Tag: music

November 11, 2020 Faculty Voices Post a Comment

Woodwind wizardry

As an award-winning clarinetist and emigrant to the South by way of New York and Wisconsin, Eric Schultz, assistant professor in the Department of Music, is eager to explore CCU’s potential as his new academic and professional home.

Schultz comes to CCU in the midst of a prestigious career as an internationally renowned musician who has performed with the Chelsea Symphony, toured as a member of the orchestra in Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals, and was scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall in May 2020 (rescheduled for 2021).

In his shift to a position that blends performance with teaching, Schultz is excited for the opportunities that CCU offers.

One of Schultz’ goals is creating new chamber music groups for students and other musicians, taking advantage of CCU’s facilities.

“The Wheelwright Auditorium recording studio is a great benefit for students,” Schultz said.

In the classroom, Schultz’ goal is to push students out of their comfort zone.

“I will challenge you,” he warns fledgling musicians, “but that is done out of love. It means I believe in you. I want to help you find your path.”

Being pushed out of one’s comfort zone is nothing new to Schultz; it’s how he discovered his love for teaching.

“An undergraduate teacher inspired me quite a bit. My clarinet teacher at the time, Melissa Koprowski, really pushed me in every way possible,” Schultz recollects. “On top of her excellent teaching, she also has one of the most beautiful clarinet tones I have ever heard… I never thought I would want to teach, but as I went on to teach privately and later even teach in Melissa’s studio during a leave, I fell in love with teaching.”

Teaching at the university level is very liberating for Schultz.

 “Now I get to do everything,” he says, noting that being a professor affords him the opportunity to perform, write about music, commission new pieces, learn about new technology, conduct, and, of course, teach.

Eric Schultz wearing a suit and tie, with multiple clarinets Description automatically generated

The pandemic has offered Schultz some time to engage with his other interests, however. To stay sane during quarantine, Schultz has watched the series The Magicians on Netflix, and he enjoys reading books about language learning.

“My cat, Andreas, is also very entertaining,” he notes.

In his off time, Schultz enjoys binging on ice cream and balancing out the calories with one of his favorite hobbies: running, weightlifting, or yoga.

To keep up with Schultz and his work, check out his website. 

To view a full video interview with Schultz, visit the CCU Edwards College Facebook page.

August 20, 2020 Faculty Voices Post a Comment

Tim Koch and artistic innovation

Tim Koch, CCU Director of Choral Activities and music director of the Carolina Master Chorale

Tim Koch, lecturer in the Department of Music; CCU director of Choral Activities; and music director of the Carolina Master Chorale, is carving a pathway forward for his arts organization within the current context of COVID-19. He’s created a platform for artists to not only perform but also share their reflections on related issues most important to them. This is one way, Koch believes, that artists and audiences can mutually support one another in a new reality.

The State of Things

Koch’s biweekly virtual event, titled “The State of Things: House Concerts and Conversations with Artists,” takes place over three consecutive sessions in September and October and is made accessible through the Carolina Master Chorale’s Facebook page.

The musician and director took a few minutes recently to talk about the series as well as the long view for the performing arts field.

Koch acknowledges that his particular industry is among the most vulnerable to long-term detrimental effects of COVID-19.

“My profession is all of a sudden one of the world’s most dangerous professions,” Koch said. “All the research says singing in groups, particularly indoors, is impossible. We’re trying to find solutions to that part of it, but in the meantime, my choir, the Carolina Master Chorale, which has a wonderful interface with Coastal, had to cancel our last concert, as lots of performing arts organizations have been forced to do. Our long-term viability is in jeopardy if we have to cancel another entire season.”

 And, of course, no concerts means the community loses the shared artistic experience.

“Right now, we’re not engaging the public,” said Koch, “and I wanted to find a way to do that.”

“Not just pretty music”

Offering purposeful art is already a tradition in the CMC, Koch said.

“I’ve always tried to make the music-making more than relevant, to try give it a real purpose. We’ve done concerts to recognize heroes, we’ve done concerts for the Boys and Girls Clubs – we regularly try to lift up our community. I don’t want people to come just to listen to pretty music; I want the music to be a vehicle for making our little corner of the world a better place.”

Garnering support

In creating this event, Koch drew upon his relationships with musicians and artists across the country and around the globe, in addition to his knowledge that artists often hold strong, informed views on various social and political issues. He wanted to highlight both the talent and the passions of the artists involved, so he tested interest in the event by sending some emails.

“I wrote to 25 friends,”  said Koch. “A number are local, a number are CCU faculty, and others are varying degrees of nationally and internationally recognized. I said ‘I know you care about what’s going on in the world and that you care particularly about some aspects rather than others. I wonder if you would just say a few words about the state of things, and then could you pair that with some sort of performance? And, I’m not going to pay you; I’m going to use what you do to generate help for the Carolina Master Chorale.’ I’m going to try to make this a forum where people might hear it all over the world, and I asked them to spread the word among their friends.”

A gracious response

The artists responded, not just gradually, but quickly and in impressive numbers.

 “All of these people said yes,” Koch said.

The recordings came in, and Koch compiled them into a comprehensive, sequential series of recitals.

The artists’ performances range from piano and flute to singing and poetry, and each artist shares insights on an issue close to their heart: Alzheimers research, the legal and penal system, and the plight of American Indians, to name just a few.

Much like so many factors of the COVID-19 pandemic, the compilation of these pieces was piecemeal, and participants were given very little guidance on logistics. The result, Koch said, is a beautiful and eclectic array of expression.

“They’re so varied,” said Koch. “They were all done in people’s homes — some performers are dressed up, some don’t have any makeup on. I wanted them to convey however they were feeling and whatever they wanted to talk about; I didn’t let them see what anyone else was doing, It looks a little ragtag now and then, but it’s authentic. I’m super excited about that.”

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