WSU Pullman School of Music

11/15/2024

The Washington State University School of Music's Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music featuring artist-in-residence Connor Chee was a profound success!

The festival is named after Professor Emeritus Loran Olsen (WSU Music Faculty 1965-1993) and his spouse. At the age of 94, it has been his dream for WSU to offer a continuous platform for indigenous artists.

The two day event culminated with our Music by Native American Composers concert at the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center. Featuring Nez Perce singers Nakia Cloud and Andre Picard Jr. as well as performances by WSU School of Music faculty and students, and Artist-in-Residence Connor Chee. An Indian taco dinner was provided to all who attend at no change courtesy of Indigenous Eats of
Spokane and WSU Catering.

Washington State University is located on the ceded lands of the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) Tribe and the traditional homeland of the Palus Band of Indians. We acknowledge their presence here since time immemorial and recognize their continuing connection to the land, to the water, and to their ancestors.

11/15/2024

Today in Bryan Hall Theatre:

Student Recital: Naoki Tsuruta, guitar - 3:10pm
- featuring Naoki Tsuruta, guitar; Grant Layman, bass; Hudsen Reser, drums.

Studio Recital: Strings - 4:10pm
- featuring the WSU string studio.

Admission is free.

Join us in person or stream each performance live on our YouTube channel: WSUPullmanMusic

11/14/2024

The holiday celebration silent auction is now live!

Follow the link below to see a full listing of all auction items:
https://app.galabid.com/24wsuholidayauction/items

Holiday Celebration: Home for the Holidays will take place on Saturday, December 7th, 2024, at 2:00pm in a fully decorated Bryan Hall Theatre on the WSU-Pullman Campus. Free admission!

11/14/2024

The WSU Cougar Marching Band halftime show today is all about thanking donors, supporters, fans & more. Keep an eye on https://www.youtube.com/wsucmb to see the show uploaded soon! Learn more about the band ➡️ https://marchingband.wsu.edu 🐾

11/14/2024

11/13/2024

Congratulations Dr. Tegart on your David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities Faculty Fellowship!

Dr. Tegart will use the fellowship funding for a project that provides reference recordings and resources to flute teachers aiming to help them teach works by women composers.

Sophia Nicolle Tegart is an assistant professor at WSU Pullman School of Music and is a 2024-2025 David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities Faculty Fellow. Tegart will use the fellowship funding for a project that provides reference recordings and resources to flute teachers aiming to help them teach works by women composers. This initiative seeks to address gender imbalance in music and create lasting change in music education. To read more about Sophia and the rest of the 2024-2025 fellows visit https://cah.wsu.edu/current-faculty-fellows/

11/13/2024

Tonight in Kimbrough Concert Hall, 7:30 PM

The WSU Jazz Bands will be playing the music of Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, War, Herbie Hancock, and more!

Admission is free.

Join us in person or stream the performance live on our YouTube channel, WSUPullmanMusic.

11/13/2024

Day two of the Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music is here!

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Masterclass: Connor Chee, piano: 1:00pm to 2:00pm (Kimbrough Concert Hall)
• Featuring WSU piano students
Concert: Music by Native American Composers: 5:30pm (Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center)

The guest Artist-in-Residence for 2024 will be Navajo composer and pianist, Connor Chee. The festival is co-directed by Drs. Melissa Parkhurst and Jacqueline Wilson (Yakama) and is sponsored by generous support from the Ruth and Loran Olsen Fund, WSU Student Affairs, the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership, the David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities, Allegro, Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Washington Idaho Symphony, and Indigenous Eats of Spokane.

11/12/2024

Today kicks off the inaugural Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music!

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Presentation: Connor Chee in Conversation: 11:00am to Noon (Kimbrough Concert Hall)
Concert: Connor Chee Guest Artist Recital: 7:30pm (Bryan Hall Theatre)
• Featuring works by Connor Chee performed by the composer
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Masterclass: Connor Chee, piano: 1:00pm to 2:00pm (Kimbrough Concert Hall)
• Featuring WSU piano students
Concert: Music by Native American Composers: 5:30pm (Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center)

The WSU School of Music is proud to announce the inaugural year of the Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music, an annual event during Native American Heritage Month to highlight the depth of Indigenous artistry through performing and educational events held on the WSU Pullman campus.

The guest Artist-in-Residence for 2024 will be Navajo composer and pianist, Connor Chee. The festival is co-directed by Drs. Melissa Parkhurst and Jacqueline Wilson (Yakama) and is sponsored by generous support from the Ruth and Loran Olsen Fund, WSU Student Affairs, the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership, the David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities, Allegro, Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Washington Idaho Symphony, and Indigenous Eats of Spokane.

11/08/2024

Congratulations to Jacqueline Wilson, Chris Wilson, and Jon Melcher who have been nominated for a Native American Music Award (Best Instrumental) for their recording of Connor Chee's "Nocturne for Bassoon and Marimba".

Voting for the Native American Music Award is open to the general public. To vote for their recording visit: https://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/official-voting-ballot.

11/07/2024

The annual Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music will take place November 12-13 on WSU Pullman campus. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Visit https://music.wsu.edu/ruth-and-loran-olsen-festival-of-native-american-music/ for more information on specific times, sets, and locations. See you there! WSU Pullman School of Music

11/07/2024

Registration season is here. We’d love to have you sing in a WSU choir this spring! Registration for University Singers (all voices) and Treble Choir (upper voices) is open to all students; no audition is required. If you love to sing, just sign up! Concert Choir is our flagship auditioned ensemble, and it’s not too late to audition; email as soon as you can if you’re interested. We have a place for you to sing at WSU - we can’t wait for you to join us!

11/07/2024

Tonight in Bryan Hall Theatre, 7:30PM!

The WSU Symphony Orchestra featuring Dr. Jacqueline Wilson, bassoon, will be performing the music of Georges Bizet and Connor Chee.

Join us in person or stream the event live on our YouTube channel, WSUPullmanMusic

11/06/2024

The WSU School of Music is proud to announce the inaugural year of the Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music, an annual event during Native American Heritage Month to highlight the depth of Indigenous artistry through performing and educational events held on the WSU Pullman campus.

The guest Artist-in-Residence for 2024 will be Navajo composer and pianist, Connor Chee. The festival is co-directed by Drs. Melissa Parkhurst and Jacqueline Wilson (Yakama) and is sponsored by generous support from the Ruth and Loran Olsen Fund, WSU Student Affairs, the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership, the David G. Pollart Center for Artis and Humanities, Allegro, Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Washington Idaho Symphony, and Indigenous Eats of Spokane.

11/05/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Chris Dickey (Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium) on their recent appointment to the Mirari Brass Quintet! With artist management provided by the Boston-based company Ariel Artists, the Mirari Brass Quintet frequently travels around the country and abroad to perform recitals representing contrasting genres, time periods, composers, and styles.

The quintet is dedicated to cultivating new music for brass quintet while supporting new voices in composition. In January 2025, the group will record an album of commissioned music and past winners of the quintet’s Call for Scores competition. Bravo to Dr. Dickey!

For more information on the Mirari Brass Quintet visit: https://www.miraribrass.com/