News

Steve Watson writes, “The last few days I’ve seen three migratory bird species layover on Trippe Lake.”

1. Goldeneye duck.
2. Hooded Merganser.
3. Greater white fronted goose,
   or speckle bellies.

Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing these photos of, not to mention identifying, these harbingers of spring.

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Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area.

The League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area is hosting a program on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Our speaker, State Representative Don Vruwink, will provide an overview of the most recent activities in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as provide an opportunity for questions. This program is free and open to the public.

This event will be virtual. To attend live, please join the webinar by using the URL: https://bit.ly/lwv-ww_march2022. Or, join us by telephone: Dial (312) 626-6799, Webinar ID: 9892 1289 9685, Passcode: 379366. This event will be live-streamed on Facebook and be made available to the public afterward.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!

Editor’s note: The following was received from Whitewater High School.

Whitewater High School is proud to announce that Sophia Walton and Gwen Truesdale have each won a $9,000 Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarship this year!  The State of Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarship provides up to $2250 per year for tuition at a Wisconsin college or university for up to four years.  In order to be eligible for this award, students must have acquired senior status, completed at least three semesters at Whitewater High School, and have the highest cumulative grade point average in all subjects taken for credit at the end of the seventh semester.  In the event of a tie, students are chosen based on their highest composite score earned on the ACT.  Other tiebreakers include the highest subscores on the ACT, the number of Advanced Placement tests passed with a score of “3” or higher, and the number of AP tests passed.  Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarships are awarded to alternate winners if the top recipients choose to attend college in another state.  Congratulations Sophia and Gwen!!

Editor’s note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unified School District.

Did you ever wonder who writes the music for movies, TV shows, and video games?  How do you compose electronic music? Where do composers find their inspiration?  Lincoln students learned about all of this and more when on March 3rd they had a ZOOM call with internationally acclaimed composer, Alex Shapiro.  The students have been practicing one of Shapiro’s newest pieces, “Count to TEN,” which they will perform at the Lincoln Fine Arts Night Concert, on March 15.  The piece has an electronic music track that plays along with acoustic choral speaking. It challenges students through changing time signatures, dynamics, articulations, and rhythms. Performing it with the electronic track adds to the complexity and the fun!  Already knowing basic information about the composer, the students all wrote questions they hoped for Alex to answer about her life as a composer.

Hundreds of questions were narrowed down to twenty-four and asked by students during the meeting.  Students loved hearing about Alex’s life, starting to compose at age nine, just like them, exploring electronic music in her teens, and following her dream.  Alex told the students that she loved listening to several of their electro-acoustic compositions that every 4^th and 5th-grade student had composed in the winter. She reminded the young composers that no matter what age you are, you can create music.  Alex’s inspiration comes from what is in her world, especially her love of nature, such as the ocean that she looks out on every day from her home on San Juan Island. Events happening around her and in the world are also expressed through her music, such as her piece, “Breathe,” written during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Although she started out in video game music, Shapiro now focuses on compositions for bands, orchestras, choirs, and chamber music, traveling around the world where her music is performed.

Lincoln students reflected upon their opportunity to talk with a professional composer, learning about what she did. They were grateful they could hear her live, not from “some video.”  Students stated that: “Her music inspires me.” “All of us can be composers, no matter what our age.”  “You are able to express your emotions and events in life through music.” “I liked getting to know her and learning about what she did.” “She’s really cool and funny.”  “The exciting thing about electronic music is that you can copy and make any sound in the world, then change it up.”  “We have a voice that needs to be heard.”

Music educator, Christine Hayes, commented, “It was a magical day in music, connecting a world-class contemporary composer with future composers at Lincoln Elementary!  And just wait until you hear them perform Alex Shapiro’s piece at the concert – you will be inspired.  We are so appreciative of Alex spending time with us.  We all grew!”

Editor’s note: The following information was received from Dwight Foster Public Library.

The Dwight Foster Public Library will be displaying works by local artist Kelly Hausknecht during the month of March. Stop by the Jones Gallery on the second floor to experience her series of whimsical paintings devoted to sweet marshmallow Peeps. Kelly’s interest in this subject was inspired by the Annual Peeps Exhibition at the Racine Art Museum.

Some of Hausknecht’s paintings include collage elements such as clotheslines and pins and actual candy Peeps. These creations are free-spirited, silly, and fun. She has also created an Artist’s Challenge scavenger hunt and a drawing to win one of the Peeps paintings. She encourages others to make a Peeps creation of their own and consider entering it for free at the Racine Art Museum next year.

Hausknecht was born in Milwaukee, graduated from UW Whitewater, and moved to Edgerton 35 years ago. She has had a career in art, alternating both teaching and interior design. She has been teaching art with UW-Whitewater at Rock County and the Janesville School District. Her passion for art extends to all media including painting, collage, and photography. She encourages others to, “Whatever you do, enjoy art, make art, and appreciate the beautiful world around you.”

Editor’s note: The following information was received from UW-Whitewater.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Music announces the Trumpet Studio concert on Friday, March 18th at 7:30 p.m. They will perform “Winds of Change,” a collection of 12 new works for trumpet and piano written by marginalized and underrepresented composers. “Winds of Change” was published by Diversify The Stand and UW-Whitewater is the first university to ever perform the book in its entirety. This event is free to attend and open to the public. Masks are strongly suggested for anyone attending events in the Greenhill Center of the Arts and each performance in the Light Recital Hall will have a social distance seating option. Do not come to campus if you are ill. For the most up to date campus safety information, visit the Warhawks are Back webpage at the link below. uww.edu/warhawks-are-back. 

“Diversifying the trumpet and classical music repertoire we regularly perform is important to enhancing students’ education as well as the depth and breadth of our performances” says Dr. Matthew Onstad, Assistant Professor of Trumpet. “For the purpose of teaching and performing, we want to expose our students and audiences to many different voices, sounds, cultures, and perspectives. As musicians, our mission as performers, educators, and creators should be to stretch our creative minds, ears, and viewpoints as far as we can. Our experiences with music reflect what is happening in the world. Thus, we should commit to exposing our community to music written by under-represented composers. The company ‘Diversify the Stand,’ created by Dr. Carrie Blosser and Ashley Killam, both all-star trumpet performers and educators, has committed to this exact mission by commissioning works by composers of color, gender-marginalized composers, and composers identifying as LGBTQ+. In 2021, the organization published 12 new works by diverse composers for trumpet and piano, a collection entitled ‘Winds of Change.’ I felt compelled to program these pieces for our Trumpet Studio Concert because the organization’s mission means so much to the innovation and expansion of the entire musical community. All twelve pieces, along with two trumpet ensemble pieces, are incredible works deserving of study and performance. We are looking forward to concertizing ‘Winds of Change,’ bringing this new music to life, and offering a free addition to the standard trumpet repertoire.”

Composers include: Karen Amrhein, Zoe Cutler, Devin Clara Fanslow, Gala Flagello, Gina Gillie, Marcus S. Grant, HyeKyung Lee, Yukiko Nishimura, Alonso Malik  Pirio, Lara Poe, Rylee Short, and Angela Elizabeth Slater. Read more about the composers here.

The Trumpet Studio performers include students: Nick Andersen, Lily Freeman, Tyler Giegerich, Matthew Harvey, Ryan Maddix, Cassie Parrell, Jacob Pfannerstill and Nick Stuttgen. 

A Wisconsin native, Dr. Matthew Onstad serves as Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he teaches applied trumpet, coaches chamber music, performs with the Whitewater Brass Quintet, and teaches World of the Arts. He has been Principal Trumpet with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra since 2016. While earning his DMA and MM degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Onstad served the Mead Witter School of Music as a Project Assistant performing with the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, a faculty ensemble-in-residence. He holds the rank of Staff Sergeant in the 132nd Wisconsin Army National Guard Band, and has performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Iowa, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and the Isthmus Brass. Dr. Onstad has previously taught trumpet at St. Ambrose University, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He has served as a master clinician with the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, the 132nd Army Band, and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra throughout the Midwest. Dr. Onstad received his BM from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. His teachers include John Aley, Alex Noppe, Jean Laurenz, Marty Robinson, and Robert Levy. Matthew is an Edwards Instrument Artist and Clinician. www.matthewonstad.com 

Editor’s note: The following information was received from Whitewater High School.

Whitewater High School is proud to announce that Dane Hillmer and Sidney Pinkowski have each won a $6,750 Wisconsin Technical Excellence Scholarship this year!  Dane and Sidney have the highest demonstrated level of proficiency in technical education subjects at WHS and each completed over four Career & Technical Education credits.  The Technical Excellence Scholarships are only for use at a Wisconsin Technical College.  Dane and Sidney are both planning to attend Blackhawk Technical College.  Congratulations Dane and Sidney!!