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"The Soul Unto Itself," a chamber music song cycle, was commissioned by the author, Rosa LoGiudice, and composed by William Clay, a doctoral candidate in composition at Arizona State University. The cycle was conceived and composed in the summer and fall of 2019. The chamber ensemble was a sextet comprised of Megan Law, mezzo-soprano, Kristi Hanno, clarinet, Emilio Vazquez, violin, Rittika Gambhir, bassoon, Nathaniel De la Cruz, double bass, and Rosa LoGiudice, piano, all based in Tempe, Arizona. The song cycle was premiered in a lecture recital on December 8, 2019 at Hammer and Strings Conservatory in Gilbert, AZ.
"The Soul Unto Itself" is a cycle of six songs based on poems of Emily Dickinson. The poems all have common themes of personal transformation achieved through the introspective observations of the poet. An unusual chamber ensemble was chosen to include instruments not commonly used in vocal chamber music in order to create a greater variety of musical colors and timbres. This project included the creation of the musical score, a live performance that was video recorded, and the research paper. This document discusses the process of working with the composer, rehearsing the music as it was being composed, and negotiating revisions necessary to make the music more effective in performance. Each song is discussed in detail, especially the connection between the music and poetry, the overall form of the song, revisions discussed and implemented, and important motivic relationships between the songs that unify the cycle. In summary, the process of collaborating with a composer is a rewarding experience for both the performers and the composer, as everyone is challenged to improve their craft and overcome obstacles to achieve a successful performance.
The P[reparing]F[uture]F[aculty] Speakers Series, sponsored by the Arizona State University Graduate College, brings faculty to campus to speak about their careers. These two speakers, Paul Lehman, from the University of Michigan, and Jere Humphreys, from Arizona State University, are well-known experts in their respective fields. Both and university music faculty and spoke at ASU on April 21, 1995.
Professor Lehman begins by discussing teaching in general, then talks about the role of technology in teaching, discusses the relationship between higher education and K-12 education, and ends with some observations on teaching in higher education.
Professor Humphreys then offers some practical tips on securing a faculty position in music at a college. He outlines the process colleges use to select new faculty members, what colleges look for in candidates, and what steps applicants should take in applying for a position.