From MSU Today on Impact Radio: One of the most acclaimed composers of contemporary concert music, John Corigliano, is holding a weeklong residency at the MSU College of Music April 19-24.

Corigliano received a Pulitzer Prize of Music in 2001 and an Oscar in 1999 for his musical score in the 1998 film “The Red Violin.” He is also a three-time Grammy Award recipient.

“I enjoy working with students because they love music and want to learn; that interaction nurtures me, too,” says Corigliano. “I hope they learn from me that today’s composers are living, natural, normal and down-to-earth people.”

Corigliano’s visit to campus will conclude with “An Evening with John Corigliano: MSU’s Tribute to the Man and His Music.” The concert will be held 8 p.m. April 24 in Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall. Corigliano will host a 7:15 p.m. preview lecture, commenting on the works that will be performed.

The concert will feature five of Corigliano’s most well-known works performed by the MSU Symphony Orchestra, University Chorale, State Singers and Wind Symphony. Corigliano will host open rehearsals with the groups.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 13:41 – 7.8 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Mike Brand is executive director of MSU’s renowned Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

Wharton Center recently announced its highly anticipated 2010-2011 season, letting eager fans know the amazing entertainment offered by Michigan’s largest presenter of performing arts. There is something for everyone’s taste, including the high flying extravaganza Disney’s Mary Poppins and the 2006 Tony Award-winning best musical, Jersey Boys, both Broadway shows will have extended runs at Wharton.

“We are committed to bringing the best of Broadway and the performing arts to Wharton Center,” says executive director Mike Brand. “We are consistently in touch with top Broadway producers and we are excited to bring mega-musicals such as Jersey Boys and Mary Poppins to mid-Michigan. We are also lowering the entry point for most of the performing arts attractions making it easier for families to see the high quality attractions this coming season.”

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 7:21 – 4.2 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Clifton R. Wharton is MSU’s 14th president.

His major achievements were his successful efforts to maintain the quality of MSU’s academic programs despite budget reductions, his commitment to the education of the economically and educationally disadvantaged, and the integration of the School of Osteopathic Medicine with MSU’s other medical schools.

Wharton’s most lasting contribution to the University was the completion of Wharton Center for Performing Arts. The building, dedicated in 1982, was named in honor of Wharton and his wife Dolores, in recognition of the strong support, which they gave the project.

Wharton Center is celebrating the completion of an $18.5 million expansion and renovation project and the launch of a new season with an open house on October 11.

Dr. Wharton reflects on Wharton Center’s origins and also talks about his legacy as MSU’s 14th president. And he gives his views on the challenges facing higher education in 2009.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 14:38 – 8.4 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Mike Brand is executive director of MSU’s renowned Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

Wharton Center is celebrating the completion of an $18.5 million expansion and renovation project, and the launch of a new season with a free public open house on Sunday, October 11, 2009 from noon to 4:00 p.m. The event will begin with a ribbon cutting at noon with Clifton and Dolores Wharton, and other dignitaries.

“We’re excited to reintroduce Wharton Center to the MSU and greater communities,” says Wharton Center’s Executive Director Mike Brand. “This project wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our university leadership and greater community. I have no doubt everyone will be pleased.”

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 16:31 – 9.5 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: April is National Poetry Month.

Anita Skeen is a professor in MSU’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities and leads the Center for Poetry.

The Center for Poetry is la very active group that includes a number of student writers across several different majors at MSU.

Skeen tells us about the mission of the Center for Poetry, and she and her students read their poems for us.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 18:52 – 10.8 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: MSU alumnus Bill Mechanic was back in town for a prescreening of his latest movie, “Coraline,” the first stop-motion film to be shot in 3-D.

Mechanic talks about the viability of a growing film business in Michigan and gives his thoughts on what schools like MSU can do to meet this new job market. He also gives his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the movie industry.

“A lot of kids naturally have technology skills,” says Mechanic. “But schools can help kids hone critical writing skills because the best games and movies tell a compelling story amdist the technology.”

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 14:06 – 8.1 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Nine-time Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Wynton Marsalis has been commissioned by the MSU College of Music, the Wharton Center for Performing Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to create a new piece of music that celebrates Michigan. The world premiere of the piece will be performed by Marsalis with the MSU Symphony Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on September 24 at Wharton Center.

Rodney Whitaker, director of jazz studies at MSU’s College of Music, began the process in 2005 to commission Marsalis, his longtime friend and mentor.

“He’s one of the leading musicians of our time,” says Whitaker. “He’s an icon even to classical players.”

Marsalis will be on the MSU campus as an artist-in-residence from Sept. 22-25 to work with music students who make up the 110-member MSU Symphony Orchestra, to share his vision of the commission and to pass on some of his knowledge and opinions about music, culture and the arts.

Whitaker also talks about the jazz studies program he leads at MSU and about the state of jazz music around the world.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 15:42 – 9 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Mike Brand is executive director of MSU’s renowned Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

Nine-time Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis is coming to Wharton Center for a celebration of jazz and a world premiere of a new piece celebrating Michigan composed by Marsalis and performed by the combined talents of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the MSU Symphony Orchestra.

The performance, which showcases the new work, is part of multi-day artist-in-residence from September 22-25, during which Marsalis will work with students from MSU, Interlochen Arts Academy, and select area high schools.

“We’re extremely proud to be hosting Wynton at Michigan State as a 2008-2009 artist-in-residence,” says Brand. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to learn from a musical legend and audiences to share in an historical evening of new jazz.”

Brand also discusses Wharton Center’s mission, the challenges and opportunities facing the performing arts industry, and Wharton’s MSUFCU Institute for Arts and Creativity.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 21:52 – 12.5 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: The Great Lakes Folk Festival showcases the traditional cultural treasures of the nation’s Upper Midwest and a sampling of the best of traditional artists from around the country and the world.

The free, unique fusion of arts fair, music festival, county fair, multi-ethnic festival, hands-on activity workshops and celebration of cultural heritage will be held Aug 8-10, 2008 in downtown East Lansing.

Marsha MacDowell and Patrick Power from the Festival staff tell us all about the activities, music, and food at the 2008 edtion of the Great Lakes Folk Festival, which is produced by the Michigan Traditional Arts Program at the Michigan State University Museum.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 19:03 – 10.9 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Kent Love is Director of Communications for MSU’s renowned Wharton Center for Performing Arts. The MSU Federal Credit Union has made a gift of $2.5 million to, in part, name Wharton Center’s new MSU Federal Credit Union Institute of Arts and Creativity, which will provide meaningful, participatory learning programs both at Wharton Center and throughout Michigan for audiences of all ages.

Love talks about the mission of Wharton Center and of the new Institute. He describes the physical changes that will take place to the building itself and the artist residencies that will serve as the cornerstone of the new Institute.

He also talks about the current state of Wharton Center and of the entire performing arts industry. He discusses the challenges and opportunities facing Wharton Center and peers into the Center’s future.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 15:57 – 9.1 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Sunny Wilkinson has taken her place in that elite group of jazz vocalists who have stretched the boundaries and found themselves “one of a kind.”

Her performance credits are impressive, having sung with The Count Basie Band, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Clark Terry, Mark Murphy, Milt Hinton, Curtis Fuller, and Edgar Winter, among others. Sunny’s latest CD release is a duo project featuring Los Angeles based pianist Tom Garvin entitled A Gentle Time – When Sunny Meets Tom.

MSU’s Jazz Studies area presents a CD release concert featuring Wilkinson and Garvin on April 11, 2008 at the MSU College of Music Auditorium.

Sunny performs regularly at jazz festivals and clubs across the country and is assistant professor of vocal jazz at MSU.

Sunny talks about the inspiration for A Gentle Time. She discusses her teaching role at MSU and says jazz is alive and well in the world today!

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 20:56 – 12 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: The Cuban rumba takes the lead in composer and MSU associate professor of music Ricardo Lorenz’s symphonic work, Rumba Sinfonica, written in collaboration with Jorge Gomez, musical director of the hit Cuban music group Tiempo Libre.

Rumba Sinfonica is a 30-minute sound travelogue exploring the full possibilities of a Cuban band and orchestra playing together and fusing the urban rhythms of past and present Cuban music with the sophisticated sounds of the classical symphony orchestra.

“It’s a coming together of two worlds that rarely come together,” says Lorenz. “The styles are very rich on their own, and they’re much richer together.”

Lorenz talks about his inspiration for the piece and about his relationship with Gomez and Tiempo Libre. He talks about what attendees of the performance can expect and describes how audiences and musicians have responded to the piece.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 21:06 – 12.1 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: Kurt Dewhurst is the director of the MSU Museum and chairperson of MSU’s Cultural Engagement Council. MSU is celebrating the Year of Arts and Culture during the 2007-08 academic year.

Dewhurst talks about the initiative and how it comprises a year of activities involving arts and culture units and academic programs. Highlights will include anniversary celebrations of the Wharton Center for Performing Arts; the MSU Museum and the Department of Theatre; the beginnings of the new Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum; the opening of the new Residential College for the Arts and Humanities; signature events; and much more.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 12:01 – 6.9 mb mp3

From MSU Today on Impact Radio: The Great Lakes Folk Festival showcases the traditional cultural treasures of the nation’s Upper Midwest and a sampling of the best of traditional artists from around the country and the world.

This free, unique fusion of arts fair, music festival, county fair, multi-ethnic festival, hands-on activity workshops and celebration of cultural heritage will be held Aug 10-12, 2007 in downtown East Lansing.

Marsha MacDowell and Patrick Power from the Festival staff tell us all about the activities, music, and food at the 2007 edtion of the Great Lakes Folk Festival, which is produced by the Michigan Traditional Arts Program at the Michigan State University Museum.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Conversation 31:37 – 18.1 mb mp3

From MSU Today: MSU’s highly acclaimed School of Music is now the MSU College of Music. The MSU Board of Trustees approved the action at its February 23, 2007 meeting. The action recognizes the growth of the school and its stature among music performance and music education programs.

Jim Forger is dean of the college. He talks about the college’s mission and goals, and discusses its increased emphasis on its outreach efforts.

Hosted by Russ White.

Hear the Show 8:46 – 5.2 mb mp3

From MSU Today: On May 4, 2006, MSU presented “A Conversation With Legendary Motown Founder Berry Gordy.”

Terry Denbow, vice president of University Relations at MSU, provides a brilliant introduction to the special evening. Rodney Whitaker, associate professor of music, joined Gordy on the stage of Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre in a wide-ranging discussion of the social, cultural and musical impacts of Motown. Michael Mazzeo, associate dean of the Eli Broad College of Business, was on hand to talk about the business aspects of Gordy’s achievements. Isaac Kalumbu, assistant professor of Ethnomusicology, presented questions from the audience.

The evening began with a special performance of Motown music by the MSU Professors of Jazz featuring vocalist Sunny Wilkinson and led by Whitaker.

On May 5, 2006 Gordy was the keynote speaker at MSU’s undergraduate convocation at the Breslin Center, where he received an honorary doctor of humanities degree.

Here’s the complete unedited conversation with Berry Gordy.

Hear the Show 63 Minutes 36mb mp3

From MSU Today: Legendary Motown founder Berry Gordy delivered the commencement address at MSU’s May 5, 2006 undergraduate convocation. MSU’s vice president for research and graduate studies Ian Gray and MSU president Lou Anna Simon present Mr. Gordy with his honorary doctorate of humanities, and then Gordy addresses the crowd. Here’s the complete audio of Gordy’s inspirational talk to MSU’s class of 2006.

Hear the Show 20 Minutes 12mb mp3

Former Newsweek rock critic and 70s child Karen Schoemer discusses her new book: Great Pretenders : My Strange Love Affair with ’50s Pop Music. It’s a book thats as much a coming of age story as it is a series of interviews with the likes of Fabian, Pat Boone, Frankie Laine, Patti Page, Tommy Sands and Connie Francis.

Karen also traces her own roots as a rock writer, her internship with Rolling Stone, her work for publications as diverse as Spin and the New York Times, and talks about how satellite radio is transforming her listening habits.

Hosted by Bill Castanier and Scott Westerman.

Hear the Show 28 Minutes 14mb mp3

For the past two years, Detroit News film critic Tom Long has nailed every major winner in the Oscar prediction game. He talks with us about the one that got away this year, along with the also-rans who he thinks might have deserved a closer look. We also rate Jon Stewart’s performance as host and discuss why the ratings… and the boxoffice didn’t deliver the eyeballs everyone had hoped.

Hosted by Scott Westerman.

LINK: Detroit News Academy Awards Coverage

Hear the Show 7 Minutes 4mb mp3

When Michael Brand took over the reigns as Executive Director of Michigan State University’s Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, the venue was already one of the finest in the midwest. He brought three decades experience to the task as a performer, teacher and presenter in both the public and private sector. Under his guidance the Wharton Center has become a home for an eclectic mix of events, from commencements to the Lion King. Michael talks about the educational aspects of a performing arts venue, the process of deciding which shows to book, the new technologies that facilitate marketing activities and the story behind Garrison Keillor’s historic Prairie Home Companion broadcast.

Hosted by Bill Castanier, Gary Mescher and Scott Westerman

Hear the Show 25 Minutes 12mb mp3