Amplify Engagement
Amplify Engagement demonstrates the UNI School of Music’s commitment to our role to better our community. The musicians at UNI have always provided world class musical experiences for audiences in the Cedar Valley and across the globe. Through Amplify Engagement, we seek to engage with our traditional audiences and introduce ourselves to new audiences. Throughout the year, we will engage with audiences in unconventional venues on campus, perform across the Cedar Valley, share our music with Iowans young and old, and demonstrate that music is a vital part of the human experience - music is for everyone! Hearing, performing, and interacting with music improves the quality of our lives, brings us together, and builds our community. We look forward to seeing you this year!
Are you a UNI student, faculty or alumni artist engaging musically within the community? Share your story and use #AmplifyEngagement to let us know!
2023/2024 Amplify Engagement Activities
UNI Jazz Bands One, Two, and Three performed a free concert in the Waterloo East High School Auditorium on Nov. 7. A few years ago, the UNI Jazz Studies Department began the tradition of performing outreach concerts at the Waterloo High Schools, alternating each fall between East and West. Some of the brave high school students will sit in on a blues tune and play some solos with our UNI students!
The UNI School of Music was very active during Homecoming Week. Here we have UNI’s Bateri de Samba performing at the Homecoming Parade in downtown Cedar Falls on October 21.
On September 25, students from all over Iowa attended UNI's All State Horn Workshop where they participated in a group warm-up, master class style performance and feedback, and met the UNI Horn Studio through playing Horn Bingo. They were hosted by UNI’s new Professor of Horn Maddy Tarantelli and she assisted by UNI horn students Patrick Mooney, Morgan Stumpf, Mitchell Stevens, and JD Deninger.
The School of Music’s Chamber Music program was on display at this year’s Yager Teaching Awards luncheon on Friday, October 27. The group performing is the Carina Winds – Emily Paul (flute), Madeline Echternacht (clarinet), Lin Nikkel (oboe), and Sophia Patchin (bassoon).
Guest organ clinician Vince Carr presented a lecture and workshop on sacred music practices of American Spanish-language churches. The event was co-sponsored by the Cedar Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
On Saturday, October 7, UNI hosted its annual Bass Jamboree. This is a full day event of classical and jazz bass activities, including workshops, master classes, and performances. Dr. Alexander Pershounin hosted this event alongside this year's guest artist and clinician Mark Sonksen.
On Sunday, November 3, UNI hosted its annual Clarinet Choir Day. More than 80 clarinetists from around the state of Iowa attended the event. They performed in either a middle school or high school clarinet choir, attended a master class, and worked with UNI faculty and students.
On November 3, UNI’s new instructor of bassoon Brisa de Paula worked with students at Bassoon Day hosted by Ankeny High School, Parkview Middle School, and Southview Middle School.
On November 11, students and faculty performed holiday favorites and classical repertoire at the Waterloo Center for the Arts Holiday Art Festival. Aubrey Williamson and Emma Andersen performed flute and violin duos in the morning, while flute faculty artist Hannah Porter-Occeña performed at the lunch hour, joined by Ryan Occeña (director of UNI Children’s Choir) on piano, and their daughter Veronica on violin.
On Friday, December 15, students from the UNI Horn Studio ended the semester by performing an array of holiday tunes for residents at NewAldaya Lifescapes retirement home.
February 1-3, the UNI Faculty Woodwind Quintet (Hannah Porter Occeña, flute, Heather Peyton, oboe, Amanda McCandless, clarinet, Maddy Tarantelli, horn, and Brisa de Paula, bassoon) performed outreach concerts for kids in Oelwein, Waterloo and Cedar Falls. Children were introduced to the instruments of the woodwind quintet through musical storytelling, including a story with music about a very hungry aardvark!
On February 10, the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Erik Rohde, performed an outreach concert at Trinity Bible Church.
Did you know that the first Saturday of the month, Dr. Maddy Tarantelli hosts a community horn choir? Horn players of all ages and abilities can join in communal music making.
On Feb. 22-23, School of Music students were fortunate and thrilled to have the chance to learn from the incredibly talented members of Imani Winds, as they visited campus for an artist series performance in the Gallagher Bluedorn.
Faculty artist Brett Copeland has been engaging in outreach through performance and recording projects with crossover brass chamber ensemble NewStream Brass. The ensemble recently released a new album "A Step Forward."
On March 25, the School of Music hosted 253 middle school singers at the Middle School Treble Festival, led by Dr. Michelle Swanson.
On April 2, the School of Music hosted 134 elementary school singers at the Elementary School Treble Festival, also led by Dr. Michelle Swanson.
Members of the UNI Suzuki School’s Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra participated in a side-by-side concert with the wcfsymphony on Saturday, March 30!
Voice Students - Community Engagement
Information gathered and reported by Dr. Jean McDonald.
Although it is clearly known to some, it may not be widely known that UNI School of Music voice students have a long history of vital contribution to music ministry in churches, and on occasion civic organizations, throughout the Cedar Valley. While there are often a few who hold positions as conductors of chancel choirs, many others serve as choral section leaders, special music soloists, worship band musicians, and cantors. In most cases this commitment is weekly, and requires participation two days per week.
Students who serve our community in this way benefit in many ways beyond the boundaries of practical experience. Interacting regularly with people of all ages and a diversity of beliefs, these students form a variety of meaningful relationships, and begin to recognize their value within the larger community. A happy outcome for the School of Music is witnessing the support these congregants show for our students at the time of their degree recitals, opera performances, and choral concerts. With some frequency, a student recital will have much better community attendance than a faculty recital as a singular result of this activity!
Please take a moment to look through the listing and photos below: a representative selection of students at work in these settings. Some of the photos also feature UNI SOM graduates who have remained in the community to pursue advanced degrees, or who are now working, but have continued their music practice in this setting.
- Marcos Antunez, Junior Vocal Performance Major — directs the choir, First Presbyterian Church, Waterloo, IA
- Adrian Benson, Freshman Music Major — section leader, First Presbyterian, Waterloo, IA
- Ruthellen Brooks, Sophomore Music Education Major — alto section leader at First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls, IA, as well as their SHINE (Sunday School) co-music director; also volunteers at Wesley United Methodist Church as choir member, and teaches the Littlest Angels (K-2) in the summer at Wesley Summer Music Camp
- Maria Casady, Junior Music Minor — member of Crosspoint Church Worship Band, Waverly, IA
- Julia Fink, Senior Music Major — regular member of the The Metropolitan Chorale (a Cedar Valley community chorus); section leader, First Presbyterian, Waterloo, IA
- Ellie Gavin, Senior Vocal Performance Major — First Congregational United Church of Christ, Waterloo, IA
- Bryson Grove, Sophomore Music Education Major — volunteer co-leader for the UNI Navigators worship band
- Emma Hawkinson, Senior Vocal Performance Major — section leader, First Presbyterian, Waterloo, IA
- Sophia Jensen, Freshman Theater Major, Music Minor — worship team member, UNI Navigators worship band
- Lilly Kallenberger, Sophomore Music Education Major — section leader First Presbyterian, Cedar Falls, IA
- Jamie Knox, Senior Music Education Major — volunteer singer in church choir at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls, IA; substitute director when needed, cantor, and volunteer soloist; in the past she has also given voice lessons through the College Hill Lutheran Church Conservatory
- Benjamin Lumley, Junior Music Major — worship leader at Stonebridge Church in Boone, IA, singing and playing guitar; plays French horn for the Boone Municipal Band
- Calista Rowe, Senior Music Education Major — section leader, Central Christian Church, Waterloo, IA
- Akela Salter, Junior Music Education Major — works for the UNI Children's Choir; teacher/helper for the UNI Camp Musicmania
- Joley Seitz, second year master's Vocal Performance Major — First Congregational United Church of Christ, Waterloo, IA
- Jean McDonald, Jeff Brich, Michelle Monroe, music faculty — volunteer members of the Cedar Heights Presbyterian Community Presbyterian Church; Jean and Jeff also extended their choral volunteerism participating in a Kickstarter project for Minneapolis-based composer Iver Hubert, recording excerpts of work Becoming Earth, where they had the opportunity to make music with community musicians throughout the twin cities
