Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011
Westminster College music faculty are involved in a variety of winter activities.
Robert Matchett, trombone instructor and director of the Westminster Jazz Ensemble, was guest conductor for the annual Lawrence County All Star Band at Westminster Jan. 6.
Matchett earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Youngstown State University.
Dr. Robin Lind, associate professor and director of choral activities, was the guest conductor for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association's (PMEA) District 6 Honors Chorus Jan. 13-15 in Berlin (Pa.). Choral director at the host school is Katie Menhorn Spiri, a 2007 Westminster graduate.
Lind, who has been with Westminster since 2000, earned an undergraduate degree from the College of Idaho, master's from the University of Oregon, and Ph.D. from the University of Utah.
Dr. R. Tad Greig, associate professor, director of bands, and chair of Westminster's Department of Music, will present sessions on time management and rehearsal techniques for music department faculty in the East Liverpool (Ohio) School District Jan. 18 as part of the Ohio Department of Education Professional Development Day.
Greig will present a session on conducting techniques and critiquing graduate conducting students Feb. 19 at the Mansfield (Pa.) University conducting symposium.
Greig, who joined the Westminster faculty in 1995, earned an undergraduate degree from Grove City College, master's from Youngstown State University, and Ph.D. from Kent State University.
Andrew Erb, trumpet instructor and former director of the Westminster Jazz Ensemble, and Matchett will be guest conductors at the PMEA District 3 Jazz Festival March 3-4 at Brockway High School. Brockway's band director is 2006 Westminster graduate Kevin Rush.
Erb, a 1996 Westminster graduate, earned a master's degree from Youngstown State University.
Melinda Crawford Perttu, violin and viola instructor and director of the Westminster Orchestra, will present at the National Music Conference March 31-April 3 in Baltimore.
Perttu earned an undergraduate degree from Duquesne University and master's from The Ohio State University.
Matchett, Perttu, and Dr. Daniel Perttu, assistant professor of theory and composition, will present at the PMEA State Conference April 14-16 in Hershey.
Matchett will present a session on selection of repertoire for the high school jazz ensemble. Melinda Perttu's presentation will instruct teachers on the use of Scottish fiddling techniques to aid in string intonation. Dr. Perttu will discuss the selection of appropriate music theory texts for public schools.
Dr. Perttu, who joined the Westminster faculty in 2009, earned an undergraduate degree from Williams College, two masters from Kent State University, and doctorate from Ohio State University.
Perry Gatch, percussion instructor and director of the Westminster Percussion Ensemble, has been invited to publish a regular series in the PMEA Journal on ways to approach teaching and utilizing percussion in the schools.
Gatch earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Duquesne University.
"One of my goals as chair of Westminster's Department of Music, along with the continuation of exemplary teaching on campus, is for our faculty to get out into the musical community," Greig said. "We must continually find ways to share our programs with our professional and geographical colleagues. We are very fortunate to have such an outstanding music faculty."
Contact Greig at (724) 946-7279 or e-mail greigrt@westminster.edu for additional information.
