Current Research + Creative Activity
56th International Horn Symposium Performance
Dana School of Music faculty members Caroline Oltmanns, Misook Yun, and Sean Yancer, who make up the SaeRon Trio, performed at the 56th International Horn Symposium (IHS) held at Colorado State University from July 29 – August 2, 2024. IHS is an annual event that brings music teachers, performers, students, exhibitors, and enthusiasts together from all over the world.
PMEA District 5 Chorus Festival
Bryan Helsel, a lecturer in the Dana School of Music, conducted the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District 5 Chorus Festival January 26, 2024. The music focused on native New Zealand culture, featuring the Maori and Samoan languages. Helsel composed a new piece for the choir, titled “Celebrate My Joy,” that portrayed the love PMEA students have for choir.
“Your DAW Can Do What?” Ohio Music Education Association Conference Presentation
Professor of music Daniel Keown was selected to present his research titled “Your DAW Can Do What? Exploring Strategies for Integrating DAWs to Teach Students Music Content” at the 2024 Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus February 1 – 3, 2024. His presentation focused on the ways educators can utilize digital audio workstations (DAWs) with their students.
“Create a Recording Class” Ohio Music Education Association Conference Presentation
Lecturer of recording arts Bryan Helsel was selected to present his research titled “Create a Recording Class with Little or No Budget” at the 2024 Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus February 1 – 3, 2024.
“Lightning Talk: Pittsburgh”
Professor of art Dana Sperry presented his talk “Lightning Talk: Pittsburgh” at the Applied Geography Conference held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania October 25 – 28, 2023. Sperry focused his talk on three artistic projects located in Pittsburgh, including his own audio walk thewhyhere.com.
Illustration and Design Conference Presentation
Professor of art Michelle Nelson presented her paper “Weaving Illustration Throughout a Design Curriculum” at the South Eastern College Arts Conference (SECAC) held in Richmond, Virginia October 11 – 14, 2023. This nonprofit organization fosters the study and practice of the visual arts and provides support for art professionals in higher education.
Performances and Publications
Caroline Oltmanns, Professor of Piano in the Dana School of Music, recently published “Women at the Piano” in the Journal of International Alliance of Women in Music.Among other things, the article probes gender bias in concert programming. Oltmanns also performed on two cruises on the Queen Mary earlier this year.
Madd for Tadd
Professor of jazz Kent Engelhart released a double album titled “Central Avenue Swing & Our Delight” with his band, Madd for Tadd, August 25, 2023. The album is made up of covers of Tadd Dameron material.
Unfreezing Music Education
Professor of music education Paul Louth published his book “Unfreezing Music Education: Critical Formalism and Possibilities for Self-Reflexive Music Learning” through Routledge April 21, 2023. The book argues that in formal music education, the conflicting meanings of music should be discussed more often in order for students to better understand the ways in which the meanings of music are found.
2022 Steinway Top Piano Teacher Award
Professor of music Caroline Oltmanns was awarded the 2022 Steinway Top Piano Teacher Award during a ceremony held February 23, 2023 at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Cleveland. The award is given in recognition of an educator’s passion and commitment towards inspiring their students through music.
College Band Directors National Association Showcase
Michael Butler, associate professor and director of bands in the Dana School of Music, led the YSU Wind Ensemble to the 2023 College Band Directors National Association National Conference and Showcase, hosted by the University of Georgia February 15 – 18, 2023. The ensemble was one of seven chosen for the showcase out of hundreds of applicants.
Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award
Professor of art Dragana Crnjak was chosen as one of 75 individuals to be awarded a 2023 Individual Excellence Award by the Ohio Arts Council. Individual Excellence Awards are given in recognition of artists’ bodies of work that exemplify dedication to the advancement of the creative community. The award money helps to support artists’ growth and development.
Glasgow Print Studio Gallery Exhibition
Professor of art Joseph D’Uva has had his work included in the Glasgow Print Studio Gallery exhibition “The Love of Print: International,” located at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom February 3 – April 1, 2023. D’Uva was also selected for the Mid American Print Council (MAPC) Members Juried Exhibition at Kent State University during the MAPC Power of the Print Conference, which ran October 13 – 16, 2022. His work, which was in collaboration with YSU student Ashley Vaughan, was part of the “Open-Ended CTA: A Collaboration” exhibition.
Recitals and Masterclasses
Misook Yun, Professor, Dana School of Music, led an online masterclass for students from Brazil and Argentina at the ArsDocta International Music Festival; performed recitals and masterclasses at the University of Dayton and University of Tampa; was a reviewer for the Korean Lyric Diction for Singers book proposal for Oxford University Press; and was an unofficial reviewer for Korean translations of Estill Voice Training Level One and Two.
Director of bands conducts for U.S. Army Field Band
Associate professor of music and director of bands Michael Butler guest conducted the Concert Band section of the United States Army Field Band Thursday, November 3, 2022 at Stambaugh Auditorium. The Concert Band is the oldest and largest section of the Field Band’s four performing components.
National Association for Music Education National Conference Presentations
Associate professor of choral music education Daniel Keown gave two presentations at the National Association for Music Education National Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference in Maryland November 2 – 6, 2022. His presentations were titled “Discovering the Lost Ark of Possibilities: Bringing Visibility to the Invisible Art Form of Film Music in Your Music Classroom” and “Influence of Workshop Training on Preservice Music Educators’ Self-Reported Abilities and Level of Support for Using DAW Technology to Teach Music Concepts.”
“Wind” CD release
Dana School of Music professor Caroline Oltmanns released her new piano CD “Wind” November 1, 2022. Created around the subject of wind, the album features work from Claude Debussy’s “Voiles” and “Bruyeres,” along with Franz Liszt’s “Erlkönig” and “Orage.”
Guest Conductor: “Requiem” and “Giving Voice to Peace”
Associate professor of music Hae-Jong Lee was the guest conductor of the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Carnegie Hall May 28, 2022. Under guidance from MidAmerican Productions Inc., Lee conducted John Rutter’s “Requiem” along with directing a choral concert titled “Giving Voice to Peace.”
“Who’s Who in America”
Michael Butler, director of bands in the Dana School of Music, was recently elected to publish in “Who’s Who in America” by Who’s Who. The company is a publisher of biographies that chronicle the lives of individuals who make significant contributions to society. Butler’s other recent accomplishments include commissioning Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Julia Wolfe to write a new piece for wind ensemble and presenting at multiple music conferences.
Fostering Inclusivity
Associate Professor of Theatre Katherine Garlick was selected to present her research, “Fostering Inclusivity in Academic Costume Spaces,” during a juried poster session at the National Conference of the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology in Baltimore.
"Shh..."
A painting by Dragana Crnjak, Professor of Art, is included in the WOMEN PAINT catalog, produced by Page Bond Gallery in Richmond, Va. The online catalogue is a survey of 24 artists. A portion of sales go to the UNICEF Children in Crossfire of Ukrainian Crisis fund.
Performance at Conservatory of Boulogne-Billancourt
James Umble, Professor in the Dana School of Music, was invited to perform at the Conservatory of Boulogne-Billancourt as part of the 90th birthday party for master French saxophone artist and teacher Jean-Marie Londeix. Umble studied with Londeix at the National Conservatory of Bordeaux, France, and in 2000, authored the biography, Jean-Marie Londeix, Master of the Modern Saxophone, a standard reference in use worldwide. (Due to COVID restrictions, Dr. Umble’s trip was cancelled.)
Research Presentations
Daniel Keown, Associate Professor of Music Education, had two research studies selected by a peer-reviewed panel for presentation at this year’s National Association for Music Education - Music Research and Teacher Education Conference. One study was supported by a YSU Office of Assessment Mini-Assessment Grant titled, “Examination of Identified Frequency and Location of Music Characteristics within Motion Picture Soundtracks.”
Mid America Print Council Conference
Joseph D'Uva, Professor of Art, was selected to participate in the Call to Action Print Portfolio Exchange at the Mid America Print Council Conference.
ArsDocta International Music Festival
Professor of music Misook Yun presented a virtual masterclass and lecture at the ArsDocta International Music Festival held August 2 – 8, 2021 as one of just 17 faculty in attendance. In addition, she was a featured soloist in performances of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Alleluja” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Glitter and Be Gay” with the Butler County Symphony Orchestra.
“Vezovi” art exhibit
Professor of art Dragana Crnjak’s exhibit “Vezovi” was installed at The Cultural Center of Trebinje in Trebinje, Bosnia July 18, 2021. The artwork was a contemporary site-specific wall drawing inspired by Zminjanje embroidery.
Closer Than They Appear
Artwork by Claudia Berlinski, Director of the McDonough Museum of Art, was included in two recent exhibitions: “Invitational Art Show - Excellence/Defining Space” and “Unbound: The Altered Book.” She also had her piece, Closer Than They Appear: Winter Thaw,featured in the February issue of Apero.
2020-21 Cuyahoga Community College Concert Series
Professor of music Caroline Oltmanns presented a livestream concert Sunday, March 21, 2021, as part of the 2020-21 Cuyahoga Community College Concert Series, performing works by Claude Debussy, Raymond Wilding-White, Friedrich Gulda, and Ludwig van Beethoven. The same day, she also performed at the BOP STOP in Cleveland as part of the Cleveland Composers Guild.
International Conference for Saxophone Performance and Pedagogy
Professor of saxophone James Umble performed a contemporary work for solo saxophone by composer and theorist Andrew Mead at the 2021 International Conference for Saxophone Performance and Pedagogy, hosted by the University of Florida. Mead wrote and dedicated the work to Umble, who has been performing Mead’s work extensively in recent years.
Peripheries
Professor of Art Dragana Crnjak exhibited Peripheriesat the Page Bond Gallery in Richmond, Va. Crnjak, a native of Bosnia, has exhibited internationally, nationally, and regionally, and her work is included in numerous private and public collections.
agatheringofcitrusrats
Joseph D'Uva, Professor of Art, Printmaking, exhibited his artwork in several shows at the Columbus Printed Arts Center in Columbus, OH, the Gathered Glass Blowing Studio/Pegboard Press in Toledo, OH, and the Weber Fine Arts in Omaha, NE. The work included lithography, screenprinting, and flocking printmaking processes.