Butler graduate student Kelly Swensson is one of the country’s finest young bassoonists.

Swensson, 24, will be performing a solo in Butler Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on Feb. 24.

Butler bassoon professor Douglas Spaniol remembers the first time he met Swensson.

Swensson was a sixth grader who had recently picked up bassoon. Her mother turned to Spaniol for private lessons.

“I usually don’t work with students that young,” said Spaniol,“but right away, I knew that she was a special student.”

Spaniol said he was wise not to pass up Swensson.

“She’s the most accomplished bassoon student we’ve had here,” Spaniol said.

Amidst her many accolades, she was both a semi-finalist and later a finalist in The Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, a highly-prestigious international event for female bassoonists.

She is also a member of the Honor Band of America.

In addition, Swensson is already playing professionally.

She performs with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. She also frequently drives to Louisville where she plays with the Louisville Orchestra.

Swensson grew up on the east side of Indianapolis. As a child, she displayed a strong inclination toward music.

She recalls singing Disney music growing up. Her parents signed her up for the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, instructed by Butler’s Henry Leck.

While studying piano and voice, Swensson joined her middle school orchestra. It was short of a bassoonist when she joined, so Swensson took it upon herself to learn the instrument.

After high school, Swensson went on to study at Northwestern University as well as the Oberlin and Colburn conservatories.

For Swensson, there was never a backup plan.

“I knew I wanted to do music,” Swensson said. “I never thought about anything else.”

The faculty members at Butler who work with Swensson agree that it’s been a rewarding experience.

“It’s really a great opportunity for me to work with a student who is so bright, talented and interested in music,” said Spaniol.

Swensson also has the gift of affecting younger music students in a positive manner.

“It’s mutually beneficial,” said orchestra conductor Richard Clark. “She is willing to be open and share her experience with the other musicians.”

Swensson bids Butler farewell in May, when she graduates, and will step into the real world as a full-time professional musician.

Clowes Memorial Hall was filled with the musical colors of Claude Debussy Sunday.

They were heard as though through translucent clouds in the impressionist style that is synonymous with the name of this influential French composer.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Debussy’s birth.

The Butler Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Richard Auldon Clark, presented a concert of Debussy’s orchestral music as part of the Jordan College of the Arts’ Debussy Celebration.

Clark opened the program with a work from American Charles Ives, his “Variations on America,” the only piece from the colonies on the concert.

Almost immediately, the strengths and shortcomings of the orchestra were made clear.

The brilliant bitonal colors of the piece were abundantly present, and the orchestra came across as a well- balanced instrument.

The individual lines cut through the texture when appropriate, and the full orchestral sound was powerful.

In particular, the strings and percussion came across well in this performance.

The winds performed admirably, but often solo lines were not cleanly passed between sections.

Minor problems with intonation aside, the orchestra was marred by perhaps the most common and unfortunate shortcoming of student orchestras—lack of internal musical phrasing.

This would become more apparent as the first half of the concert went on.

The second piece on the program was one of Debussy’s best-known orchestral pieces, “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.”

The piece is inspired by  Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem ”L’Après-midi d’un Faune” and afforded the first opportunity for BSO to show its presentation of Debussy’s music.

The opening flute solo was sublime and sensitive. The rest of the wind section quickly recovered from a bad opening attack, and the solo flute and oboe lines again came across simply and passionately.

The strings were lush and communicated well, especially with regard to phrase endings.

The endings were a bit too abrupt in Clark’s interpretation, but the orchestra played them consistently.

Overall though, the subtle growths and falls of the phrases were unsatisfyingly plain.

The orchestra would have been much more convincing if these lines had always been played with direction.

Tenor Thomas Studebaker joined the BSO in a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “On Wenlock Edge” before intermission.

Studebaker appears to be everywhere this semester, singing with the Butler Wind Ensemble in September.

The orchestra, especially the string section, should be commended on its communication  with Studebaker, but this piece was underwhelming.

Studebaker sang with a limited dynamic range, which tempered the impact of the English songs.

Granted, he did not use a microphone and had to constantly be heard over the orchestra.

The acoustics of Clowes are also not the best for large ensembles with solo singers.

Clark’s interpretation was well heeded by the orchestra, which played with a passion unmatched by Studebaker.

Clark’s long pauses, though, seemed unnatural.

After intermission, the BSO was a completely different orchestra.

Debussy’s “Nocturnes” was very engaging, and the orchestra had something to say.

The internal phrases were much more developed, which made listening more satisfying.

The winds, in particular, came across well in this piece.

Clark and the orchestra did not present the last movement of the “Nocturnes,” which was extremely disappointing considering how well the musicians played the first two.

Debussy’s “Iberia: Images for Orchestra, No. 2” concluded the program.

Again, the phrases were more developed.

Each section of the orchestra played well. The strings sang out, the flute and winds played with humor and passion and the percussion was accurate and well- balanced.

Slight disagreements about tempo in a few spots did not detract from the conveyance of the piece.

Overall, the orchestra appeared stronger than perhaps at any other concert in the past three years, with the notable exception of Gustav Mahler’s third symphony in February.

The players’ command of Debussy’s color palette was incredible, and they handled the contrapuntal texture of the music with ease.

While not perfect, the BSO is a great artistic organization on campus.

And with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra locked out downtown, the BSO could drastically improve its reputation in central Indiana this semester.

Twelve-year-old Selin Oh has been a part of the Butler University community longer than most Butler students.

For three years, Selin’s mother drove her to Butler every Saturday to rehearse and study music through the Butler Community Arts School.

The BCAS is an initiative of the Jordan College of Fine Arts that provides instruction in music, dance, theater and art to young people after school, on weekends and throughout the summer.

Selin played for the BCAS’s Children’s Orchestra. For two of the three years she played in the orchestra, she also took private lessons.

“Every Saturday at 11 a.m. was a very precious time for me,” Youngbok Hong, Selin’s mom, said. “That whole hour, I could just sit and listen to the kids practice with the other parents in the back row.”

The music program has been a part of BCAS from the very beginning in 2002 and includes private music lessons, summer camps, a youth jazz program and beginning piano lessons for both children and adults.

About 1,800 students and 101 teaching fellows—Butler students and alumni—make up the BCAS music programs.

“Part of our mission at BCAS is to make the arts accessible to everyone,” BCAS director Karen Thickstun said. “Many children don’t have access to an orchestra. We are trying to fill a community need.”

The children’s orchestra is a predecessor to the youth orchestra, which is for older students.

There are other youth orchestras in Indianapolis, but Thickstun said the BCAS created one in order to give students who are too old for the children’s orchestra a place to advance at this university.

She said that a secondary outcome of the BCAS programs is that students and families become very comfortable at Butler.

Sophomore Erica O’Brien went to the Strings Scholars Camp the summer before her senior year of high school.

“I had gone to some Butler Symphony Orchestra concerts, and I wanted to be a part of it,” O’Brien said.

She got to know Richard Auldon Clark, BSO director and viola instructor, through the camp.

“He is a really awesome person,” she said. “My experience at the Strings Scholars Camp was half of the reason I decided to go to Butler.”

O’Brien is now a music performance major. She plays for the Butler Symphony Orchestra, takes viola lessons with Clark and even helped out with the Strings Scholars Camp and Strings Camp last summer.

Selin said she knows Butler very well and has enjoyed her experience, speaking fondly of the friends she made and of her time with the orchestra.

“At first, I only played by myself,” she said. “But after playing with the whole orchestra, I learned about putting the different parts of the whole piece together. It really sounded nice.”

Selin, who is not playing this semester, hopes to return to the BCAS youth orchestra in the spring.

Rehearsals begin on Sept. 15.

Butler University community members will see an increase in the number of ticketed art events next semester with the opening of the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, administrators within the Jordan College of Fine Arts said.

“We think,” JCFA Dean Ronald Caltabiano said, “that we will be able to charge some very reasonable fees to some of our largest events in Schrott to help us stay afloat.”

He stressed “we think,” as the discussions are still in the early stages.

Caltabiano could not provide a specific amount that might be considered a “reasonable fee” but was confident that the specifics would be worked out soon.

He also said there will be a student price—already the case with other Butler art events.

The change in ticketing will most impact the music department, as main-stage theater and dance productions already require paid admission.

Specifically, the change will affect large music ensembles like the Butler Symphony Orchestra, the Butler Wind Ensemble and the Lyric Theater.

Dan Bolin, chair of the music department, said charging for tickets to concerts is not new for JCFA. Both he and Caltabiano said previously it was just impractical.

With box office fees, explained Bolin, the music school was losing money by charging for tickets.

Bolin said it will be practical with the Schrott Center, which will not cost nearly as much to use as renting Clowes did.

Bolin estimated that a Butler Symphony Orchestra or Wind Ensemble concert costs $4,000 to $5,000 to produce in Clowes.

The Butler Ballet spent more than $51,000 on “Coppélia” last spring according to the dance office, and charged $14 to $28.50 per ticket.

Larry Attaway, chair of the dance department, said the ballet completely funds itself through its revenue. Ticket sales were around $16,500 for “Coppélia.”

Caltabiano said he thinks it is important that people put a value on art.

“Musicians don’t work for free in the real world,” he said. “We think that we need to clearly say that arts are valuable and worth paying for.”

Neither Caltabiano nor Bolin knows how the prices will affect attendance.

Caltabiano said that, in his experience, a professional ensemble that charges for admission sees higher attendance rates because people see it as valuable.

“The key is to keep it affordable for students,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

If the result of the change is a larger audience, Bolin noted that the entire audience interested in the performance may not fit in the new Schrott Center, which will only seat around 450.

This may cause scheduling changes for the JCFA ensembles, such as an ensemble playing two-performance weekends. He said that this is commonplace among professional ensembles.

Robert Grechesky, director of the wind ensemble, explained that  because families already pay tens of thousands of dollars in tuition each year, it does not make sense to ask them to pay extra to see the productions.

Grechesky said that there must be ticket packages for families, and Caltabiano seemed open to the idea.

The Collegian will report updates as the discussions begin to take more solid form. For now, it seems that no one quite knows how the fees will ultimately affect art at Butler.

Jim Danko will soon don his academic regalia and be inaugurated Saturday as Butler University’s 21st president.

Danko said he envisions the event as a moment to think about both the present and the future of Butler.

“I hope [the inauguration] energizes the community to think beyond the current ways of thinking,” Danko said. “It’s an inflection point that reopens the spotlight on the community. It’s also self-reflection and a chance to celebrate community.”

The inauguration, “Imagine the Possibilities,” will honor and officially welcome the Danko family to the university.

The entire Butler community is invited to the installation ceremony, college exhibits and an orchestra concert to celebrate the occasion.

Students said they are looking forward to the inauguration festivities.

“Some of my friends are singing in the inauguration ceremonies,” said Faith Lindsay, a senior biology major. “I’m excited for them.”

Student Government Association President Al Carroll said he wants Danko and the inauguration to highlight the best aspects of the university.

“I want to get a sense of community that would otherwise be unmatched,” Carroll said. “We want a president that’s devoted to the university and to students of the university.”

Kate Langdon, a junior philosophy major, said faculty, staff and students have put a lot of time and effort into the inauguration, and it will be a good time to consider the state of the university.

“The inauguration gives us time to reflect on what Butler University does,” Langdon said. “It’s an opportunity to step back and see where we are and where the future needs to go. The inauguration is a great time to do this.”

Sally Childs-Helton, special collections and rare books librarian at Butler, said she believes the inauguration marks a pivotal moment in Butler’s history.

“It marks a major transition point, and it marks a time to reassess where the university is and where it’s going,” Childs-Helton said.
She said a university’s history is important, but so is its future.

“It’s important to pay attention to the history of the university and use it to gauge  the future,” Childs-Helton said.

First Lady Bethanie Danko said she hopes her husband’s inauguration will be a special time for the Butler community.

“Attendees should expect to be inspired and excited about the future,” she said.

The installation ceremony will take place Saturday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. in Clowes Memorial Hall.

Inauguration Week Events

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 9
Innovation and Impact: An Inaugural Exhibit
9 a.m.-6 p.m.—Irwin Library

THURSDAY, Nov. 10
Innovation and Impact: An Inaugural Exhibit
9 a.m.-4 p.m.—Irwin Library

Campus Reception for Innovation and Impact
4-6 p.m.—Irwin Library. Invitation only.

FRIDAY, Nov. 11
Innovation and Impact: An Inaugural Exhibit
9 a.m.-6 p.m.—Irwin Library

Butler Faculty and Staff Reception
2-4 p.m.—Reilly Room in Atherton Union
3:15 p.m.—Remarks

SATURDAY, Nov. 12
Innovation and Impact: An Inaugural Exhibit
10 a.m.-6 p.m.—Irwin Library

Student Breakfast
9-10 a.m.—Johnson Board Room in Robertson Hall

Installation Ceremony
11 a.m.—Clowes Memorial Hall

Delegates Luncheon
1 p.m.—Reilly Room in Atherton Union. Invitation only.

Inaugural Gala
6 p.m.—Indianapolis Museum of Art. Invitation only.

SUNDAY, Nov. 13
Innovation and Impact: An Inaugural Exhibit
10 a.m.-6 p.m.—Irwin Library

Butler Symphony Orchestra Concert
3 p.m.—Clowes Memorial Hall. Community reception immediately following the concert.

The Butler University Symphony Orchestra will perform the world premiere of an orchestral commission by renowned composer Akira Kobayashi next week. The concert is part of the inauguration celebration for new Butler University President Jim Danko.

The piece, entitled “Astraea,” was written specifically for the BSO and accompanies the “Fire of Desire” art symposium at the Jordan College of Fine Arts, which features Kobayashi and other scholars from Japan, Buffalo, N.Y., Cincinnati, and Butler.

Astraea is a star-maiden, and goddess of justice in Greek mythology. Kobayashi said the piece comes from his enjoyment of watching twinkling stars in the clear night sky and his belief that stars bring good luck.

Kobayashi teaches music composition and theory at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music in Nagoya, Japan. The school is described as the Juilliard School of Japan by Butler music professors.

Sophomore oboe performance major and BSO member Jessica Robinson said “Astraea” is an atonal piece centered around unison rhythmic motives against a backdrop of other musical material, which produced an interesting texture.

“It’s disjointed, but there’s also unity,” she said.

Robinson also said this material is punctuated by sudden and startling “empty measures,” or short, complete silences by the whole ensemble.

“In this piece, I tried to produce colorful sounds and focused on contrast,” Kobayashi said. “This piece starts with a short, quiet part, followed by a violent section. Alternating between static and dynamic moments, the piece gains momentum, developing in intensity and excitement before reaching a tense climax.”

Kobayashi said the piece ends with a return to the quiet section.

Junior string bass performance major Brianna Nielsen said she is excited to meet Kobayashi, who is attending the BSO’s final rehearsals and performance.

“I’m interested to know if there are any cultural elements [of the music] that he can explain that we might have missed,” Nielsen said.
Along with “Astraea,” the Butler Symphony Orchestra is performing Edward Elgar’s “Cello Concerto,” with soloist Marianne Roszyk, and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F Minor.

Kobayashi’s work is also the centerpiece of a concert by the JCFA’s Composers Orchestra on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. in Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall.  This concert will feature Kobayashi’s solo work, as well as some chamber music written by Butler student composers.

The Fire of Desire symposium offers events all week to Butler students, faculty and community members, with lectures including “Counterfeit Van Gogh,” “New Music for Guitar” and “Tonality as the Object-Cause of Desire.”

The concert will take place on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. in Clowes Memorial Hall.

Golden Globe nominee Christopher Young scored big with the Butler Symphony Orchestra and fans during a Halloween performance at Clowes Memorial Hall Sunday.

Known most often for his terrifying compositions, Young’s music can be found in the major motion pictures of “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” “The Grudge” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2:  Freddy’s Revenge.”

He has received two Golden Globe nominations for his music in “Last Flight Out” and “Norma Jean and Marilyn.”

Sunday’s performance was conducted by the BSO Music Director Richard Auldon Clark.

Young’s Hollywood titles might seem intimidating to an amateur performer, but junior Catherine Holvey, a cellist for the orchestra, said Young was nothing like she expected such an accomplished composer to be.

“Practicing with Christopher Young was amazing,” Holvey said. “He had such good ideas and knew exactly what he wanted the piece to sound like.

“He was interested in all of us as musicians and kept thanking us for performing his music.

“He was so humble, one of the nicest people I have ever met.”

BSO students played Young’s famous pieces from the movies “Hellraiser,” “Spider-Man 3” and “Drag Me to Hell.”

Sophomore string bassist Eli Uttal-Veroff said, “Mr. Young was extremely energetic and charismatic.

“He brought a lot of positivity and excitement to the music.”

While Young is known for his intricate works of music, members like Holvey said learning to play it wasn’t actually as hard as it might seem.

“It was not difficult,” Holvey said. “Of course there were some tricky passages, but if you, as a musician, practiced them enough, you were fine for the most part.

“It was just so cool playing movie scores.”

Holvey, along with other BSO members, got to spend a lot of time practicing with Young.

“[Young] never criticized,” she said. “He would compliment what we just did and then slip something in to make it better.

“He was so enthusiastic that you, as a musician, were excited to play his music.”

Uttal-Veroff said working with Young was a different experience than practicing with Butler professors, because they had to control “technical issues,” while Young was able “to focus on the finer points” of the music.

During the program, other famous composers were also recognized.

Instrumentalists on stage shook the room as they played gripping musical compositions from Bernard Herrmann’s musical masterpiece, “Psycho.”

Uttal-Veroff said playing the music from “Psycho” was his favorite part.

“The music is incredible and really paints the a picture of the movie,” he said.

Audience members even got to witness the premier of “Vox Humana” by Butler University’s own composer-in-residence Michael Schelle.

Schelle is a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.

Completing the Halloween theme were students dressed as some of horror films’ most recognizable murderers hidden within the crowd.

They would emerge from the audience during Young’s terrorizing songs, acting out their respected famous parts of the horror film.

At one point, the multiple personalities of Norman Bates’ character from the Alfred Hitchcock classic “Psycho” ran the aisles of Clowes Hall just before disappearing with his knife into the back room.

BSO performers also took part in the Halloween theme, playing their scores while dressed in outfits from witches to Waldo.

Haunting story lines were read between applause to prepare the audience for the next musical composition.

Although few took part in the Halloween festivities, audience members were also invited to dress up to add to the experience.

BSO is made up of over 75 instrumentalists.

The group will perform “Earth” this Saturday at Clowes Memorial Hall as a continuation of their “Images” theme.