What's NEW?

Our Students (and Alums)

Performance Calendar

FYI

The "Profs"

BRAVO! Music & Theater Newsletter

What's NEW?

The 2007-2008 School Year was another fantastic experience in the Music and Theater Departments. With a great group of freshmen and a large contingent of continuing students, every inch of Rudd Auditorium was packed at all hours with lessons, rehearsals, classes--and lots of excitement. We don't have room to tell you about all God's blessings, but here are a few things that were memorable.

SPITFIRE GRILL--the Musical:  In January, the Music and Theatre departments kicked off the new semester with a production of Spitfire Grill, a musical adaptation of the movie, featuring the themes of forgiveness and redemption. The setting of the story is a contemporary one and so was the music, played by an ensemble of fiddle, electric bass, accordian, guitar and electric piano. Roles were acted and sung by students in the Musical Theatre program. Nearly 1000 people viewed the 8 performances held in Brock Hall, and many were moved by the powerful story.

CHORALE TOUR:  In March, during Spring Break, the 44-voice Bryan Chorale toured Georgia, Alabama and Florida, racking up nearly 2000 miles--singing at Christian schools and area churches (including famed Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church--where they recorded a couple of selections with its great pipe organ).

CHAMBER SINGERS TOUR:  The 19-member Chamber Singers, along with Drs. David and Sigrid Luther and Dr. and Mrs. Phil Lestmann, flew to Los Angeles two days after graduation. From May 12-19 the group performed in several churches, two Christian high schools and an assisted living facility. The singers also performed an informal mini-concert at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove for several tourists. Leisure time was spent at a couple of area beaches as well as a day at Knotts Berry Farm amusement park. A highlight of the tour was being hosted by alums and former Chamber Singers Tim and Jennilee (Ellliott) St. John.

SNYDER PIANO DEDICATION:  A special program was held in Brock Hall on February 6, for the dedication of a Baldwin grand piano, given by the Steve Snyder family in memory of friend and piano teacher, Barbara Snyder.  Performing on the program were Allison Hendrix, Phillip Kohler, Amy Scripka, and Roy Smith. Between concerts, the piano is housed in the new Barbara Snyder Piano Studio which saw constant use this year.

HILLTOP PLAYERS:  This year's spring play was a hilarious production of Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 featuring members of the Hilltop Players in a farce which asked audience members to guess "who done it."

MUSICAL TREASURES: The final production of the year featured the Chamber Singers--led by some student conductors--and small ensembles in a rousing concert that packed out Brock Hall (which we began working on last summer as an additional performance space). One highlight was the music faculty performing their own composition (sounding a whole lot like Handel) called "Little Boy Blue---Come Blow Your Horn." Other favorites included the Brass Quintet, Flute Ensemble, Harp and Piano solos, and a scene from Mozart's opera Cosi fan tutte, performed by members of the Opera Workshop. An amazing performance--in German--of Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes featured Dr. David Luther, Mrs. Kim Keck and vocal performance majors Micah Pepper and Ryan Traub as soloists. Dr. Sigrid Luther and student Kim McKennett assisted with 4-hands piano.

Photos courtesy of Timmy Sunday and Roy Smith.

Students/Alums

Graduates:  Three of our seven senior Music Majors graduated in May (the others will walk in December). 

Allison Hendrix:  Piano Pedagogy track. Allison will continue living in Dayton next fall, teaching 20 piano students and assisting at the Dayton Christian Ballet as teacher and administrator. At the Honors Day Chapel in April, she achieved national recognition, receiving the Music Teachers National Association Student Achievement Award.

Ryan Traub:  Vocal Performance track. In the fall, Ryan will return to the Chattanooga area where he plans to serve in a church and sing with various choral groups while preparing to audition for graduate school. At Honors Day, he received the F. R. Rogers Senior Music Award for outstanding contributions in voice, academics and leadership.
 

Katrina Wise:  Musical Theater track. Katrina has returned to her home in Louisville where she's working this summer. On the Honors Day Chapel, she received the Hilltop Players Senior Award for her contributions to the theatre program.

Recitalists:  All three graduating seniors presented recitals this spring. In addition, John Gross (organ) and Roy Smith (piano) presented their senior recitals as they will be student teaching or completing other requirements during their second "senior year."

Award winners: Five Bryan College pianists won highest ratings in the auditions of the Chattanooga Music Teachers Association and will progress to the state competition in November. Receiving superior ratings were Molly Gehring, Brittany McGehee, Natalie McGehee, Kim McKennett, and Sharalyn Schmidt.

Alums: look for the August issue of Bravo when we'll feature some of our alums.

Performance Calendar

Our fall calendar will feature a full range of Music and Theatre offerings including a "Big Band" program to lead off the year, a fully staged production of Mendelssohn's famous oratorio Elijah with orchestra, and exciting Christmas concerts featuring Bryan music ensembles plus special guests, The Metropolitan Bells. Performances of the fall play will coincide with Homecoming Weekend on Oct 3,4. There's also a full slate of student recitals. Watch for specifics in the August issue of BRAVO or check out the Performance Calendar on the web-site. 

Spring Chorale Tour: next March the Bryan Chorale will travel throughout North and South Carolina on its annual tour. If you are interested in having this 44-voice group of outstanding singers in your church or school between March 6-15, please contact Darlene Lestmann at music@Bryan.edu.

FYI

LONDON TRIP:  New Year's Eve will find 30 Bryan students and friends in the middle of London (near Buckingham Palace!) as they begin a 10-day Fine Arts and Theatre trip sponsored on alternate years by the Music and Theatre departments. This fall, Dr. Wilhoit will teach a "fast-track" Introduction to Fine Arts class with special focus on the trip, including places such as Stonehenge, the Roman City of Bath, Westminster Abbey, Canterbury and St. Paul's Cathedrals, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the British Museum, and on and on. Evenings in London will be free to explore the city or attend musicals or Shakespearean plays. At present, there are still 3 openings left on the tour. If interested, contact Bernie Belisle at Belislbe@Bryan.edu.

The "Profs"

David Luther--Teacher of the Year: at the annual Honors Day Chapel in April, Dr. David Luther was recognized as "Teacher of the Year" at Bryan College. Dr. D., as he's affectionately known, has spent three decades developing an outstanding choral program that includes national and international tours plus a dozen recordings. During his tenure at Bryan, he has taught nearly 1000 vocal students, with many going on to careers in performance, ministry, and education. Dr. Luther also teaches courses in church music and conducting. He's been a personal friend and mentor to countless students and has been elected as faculty president for the coming school year. At the Honors Chapel, he also received recognition for his 30 years of faithful service to the school.

Dr. Sigrid Luther: organized a workshop/master class for the Chattanooga Music Teachers Association. The clinician for the February 16 event was Ingrid Clarfield. Dr. Luther performed workshop examples with Dr. Clarfield, and Bryan sophomore Molly Gehring performed in the master class. Dr. Luther also attended the MTNA national conference in Denver March 29-April 2, judged the Knoxville Music Teachers Association auditions with music adjunct Katherine Sivy April 19-20, and judged the Cadek Conservatory Scholarship Competition April 27. She was also recognized at Honors Day for her 30 years of outstanding service to Bryan College.

Mr. Bernie Belisle: had a busy year directing and acting in various productions. Directing credits included Spitfire Grill and Musical Comdedy Murders. In December Mr. B performed the role of Caspar in the Tennessee Valley Theatre productions of the Christmas operetta, Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the Honors Day Chapel in April, he was recognized for 15 years of service to the college.

Mr. Bernard R. Belisle

Office Phone: 423-775-7338

E-mail: belislbe@bryan.edu

Academic Degrees:

• AA - Adirondack Community College
• BA/BS - Speech & Theatre, State University of New York College, Oneonta
• MS - Communication Education, State University of New York College, Oneonta

Professional Associations:

• Southeastern Theatre Conference
• Tennessee Theatre Association

Topic of Expertise:

• Musical theatre

Volunteer Activities:

  Tennessee Valley Theatre

Mrs. Kim Keck

Academic Degree

• Bachelor of Music
• Master of Music
   

Dr. David Luther

Office Phone: 423-775-7283

E-mail: lutherda@bryan.edu

Academic Degrees:

• D.M.A. Music, Louisiana State University
• M.M. Music, Louisiana State University
• M.C.M. Church Music, New Orleans Baptist Seminary
• B.A. Music, Bob Jones University

Professional Association:

• American Choral Directors Association

Topics of Expertise:

• Choral conducting
• Church music
• Vocal

Dr. Sigrid Luther

Office Phone: 423-775-7282

E-mail: luthersi@bryan.edu

Academic Degrees:

• D.M.A. Music (Piano), Louisiana State University
• M.M. Piano Performance, Louisiana State University
• B.A. Music (Piano), Bob Jones University

Professional Associations:

• Advisor to MTNA Chattanooga Area Collegiate Chapter
• Chattanooga Music Teachers Association Correspondence Secretary, Program Chair
• MTNA National High School Competition Coordinator 2008-2010

Workshop/Lecture Topics

• The Piano Music of Leonard Bernstein
• Contemporary Piano Teaching Pieces
• Performance from a Christian Perspective
• Developing Piano Skills through Church Music

Topics of Expertise:

• Music theory
• Piano performance

Dr. Mel R. Wilhoit

Professor of Music Office Phone: 423-775-7289 E-mail: wilhoime@bryan.edu Academic Degrees: D.M.A. Church Music, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary M.M. Music History and Literature, Mankato State University B.S. Music Education, Bob Jones University

Selected Publications:

• "A Hymnologial Whodunit or `The Case of the Fraudulant Philip Phillips.'"
• "A Sankey Primer." The Sonneck Society Bulletin Fall 1990
• "Alexander the Great; or Just Plain Charlie: Charles Alexander." The Hymn April 1995
• "American Holiness Hymnody: Some Questions -- A Methodology." Wesleyan Theological Journal Fall 1990
• "Elisha Albright Hoffman." The Hymn: A Journal of Congregational Song January 1984
• "Faith and Learning Reconsidered." Faculty Dialogue January 1988
• "Father of Gospel Music." Cross-Rhythms Fall 1992
• "Ira D. Sankey, the Father of Gospel Music." REJOICE, a Journal of Gospel Music Fall 1991
• "Look Who's Singing." The Church Musician April 1993
• "Sing Me a Sankey." The Hymn January 1991
• "The Birth of a Classic: The Story of `The Ninety and Nine.'" We'll Shout and Sing Hosanna 1998
• "The Music of Urban Revivalism." The Hymn October 1994
• "United States Hymnody from the Civil War through the Twentieth Century." The New Century Hymnal Companion 1998
• "White Gospel Music" and "Contemporary Christian Music." Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World
• "William Bradbury," "Fannie Crosby," "George F. Root," "George Webb." Signed articles for American Dictionary of Biography 1999
• Articles on Gospel hymnwriters for The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed. 2000
• Hymn October 1995

Topics of Expertise:

• Church music: hymnody and congregational song
• Music history: American music, European music, classical traditions
• Music of 19th and 20th century revivalism
• Music of the Scopes Trial

Besides the 5 full-time professors that teach our classes, there are many adjuncts involved in day-to-day music/theatre instruction.

Monica (Rollins) Woodlief: theatre.  She's is a 1997 BC graduate with a BA in Communication Studies/Theatre. In Houston, Texas, she acted and directed with the AD Theater while earning an MFA at the University of Houston. In 2003 she married Brian Woodlief. Returning to this area, she has taught theatre both at Lee University and Covenant College. In December of 2006, the Woodliefs welcomed their first child, Ethan, into the world. 

Kate Sivy: piano.  Teaches private and class piano 3 days per week. She is a fine performer with a Master's degree in Piano Performance from Ohio State University. She also teaches at Cadek Conservatory in Chattanooga and the Bryan Community Music School.

David Friberg: organ. He was the former Music Department Chair at Bryan College, taught for many years at Covenant (now retired) and is organist for Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church.

Nora Kile: flute. Taught for Cadek Conservatory for many years, now teaches privately; Master of Music from Cincinnati Conservatory and is member of Chattanooga Symphony.

Roy Barger: classical guitar. A fine guitarist and string instrument maker with a Master's in Guitar Performance from UTC. Works full-time for TN Department of Corrections.

Brenda Moye: saxophone. A fine performer and member of the Southern Saxophone Ensemble; doctorate in performance and music education

Laura Elder: harp.  Outstanding performer and teacher; assistant harpist for Chattanooga Symphony; Master's in Performance from Ball State University.

Brad Denton: music technology. Trombonist, Band Director of Rhea County High School and Finale clinician. Instructor in music technology.

Wade Williams: church music.  Conductor, arranger, guitarist, and worship leader for Northshore Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. Leader in Blended Worship tradition and mentoring church musicians.

Amanda Sherrin: stage movement.  Musical Theater graduate from Bryan College. Teaches classes in Beginning and Advanced Stage Movement plus providing choreography for Bryan College stage productions.