Motifs: May/June 2019

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Gail Wallach Buell (IAC/NMC 64-66, IAA 65-68, UNIV 69) published her first novel, “Just Something in the Wind” in March 2019. The book is available for purchase on her website and Amazon.

Jeffrey Levenson (IAC/NMC 67) is now the Executive Director of the Lexington Symphony in Massachusetts.

Gwen Carr (IAA 70-71) has been appointed executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs.

Herb Mendelsohn (IAA 70-71) has been cast as Older Ben in the national tour of the 360-degree immersive adventure, Apollo 11. The show will open July 4 at the Lunar Dome in Pasadena, California. In October the show will travel to the Orange County Fairgrounds, the Houston Space Center, and beyond.

Beth (Stone) Crutcher (IAA 78-80, IAA St 79-80) who serves as Director of Advancement for the American School in London (ASL), had the pleasure of chaperoning the ASL's annual band tour to Amsterdam including her daughter Kira on horn. It was a flashback for mum to 40 years earlier in the beautiful northwoods of Interlochen!

Gregory Loselle (IAC/NMC 80, IAC St 81-92, 97, IAC Fac 06-07) had his first full-length collection of poems, “The Very Rich Hours,” accepted for publication by The Poetry Box press. He has published five chapbooks previously, with various publishers.

Melissa McCormick (IAA 82-84), Professor of Japanese Art at Harvard University, published a new book, “The Tale of Genji: A Visual Companion” (Princeton University Press, 2018), and an exhibition catalogue for “The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated,” which she guest curated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (March 5 - June 16, 2019). The exhibition was reviewed in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times, among others.

Liza Grossman (IAA 82-85, IAC Fac 99-14) is the founder of the award-winning Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, Ohio. She conducted two sold-out shows at Severance Hall with singer-songwriter Jason Mraz on June 8 and 9. She is the tour conductor for the rock group Styx and has conducted concerts with rock artists including Melissa Etheridge, Ben Folds, Graham Nash, Jon Anderson (Yes), Pat Benatar, and Kenny Loggins.

Timothy Hibben (IAA 85-86) recorded the percussion for actor and musician Sam Witwer's new album, Revenge of The Crashtones, which was released May, 7 2019.

Kate Baldwin (IAC 91-92) performed a one-woman show, “How Did You Get This Number?” at Detroit’s Cabaret 313 on May 18, 2019.

Mary Stewart Atwell (IAA 94-96) had a feature story, “Searching Out the Hidden Stories of South Carolina’s Gullah County” published in The New York Times.

Megan Urban (IAC 96-98, IAA 97-00) recently moved to southeast Texas to work at Big Thicket National Preserve as the Community Outreach and Volunteer Program Manager.

Haley Bangs (IAC 02-03, IAA 03-05) will be joining the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as their new Second Flutist beginning in September of 2019. Previously, she served as Associate Principal Flute of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Flute of the United States Navy Band.

Caroline Fitzgerald (IAC 03-04, IAA 04-05) was named DTE Energy Foundation Educator of the Year.

Catherine (CC) Broyles (IAC 05-08, IAA 07-08) won the piccolo position in Virginia’s Richmond Symphony.

Chad Goodman (IAC 06-07) will move to Miami Beach at the end of this summer to serve as the Conducting Fellow for the New World Symphony in their 2019-2020 Concert Season.

Mikki Sodergren (IAA 06-08) made her Carnegie Hall solo debut May 28, 2019 with MidAmerica Productions, and will take on the roles of Brooke/Agent Brooks and Journalist in the world premiere of Kamala Sankaram's new opera Looking At You at HERE Arts Center in the fall of 2019. Sodergren continues to serve as Artistic Director of the American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia, which is now launching a high school-level competition.

Nic Weinfeld (IAC 09, IAA 10-12) and his production company Five to Sixty won a gold Telly Award for their #PepsiMoreThanOkay Super Bowl commercial, which starred comedian Jay Pharoah. Five to Sixty has worked with clients such as Lenovo, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Delta.