Independent Study Archives - �鶹ӰԺ University

�鶹ӰԺ senior carves his own musical path with sound bath symphonies

Communications — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 14:08:09 +0000

�鶹ӰԺ University senior Tomi Oladunjoye is blending interests in music and wellness into entrepreneurial pursuits as he heads toward graduation.

Oladunjoye, of Boston, Massachusetts, crafted a self-directed music major focused on electronic music and entrepreneurship. He’s in the early stages of launching ZOANYI, a music-focused wellness enterprise that creates, among other things, sound bath symphonies aimed at sparking imagination while reducing stress.

He will present one of his sound bath symphonies, an immersive sonic experience, as part of a show scheduled for 6:30 p.m. June 6 in Stansbury Theater. It is a follow-up to two sound bath symphony experiences he showcased in Warch Cinema earlier this year.

The ZOANYI musical experiences are meant to be creative and meditative in nature, Oladunjoye said.

“We create sound bath symphonies that not only have elements of meditation, so listeners can come with wonder and leave with peace, but also elements to spark imagination,” he said.

Oladunjoye said he’s interested in how he can use his music to build tools that enhance wellness. The launch of ZOANYI and its is a chance to dip his toes into those waters to see where it might lead.

Finding a musical path

Oladunjoye came to �鶹ӰԺ four years ago with plans to pursue engineering through one of �鶹ӰԺ’s cooperative programs. He has a fascination with building cars and thought that might be his path. His love of music-making, though, kept tugging at him.

“As a first-year student at �鶹ӰԺ, I had so many ideas of things I wanted to do,” Oladunjoye said. “I was on the football team; I was thinking I wanted to do something with engineering, and I still might; I wanted to be part of Makerspace; I wanted to do something in musical theater. I was thinking I wanted to do everything, but I didn’t have a specific thing.”

Conversations with Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory, and other �鶹ӰԺ faculty helped him find direction. And spending time in and around the Conservatory sparked new interests.

“The free time I had during COVID actually helped me see what I want to do,” Oladunjoye said. “I found SOL Studios [a student-run recording space in the Music-Drama Center] and for one summer during COVID I was there almost every day from 7 p.m. to about 3 a.m.”

He was creating musical tracks, experimenting with sounds, searching for creative outlets.

“I realized I wasn’t getting sick of this stuff,” Oladunjoye said. “I loved making music. I really like the challenge of putting emotions through frequencies, through music. It just kept evolving from there.”

That led to him working with his academic advisor and others in the Conservatory to craft a self-directed music major.

“Tomi is a student with boundless curiosity, endless drive, and creative ideas that are big, bold, and beautiful,” Pertl said. “�鶹ӰԺ’s seamless integration of music production, composition, entrepreneurship, and customized faculty support provided the ideal environment for Tomi to maximize his incredible potential. It has been such a pleasure working with Tomi throughout his �鶹ӰԺ journey.”

Now, as graduation nears, Oladunjoye is experimenting with ways to combine his music with the promotion of immersive sound baths, another of his passions.

“Why not use music to inspire creativity in people?” Oladunjoye said. “That’s what artists do. They connect with their fans through their music. I want to do it through wellness, through sound baths. Why not use music for good? I’m trying to create a different way to listen to music, more of a service.”

“I just love learning”

Oladunjoye has worked with Gary Vaughan, lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship and coordinator of �鶹ӰԺ’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, and Michael Clayville, visiting assistant professor of music in entrepreneurial studies and social engagement, as he’s explored potential business paths forward.

“If I had it to do over again, I’d tell my freshman self to tighten it up a little bit but also that it’s good to keep imagining,” Oladunjoye said. “I think that’s one thing I didn’t lose—imagination. But one thing I did gain was structure. I believe �鶹ӰԺ helped me with that. “

What direction his entrepreneurial interests eventually take remains an open question. But the process of getting to this point has been thrilling, Oladunjoye said.

“I just love learning,” he said.

Oladunjoye is a huge proponent of �鶹ӰԺ’s newly introduced business and entrepreneurship major, an interdisciplinary program that leans into the liberal arts. It will give students new opportunities to carve their own path into the business world, be it in music or elsewhere.

“You have some of the best professors here who actually really care,” Oladunjoye said. “You come to them, and they’ll drop everything for you. They want to see you succeed. I feel that every time I come to them.”

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Murphy mixes music-making and business, turns ‘recital’ into rock concert

Communications — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:35:41 +0000

Michael Murphy lives and breathes music.

“I listen to too much music, long story short,” said Murphy, a �鶹ӰԺ University senior from nearby Neenah.

To give back to the �鶹ӰԺ and Appleton communities, Murphy is planning a special senior recital—a live performance of his debut solo album, Indigo Jones, set for Gibson Music Hall in downtown Appleton at 7 p.m. May 15

“I’m using ‘recital’ with the biggest quotations,” he said. “I want this to be as much a rock concert as anything.”

Murphy’s main instrument is guitar, but he also plays bass and double bass and has studied jazz piano, composition, and voice. At �鶹ӰԺ, he made audio engineering his focus and self-designed a major centered on business and music production. He’s among the first wave of �鶹ӰԺ Conservatory students to pursue the Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) degree, first introduced in 2019. Built with a jazz and contemporary improvisation track, it widened the path for students coming into the Conservatory, joining the Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees.

Business of music

Michael Murphy on launching Michael Murphy Music LLC as a student.

Murphy also is a big proponent of �鶹ӰԺ’s new business and entrepreneurship major, launching in the 2023-24 academic year. It’ll open new doors for students both in and out of the Conservatory who want to study business within a liberal arts curriculum.

It all fits the bill for Murphy, who has launched Michael Murphy Music LLC.

“The musician nowadays has to be an entrepreneur,” Murphy said. “Making a successful band nowadays, in my opinion, is no different than making a successful business.”

Michael Murphy performs in early April during EarthFest in Warch Campus Center. (Photo by Danny Damiani)

With the help of Conservatory faculty and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, Murphy is ready to use Indigo Jones as a steppingstone into the music business. His work on the album began while studying abroad at �鶹ӰԺ’s London Centre in Fall 2022. The name Indigo Jones is a play on Inigo Jones, a seventeenth-century English architect. Murphy said the music was especially influenced by Elton John’s roots rock album, Tumbleweed Connection, recorded in England in 1970.

“I didn’t do as much music writing there, but I did a lot of freehand creative poetry to get my brain thinking,” he said of his London experience.

It’s been a busy stretch since returning to Appleton for his final two terms—touring with STEEM, a popular Fox Valley cover band, continuing classes in advance of Commencement on June 11, and writing and recording the album’s 14 tracks.

“I was able to bounce a lot of ideas off people and run with my own thing,” Murphy said of the album. “I didn’t have any creative limitations. … I hope I can keep it that way.”

Learn about the Conservatory of Music

Integrate intellectual and musical virtuosity in a supportive, creative community that will empower you to find your musical path.

In addition to STEEM, Murphy has a band with his brothers called Murphy’s Law. He frequently collaborates with older brother and �鶹ӰԺ alum Jack Murphy ‘21, who lives in Manhattan.

“We write very well together,” Murphy said. “We’ve got that special brother bond where we can think each other’s thoughts and finish each other’s sentences.”

Indigo Jones features contributions from bassist and �鶹ӰԺ alum Ryan Erdmann ‘22 and drummer Wayne Salzmann II. Salzmann took lessons from �鶹ӰԺ Professor of Music Dane Richeson and has played with Eric Johnson, one of Murphy’s guitar idols. Jack Murphy, Erdmann, and Salzmann will all be playing at the Gibson Music Hall concert.

While Murphy handled the album’s recording process himself, he credits Brent Hauer, �鶹ӰԺ’s director of recording and technology and lecturer in recording arts, with providing a big assist.

“It was a fun process and a learning experience for me,” Murphy said. “Brent basically gave me free rein and the key to the mic locker.”

Study business and entrepreneurship

Combining benefits of a liberal arts education with those of a business major, we prepare future leaders for work in for-profit and non-profit sectors.

Murphy also credits Gary Vaughan, a lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship and coordinator of �鶹ӰԺ’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, with advising the financial and business aspects of the project.

“He was my big overseer for making sure this wasn’t just a one-off project,” Murphy said.

Murphy said he found a welcoming supporter in Dave Willems, owner of Gibson Music Hall and director of Mile of Music.

“Dave was unbelievably generous in letting me use the Gibson space, and he had the idea to make it a �鶹ӰԺ thing,” Murphy said. “He was like, ‘Hey, would you be interested in having someone open for you?’ and I was like, ‘You’d better believe it.’”

Opening for Murphy will be �鶹ӰԺ senior Holly Beemer.

“I’ve done a lot of projects with other bands and groups, but this is the first big solo project that I’ve done, so that’s been really exciting,” Murphy said.

Popping the bubble

Murphy was taking beginner-level movement music classes at the �鶹ӰԺ Community Music School (then known as the �鶹ӰԺ Academy of Music) before he was even a year old. With a father who is a hobbyist musician and a mother who is classically trained, Murphy said he and his siblings grew up surrounded by all types of music.

“When I was growing up, it was Veggietales on the TV, and then all of a sudden, my dad would take out the VHS and put in Stop Making Sense by the Talking Heads.”

Murphy said as much as he loves recording and production, he’s just as passionate about visuals and live performances. A friend owns The Wild Goose Exchange thrift store and is helping create outfits for the May 15 concert. Murphy’s keeping the details a surprise, though.

“It’s gonna be a little warm, but it’s a really cool outfit,” he said.

Beemer will open the show at 7 p.m., followed by Murphy at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; concertgoers will be able to leave tips.

Murphy said the biggest hope for this project is to provide a fun opportunity for �鶹ӰԺ students to venture off campus and hear a rock concert.

“Since I’m a townie—I grew up in this beautiful place—I would love to see more connections between �鶹ӰԺ and the community,” Murphy said. “We’ve got this bubble and I’m trying to be the one little needle that keeps popping it. That’s my goal: Pop the bubble, get people out.”

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’06 alumna charts historic course as first woman to lead U.S. Army Chorus

Communications — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 20:21:09 +0000

When Bonnie Alger ’06 was named Officer-in-Charge of The United States Army Chorus last year, it marked a defining moment in her journey as a music conductor, one that has its roots in �鶹ӰԺ University’s Conservatory of Music.

It also marked a defining moment for the 32-member chorus, one of the military’s elite music performance groups, as Alger became the first female officer to lead the unit in its 66-year history.

“These are some of the best singers you are going to hear anywhere,” Alger said from Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. “It’s an incredibly special time to be here.”

Bonnie Alger ’06 rehearses with the Alumni Choir during �鶹ӰԺ’s Reunion weekend in June. (Photo by Danny Damiani)

Alger—she is a first lieutenant, set to be promoted to captain this spring—points to a moment early in her junior year at �鶹ӰԺ when this journey began to take shape, setting her on a path to conducting. A voice major and violinist, performing in multiple ensembles while trying to find her music focus, she was intrigued by the work of two Conservatory conductors—Andrew Mast, director of bands, and Phillip Swan, co-director of choral studies.

“Sometime during that year, I approached (Mast) and asked if I could study with him one on one and have private lessons,” Alger said. “And I made it really clear that if I was terrible and completely hopeless that I hoped he would tell me so I wouldn’t continue to waste his time and I could focus on something else.”

She wasn’t terrible. She would eventually work with her faculty advisor, Steven Jordheim, to craft a student-designed major focused on conducting, then go on to earn a master’s in conducting from the University of Northern Iowa, a master’s in teaching from the University of Southern California, and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Maryland.

The now-retired David Becker, who began conducting the LU Symphony Orchestra during Alger’s senior year, would join Mast and Swan as important mentors.

“I’m not sure how they knew I’d be good at certain things because as a 20-year-old, I wasn’t sure I’d be good at it. I wasn’t first chair; I wasn’t singing all the solos in choir; but I was actively engaged, and they all saw something and pulled that out of me.”
– Bonnie Alger ’06 on faculty mentors while an undergraduate at �鶹ӰԺ

“I took conducting lessons at some point from all three of them—Mast, Swan, and Becker,” Alger said. “No one looked at me like I was silly when I said I wanted to go to graduate school for conducting even though I had only been doing it for a year or two. They all took the time to get to know me as a person and to play on my strengths. In some cases, I’m not sure how they knew I’d be good at certain things because as a 20-year-old, I wasn’t sure I’d be good at it. I wasn’t first chair; I wasn’t singing all the solos in choir; but I was actively engaged, and they all saw something and pulled that out of me.”

A decision to enlist

Alger, then 33, was finishing her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at Maryland in 2017 when opportunities for military band auditions caught her attention.

“My friends were winning those jobs,” she said. “They were being given the opportunity to play music at a high level with other professional musicians, with full-time salaries and benefits, which I think is a dream for a lot of musicians and a lot of people in performing arts in general. And they were getting to serve their country.”

Alger auditioned for an Army band position as a conductor and was accepted. Following graduation, she began 12 weeks of Basic Combat Training, another 12 weeks of Officer Candidate School, and a final 12 weeks of a Basic Officer Leader Course. She was then assigned to Fort Hood in Texas as executive officer of the First Cavalry Division Band.

Three years later she was transferred to Fort Myer and selected to lead the Army Chorus. She is one of only two women among the 25 commissioned band officers across the U.S. Army, and the first to lead the prestigious chorus.

Learn more about Conservatory of Music

What do you get when you combine a world-class conservatory of music with a world-class college of liberal arts? A university uniquely designed to train the innovative and adaptable musicians of the future.

She arrived shortly after the chorus transitioned from a tenor and bass ensemble—traditionally all men—to an ensemble also featuring sopranos and altos. The chorus now features a mix of men and women.

“While I was not assigned to be here because the group was now including sopranos and altos, it is neat to be here at this time and see the transition happening and be part of this new chapter in the ensemble’s history,” Alger said.

The chorus’ first full concert under Alger’s direction was in October, held in Springfield, Virginia. It fell on the anniversary of the day Alger first picked up a violin as a 9-year-old in Connecticut. That, she said, made for a “surprisingly emotional” moment as she reflected on the musical spark that set her on this path.

The chorus has since performed The Star-Spangled Banner at an NFL game and sang the national anthem, America the Beautiful, and God Bless America at a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol that honored D.C. Metro and Capitol police for their bravery during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

“That we could support them musically was a really special, important moment for all of us,” Alger said.

A return to �鶹ӰԺ

In June, Alger came back to �鶹ӰԺ for Reunion. She was asked to direct the Alumni Chorus—singers pulled together from the various classes celebrating their reunions that weekend—for a Memorial Chapel performance. There were no butterflies, she said, until Swan, one of her mentors, walked in midway through a rehearsal.

Bonnie Alger ’06 shares a laugh with fellow Lawrentians as she takes part in the Parade of Classes during last June’s Reunion weekend. (Photo by Danny Damiani)

“I tried to play it cool,” Alger said with a laugh. “When I had dinner with him later that weekend, he told me that I failed at playing it cool. He saw the look on my face. But I recovered quickly. It’s nerve-wracking when your mentor walks in. I had to remind myself I have a doctorate and I kind of know what I’m doing.”

The alumni performance was a hit.

Mast, who was in his first year at �鶹ӰԺ when Alger approached him about private lessons, said he never had a doubt Alger would find her path as a conductor. He saw it when she conducted the Symphonic Band while a student and he saw it as she worked her way through her student-designed major.

“Bonnie was ‘that’ student who not only exhibited talent and interest in the subject but truly engaged with the material,” Mast said. “She was, and remains, one who always asked a little deeper and more probing question.”

Alger expects to lead the U.S. Army Chorus for at least the next two to three years. The Army moves its commissioned officers to new assignments every few years, she said. For now, she’s relishing the chance to work with the talented singers in the chorus, most of whom hold advanced degrees in music. She wants to explore what’s possible with the new mix of voices while honoring the chorus’ rich history.

“I want to use all those things to create the new chapter and the new sound in our journey,” Alger said.

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On Main Hall Green With … Arnold Shober: Eye on politics, public policy

Communications — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:54:58 +0000

About the series: On Main Hall Green With … is an opportunity to connect with faculty on things in and out of the classroom. We’re featuring a different �鶹ӰԺ faculty member each time — same questions, different answers.

—

Arnold Shober, professor of government, has been a close watcher of and a frequent commentator on the political process in the United States—locally, statewide, and nationally.

He teaches courses in American federalism, elections, media, and public policy, and speaks frequently to media and community groups on political matters. He also oversees independent studies focused on student research and operates a speaker series on civil liberties.

A member of the �鶹ӰԺ faculty since 2006 and the author of three books on politics and public policy, Shober earned �鶹ӰԺ’s Excellence in Scholarship award in 2015.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University and master’s and doctorate degrees in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We caught up with him to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

IN THE CLASSROOM

Inside info: What’s one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

My favorite comic strip is the Calvin and Hobbes for April 23, 1995: “Look at all the stars…” You can look it up, but the moral of the story is to embrace humility and perspective. We live in a world of shallow, performative noise — TikTok, anyone? — and one of the most important things I value in my classroom is the ability to listen. That goes for presidential candidates as much as it does for you and me. Can you hear what someone else is saying — someone with the bumper sticker for that guy?

Pursue a major in government

Explore political ideas of past, present, and future in �鶹ӰԺ’s robust program. Immerse yourself in interplay of policy, power, and public life.

Getting energized: What work have you done or will you be doing at �鶹ӰԺ that gets you the most excited?

In class, I am always most excited to hear how students develop their own papers or research projects. Iknow what I am interested in, but students have different approaches to their own topics. Watching that develop is among the most satisfying parts of my work at �鶹ӰԺ.

One of my favorite activities outside the classroom is talking with the community about political ideology, development of political parties, and education policy; really, the things I do in class. I’ve been on a local radio station (WHBY) a long time and have done talks for community groups longer. Working at a college, it is easy to forget that our students will be “out there” soon, and I find talking with “out there” keeps my classroom discussions relevant and timely. Not to mention on my toes: Community members ask different questions!

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I have always appreciated asking people questions, whether for research interviews, class projects, or reviews. There is something very fulfilling in listening to how others think. I’ve often been surprised how people explain their actions or beliefs, if only you give them space to do so. The act of listening builds rapport, trust, and community even when those explanations confirm your expectations.

OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

This or that: If you weren’t teaching for a living, what would you be doing?

No one is told what would have happened, but my alternate career path was in engineering or maybe a history Ph.D. I still love talking about the contingencies of history, and my students probably get more history in class than they expect. But I’ve always loved being outside, and when I wasn’t teaching politics in graduate school, I was working on the UW research farm. Now we have some cider apple trees, lavender, and honey bees. I suppose I’d be outside with a sun-burnt nose.

Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

It sounds academic, but I love the library. I can’t quite shake an indelible affinity for mouldering paper. I can’t work there, because I wind up reading a book somewhere in JF or LB or HM about something I knew nothing about. The loss of browsing is one of the great costs of the internet.

One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

I’ll take liberties with this question and give two books long in print: The Brothers Karamazov (my favorite book, although the New Yorker comic, “Super Karamazov Bros.” kinda sums it up) and Cry, The Beloved Country. Both books speak to the regenerative power of grace and forgiveness, the appearance of which our politics don’t permit much. I do like Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, too, which nods toward the crassness of process that accompanies the “firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right,” as Lincoln put it. Tommy Lee Jones is terrific as Thaddeus Stevens.

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