UW-Whitewater Music Department Open House 10/8/12

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Music Department Open House - October 8, 2012

Dear Music Colleague,

I am writing to invite you, your students, and their parents to our Music Department Open House on Monday, October 8. This is an event designed for talented high school musicians who are exploring the possibility of college level music study.

Your students can plan on an interesting and information-packed morning.  In addition to meeting our faculty, they’ll hear a presentation on careers in music and our degree programs, specifics about what they can expect as a music major at Whitewater, and how best to prepare for music study. We will also have information on music department scholarships. They’ll get to tour our facilities, and have a chance to meet with faculty members from their specific area of interest—one of the best ways to sample college music study. Finally, they will have the opportunity to sit in on music classes and rehearsals throughout the day. A detailed Open House schedule can be found on the music website. The general schedule is as follows:

8:15-8:45 - Registration and mingling (Greenhill Center of the Arts, Atrium)

8:45-9:00 - Welcome and faculty introductions

9:00-9:35 - Careers in music and preparing for musical study

9:35-9:55 - Break / questions and answers

9:55-10:45 - Meetings with studio faculty (brass, keyboard, percussion, strings, and woodwinds)

11:00 – Campus tour or observe classes

12:00 – (Optional) – Reassemble for final Q&A, followed by a tour of UWW Music facilities, or observe afternoon classes and rehearsals

To register, students can visit our website (music.go.uww.edu):  simply click the “join us!” link to fill out an online registration form or to download a form to send by mail.  They may also register by phone:  just call the Music Department at 1-800-621-8744. Please register byOctober 1st. They will receive a confirmation by email. The confirmation will include directions to UW-Whitewater and information regarding parking. Students should plan to arrive between 8:15 to 8:30 a.m., in order to have a chance to meet faculty informally.

I hope to meet you and your students in October, and I hope that you will pass the word on to students who are considering university music study!

Sincerely, Frank Hanson

-------------------------------

Dr. Frank Hanson

Professor / Chair, Department of Music

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

800 W. Main Street

Whitewater, WI  53190

music@uww.edu

WLA Parent Orientation 2012 Handouts

Orientation Day Handouts

Study Hall (Blocks 1 & 6)
Music Technology (Block 3 & 8)
Traveling Choir (Block 4)
Concert Choir (Block 7)
WLA Fine Arts Calendar 2012-2013
Traveling Choir Church Schedule 2012-2013

SmartMusic

SmartMusic Interactive Software for Vocalists
SmartMusic Guide for Parents (Video)
How to Enroll in SmartMusic (PDF)
Enroll Your Student in SmartMusic for Traveling Choir or Concert Choir

 

WLA Traveling Choir Church Schedule 2012-2013

Below is this year's Traveling Choir church schedule for leading worship in the WLA Association Congregations.  Beginning this year the WLA Traveling Choir and I will be visiting one-third of the WLA Association congregations each school year, with the other two-thirds being visited by WLA's Principal, Dave Schroeder, and WLA's DCMA, Pastor John Boggs.

(Sat.) October 13, 2012 – St. Luke's, Knowles (5:00 PM)
October 14, 2012 – St. Paul's, Town Lomira (10:00 AM)
October 28, 2012 – St. John's, Lomira (8:00 & 10:00 AM)
December 2, 2012 – St. John's, Montello (8:00 AM) & Emmanuel, Mecan (10:00 AM)
December 16, 2012 – Zion, Van Dyne (10:00 AM)
January 13, 2013 – Redeemer, Fond du Lac (7:45 & 10:15 AM)
January 20, 2013 – Trinity, Dundee (8:00 & 9:30 AM)
February 3, 2013 – Living Water, Oshkosh (9:00 AM)
February 10, 2013 – Grace, Waupun (9:00 AM)
February 17, 2013 – St. Peter's, Kekoskee (9:00 AM)
February 24, 2013 – St. Matthew’s, Iron Ridge (9:00 AM) & ZKC, Iron Ridge (10:30 AM)
April 14, 2013 – St. Paul's, Manchester (10:00 AM)

April 21, 2013 – St. Paul's, North Fond du Lac (7:45 & 10:15 AM)

The entire three year rotation is listed below.

CHURCH	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015
Bethlehem, Oshkosh	DCMA	Principal	TC
Emmanuel, Hartford	DCMA	Principal	TC
Emmanuel, Mecan	TC	DCMA	Principal
Faith, Fond du Lac	Principal	TC	DCMA
Faith, Oshkosh	DCMA	Principal	TC
Good Shepherd, Fond du Lac	Principal	TC	DCMA
Good Shepherd, Plymouth	DCMA	Principal	TC
Grace, Oshkosh	DCMA	Principal	TC
Grace, Pickett	Principal	TC	DCMA
Grace, Waupun	TC	DCMA	Principal
Immanuel, Campbellsport	DCMA	Principal	TC
Immanuel, Oshkosh	Principal	TC	DCMA
Living Water, Oshkosh	TC	DCMA	Principal
Martin Luther, Oshkosh	Principal	TC	DCMA
Mt. Zion, Ripon	Principal	TC	DCMA
Peace, Green Lake	DCMA	Principal	TC
Redeemer, Fond du Lac	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. John’s, Fox Lake	Principal	TC	DCMA
St. John’s, Lomira	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. John’s, Markesan	Principal	TC	DCMA
St. John’s, Montello	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. John’s, Princeton	Principal	TC	DCMA
St. Luke’s, Knowles	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Luke’s, Oakfield	Principal	TC	DCMA
St. Matthew’s, Iron Ridge	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Paul’s Manchester	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Paul’s, Brownsville	Principal	TC	DCMA
St. Paul’s, North Fond du Lac	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Paul’s, Town Lomira	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Paul’s, Town of Forest	DCMA	Principal	TC
St. Peter’s, Eldorado	DCMA	Principal	TC
St. Peter’s, Fond du Lac	DCMA	Principal	TC
St. Peter’s, Kekoskee	TC	DCMA	Principal
St. Peter’s, Theresa	DCMA	Principal	TC
Trinity, Dundee	TC	DCMA	Principal
Trinity, Hartford	DCMA	Principal	TC
Zion, Kingston	Principal	TC	DCMA
Zion, Oshkosh	Principal	TC	DCMA
Zion, Theresa	DCMA	Principal	TC
Zion, Van Dyne	TC	DCMA	Principal
Zum Kripplein Christi, Iron Ridge	TC	DCMA	Principal

WLA Fine Arts Calendar 2012-2013

WLA FINE ARTS CALENDAR
2012-2013

Click here to download a PDF file of this calendar

Sun., Oct. 21, 2012 (7:00 PM) – Fall Concert
Nov. 2, 3, 4, 2012 – WLA Musical - Annie
Sun., Nov. 4, 2012 (4:30 PM) – Area Reformation Service at St. Peter’s, FDL
Nov. 9-11, 2012 – WELS East Regional Choralfest at Shoreland LHS, Sommers, WI
Fri., Nov. 9, 2012 (7:00 PM) – WELS East Regional Pops Concert–Shoreland LHS, Sommers, WI
Sun., Nov. 11, 2012 (2:00 PM) – WELS East Regional Sacred Concert–Shoreland LHS, Sommers, WI
Sat. Dec. 8, 2012 (4:30 PM) – Winter Band Concert (HS & GS)
Thu., Dec. 20, 2012 (7:00 PM) – Christmas Concert 1
Fri., Dec. 21, 2012 (1:00 PM) – Christmas Concert 2
Sun., Jan. 27, 2013 (11:30 AM-4:30 PM) – Let’s Celebrate Day
Sat., Mar. 2, 2013 (8:00 AM-4:00 PM) – WSMA Flyway District VOCAL Solo Ensemble Festival at Mayville HS
Fri., Mar. 8, 2013 (1:00-3:00 PM) – Dress Rehearsal at St. Peter’s, FDL
Sat., Mar. 9, 2013 (8:00 AM-4:00 PM) – WSMA Flyway District INSTRUMENTAL Solo Ensemble Festival at Mayville HS
Sun., Mar. 10, 2013 (2:00 PM) – Hymn Festival at St. Peter’s, FDL
Sun., Mar. 24, 2013 - WLA Traveling Choir performance at Carnegie Hall, NY
Wed., Apr. 17, 2013 (8:30 AM-12:30 PM) – WSMA Flyway District Choir Concert Festival
Wed., Apr. 24, 2013 (6:00-8:00 PM) – WSMA State Finalists Recital (Choir Room)
Sat., Apr. 27, 2013 (8:00 AM-4:00 PM) – WSMA State Solo Ensemble Festival at UW-Oshkosh
(TBA) WSMA Flyway District Band Concert Festival
Sun., May 19, 2013 (7:00 PM) – Spring Concert (Gym)
Sun., May 26, 2013 – WLA Graduation Service
Mon., May 27 (10:00 AM) – Memorial Day Parade

WLA Theme Song 2012-2013

Hot off the presses! (Do they even have presses anymore?) The 2012-2013 WLA theme song, You Have the Words is composed in verse and refrain song structure using the text John 6:68, "“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."  The verses are a summary of John 6 and  explore how the story of Jesus Feeding of the 5000 applies not only to the refrain (verse 68), but also to our life today and life forever in heaven.

Click here to access a Dropbox folder containing:

• a PDF file of the score containing piano accompaniment a vocal lead sheet with guitar chords
• an mp3 recording of myself singing
• an mp3 file of the accompaniment
• and a MIDI file of the accompaniment

If any of the files don't download, or you need something else, please contact me at dwitte@mac.com and I'll be happy to get you what you need!

My Understanding of "Understanding"

I'm taking an online course this summer from Martin Luther College in Curriculum and Instruction in the Middle and Secondary School as a requirement of their post-baccalaureate program to get a K-12 Vocal Music Classroom Minnesota state teaching license. I haven't taken graduate level courses since 1997 when I got my Master of Church Music degree from Concordia University Chicago (then it was called Concordia College, River Forest, IL).  I just finished an assignment to write my definition of the word "understanding".  Since it's not something that I've thought of very much in the past, I thought I'd post my answer here just in case I ever want to find my thoughts again!

"Understanding" is one of those words that we use and think we know the definition for, but when called on to define it, we struggle to put it into empirical words.  Therefore, to define "understanding" I will give examples of what it isn't, followed by examples of what it is (page numbers refer to Understanding by Design, expanded 2nd ed., Ch.2 by Wiggins & McTighe). After listing what it is and isn't, I'll give my own definition, followed by one example to clarify my definition.

Understanding is not:

• mere knowledge of isolated facts (p. 37)
• a pattern of information (p. 38)
• rote memorization, teaching to the test, drilling, or recall of information (p. 40)
• the mere definition or translation of a word (p. 42)
• "covering" information
• being booksmart (p. 52)

Understanding is: 

• doing something with pieces of knowledge (constructing meaning, synthesizing information) (p. 41)
• making meaning of facts and transferring knowledge to other problems, tasks, and domains (p. 46)
• the ability to find patterns in information and to use those patterns to contract meaning from their observation (p. 38)
• the transfer of knowledge into meaning (p. 44)
• the ability to decode, read, and authentically and stylistically perform new material (pp. 40-41)
• an individual's ability to self-assess, self-critique, and self-correct (p. 41)
• knowing when and how to apply isolated knowledge to solve a problem or answer a question (p. 42)
• the process of "trying out" solutions to a problem, which may or may not be "correct", and analyzing their effectiveness until a stable solution is gained (p. 46)
• using knowledge thoughtfully and applying knowledge effectively in diverse settings – that is, to do the subject (p. 48)
• to apply an abstraction (to perform) in a practical way (p. 49)
• having "street cred", that is to be smart in real-world solutions (p. 52)

My definition of "understanding" then, would be using knowledge and isolated facts to come up with an overarching conclusion (paradigm) which is irrefutable.  One example of "understanding" I would like to propose is the ability to provide an idiomatic translation of a foreign text into any other language which captures both the spirit and the essence of the original language (from discussion on Bible translations at the Northern WI District Convention, FVLHS, June 12-13, 2012).

WLA Graduation 2012 Live Stream

Come join us in praising God for the Winnebago Lutheran Academy Graduating Class of 2012 on May 27, 2012 at 2:30 PM (UTC-5).
Live video by Ustream