collins said. “At other moments machines are ahead of what we can actually imagine.”

USU opera scenes showcase performs under new director

By Ashlie Albrecht

The annual opera scenes showcase, held in the Fine Arts Center at Utah State University on Friday and Saturday night, was directed by instructor Dallas Heaton for the first time this year. Undergraduate students from the Caine College of the Arts perform a selection of scenes from various operas each fall semester.

Heaton said the best part of directing the show was getting to work with the students on such a personal level.

“The kids brought a lot of good ideas and they are all really talented,” Heaton said.

Brad Summers, a sophomore in the opera theater program, enjoyed working with Heaton and noticed many differences between him and his predecessor.

“I think professionalism is what is really different about this year,” Summers said. “The teacher last year didn’t know as well how to use time it seemed and rehearsals began several minutes late. Dallas also invites us to use our own creativity with our scenes which I really appreciate. Last year there was a lot of creativity there but it was more directed.”

Jacob Spjute, another opera theater student, agreed with Summers. Spjute said Heaton has a professional demeanor, unlike past directors.

“He is a lot more organized and things run a lot more smoothly in rehearsals,” Spjute said. “They are very efficient.”

Summers attributes Heaton's directing skills to his experience in working on a professional level.

“Over the summer he worked with Utah Festival Opera and Utah Opera,” Summers said. “This was his first time directing our show, but I think he did it really well.”

Heaton chose the theme “Songs of Love and Loss” for the performance.

“It is kind of generic if you think about it, but it fit,” Heaton said. “We tried to find a mix of funny stuff and touching stuff.”

Spjute said Heaton has been an amazing teacher.

“He has a lot of knowledge about all the music,” Spjute said. “He has been really great to work with.”

Swedish artist Christine Odlund to perform at Utah State University

By Ashlie Albrecht

Christine Odlund, a Swedish artist, will be coming to perform and give a lecture in the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art at Utah State University on Sunday at 3 p.m. Her presentation is part of the newly implemented “Museum and Music” series. Her appearance will close the exhibition currently on display in the museum entitled, “Enchanted Modernities: Mysticism, Landscape and the American West.” 

Katie Lee Koven, the director of the museum, said Odlund employs multiple media to incorporate video, drawing, painting, animation and music into her works. 

“Her approach is very unique and not likely something we’ve seen at Utah State before,” Lee Koven said.

The “Enchanted Modernities” exhibition explores the influences of religion on visual art and music, particularly in the western United States. Christopher Scheer, an assistant professor of music at USU, said Odlund explores the boundaries of fact and fiction in her work, along with creating an overlap between the spiritual and the scientific.

“Odlund’s performance, which will occur within the exhibition space, will demonstrate how the influences discussed in the exhibition are still vibrant and influential today for artists and musicians, not only in the U.S., but around the world,” Scheer said. “She is one of the most exciting artists working today in this area.”

Odlund’s work has been exhibited extensively in Europe and Asia.

“We are excited to be one of the first institutions in the United States to host her and explore her work,” Scheer said.

Lee Koven said the average attendance for the “Museum and Music” guest performances so far has varied from 40 to 60 people, but she hopes Odlund’s appearance will be especially well attended because she will be traveling from Sweden for the event.

“We feel very honored to have her come all this way to provide exposure to new artwork and ideas, which is certainly an excellent opportunity for students and faculty as well as the community at large,” Lee Koven said.

Dean of the Caine College of the Arts receives community service award at annual Veterans Day concert

By Ashlie Albrecht

Craig Jessop, the dean of the Caine College of the Arts, was presented with a community service award on Tuesday night at the seventh annual Veterans Day concert performed by the American Festival Chorus. The leaders of the Bear River chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution were behind the award and selected Jessop because of his creation of the memorial concert as well as his musical service at Utah State University.

Cindy Larsen was the DAR representative who presented Jessop with the award.

“On behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution, we want to present this award to Craig Jessop for the countless hours of service he has devoted to creating this beautiful music for Cache Valley as well as throughout the state, nation and even the world,” Larsen said.

Jessop said he was touched by the award because making music is the one thing he would pay to do.

“I feel humbled by this and am very grateful and honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution for this recognition,” Jessop said.

Jessop created the American Festival Chorus in 2008. The first concert he directed for the chorus was the Veterans Day concert. Jessop, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, said he felt it was important for the group’s first concert to honor servicemen and their families.

“If we only gave one concert a year, this is the concert I would choose to do because when I see the sacrifice of these families, I am humbled by what they do,” Jessop said.

The featured guest speaker at the concert this year was Rep. Chris Stewart. Stewart told the audience there is no one he has come to respect and admire more than Jessop.

“I tell you, if I ever die and go to heaven, if I can sit and listen to one of Craig’s choirs I’ll be very satisfied,” Stewart said. “Cache Valley, my home, is so lucky to have him here.”

Cortney Bowen, a member of the American Festival Chorus, said even though she has been in multiple choirs throughout her life, Jessop still provides her with new things to learn.

“It’s an honor and an absolute privilege to be able to work with him on a weekly basis,” Bowen said. “Kudos to him on that award. All of us in the choir would have given it to him.”

Jessop expressed his respect for those who serve in the military.

“This concert is just a tiny, little thank you from one very grateful citizen for all they do,” Jessop said.

New USU guitar professor Ben Mathews takes charge of ensembles at semiannual guitar concert

By Ashlie Albrecht


Ben Mathews, a newly-hired guitar professor in his first semester at Utah State University, was in charge of two of the six groups at the semiannual Guitar Ensembles performance on Monday night, held in The Performance Hall. Mathews said his goal was to give the students some power over the songs they performed and, to that end, he featured two original student compositions.

“It was a collaborative effort,” Mathews said in reference to the music selection process. “What happens is I choose a bunch of arrangements for the students to rehearse, but they bring in a couple of arrangements they want to work on too. We decide what gets played from there.”

Lance Ruby was one of the student composers who had an original piece of music played at the concert. His composition was entitled “Knoppe.” Ruby said having Mathews approve of his work and agree to put it in the showcase meant a lot to him.

“Any time you have music you write played at an academic level it’s kind of a big deal,” Ruby said.

Nick Manning was the other student composer. His piece, entitled “North Four,” was not originally intended to be played by a guitar quartet but rather by a jazz one. However, Manning said the transition to the guitar was fun for him to carry out.

“It was nice to hear how it actually sounds so I can tweak and adjust it how it needs to be adjusted,” Manning said.

Mathews was impressed with the pieces of both Ruby and Manning, noting the different styles they had. According to him, “North Four” was a more traditional swing type of number while “Knoppe” was much more eccentric.

“They were really fine works,” Mathews said. “They come from very different places.”

Carly Furlong attended the concert and enjoyed hearing the differing levels of talent as well as the novel student works.

“I thought it was good to include the original compositions because it was different than what you could hear at any other guitar concert,” Furlong said. “It made it more unique and specialized to these students.”

Mathews was pleased with how the performance went and was particularly proud of the teamwork, a value he wanted to emphasize with this recital.

“The point of the ensemble is to get these guys to work together and shine as a group rather than trying to shine as an individual,” Mathews said.