Page 4
Kansan Camp News Friday, July 26,1963
Two Bands Are Important Part Of Music, Art Camp Program
The first Midwestern Music and Art Camp began 26 years ago with 17 students participating in band which is a part of the largest division, music. That year the camp had to recruit others to form a band of 35 worth performing.
The first director was Russell L. Wiley, who is also the founder of the camp. Mr. Wiley has remained as the director throughout the years the camp has grown.
THE BAND THIS summer was divided into two groups. These were the Symphonic Band, which had 167 players, and the Concert Band, which had 118 in it.
The high school musicians in this year's bands came from 15 states to attend the camp. The states represented were Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nevada, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, and Indiana.
This is the first year that the band students were divided into two bands. Each group had its own concerts and rehearsals.
CAMPERS IN THE BANDS had a chance to compete with other musicians of their own caliber. The campers were not of average high school ability. They appeared to be very serious about their music and worked hard at it. They were trained and taught by instructors who all had university teaching experience.
"We try to provide a beautiful summer program far beyond high school level for gifted students. We want to give them a complete life for six weeks, freeing them to concentrate on their field of interest," commented Wiley.
Part of the camp program connected with the bands was the appearance of guest conductors. The directors, who came to the camp for one
week each, conducted rehearsals and then led the bands in the Sunday concerts.
THE CONDUCTORS, men of distinction in their field, taught the students different directing techniques and presented the higher phases of the musical field.
The guest conductors of the 1963 camp were, from June 28 to 30, Leo Kucinski, who is the director of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra; from July 1 to 7, Commander Charles Brendler. He is the conductor of the United States Navy Band.
Izler Solomon was scheduled for July 8 to 14. He is the director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The next guest conductor was Donald Johannes for the week of July 15 to 21. He is the conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and also gave a concert with his orchestra at Kansas University last winter. The final conductor was Frederick Fennel, conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.
THE MUSIC PLAYED by the campers was mainly classical music which challenged their ability.
Many attending received scholarships to attend the camp. These scholarships were awarded to the students according to their merit and achievement.
The students in the bands also had a chance to tryout and perform in one of the two recitals for advanced students. These recitals are presented every year to give the better trained musicians a chance to demonstrate their talent to the rest of the camp. It also gave them a chance to gain experience in performing in front of very critical audiences.
Senior Vocal Camp in Twentieth Year
By Joyce Grist
The high school vocal music division of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp was begun approximately 20 years ago. The first conductor was Gleckler who remained until about 1950. At that time Clayton Krebibel, the present conductor, joined the camp staff. Krebibel is an associate professor of music education.
The vocal division was made up of the chorus, chapel choir and the
select choir. The chorus, the largest vocal group, was made up of about 180 young people from sixteen different states. The states represented were: Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Virginia, and Michigan. The select choir was made up of 48 members. The chapel choir consisted of 32 of the select choir.
CHAPEL SERVICES for the camp
Science and Math Camp Now Lasts Six Weeks, After Eight-Year Wait
Bv Bob Stevens
The science and mathematics portion of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp met for the eighth year, the first time for the full six-week period. The director was Dr. Arnold A. Strassenburg, of the University of Kansas physics department.
The summer program was divided into three divisions. The first phase was a two-week period spent in a general survey of many scientific areas. The second phase, which lasted the last four weeks, allowed the student to choose two of eight areas for more exact study.
The 104 students from 33 states were selected from over four hundred candidates. All the campers in this area are straight "A" students and have top aptitudes. The campers in phase one and two must have finished the tenth or eleventh grade.
THE THIRD PHASE was for the twenty second year campers. These students did actual research with the professors and acted as their laboratory assistants.
Through lectures, laboratory work, field trips, and study, each student gained an insight into modern scientific methods.
SPFCIAL GUESTS were brought to the classes for lectures. Dr. Max Dresden, a distinguished professor at Iowa University, was the first. Later George Fosdick and James Tyndall spoke on the Man-Mars Mission. They were both from the Martin Company in Denver.
The students also went on two field trips. A full day was spent on
the geology field trip as the students went from Lawrence to Kansas City studying rock formations. The biology department held a half day field trip to the Natural History Reserve, where the natural plant and animal life of Kansas was studied.
AT THE END of phase one, each student had the opportunity to select two scientific areas in which they remained for the last four week period in concentrated study. The students spent two hours a day in their courses, with many outside assignments. The campers were taught by members of the University of Kansas faculty.
In each area there were one or two demonstration lectures illustrating recent developments or methods of approach to unsolved problems. The departments which participated in part one were: anthropology, astronomy, bacteriology, botany, chemistry, comparative biochemistry and physiology, entomology, geography, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology, radiation biophysics, sociology, and zoology.
Phase three consisted of research experience for the twenty participants. All the students had completed phase two last summer. The campers were able to choose the area of camp that they would do research work in. The students in the thirteen different areas will conclude their camp on August 10.
Here the participants went into the actual laboratories of the researchers at the University of Kansas. They acted as their lab assistants.
were held each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall. This tradition was revived one year ago and will be continued in the future. The chapel choir sang for each service.
The chorus performed a series of six concerts during the six weeks.
"The Unicorn" by Menotti was performed the fifth week. This is a madrigal fable for chorus and it was performed by the combined efforts of the chorus, ballet, and an instrumental group. The final program consisted of "The Gloria" by Vivaldi and "Motet No. 6" by Bach.
The chorus held its rehearsals Monday through Friday from 10 to 12 a.m. and on Saturdays from 11:15 to 1 p.m. The select and chapel choirs rehearsed during the weekday afternoons. Approximately twelve hours of rehearsal was spent each week by the chorus to prepare for the concerts.
THREE GUEST conductors appeared with the chorus during this season. Gene Kenney, Texas Technological College, Lubbock, Texas, was the first guest conductor. He appeared the second week. Edward Anderson, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., appeared the third week. Thomas Hilibish, Princeton High School, Princeton, New Jersey, was the final guest conductor.
Soloists for each concert were selected from among chorus members. Any member could audition and the soloists were selected according to individual style.
ACCORDING TO Clayton Krehbiel, chorus conductor, the vocal division selects "the finest choral literature within its capabilities."
Dorm Clean-up?
Perhaps you noticed the contrite expediency with which all the election posters and all those nasty ciggy butts were removed from the area in and around Lewis and Templein Halls last Saturday evening preceding the formal dance.
It is understood that this was done by four very fine fellows who felt that the place was a mess. It is also understood that one dorm supervisor and the three mentors of these boys offered little congratulations on a job seemingly well done.
Four-Year Campers See Changes Over the Years
By Norma Perry
The reputation of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp has always been good. It has been known as an outstanding place to learn and have fun at the same time. This reputation can be proved by the many thousands who have attended over the years, but especially by the return of four campers for their fourth summer to the University of Kansas.
These four are Jane Sexton of Urbana, Ill.; Jim Gorton of Spring City, Penn.; Jim Zimmerman of Topeka, Kan., and Larry Salmon of Winfield, Kan. All of these students were in the instrumental music division of the camp. They were all outstanding in their field and have won many awards.
JANE, who is the only girl in the four, will be a senior at Urbana High School next year. Her brother and sister were also attending the camp this year, her sister is a counselor.
Jane is very active in her high school. She will be president of the Spanish club next year, a member of Future Teachers of America, a member of a social club—SK, participates in her school orchestra and band, was a cheerleader, and was on the honor roll.
She played French horn in the camp concert band and the orchestra, and last year received one of the musician awards. She has won two major awards in her school orchestra and band. These awards are won by participating in the various activities of the instrumental department. She received ones in the district and state music contests, and was first chair French horn at camp.
JIM GORTON will be a junior at Spring-Ford High School. He played first chair oboe in both the camp concert band and the orchestra. He has given a solo performance with the Main Line Symphony and received first place in the tri-county concert audition in district and state orchestra. He plays in the wood wind quintet and the wood wind ensemble at school.
Jim Zimmerman will be a freshman at KU next year. He graduated this spring from Topeka High. He plays French horn in the camp orchestra, in the Santa Fe Band and the Marshall's Band. Jim was a member of the Topeka High School band and orchestra and also participated in the Topeka Youth and Civic Symphony. He plans to go into music education in college and teach high school in the future.
Larry Salmon is the fourth camper in this group. He will also be a freshman at the University of Kansas. He graduated as valedictorian of his class this spring at Winfield High. He was a National Merit finalist and received an Honorary Summerfield Music Scholarship and a University of Kansas Honor Scholarship. He is first chair in both the camp concert band and the orchestra.
Camp Dance Band Formed For Entire Six Weeks
directed by University of Kansas sophomore, Pat Munoz,
For the first time in the history of the Midwestern Music and Art Camp, a group of musicians joined to play strictly jazz and pop music.
The band, directed by University consisted of 28 campers playing trumpets, saxophones, percussion instruments, flutes, trombones, a French horn and bass fiddle with an accompanying piano.
BECAUSE the band was not officially sanctioned by the camp, it was listed as an "extra activity."
The members of the group regularly played in one of the official camp bands. Yet, they managed to practice at least three hours a week.
"We had no help from any other department. This band belonged to the kids who played in it. If they messed up, they were to blame but, if they did a good job, they alone deserved the credit," said Munoz.
EVERY YEAR at the camp, a group has been formed during the last week to play for the formal dance, but this is the first time a group has played for the entire six-week period of camp.
The first appearance the band made was at the Sadie Hawkins dance, then at the junior high farewell dance. Tentative plans were made to give a concert with half jazz and half dancing music.
Music played consisted of contemporary Stan Kenton music but the set-up of the band and placement of the instruments was arranged by an IBM computer which took the sound scale of each instrument and calculated the best possible set-up for good music.
MUNOZ. who was a switchboard operator in Templin Hall, plans to return next year to continue with the dance band. It is his goal to form a band to experiment with sounds and produce a type of music that will solely create.
"Artistry in boogie" was the theme of Pat's Dance Band and, if you are familiar with the piece, you can easily see that Pat Munoz did have a band that swings.
The chapel choir. of 32 voices, has the sole responsibility of providing music for the Sunday morning chapel services.
Chapel Choir Sings During Services
THIS YEAR'S DIRECTOR was Don Grant, a camp counselor, from Kansas City, Kan. He will be a senior next year, majoring in music at the University of Kansas. Last year's director was Paul Young, who was also a camp counselor at that time.
The idea of a camp chapel service was revived by Herbert Duncan and Darrell Nelson last year. Three such services were held last year in the University Theatre.
Members of the choir were selected from the small or select choir.
Nelson was in charge of the chapel services, which were held each Sunday morning in Swarthout Recital Hall. He was assisted by a committee of counselors and camp volunteers.
SPEAKERS for the services were usually local ministers or those from surrounding towns who volunteered their time. The final speaker for this camp session, however, was Rev Don Mardock, national director of Youth for Christ. Other speakers included: Rev M. C. Allen, First Baptist Church, Lawrence; Dick Harp, head basketball coach of Kansas University; Rev. David Johnson, campus pastor for Lutheran students; Rev. Harold Mallett, First Presbyterian Church, Lawrence; and Rev. Russell Dawson, Overbrook Kansas, Methodist Church.
According to Nelson the purpose of the services is "to provide a church service for the campers in which they can participate themselves."