Motifs: January/February 2020
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Joanne Danto (IAC/NMC 54-55, 57, IAC Fac 80) was awarded an honorary doctorate in the arts by Oakland University for her contributions to the international dance community.
Jonathan Newmark's (IAC/NMC 68) piano sonata was performed by British pianist Martin Jones on a new album from PnOVA. Jones also performed the sonata six times on his recent American tour, including a live broadcast from WFMT-FM, Chicago.
Jonathan Dalton (IAC/NMC 69, IAA 70-73) retired from Kingsway Regional School District after 39 years. In addition to teaching middle and high school choral and band classes, he instituted and taught orchestra, jazz band, musical theatre, gospel choir, electronic music, and AP music theory courses and activities. He is currently the musical director/organist at Bethesda Methodist Church and is active in the South Jersey music scene.
F. Hudson Miller (IAA 72-76, IAC St 76-78) has been elected to a second three-year term as Vice President of the Motion Picture Editors Guild. The MPEG (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 700) is the national labor union for motion picture and television post-production workers. With a membership of 8,500, the Editors Guild is the largest motion picture local of the International Alliance. The IATSE represents and protects artists and craftspersons behind the camera, backstage, arenas, and exhibition spaces across the United States and Canada.
Eric Fitzgerald (IAC/NMC 73-75) is currently serving on the advisory board for the Aurora Fox Theatre. He is a member of Colorado Theatre Guild and a judge for their annual Henry Awards.
Doug Stanton (IAA 75-76, 77-79, IAA Fac 90-94) received the Stephen E. Ambrose Oral History Award by the Rutgers University Living History Society.
“Miracle Creek” by Angie Kim (IAA 84-87) has been nominated for a 2020 Edgar Award in the Best First Novel by an American Author category.
Morgan Showalter (IAA 85-87) spent the last three years as the appointee of the Baltimore Teachers Union to the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (the Kirwan Commission). The Commission's recommendations, now in the hands of the Maryland General Assembly, will create the most comprehensive and transformative changes in education equity, policy, and funding that have been attempted in our state in more than 100 years. Additionally, Showalter recently campaigned to be the first teacher to be elected to the Maryland State Board of Education.
Colin Stetson (AS 92) composed the score for the horror film Color out of Space, which premiered on Jan. 24, 2020.
Rachel Friedman (IAA 93-95) released her second book, “And Then We Grew Up: On Creativity, Potential, and the Imperfect Art of Adulthood” from Penguin. The book follows eight of Friedman’s former Interlochen Arts Camp friends to find out how their childhood ambitions have translated into adult careers and identities. Learn more about Friedman, the book, and her journey in our recent interview.
Maggey Oplinger (IAA 95-96, IAC 91-93, 95) is now serving as the general director and CEO for the Florentine Opera Company, the sixth-oldest opera company in the United States.
Garth Greenwell (IAA 94-96) released his second book, “Cleanness,” on Jan. 14, 2020. The New York Times hailed it as “incandescent” and “dazzlingly fresh.”
Kevin Sanders (IAC 97-98, IAA 97-98) was recently appointed the Director of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis.
Cristian Măcelaru (IAA 97-99, IAC 98) and Krista River (AS 86, 88) were among this year’s Grammy Award winners. Măcelaru conducted Nicola Benedetti and the Philadelphia Orchestra in the world premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Violin Concerto, which won the award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. River sang on the Best Opera Recording-winning production of Tobias Picker’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. Jennifer Higdon’s “Higdon: Harp Concerto” won Best Contemporary Classical Composition, which was written for Yolanda Kondonassis (IAA 78-82) and was conducted by Ward Stare (IAC 96).
Ema Horvath (IAC 08, IAA 10-12) has joined the cast of Amazon Studios’ Lord of the Rings series. Horvath will be a series regular. Her role has not yet been announced.
Quinton Guthier (IAA 09-11) joined Paul Taylor Dance Company’s Taylor 2 in late 2019.
Grace Clark (IAA 09-12, IAC 07-09) was featured in Denver’s 303 Magazine, where she spoke about being an Asian women in the bluegrass music scene.
Hadley Robinson (IAA 12-14) was named a 2020 Rising Star by Vogue Magazine. Robison recently appeared as Sallie Gardiner Moffatt in Greta Gerwig’s acclaimed film adaptation of Little Women.
