Lafayette Madrigal Singers
in Concert For
Kentucky Music Educators Association
Conference 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Cathedral of the Assumption
|
Soprano
Holly Bennett Brennan Burke Diane Clements Emily Hulett Da Yup Kim Stella Lee Hannah Neff Adrienne Omelchenko Quentin Prewitt Hannah Shannon Bass Herman Bratcher Kurtis Brown Harrison Carter Sam Ifeacho Brian Moscoe Nathan Rayens Noah SirLouis Andrew Slone |
Alto
Laura Asher Lucy Becker Lexi Caudill Hunter England Sarah Ewen Melissa Findley Amelia Giancarlo Kate Heinonen Rachel Johnson Hattie Nunley Tenor Scott DiMeo Cooper Fitch Andrew Herrmann Trevor Hignite Hunter Nelson Gareth Walker * Selected for 2020 All-State ensembles |
About Lafayette High School
Lafayette opened its doors in 1939 and was named for Marquis de Lafayette, the famed French general of the Revolutionary War. Lafayette High School is one of five public high schools in Lexington and serves over 2000 students. The school combines a comprehensive high school curriculum with the School for Creative and Performing Arts Magnet Program (SCAPA) as well as a pre-engineering magnet. Lafayette has a strong tradition of excellence and enjoys outstanding alumni and parental support. Lafayette has many distinguished alumni including actors Harry Dean Stanton and Jim Varney, former Kentucky Governors John Y. Brown, Jr. and Ernie Fletcher, Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay, and the Episcopal Bishop, Reverend Gene Robinson, among many others.
About The Choral Department
The Lafayette Choral Department serves over 200 students in six choirs and consistently receives distinguished ratings at festivals and competitions. The choirs have performed in concert with the University of Louisville Collegiate Chorale, the University of Kentucky Symphonic Band, and are regularly invited to perform with the Lexington Philharmonic and Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. The choir has received clinics from internationally recognized conductors, Dr. Eph Ehly (Kansas City Conservatory, Ret.), Dr. Anton Armstrong (St. Olaf College), Dr. Jefferson Johnson (University of Kentucky), Dr. Kent Hatteberg (University of Louisville), and Dr. Jonathan Reed (Michigan State). The choirs have twice appeared before the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association Conference and tour regularly. Recent tours have included New York City, Orlando, Gatlinburg, Washington D.C., and Chicago. The choirs have sung at well-known venues including the Basilica of the National Shrine and the White House in Washington D.C. and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
An important focus of the choral department is individual improvement. This is supported through an after school private lesson program entitled Mastering Musicianship funded in part by the Lafayette Chorus Boosters. Nearly forty percent of Lafayette choral students take private voice lessons either at Lafayette or with independent private teachers. LHS Choral Department graduates a number of students each year who go on to major in music at some of the top colleges and conservatories in the country.
An important focus of the choral department is individual improvement. This is supported through an after school private lesson program entitled Mastering Musicianship funded in part by the Lafayette Chorus Boosters. Nearly forty percent of Lafayette choral students take private voice lessons either at Lafayette or with independent private teachers. LHS Choral Department graduates a number of students each year who go on to major in music at some of the top colleges and conservatories in the country.
Music Opportunities at Lafayette
The music department at Lafayette has a long tradition of excellence in all areas. The Lafayette Marching Band has been the KMEA 5A state champion eighteen times. The Lafayette Orchestra has performed at the Midwest Clinic, and featured a number of times at KMEA state conference. In 2005, Lafayette was recognized as a Grammy Signature School honoring schools across the country for outstanding commitment to music programs. Lafayette students have a wide variety of musical choices including a number of vocal ensembles, an instrumental program consisting of strings, wind band, percussion, jazz band, piano, and a comprehensive theatre program. Lafayette also offers beginning piano and music technology courses.
As part of the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) program, students can choose a major in music (including voice, band, orchestra, or piano), dance, art, creative writing, and theatre. The SCAPA program is limited to 250 students in all areas and students are chosen by audition. For voice majors, the SCAPA curriculum includes music theory courses, private voice study and ensemble singing. Voice students receive private instruction during their choir class approximately once every two weeks, participate in monthly performance/master classes and semester recitals and juries.
As part of the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) program, students can choose a major in music (including voice, band, orchestra, or piano), dance, art, creative writing, and theatre. The SCAPA program is limited to 250 students in all areas and students are chosen by audition. For voice majors, the SCAPA curriculum includes music theory courses, private voice study and ensemble singing. Voice students receive private instruction during their choir class approximately once every two weeks, participate in monthly performance/master classes and semester recitals and juries.
|
Ryan Marsh, Director of Choirs
Ryan Marsh is a native of Floyd Knobs, Indiana and attended the University of Louisville School of Music from 1997 to 2003 where he earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree in choral music, piano, and voice, and the Master of Music Performance degree in choral conducting. His primary choral conducting study was with Dr. Kent Hatteberg. While at UofL he sang in the UofL Collegiate Chorale and Cardinal Singers, performing at several state and national conventions. He has studied conducting with Dr. Jefferson Johnson and taken coursework at the doctoral level at the University of Kentucky. Mr. Marsh moved to Lexington to be the choral director at Lafayette in 2003. He holds professional memberships to the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), Music Educator’s National Conference (MENC) and regularly attends state, regional, national and international conventions and seminars. Mr. Marsh has an interest in international choral music and has attended and sung in international choral competitions. In 2003 he attended the Bavarian Music Akademie Summer Conducting Seminar in Marktoberdorf, Germany where he studied with Professor Peter Erdei. He also serves as an adjudicator for Kentucky Music Educator’s Association (KMEA) contests and festivals. Ryan hastraveled as a staff member with the Kentucky Ambassadors of Music European program. Mr. Marsh was elected State Choral Chair-Elect for the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association in 2007 and served as State Choral Chair through 2011 coordinating the Kentucky All-State Choirs. Mr. Marsh also edits the NOTEable News monthly e-newsletter for KMEA. Mr. Marsh is proud to direct the Lafayette Chorale, Singers, Madrigal Singers, and Men’s Chorus. In addition to his choirs, he also teaches AP Music Theory and Introduction to Music Technology. Mr. Marsh led Lafayette through the process of becoming a nationally recognized Grammy Signature School in 2005. He also serves as the music department instructional leader at LHS. He received his National Board Certification in 2011. |
|
Laura Howard, SCAPA Vocal Director
Laura Howard is a graduate of Morehead State University where she completed both her BME and MM. While completing her graduate degree, she studied choral conducting with Dr. Greg Detweiler, director of choral activities at MSU. Mrs. Howard has completed certification in all three levels of training in the Kodály philosophy of music literacy and education. In 2011 she completed additional course work in the Kodály methodology while studying in Kecskemet, Hungary, the birthplace of founder Zoltan Kodály. Mrs. Howard also became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2011. Mrs. Howard began her teaching career in 2002 at Southern Middle School, where she was responsible for general music, grades 6-8, as well as the 6th, 7th and 8th grade choirs. For many years, Mrs. Howard has served as an accompanist for various choirs, soloists (both vocal and instrumental), and musical productions. She also serves as a church musician both as pianist and vocalist. Mrs. Howard is a frequent adjudicator and clinician for choral and vocal events in the area. As vocal instructor for the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Mrs. Howard is responsible for coordinating the vocal program which consists of approximately 50 majors, grades 9-12. While serving in this capacity she provides private vocal coaching and teaches music theory to junior music majors. Mrs. Howard also conducts the Lafayette High School Beginning and Advanced Women’s Choirs and teaches piano keyboarding. |
