The Rothrock Family Fund for Experiential Learning in the Performing Arts, established in 2011, supports opportunities that broaden the scope of Middlebury students’ experience in the performing arts.

Residencies for the 2011-12 seasons: (click on the photos to enlarge the images)

January 13, 2012
Pianist Rustem Hayroudinoff worked with students in Professor Su Lian Tan’s composition class and recorded their works. Scheduled for a 3 hour session, Hayroudinoff generously gave the entire day to provide feedback and recordings to the students participating.

February 16, 2012
Balla Kouyate and World Vision presented a lecture/demonstration for Professor Damascas Kafumbe’s Intro to World Music class.  After Kouyate spoke about his family’s musical legacy and demonstrated the ensemble’s various instruments, the students started a lively discussion with Kouyate about his music and culture. The students then spent informal time with Kouyate celebrating his birthday.

March 6-10, 2012
Cellist David Darling‘s visit to campus was the first “student-initiated” Rothrock Residency.  It was a jam-packed week, which included…

• Music, Meditation, and Yoga with Russell Comstock and David Darling, co-sponsored with the Yoga Club
• Open music jam with students, faculty, and staff
• “Music and the Environment” lecture as part of the Spring 2012 Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series
• David Darling in Concert (free)
• Improvising Together: Music and Dancing

A student violinist, who had not played for a while but found success playing in Darling’s more improvisational style, is again performing (thanks to Darling’s encouragement during his residency) and sent the following message…

“I had an excellent time this afternoon working with David Darling and I wanted to thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of that experience.  I really feel as though I took a lot from his teaching!”

March 15, 2012
Choreographer Kyle Abraham and his dance company Abraham.In.Motion led a vigorous master class in intermediate technique for our students, and also presented a lunchtime lecture/demonstration investigating Abraham’s creative process and introducing elements of their touring work, The Radio Show.

April 9-10, 2012
Dancer/filmmaker Erika Randall was in residence for two days, and along with presenting a lecture/demonstration about her experiences with choreography from both  dance performance and film perspectives, she taught a modern technique master class to our dance students, and offered a screening of her film, Leading Ladies.

All in all, a very successful first year.  Next year will also include theatre and jazz residencies as well.

We tweeted a small amount of the conversation (below) that transpired between pianist Lewis and the students. What would YOU have liked to ask Paul Lewis?

Introducing Paul Lewis and his program

Mozart: Adagio in B minor K. 540

Schumann: Fantasie in C major op 17

Liszt: Vallée d\’Obermann

Piano Sonata no 21 in C major: op 53 \’Waldstein\’

And don’t forget to visit our event page for Paul’s bio and other concert information. See you tonight at 7:30!