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Better late than never
Four distinguished alumni return to campus for awards,
special alumni concert
- A late decision turned out to be a good one for the Department of Music.
In the fall of 2004, the department's faculty selected Jay Kawarsky as
its first alumni award recipient.
But the selection process came too late to include Kawarsky in the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences alumni awards celebration during Homecoming
that fall. The department decided to wait and honor the composer a year
later.
That's when everything started to fall into place for a special alumni
concert to conclude the department's Homecoming activities in the fall
of 2005.
"Bill (David, professor of music) called to tell me that I was going
to be honored, but it was too late to make the arrangements to come back
to Ames," said Kawarsky ('81), who is a professor of music theory and
composition at Westminister Choir College of Rider University in Princeton,
N.J.
"But Bill said they knew who the department was going to honor the
following year and wondered if I would like to write a piece to be performed
back at Iowa State."
One of the individuals the Department of Music wanted to honor was Paul
Bro ('80), a long-time colleague and former classmate of Kawarsky both
at Iowa State and Northwestern University. Bro is a professor of music
at Indiana State University and a professional saxophonist.
"I was planning on writing a piece for saxophone and winds but hadn't
finished it yet," said Kawarsky, who as a composer has written for
all genres including solo instrument, orchestra, band, choir, voice and
music theatre. "When Bill told me that Paul was also being honored
I knew it was the perfect piece for this concert."
Bro and the ISU Wind Ensemble performed the world premiere of "Fastidious
Notes," a ten-minute work that alternates rather agitated rhythmic
sections with more serene sections, as the concluding event of the Department
of Music's alumni activities during Homecoming.
"It's a very lyrical piece that has a couple of outbursts of virtuosity
that come out of nowhere," Bro said.
Bro and Kawarsky weren't the only music alumni honored by the department.
Wayne Bailey ('77), director of the School of Music at Arizona State University,
and Alan Greiner ('85), executive director of the Iowa State High School
Music Association, were also recognized. The two participated in the concert,
serving as guest conductors of the ISU Wind Ensemble.
"I was here the whole weekend," said Bailey, who also participated
in the 25th reunion of the Alumni Marching Band. "I saw people, including
a fellow former drum major, I haven't seen in 20 years."
Greiner reflected back on his days as a member of the ISU Wind Ensemble.
"I can remember playing in this ensemble and where my relationship
with my (future) wife was fostered," he said. "It's a dream
come true to conduct this group and a very special honor to be recognized
by the department."
Kawarsky, Bailey and Bro each received the department's Outstanding Music
Alumni Award, while Greiner was recognized with the Outstanding Music
Educator Alumni Award. These are the inaugural alumni awards granted by
the department.
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