Carol Worthey

Carol Worthey 's article on the IAWM Convention in Beijing, China was the cover article for the Mu Phi Epsilon journal "The Triangle" in the Winter 2008 issue.

The award of a Mu Phi Chapter Grant submitted by Carol helped to assist the travel of Carol and several others to Beijing to attend the conference where Carol's work "Jade Flute" was premiered.

(Remember, you can click on the page reproductions here to read the larger images -Webmaster)

Carol Worthey 's "Elegy" was performed by cellist Sarah Kapps and pianist Cheryl Cellon in a concert entitled: "In Celebration of Living Composers: A Faculty Kaleidoscope" given at the University of Texas Pan-American, Edinburg, Texas. According to Cheryl, the audience was especially moved and appreciative of the work and the performance.

Cellist Sarah Kapps has an active and diverse career that has taken her across North America, through Europe, and into the Middle East.

A native Philadelphian, she moved to Texas' Rio Grande Valley in 2004 to join the faculty at the University of Texas -- Pan-American.

Soloist and avid chamber musician, Ms. Kapps also serves as associate principal with the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra and co-principal of the Valley Symphony Orchestra.

She is a former member of the Red River Quartet and the Denali String Quartet, and has also performed with such popular artists as Joni Mitchell , Johnny Mathis , The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and The Electric Light Orchestra. Sarah Kapps studied cello with Peter Wiley and Paul Tobias , and has attended the Manhattan School of Music, the Mannes College of Music and the University of Oklahoma.

Pianist Cheryl D. Cellon is a collaborative performer whose credits have enabled her to pursue a concert schedule with an array of singers, instrumentalists and chamber ensembles. She has delighted in performing as both soloist and collaborative artist in select venues throughout the U. S. and Europe and she has been a featured soloist with several symphony orchestras.

She has studied with such distinguished artists and professors as Douglas Fisher , Carolyn Bridger , Timothy Hoekman , Valerie M. Trujillo , Lita Guerra , Jerry Alan Bush and Paul Nitsch , and has worked with the notable composers John Harbison , Jake Heggie and Krzysztof Penderecki .

Through master classes and festivals, she has enjoyed performance opportunities with Martin Katz , John Wustman and Dalton Baldwin .

She serves on the faculty at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria and has participated in the Songfest Music Festival at Pepperdine University and at the Acadèmie Internationale d'Été de Nice in Nice, France. Dr. Cellon earned her Doctor of Music degree in piano performance from the Florida State University with an emphasis in chamber music and accompanying. She joined the faculty at the University of Texas Pan-American in the Fall of 2007.

Mary Au gives the premiere performance of Carol Worthey 's "Fanfare for The New Renaissance" for Solo Piano. Carol rearranged the original brass ensemble version conducted by maestro Luca Benucci at the opening of the 2007 Florence Biennale Contemporary Art Exhibit in Florence especially for Mary to perform at the NACUSA concert honoring Daniel Pearl World Music Days .

Carol Worthey was deeply honored to participate in the global network of concert performances, Daniel Pearl World Music Days. having her piano work "Fanfare" played October 19th at The Contrapuntal Performance Hall in Brentwood. Concert pianist Mary Au performed the work at the concert sponsored by National Association of Composers USA (NACUSA) .

Inspired by the legacy of journalist and musician Daniel Pearl , World Music Days uses the universal language of music to spread a message of hope and unity across cultural divides. Daniel Pearl World Music Days was created in response to the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl at the hands of extremists in Karachi, Pakistan. Danny's family and friends came together to work towards a more humane world, forming the Daniel Pearl Foundation, whose mission is to promote cross-cultural understanding through journalism, music, and dialogue. Danny was a talented musician who joined musical groups in every community in which he lived, leaving behind a long trail of musician-friends spanning the entire world. Commemorating Danny's October 10th birthday, World Music Days uses the universal language of music to encourage fellowship across cultures and build a platform for "Harmony for Humanity."

Carol chose her composition "Fanfare for The New Renaissance" to be dedicated to Daniel Pearl Music Days -- During the entire month of October music and presentations are heard on the World Music days eStage.

Carol's "Fanfare for the New Renaissance" envisions a future where the suffering and chaos of war and poverty will be replaced by artistic creativity, individual freedom and intellectual exploration! World-premiered in Florence at the Opening of the 2007 Florence Biennale International Contemporary Art Exhibit, this Fanfare for ten brass players was honored with a Special Recognition Award. Later Carol was asked to adapt the brass work for Solo Piano for the Opening Ceremony of the Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Fraternity 2008 Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, where it was ably performed by Concert Pianist and Collaborative Artist Mary Au .

During October 2008, Carol's "Fanfare" was specially dedicated to Daniel Pearl World Music Days during two concerts presented by the Los Angeles Chapter of NACUSA (National Association of Composers USA), on October 12th and October 19th. NACUSA LA Chapter leaders joined Carol in embracing the message and mission of this worldwide event and have dedicated both concerts in their entirety to World Music Days! The beautiful and moving contemporary chamber works were performed by renowned musicians, Pianist Mary Au , Cellist Ruslan Biryukov and Violinist Limor Toren-Immerman :

The work was well received by the audience and the performance was recorded and video'd for later release.

	Fanfare for The New Renaissance (Mary Au, Piano)
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New Zealand composer and pianist Ross Carey , whom Carol met in April at the 2008 International Congress of Women in Music (ICWM) in Beijing, had this to say about Carol's premiere of "Jade Flute" :

"Carol Worthey from LA, whose chamber-piece combining Chinese and Western instruments was very sensitive and memorable (I told her I particularly liked the opening repeated phrase and she mentioned that she dreamt the theme after reading a poem by Li Bai)."

If you would like to know more about the conference, check out the Malaysian Composer's blog page: click here .

Luca Benucci conducts the Italian Brass Ensemble and workshop students in Carol Worthey 's "Fanfare for The New Renaissance" Maestro Benucci conducted the premiere performance of the fanfare at the opening of the 2007 Florence Biennale Contemporary Art Exhibit in Florence.

Carol Worthey is proud to have been part of the 2008 Beijing International Congress of Women in Music from the planning stages to final fruition. Presented were works from composers, performers and scholars from twenty-four countries.

The World Premiere of Carol's composition "Jade Flute in Lo-Yang" , featuring both traditional Chinese instruments and a Western ensemble, was given the honor of being the final work presented during five chamber music concerts at the Recital Hall of China Conservatory of Music. Carol had dreamt the theme (after reading a nostalgic poem by T'ang Dynasty poet Li Bai ) as if transported back in time and place.

While in Beijing, she also presented a seminar entitled "East Meets West" where she imparted tips on how to create music effectively blending eastern and western instruments, insights based on extensive research and a fascinating trip to the home of a Chinese Master of the bamboo flute (Dizi) in Los Angeles, Yicheng Zhang .

The hosts at the China Conservatory of Music took great care to make their musical guests feel welcome, and performer bios and seminar papers were translated into both Chinese and English. They presented four orchestral concerts at the Forbidden City Concert Hall and the resplendent new National Center for the Performing Arts, the five chamber music concerts, a trip to the Great Wall sponsored by Beijing Women's Foundation, and a series of brilliant seminars.

In retrospect, Carol called her recent trip to Beijing "an adventure of a lifetime", and believes that the music and good will created on the trip forwarded the cause of cultural exchange and peace.

Carol would like to thank Li Yiding and the faculty and students of China Conservatory of Music, the International Alliance for Women in Music, Concert Pianist Mary Au , the Chinese Dizi Master, recording engineer Steve McCroskey ., the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation and her husband Ray Korns for helping to make this life-adventure possible!

Distinguished cellist Tess Remy-Schumacher accompanied by pianist Margaret Brisch performed Carol Worthey 's "Elegy" in a chamber concert at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) .

The concert was held at The UCO Jazz Lab which also houses a state-of-the-art recording facility and an excellent recording of the live event was made.

Tess and Margaret are very involved in the UCO Outreach program--playing lots of concerts for children in public schools. Tess established the outreach program with her colleague Dr. Chindarat Charoenwongse . Tess and Margaret also performed "Elegy" following the Jazz Lab performance, for the enthusiastic students at Northern Hills Elementary School . There also was a preview performance for a class at Douglas High School .

	Elegy (Tess Remy-Schumacher, Cello)
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Once again on Saturday, January 26th, the always wonderful Jim Raycroft , member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, presented the 7th Annual "A Choral Taste of Los Angeles" . Each year Jim invites Los Angeles composers to bring a selection of their choral works (often unpublished) to this day-long sight-singing fest. Often what is good for a publisher's audience (lots of High School choruses or congregational choirs) is a watered-down version of that which a composer is capable. The singing audience here is always ready to tackle that which the composer would prefer to present, no matter the difficulty. This makes for one exciting day!

This year's presenters included: Jim Raycroft , Ariel Quintana , Glenn Wonacott , Shawn Kirchner also our able accompianist, Barry Socher with the unforgettable, recently discovered work: "Irving in Egypt" by Wolfgang Amadeus Schwartz for Baritone soloist, chorus and kazoo and Bob Ralston . This was the lineup before lunch.

Following lunch works were presented by: David Larson , Karen Hart , Allan Petker (presenting works by Fred Bock ) and Bunny Thornburgh (presenting works by the late Wayne Hooper ).

Carol is glad to lend enthusiastic support to Jim's efforts and encourages all greater Los Angeles based singers and choral directors to back up his excellent work for next year's songfest. Participants not only get to sing through new works by the composers, but usually to keep copies as well. The gourmet lunch is always a hit following a heady morning of sight-singing in preparation for the afternoon session.

On January 9th at a gorgeous Bel Air home under an elegant tent replete with hors d'oevres and bar service, outgoing Barnard College President Judith Shapiro was surrounded by admiring graduates and undergraduates, most of them members of Barnard Club of Los Angeles . Unanimous among the standing-room only, exuberant crowd was the consensus that they had been nurtured during her long and beloved tenure as President. She will be missed. One admirer even announced that Judith had made it fun to donate to the school--no better tribute could be voiced than that.

In fact, her Presidency had forged such accomplishments as this: Today more young women apply to Barnard College than to any of the other Ivy League "seven sister" colleges, Barnard is holding its own as a women's liberal arts force-of-nature and exceeding expectations academically even after Columbia University has gone co-ed, the college has its own distinct persona and power, Barnard endowment has risen to an unprecedented 100 million dollars, new dormitories have been built encouraging many former "day students" from New York City to room at the school thus spuring more loyalty and involvement within the student body, Barnard girls feel a strong, personal relationship with Ms. Shapiro and the faculty, and--last but not least--a strikingly gorgeous, innovative and beautifully planned new multi-purpose Student Center is going up on campus that has already won several architectural awards even before the last nail is in place.

Dr. Shapiro, a Cultural Anthropologist by trade, hinted that she is not "retiring" in the traditional sense of the word and has her eye on some altruistic passions she has long wished to pursue. She is warm, well-spoken, diplomatic and of course extremely brilliant. She is delightfully open and unstuffy and spoke to the crowd about the somewhat mysterious search for her successor and about the qualifications she trusts the committee will embrace and discover. She filled us in regarding the exciting forward-motion of the college, the proud accomplishments she has seen in the faculty and graduates, new directions and some challenges for the school. Then she opened the floor to any questions. As the final question, Carol Worthey asked her, "What advice would you give your successor... that you can share with us tonight?" and got a very reasoned and honest answer. (You had to have been there.)

These will be tough boots to fill, but the walkway is paved for success!

Lauren Michelle Criddle is not only a feast for the eyes, she is a banquet for the ears. Performing on January 8th at the Ebell Club of Los Angeles immediately after a scrumptious lunch of fresh salmon was served, Lauren delighted and thrilled the audience. (Carol admits to having had some mysterious moisture emerge from her eyes a few times during the performance.) A delicate pastry followed Lauren Michelle's recital, but the consensus in the audience was that we had already been treated to dessert!

Ms. Criddle has a radiant and effortless coloratura/lyric soprano voice that can fill the hall but can soar sweetly and softly in stunning diminuendos. She tempted us with a well-chosen selection, beginning with intimate art songs that were portraits of women's lives, then feasting us on dramatic full-throated opera arias and bringing it all home with tender spirituals deliciously arranged with jazz and blues touches. It is obvious that Lauren knows what each word means that she so beautifully enunciates in whatever language. She expresses the dramatic mood and emotionality of the "scene" by totally occupying each character--she owns their soul within her skin and that persona can thus pour from her throat. Lauren's delightful introductions before each number educated her listeners about the person portrayed, the situation or setting, with an occasional telling anecdotes about the composer. She has great rapport and warmth with her listeners and (when appropriate) a playful sense of humor that put the audience at ease!

Carol Worthey has not yet decided which was more stunning, her voice, her acting ability or... her low-backed gown! She is young and has a long brilliant career ahead of her. Lauren Michelle Criddle is being groomed by several European opera companies, including the famous La Scala in Milan. Collaborative projects between Diva Lauren and Diva Carol? Rumors are circulating backstage but wait 'til the curtain rises....