HILLSBORO, Kan. – Violinist Mary Goering will perform her junior recital at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, in the Tabor College Chapel. The public is invited to attend.
Goering, from Newton, Kan. will play Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26, Allegro Moderato and Adagio, by Max Bruch.
“The Bruch Concerto is one of the violin concertos which have become almost a rite of passage for violinists along with the Mendelssohn and the Lalo,” Goering said. “This piece contains challenging technique, yet also is very beautiful.”
Goering, a student of Adjunct Instructor Nancy Johnson, has relished her experience in the Music Department at Tabor College.
“Being involved in music at Tabor has provided the opportunity to get to work with professors who genuinely care about helping me grow and advance in the direction I desire to go,” Goering said. “Realizing my passion for music has helped me connect with students and professors who share the same feelings.”
Playing the violin has become a special way for Goering to express her Christian faith.
“I’m always amazed at what God created when He gave us music,” Goering said. “At times, it seems unfathomable that we have this thing that touches us so deeply, more deeply than words at times, and goes directly to our souls. God knows us so well, and putting music in our lives is like an unexpected gift in life, kind of like the extra chocolate at the bottom of an ice cream drumstick.
“Music has become a strong outlet for me, and a way of expressing myself,” she added. “When I cannot find the words for prayer, or just want to give to God, playing helps me do that. Music is also such a strong witness, as it touches people’s lives, and I love that the only reason musicians are able to do what they do is because of God.”
After graduation, Goering hopes to pursue a Master’s Degree in Music Therapy.
Mary is the daughter of Preston and Deborah Goering.
HILLSBORO, Kan. – Flutist Megan Souter will perform her junior recital at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, in the Tabor College Chapel. The public is invited to attend.
Souter, from Fairview, Okla., will play The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens; Sonata In F Major, Vivace, Largo, and Allegro by Georg Philipp Telemann; and Sonata I for Two Flutes by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
“I selected these numbers because I felt that they were unique in their own style and way,” Souter said. “I like pictures and I think that pictures help create the mood of a piece. Each of these pieces has their own character and their own picture. That is why I picked these numbers, and that is what I like best about them.”
Souter, a student of Adjunct Instructor Joyann Brake, has grown as a flutist through the Music Department at Tabor College.
“I never had private lessons in flute before Tabor, so I never learned the techniques that I have learned in my lessons now,” Souter said. “Tabor has also helped me grow in my appreciation of music. I have always loved music, but I love it even more now because I understand what is going on in the background.”
She added that playing her flute has helped deepen her relationship with God.
“Music performance helps me express my Christian faith because it allows me to use the talents that God gave me for his glory,” she said.
After graduation, Souter hopes to get a job at a small school as a band director, working with middle school children. She also is considering going on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Family and Child Counseling, or working as a Music Therapist.
HILLSBORO, Kan. – Vocalist Darren Enns will perform his junior recital at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, in the Tabor College Chapel. The public is invited to attend.
Enns, a baritone from Hillsboro, Kan., will sing Die schšne MŸllerin: I. Das Wandern II. Wohin III. Halt! IV. Danksagung an den Bach, with music by Franz Schubert and lyrics by Wilhelm MŸller; Biblical Songs: II. Lord Thou art my refuge, III. Hear, O God, my prayer, and IV. God, the Lord, my Shepherd, by Anton’n Dvor‡k; Aria from “The Marriage of Figaro”: Non piú andrai, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; and The Green Eyed Dragon, by Charles Wolseley.
“The German numbers are a very popular and well-known song cycle with rich poetry that became very famous,” Enns said. “These are only the first four out of 20 songs in the cycle. The three English art songs by Dvorak take passages from scripture and sets them to music, which are some of my favorite songs because it is very easy to be expressive with that kind of music.
“The Italian piece by Mozart is a very boisterous song that has a sarcastic tone to it, which I greatly enjoy,” Enns added. “The last English song by Wolseley has a great story that is entertaining and a joy to perform and listen to.”
Enns said he feels blessed to be a student of Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music.
“Dr. Vogel is a very well known conductor especially in the Midwest region and it is very evident why,” Enns said. “He is very charismatic and a great musician and director who brings the best out in choirs. This is one of the biggest reasons why I came to Tabor, because the Tabor choir competes with the highest level of choirs in the state of Kansas. And this has all rubbed off on me as I have watched and been personally instructed by Dr. Vogel.
“But he isn’t the only person in the Wohlgemuth music building,” Enns added. “All the faculty are experts in their field and very friendly and God-seeking people who have not only coached me musically, but spiritually as well.”
Singing has become a special way for Enns to express his Christian faith.
“Most everyone can say that there is something about music that can move the soul,” Enns said. “No one has figured it out yet, but I have definitely felt that there is something special about music. I am also the only one of my extended family who has been gifted with a talent for music, so I found it a real joy to further pursue that gift and develop it for God’s glory.”
At this point, Enns is undecided about which career path to take after graduation.
“I am not sure what I am going to do,” he said. “The two biggest possibilities are finding a choir teaching job at a high school, or even attending a seminary to become a pastor. But I still have a few more years to figure it all out before its crunch time.”
HILLSBORO, Kan. – Seven Tabor College instrumentalists have been selected to participate in the 2010 Kansas Music Educator’s Association (KMEA) College Honor Band Concert, beginning at 2:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at Century II Concert Hall, in Wichita, Kan.
The performance is free to the public.
Honor Band members are selected from college and university instrumentalists from across the state of Kansas based on sectional and solo playing, musicianship, and dependability.
Selected to perform from Tabor College are Emily Miller (Kingman, Kan.) clarinet; Darren Enns (Hillsboro, Kan.) trombone; Eric Funk (Siloam Springs, Ark.) trumpet; Emily Miller (Kingman, Kan.) clarinet; Corina Neufeld ((Denver, Colo.) oboe; Janae Rempel (Meade, Kan.) clarinet; Cody Schroeder (Goddard, Kan.) trombone; and Megan Souter (Fairview, Okla.) flute.
“It was my honor to recommend these students and support their selection,” said Dr. Richard Cantwell, Concert Band Director and Chair of the Music Department. “The band members selected will all represent Tabor extremely well and will perform at a very professional level.”
The clinician working with the Honor Band is Dr. Joseph Hebert, Professor of Music and Director of Bands and Coordinator of Wind and Percussion Activities at Loyola University, in New Orleans, La. Dr. Hebert has been a guest conductor of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and is the founder and conductor of the Crescent City Wind Symphony in New Orleans and the Slidell Wind Symphony in Slidell, Louisiana.
“His extensive resume as a conductor and educator promises to give the students a great experience,” Cantwell said.
HILLSBORO, Kan. – The Tabor College Concert Choir is preparing to present15 free public concerts during March and April, including its annual Spring Tour, from March 19-29, during which the choir will perform in five states in the upper Midwest.
Under the direction of Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, the theme for this year’s concert series is “The Light of His Grace.”
“The music focuses upon texts that reflect upon God as Light, including Christ as the Light of the World and His light shining in our lives,” Vogel said. “We sing of God’s grace shown in our lives as both Savior and guide. My hope is that people will be enriched by the beauty of choral music expressing texts that glorify God for His work in our lives, and express our future hope.”
Before going on the road, the choir will perform at both morning services on Sunday, March 7, at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro, Kan. On Sunday, March 14, the choir will sing at 9 a.m. service at the Buhler (Kan.) Mennonite Brethren Church, followed by a second concert at 7 p.m. at Koerner Heights Church, in Newton, Kan.
The choir’s 10-day, five-state tour performance series begins at 7 p.m., Friday, March 19,with a concert at Henderson Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson, Neb., followed by concerts in South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas.
Upon returning from the tour, the choir will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at First Mennonite Brethren Church, in Wichita, Kan., and will present its home concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 18, at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, in Hillsboro, Kan.
According to Dr. Vogel, the concert repertoire for the tour performances is varied, with music ranging from Gregorian chant to standard works by Schutz and Telemann, and a range of contemporary sacred works by Egil Hovland, John Rutter, Jackson Berkey and Morten Lauridsen. Compositions within the vein of the spiritual and popular style include those by Moses Hogan, Ken Berg, and the director himself, Dr. Vogel.
A number of instrumentalists will be featured, including organist Will Friesen, violinists Mary Goering and Julie Wiens, and wind players Eric Funk (trumpet), Corina Neufeld (oboe), and Stephanie Wiens (flute).
“Two concerts I’m particularly looking forward to are the Mennonite Central Committee benefit concert in the Twin Cities, and then the next night we sing in the Basilica at the Conception Seminary in Missouri,” Vogel said. “Much of our repertoire is designed for spaces such as the Basilica, and we look forward to hearing the works in that setting.”
The Tabor College Concert Choir was founded in 1925 by Professor Henry Berg, whose founding ideal was the a cappella style of the then-and-now famous St. Olaf Choir. Herbert C. Richert began a 25-year tenure as director of the choir in 1935 and developed a choral sound that became the model for church music in the Mennonite Brethren denomination. Two of Richert’s students served as succeeding directors: Dr. Paul Wohlgemuth (1960-1974) and Dr. Jonah C. Kliewer (1975-1998).
After the Concert Choir performed at New York’s International Choral Symposium in 1998, Dr. Kliewer passed the baton to his former student, current director Dr. Bradley Vogel. Under Dr. Vogel’s direction, the choir has been selected to perform at the annual Kansas Music Educator’s Association Convention in 2000, 2003 and 2007. The choir continues its annual Messiah performance each December, and in addition to the annual tour performs for numerous area churches, as well as performing a choral/orchestra work each spring.
Dr. Vogel is in his 13th year as Professor of Choral Music at Tabor College, where he directs the Concert Choir and the men’s ensemble Cantate. In addition to his conducting activities, Vogel also teaches voice and courses in choral conducting, music history, church music, and music education methods.
An active adjudicator and clinician, Dr. Vogel has recently conducted the Wichita All-City High School Honor Chorus, the North Central, North West, South East and South West Kansas KMEA District Honor Choirs, as well as numerous area honor choirs. Additionally, he presents teaching sessions on church music and worship, and choral tone building and rehearsal preparation. Dr. Vogel is chair of the faculty at Tabor College and also serves as past-president and newsletter editor of the Kansas Choral Directors Association.
Outside of his teaching activities, Dr. Vogel has been married to Beverly (Just) for 24 years, with whom he parents sons David (20) and Nathan (17).
Tabor College Concert Choir Performance Dates
Sunday, March 7, Parkview MB Church, 610 S. Main, Hillsboro, Kan., 8:30 a.m. and 10:50 a.m.
Sunday, March 14, Buhler MB Church, 415 N. West Street, Buhler, Kan., 9 a.m.
Sunday, March 14, Koerner Heights Church, 320 N. Meridian, Newton, Kan., 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 11, First MB Church, 8000 W. 21st Street N, Wichita, Kan., 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 18, Spring Concert, Hillsboro MB Church, 300 Prairie Point, Hillsboro, Kan., 4 p.m.
Tabor College Concert Choir
Rachel Alberti, Henrico, Va.; Kady Albrecht, Herington, Kan.; Clarissa Berglund, Gettysburg, S.D.; Hanna Bishop, Hays, Kan.; Mary Bishop, Hays, Kan.; Sam Brucks, Wichita, KS; Katie Chlumsky, Wichita, Kan.; Nolan Dirks, Hillsboro, Kan.; Darren Enns, Hillsboro, Kan.; Aaron Epp, Henderson, Neb.; Sarah Friesen, Guthrie, Okla.; Will Friesen, Meade, Kan. ; Abby Funk, Siloam Springs, Ark.; Eric Funk, Littleton, Colo.; Mary Goering, Newton, Kan.; Lisa Hall, McPherson, Kan.; Benjamin Heyen, Hillsboro, Kan.; Lauren Just, Hillsboro, Kan.; Sam Klein,Wichita, Kan.; Shelby Koons, Hillsboro, Kan.; Allison Krehbiel, Hutchinson, Kan.; Cassie Kroeker, Hillsboro, Kan.; Maria Loewen, Hillsboro, Kan.; Emily Miller, Kingman, Kan.; Justin Moore, Hillsboro, Kan.; Scott Morrow, Inman, Kan.; Corina Neufeld, Denver, Colo.; Emily Olson, Newton, Kan.; Jenae Pauls, Inman, Kan.; Juli Richardson, Grant, Neb.; Elissa Richert, Hillsboro, Kan.; Tim Roesch, Quinter, Kan.; Emily Schmidt, Wichita, Kan.; Megan Souter, Fairview, Okla.; Jordan Stahl, Yale, S.D.; Aaron Stepanek, Hillsboro, Kan.; Logan Stranghoner, Wichita, Kan.; Carson Stutzman, Beaver Crossing, Neb.; Naomi Toews, Hesston, Kan.; Kelsey Unruh, Hillsboro, Kan.; Mattie Vance, Concordia, Kan.; Kayla Vix, Wichita, Kan.; David Vogel, Hillsboro, Kan.; Julie Wiens, Fresno, Calif.; Stephanie Wiens, Fresno, Calif.; Ian Wohlgemuth, Wichita, Kan.; Allen Yoder, Kingman, Kan.; and Logan Zielke, Wichita, Kan.
Tabor College is a four-year Christian liberal arts institution located in Hillsboro, Kan., with a second campus, the School for Adult and Graduate Studies, in Wichita, Kan. Visit us at www.tabor.edu. To learn more about the Tabor College Music Programs, visit http://www.tabor.edu/undergraduate/academic-programs/music, or subscribe to the Tabor College Music Department Journal at http://blogs.tabor.edu/music/.
Tabor College vocalists and accompanists performed well at the highly-competitive National Association of Teacher’s of Singing (NATS) West Region Student Auditions contest, held this past Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. Shown from left to right, Darren Enns, Maria Loewen, Aaron Stepanek, Emily Olson, Kayla Vix, Hanna Bishop, Naomi Toews, and David Vogel, who placed first in the Sophomore Men Classical Performance Category. (Courtesy photo).
HILLSBORO, Kan. – Tabor College’s David Vogel sang his way to first place in the Sophomore Men Classical Performance category at the highly-competitive National Association of Teacher’s of Singing (NATS) West Region Student Auditions contest held this past Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.
Darren Enns (accompanied by Maria Loewen) was the second-highest ranking Tabor vocalist, advancing all the way to the finals andplacing fifth in Junior Men Classical Performance.
Three other Tabor vocalists (and accompanists) qualified for semi-final rounds: Hanna Bishop (Sally Epp) in Sophomore Women Classical Performance and Music Theater Performance; Aaron Stepanek (Maria Loewen) in Sophomore Men Classical performance; and Kayla Vix (Emily Olson) in Senior Women Music Theater Performance.
In all, over 300 singers from 25 colleges, universities and private voice studios from Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas competed in the event, including16 singers and accompanists from Tabor.
Prior to reaching finals, singers performed three songs for a panel of three judges. The top singers advanced to a semi-final round, where they sang one song for a different panel of judges. Five singers from the semi-final round advanced to the finals, where they sang one selection for a panel of three judges.
Tabor’s winning vocalist, Vogel (accompanied by Naomi Toews) performed Verdi’s famous aria, “La donne e’ mobile,” in the final round. David is the student and son of Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, and the third Tabor College student to win his division in the past seven years. He placed second in the Freshman Classical Performance category last year.
“It is always a pleasure to see your students succeed,” Dr. Vogel said, “and as a teacher you feel very responsible for them, even though the work is theirs. It does add a little more pressure, if not joy, when the student belongs to you!”
The female semi-finalists, Bishop and Vix, are students of Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, Adjunct Professor of Voice; the male semi-finalist performers are students of Dr. Vogel.
Additional Tabor singers and (accompanists) competing at the event were, Freshmen Women: Lauren Just (Benjamin Heyen); Kady Albrecht (Sally Epp); and Mary Bishop (Epp). Sophomore Women: Clarissa Berglund (Heyen); and Senior Women: Emily Olson (Janae Rempel).
“By and large, the students who compete at NATS are vocal performance majors, and focus primarily and nearly solely on this aspect of their lives,” Dr. Vogel said. “In contrast, all of our singers just completed Children of Eden three weeks ago, and only two of our semifinalists are music majors (Enns and Stepanek). David and Kayla are English majors, and Hanna is undecided.
“Needless to say, we are extremely pleased and proud of all of these students!” Vogel added.
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the Tabor College Music Program offers students several areas of concentration, combining a quality education in the liberal arts with an emphasis on service to others. To learn more, visit www.tabor.edu/undergraduate/academic-programs/music
The musical and comedic talents of three former Tabor College fine arts students who have been making headlines as professional show business entertainers will be featured on campus once again when “Three Fold” performers Michael Woods, Landon Tucker and Jonathan Regier return for three public performances, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6-8, in the Chapel-Auditorium.
The “Three Fold” performance series begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, with the one-man comedy “Fully Committed,” performed by Woods, a 2005 Tabor graduate, who has been acting and doing comedy in Chicago, Ill. A musical concert will follow at 9 p.m., performed by Tucker and Regier, both 2006 Tabor graduates, who have been playing together and separately in Virginia Beach, Va.
Woods will perform “Fully Committed” again at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. At 9 p.m. the three actors will perform improvisational comedy together in a revival of the ever-popular Tabor touring troupe, “Mind Your Head.”
The improv comedy of “Mind Your Head” will be repeated in a performance at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8.
Tickets are $5 for general public ($3 for current Tabor students) and may be purchased in advance at the Student Life Office or at the door on the night of the performance. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tabor Theatre program which helped launch the entertainers’ careers.
“It has been rewarding and meaningful to stay in touch with these three and other friends of theirs from Tabor days,” said Judy Harder, Associate Professor of Communications and Drama. “In the course of visiting back and forth these last few years, it seemed the right time for them to come back and perform together on our campus again. All three enjoy performing together and they love to interact with their audiences. I am confident that all who attend will experience fine quality entertainment.
“They are donating their time and talent in appreciation for their experiences in the arts at Tabor,” Harder added. “They often express their desire to support the arts at Tabor. After expenses are covered, proceeds from the weekend will be used to support needs of Tabor theatre productions.”
Michael Woods
Woods has received much attention from prominent theaters in the Chicagoland area and has been acting consistently since he arrived in town. Act One Studios reviewed Woods as ”…fantastically funny… His physical humor, high stakes commitment, and great sense of humor is a joy to behold.” The Chicago Tribune hailed Woods as, “a standout character actor” and “masterful in his (comedic) timing.”
According to Harder, “Woods performed ‘Fully Committed’ as his Senior Project while at Tabor and we are in for an amazing repeat performance of a flustered phone clerk taking on more than 35 characters calling for reservations at a trendy New York Restaurant.
“I am eager to see Michael’s tour de force comedy,” she added. “Michael’s performance of Fully Committed was phenomenal while he was here at Tabor, and I have no doubt that his reworking and repeating the one-man comedy will result in another amazing performance.”
Following graduation from Tabor, Woods earned an MFA in Acting from Regent (Va.) University, and roomed for awhile with Tucker and Regier who took advantage of various music and acting performance opportunities in the Hampton Roads area.
Woods said he is eager to return to the Tabor College stage.
“Tabor College is where I crafted the dream that I am now living out,” Woods said. “Coming back to perform at Tabor is a great way at looking back at how far the three of us have gone, where we will go in the future, and looking to where others might dream to go as well.”
Rachel Pederson, also a 2006 Tabor graduate, from Wichita, will be assisting Woods with sound effects during Fully Committed.
“She is giving up a week of workdays to rehearse with Michael in Wichita before they perform here on campus,” Harder said. “She was involved with theater in a major way while at Tabor, along with the guys.”
Regier and Tucker have embarked their own solo careers as singer-songwriters (both have solo CDs available) and they frequently perform together. Throughout the summers of ‘08 & ‘09, they played at Beach Street USA on the oceanfront in Virginia Beach, and, recently appeared as “Jonathan and Landon” on the “Live Music Friday” segment of the FOX 43 TV news program in Virginia Beach.
Introducing them to the television audience, the announcer said, “We’re celebrating with the acoustic rock duo Jonathan and Landon… These guys are college buddies that turned music into a career, and that’s very cool!”
According to the “About” section on his website, Regier is a “surveyor of moments.”
“He puts into melodies that unusually perceptive glimpse between you and the stranger you walked by today. His words describe that very glance that will tap on your reflective shoulder the moment you sit down to unwind. Jonathan is a musician of perception. “I take a moment and live there in my songs. I’m committed to finding out whether it resonates with other people.”
Jonathan Regier
Jonathan’s debut EP, The Smithson Sessions, is a snapshot of these moments, colored by the sun and stars of Virginia Beach.”
Regier just finished a number of short film projects as well as playing piano for the Patsy Cline show on the oceanfront. His first feature film, “The Box” comes out at the end of October, in which he plays one of the black ops officers.
As for Tucker, according to the “About” section on his website, his desire is “to stir up people to look at life from a different perspective and challenge them to a life well lived. I want to live hard, laugh loud, and love deep…and I wouldn’t mind some company along the way.”
In addition to performing, Tucker has been a worship leader for various ministries and is currently serving at Freedom Fellowship in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg Collegiate in Williamsburg, Va. He recorded an EP during his last year at Tabor with the help of 2007 Tabor graduate, Keith Warkentin. It is available for sale at cdbaby.com.
While at Tabor, Woods, Regier and Tucker shared the spotlight in several shows, such as “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Twelve Angry Men,” and “The Drawer Boy.”
“Anyone who attended the Tabor College production of “The Foreigner” in 2002 will not soon forget the hilarious comedy featuring Woods as Charlie, Regier as Ellard and Tucker as Froggy,” Harder said.
“Jonathan and Landon also sang in the Concert Choir and performed musical worship with Crosswise and Share, Prayer & Dare,” she added. “They toured with comedy improv calling themselves “Mind Your Head,” and Landon’s work in graphic design further established their reputation as a multi-talented threesome.”
Landon Tucker
According to Regier, the coaching and experience he received from Tabor both in music and acting provided the solid foundation that he needed to pursue his passion as a professional entertainer. He looks forward to sharing the Tabor spotlight again with his former college chums, who have become great professional colleagues.
“I love performing with Mike and Landon,” Regier said. “They are so good at what they do that I have full confidence when I’m on stage with them. I know they’ve got my back.”
For Tucker, returning to Tabor is an opportunity to give back to a college that gave so much to him.
“I always enjoy coming back and performing at Tabor,” Tucker said. “It’s a lot like coming home again. My experiences there helped shape who I am today; the people, the education, the community life. Tabor gave me opportunities to grow as a musician and artist and helped give me a solid foundation from which to move forward. I’m happy to give back what I can.”
Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, Associate Professor of Vocal Music, has been awarded the annual Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest honor given to a faculty member at Tabor College.
Begun in the year 2000, the award is given annually to the faculty member who best exemplifies the qualities of excellent teaching at Tabor College.
These qualities include:
A strong Christian commitment
Record of excellence in teaching, as shown by peer and student reviews.
Evidence of integrating faith and learning.
Commitment to Tabor College as an institution, as shown in support of departments outside one’s own area.
Swartzendruber received the award from Provost Lawrence Ressler during the annual Honors and Awards Convocation, held May 13 at the college. In addition to a plaque and recognition at the annual spring appreciation dinner, the recipient of the Clarence R. Hiebert Award also receives a personal honorarium of $2,500.
“Dr. Swartzendruber is a special faculty member,” Ressler said. “It is clear from the comments of students that Dr. Swartzendruber is equally respected for her skills in teaching, her Christ-like character, and her relationship with students. She is well-deserving of the honor.”
A member of the Tabor faculty since 2003, among the courses taught by Swartzendruber are Vocal Pedagogy and Diction, Music Theory I and II, Ear Training/Sight Singing I and II, Introduction to Fine Arts, as well as private voice lessons.
A gifted concert soprano, Swartzendruber continues to develop her singing career through performances in faculty recitals, such as “Liederabend” and “Dueling Divas,” and as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem, Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah.
Last fall she starred as Golde in Tabor’s centennial production of Fiddler on the Roof, and the previous year served as Music Director for the Tabor musical drama Honk!
“Dr. Swartzendruber is a fine classroom and studio teacher,” said Dr. Richard Cantwell, Professor of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department, “She has the ability to balance compassion and empathy against valuable learning experiences and realistic demands for her students.She communicates equally well on the concert stage, in a tradition classroom or one-on-one relationships.”
The nominating process for the Clarence R. Hiebert Award began during the spring term, when Ressler convened an ad hoc committee consisting of the two past student Hiebert Merit Award recipients, the two immediate past Clarence R. Hiebert award recipients, and the Vice President of Student Development.
The committee received more than a dozen glowing nominations for Swartzendruber, written by faculty peers as well as current and former students. The following are excerpts:
I would like to nominate Holly Swartzendruber for the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award because I believe she exemplifies the mission of Tabor in her teaching and relations with students and other faculty. She teaches with humility despite the fact that her gifts would definitely give her reason to boast. She is a loving, caring individual who lives out her faith in an admirable way. Not to mention that her teaching ability is one of the best at Tabor.
I would like to nominate Holly Swartzendruber for the Clarence Hiebert Teaching Award. Her impact on the students she teaches in private voice is immeasurable; both on the direct impact on her students and also the impact that those matured voices have on the rest of the choir members. Her teaching style, personality, and care for her students exemplify the mission of Tabor College: to prepare students for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his Kingdom.
Holly has touched not only my life, but so many lives that have taken voice lessons from her during their years at Tabor College.Holly is an amazing teacher that goes out of her way to make sure all of her students are learning and becoming the best adults they can so that they can make this world a better place.I see no one better for this award than Holly.
Dr. Swartzendruber has been an extreme influence in my view of Tabor, my life goals, and is an excellent role model of how a Christian woman should live out her life for Christ.As seen by her incredible growing resume and experience, she is never satisfied by complacency, but strives to make Tabor a thriving source of the highest education.
Her commitment to Christ is evident in how she treats her students and colleagues, and her tireless devotion to be the best at what gifts God has given her to bless others.She deserves to be honored for her hard work.
Swartzendruber holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas, a Master of Music in vocal performance from Ohio University, and a Bachelor of Arts in music, from Goshen College. She is married to Dr. Douglas B. Miller, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies and Chair of the Bible, Religion, and Philosophy Department.
“I am honored to have served in such a strong music department with wonderful colleagues,” said Swartzendruber. “It has been a privilege to work with Tabor students, both in the classroom and in my voice studio.”
The premiere performance of“Sun, Moon and Stars,” a cantata for mixed choir, baritone solo, and orchestra written especially for the 100th Anniversary of Tabor College by composer and pianist Dr. Larry Warkentin of Fresno, Calif., was the highlight the Tabor College Centennial Spring Concert, held Sunday, May 10.
Warkentin, Professor Emeritus at Fresno Pacific University, is a distinguished alumnus of Tabor College, who has composed numerous works which have been performed by the Fresno Philharmonic, The Tulare (Calif.) Symphony, the Festival Quartet of Canada, and many choirs in North America and Europe.
The premiere of “Sun, Moon and Stars” encompassed seven sections and was performed by the Tabor College Oratorio Chorus and the Tabor College Community Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Bradley Vogel, Professor of Choral Music. The piece included a baritone solo sung by Justin Moore, a junior from Hillsboro, Kan., and concluded with the combined choir, orchestra, and audience singing Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Warkentin, who was born in 1940 in Reedley, Calif., arrived at Tabor in 1958, where the young pianist was chosen to accompany the Tabor Choir under the direction of musical giants Herbert Richert and Paul Wohlgemuth.
“The musical idea for the composition comes from my experience as accompanist for the Tabor Male Octet during the years that Richert was music director,” Warkentin said.
In addition to the new cantata, the Centennial Concert included a performance by the Tabor College Symphonic Band, conducted by Dr. Richard Cantwell, Professor of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department. The Tabor College Concert Choir, conducted by Dr.Vogel, also performed.
Dr. Shiela Litke, Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, performed Piano Concerto in E Major, Op. 59 by Moritz Moszkowski, accompanied by the Community Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Cantwell.
The premier performance of “Sun, Moon and Stars,” a cantata for mixed choir, baritone solo, and orchestra, will highlight the Tabor College Centennial Spring Concert, at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 10, in the Tabor College Gymnasium.
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
The new cantata was written especially for the 100th Anniversary of the college by distinguished Tabor alum, composer and pianist Dr. Larry Warkentin of Fresno, Calif.
Warkentin, Professor Emeritus at Fresno Pacific University, was asked by the late Dr. Jonah Kliewer, Professor Emeritus of Music, to write a piece for choir and orchestra for the historic concert. Kliewer’s request was made on behalf of the Tabor Centennial Committee, which commissioned the work.
In addition to the cantata, the Centennial Concert includes a performance by the Tabor College Symphonic Band, conducted by Dr. Richard Cantwell, Professor of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department. The band will play Declaration Overture, by Claude T. Smith; Holy, Holy, Holy, arranged by Lari Goss; and, Fanfare Prelude: “And Can It Be?” by Charles Wesley, arranged by Timothy Johnson.
The Tabor College Concert Choir, conducted by Dr. Bradley Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, will perform A Song of Praise by Gwyneth Walker; My Jesus, I Love Thee, arranged by Jay Rouse; and, John the Revelator, arranged by Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory.
Dr. Shiela Litke, Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, will perform Piano Concerto in E Major, Op. 59 by Moritz Moszkowski, accompanied by the Community Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Richard Cantwell.
Warkentin has composed numerous works for vocal solo, piano solo, chamber ensembles, choir, and orchestra, which have been performed by the Fresno Philharmonic, The Tulare (Calif.) Symphony, the Festival Quartet of Canada, and by many choirs in North America and Europe. His piano piece Academic Variations won first prize in the California Music Teachers Association competition.
The work encompasses seven sections, is 30 minutes long, and includes a baritone solo, to be sung by Justin Moore, a junior from Hillsboro, Kan. The piece concludes with the combined choir, orchestra, and audience singing Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Warkentin, who was born in 1940 in Reedley, Calif., arrived at Tabor in 1958, where the young pianist was chosen to accompany the Tabor Choir under the direction of musical giants Herbert Richert and Paul Wohlgemuth.
“The musical idea for the composition comes from my experience as accompanist for the Tabor Male Octet during the years that Richert was music director,” Warkentin said.
In 1962, Warkentin earned his degree, married his Tabor College sweetheart, Paula (Berg) Warkentin of Wichita, Kan., and moved back to California to begin teaching at Fresno Pacific College. He went on to earn his master’s degree at California State University, Fresno, and his doctorate at the University of Southern California. He taught piano performance and music composition at Fresno Pacific for 40 years before his retirement in 2002.
In retirement, Warkentin has performed in recitals at FPU, including an appearance with renowned flutist, Paul Fried, and bass soloist, Andrew Funk. In 2004 he presented an all-Chopin recital in Gdansk, Poland. In 2007, with baritone soloist Milton Friesen, he performed his own compositions entitled Eleven Little Love Songs, which is now available on CD.
The Warkentins, who have two adult children and two grandchildren, enjoy traveling and attend North Fresno Mennonite Brethren church, where he still serves on the Music Committee and accompanies the choir.
When the time comes, the composer says he will be more than happy to let Dr. Vogel conduct his new piece.
College Chapel. The public is invited to attend.
The musical and comedic talents of three former Tabor College fine arts students who have been making headlines as professional show business entertainers will be featured on campus once again when “Three Fold” performers Michael Woods, Landon Tucker and Jonathan Regier return for three public performances, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6-8, in the Chapel-Auditorium.
