A&M-Commerce music faculty perform abroad over summer

Five faculty members of Texas A&M University-Commerce's Department of Music accepted invitations to perform internationally this past summer.

The faculty members were: associate professor Dr. Mary Druhan, Director of Percussion Dr. Brian Zator, assistant professor and Director of Jazz Ensembles Dr. Todd Goranson, Mrs. Jocelyn Goranson, and Dr. Luis Sanchez.

Druhan said that A&M-Commerce's music department has traditionally had a very active faculty, especially during the past five years.

In July, Druhan performed on the clarinet at the World Saxophone Congress XV in Bangkok, Thailand, along with Dr. Goranson (bassoon), and Mrs. Goranson (flute) at Mahidol University.

The three comprise A&M-Commerce's faculty woodwind trio, Triforia Winds. The trio performed the Asian premiere of works by American composers David Gillingham and Catherine McMichael.

On July 24, Triforia Winds also appeared at the International Double Reed 38th Annual Conference at the Birmingham Conservatoire in Birmingham, England. They performed the world premiere of "Roam," a work by Macedonian composer, Biljana Božinovaska-Bojovi?.

Druhan said that music students do not generally have the opportunity to accompany faculty on international performing trips due to lack of funding. Travel expenses are usually paid for out-of-pocket by the faculty or sponsored by those hosting the performances. Druhan also performed a solo recital in Heidelberg, Germany where a former student of hers plays in the United States Army Europe Band.

"It's important for recruiting grad students that we have recognition on an international level," Druhan said. "It brings more recognition and notoriety to our school as a performing music program, in addition to an education program."

Dr. Goranson served as a faculty member at the SMM Sommarmusilskola 2009 in Jonkoping, Sweden from July 26-August 2. He was the saxophone instructor for the festival and was featured extensively on both saxophone and bassoon.

Goranson also had the opportunity to work with conductors and composers throughout Sweden. While there, he took part in a faculty chamber recital that featured the world premiere of "Canto," a work for solo bassoon composed by A&M-Commerce's system regent professor, Dr. Ted Hansen.

"I think that the international performances build the prestige of the department and the university, both nationally and internationally, and hopefully inspires the students to pursue excellence in their musical studies," Goranson said.

Zator spent nearly two weeks in Japan over the summer. In Tokyo, he worked for three days giving master classes and clinics for marimba to high school and college students from throughout Japan. Zator also performed solo and chamber works for marimba and percussion at the Hokuto International Music Festival (HIMF) in Tokyo on four out of the five nights of the festival.

Zator then traveled to Sydney, Australia where he spent five days teaching master classes and private lessons at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

"It helps the faculty members to gain an international reputation in their own field, and then other people in our field see us representing the university," Zator said. "It shows that the university has faculty that are recognized on that international level, which I think raises the reputation of the university."