HIGHLIGHTING: A L L- C A M P U S & C O M M U N I T Y C H O R A L E | H E A R T & S O U L | P U R D U E B E L L S | P U R D U E V A R S I T Y G L E E C L U B | P U R D U E T T E S | U N I V E R S I T Y C H O I R

Y O U R S I N SONGA P U BL I C AT I O N

F R O M P U R D U E M U S I C A L

O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

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PMO is excited to offer the 88th annual Purdue Christmas Show virtually this year (Details inside).

P M O P R E S E N T S

THE VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS

SHOW

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DEAR FRIENDS,What a year it ’s been! To say that the 2020-21 school year was unique would be sardonic and redundant. Are you as fatigued of hearing about these “unprecedented times” as I am?

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges that our organization has never encountered before, the moral of our story has not changed: PMO students are resilient.

In my 13 years of leading this terrific organization, I can honestly say that I’ve never been more proud of the PMO students and staff. The challenges they overcame and the milestones they accomplished last year are nothing short of remarkable.

Despite the necessary requirements implemented by the University to keep everyone safe, our PMO students were grateful to have the opportunity to perform several livestream concerts last year, all while smiling under their face shields and special “singers’ masks.”

Our PMO staff innovated in extraordinary ways to create cocurricular activities and educational experiences for our students so they could continue pursuing their love of music, both in the rehearsal rooms and via online Zoom seminars.

From opportunities such as performing a virtual cabaret with world-renowned Broadway stars to learning authentic South African and Georgian music from international artists, our PMO staff revolutionized what it means to be part of this

“extracurricular” organization. I’m proud to say that our students received a musical education unparalleled to that offered by many higher education peer institutions.

I am thrilled to share that PMO has created a custom broadcasting network that will showcase selected livestream virtual performances throughout the 2021-22 school year! As our viewers emphatically expressed last year, the world of virtual performances and events is not going away anytime soon. We are proud that PMO was able to utilize this new, innovative technology early so that we can continue to share virtual performances well into the future.

Our new broadcasting network will feature virtual livestream performances from all six PMO ensembles, including the annual Purdue Christmas Show, which you’ll read about later in this issue. For more information about this custom broadcasting network and how to subscribe, I invite you to visit pmobroadcasting.com. You’ll be pleased to find that past performances are already available for you to view today!

I hope you’ll stay connected with PMO as we continue to develop new and exciting ways to share our students’ love of music and passion for performing with you. As always, be sure to check out our PMO website for the most recent concert dates at purdue.edu/pmo. We have several concerts scheduled for the spring of 2022 — we may be performing in a venue near you!

Now more than ever, I am tremendously grateful for your continued love and support of this organization, which I am humbled to lead. I look forward to seeing you on the road or on our campus again soon!

Boiler Up and Hail Purdue!

William E. GriffelAlbert P. Stewart Director of Purdue Musical OrganizationsJack Calhoun Director of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club

CONGRATULATIONSPMO Students Recognized for Undergraduate ResearchSource: Purdue University Office of Undergraduate Research

Alyssa Easton

Debbie Das

Rachel Small

STENSBERG NAMED CILMAR GRANT RECIPIENTSource: Purdue Today

In a year when many arts organizations were forced to put everything on pause, Jake Stensberg found a way to innovate and inspire.

As Assistant Director for the Purduettes and University Choir, as well as Director of the All-Campus & Community Chorale and several specialty ensembles, Stensberg wears many hats in his role as a member of the PMO staff. Another title he added to his repertoire this year? Researcher.

Purdue’s Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, Assessment and Research (CILMAR) named Stensberg as one of the award recipients for its 2021 Seed Grant Program. Stensberg received $2,000 — the maximum amount awarded — for his work with intercultural learning through music. His paradigm-shifting educational program, titled “Music in Global Perspectives,” seeks to assess intercultural competence development through a music-centered intercultural curriculum, with partnerships in the Republic of Georgia and South Africa.

“Giving our students the opportunity to learn Black South African music from Black South Africans and Georgian music from a choir in the Republic of Georgia was a formative and inimitable experience,” said Stensberg.

The CILMAR Seed Grant Program supports faculty, staff and graduate students who wish to engage in the assessment of intercultural learning outcomes, conduct studies of intercultural competency development and/or generate new intercultural theoretical development but lack the resources to do so.

“While Zoom will never be an adequate substitute for soulful human connection, we were able to use it to eliminate borders and make the world a little smaller, a little more accessible, to our students,” said Stensberg. “Yes, we learned some songs and collected groundbreaking data in intercultural competence, but more importantly, we continued to bend our moral arc in the direction of compassion and humanity.”

PMO is proud to have innovative educators such as Stensberg working to enrich the lives of their students through the power of music. Please join us in congratulating Jake for a job well done and much-deserved award!

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to three PMO students for being selected as Purdue Undergraduate Research Conference winners! Out of more than 750 student presenters, three PMO students were recognized for scholarly and creative work being conducted by undergraduates at Purdue.

Rachel Small, a graduating senior in the Purduettes, won first place for her presentation, “White Feminist Icons: An Intersectional Case Study on Amelia Earhart” in the category of Research Talks.

Debbie Das, a rising senior in Heart & Soul, won second place for her presentation, “Is There an Association Between Attentional Disengagement and Language Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?” for the College of Health and Human Sciences.

Alyssa Easton, a rising senior in the Purduettes, won second place for her presentation, “R-loops and DNA Damage in Aging Photoreceptor Neurons” for the College of Agriculture.

PMO invites you to join us in congratulating these students for their exemplary work in their respective research fields. We are proud to have outstanding students such as Rachel, Debbie and Alyssa representing PMO and Purdue on the undergraduate research stage!

CONGRATULATIONS

ARE YOU a PMO alum interested in being featured in our next

issue of Yours in Song? Email us at PMOMDM@purdue.edu and

one of our PMO staff members will be happy to connect with you!

FINN FAMILY ESTABLISHES THE PMO OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP

One Purdue Varsity Glee Club alumnus and his family are leaving PMO truly

“better than he found it.”

time,” said Finn. “This was capped by the ‘Freshman First Nighter’ concert on campus.”

After graduating, Finn spent 15 years working for three trade associations in the Washington, D.C. area, which is where he met his wife, Georgana. The next chapter in his professional journey led Finn to join the Marriott International team, where he worked in the areas of information technology, learning, change management and organizational development, before finishing his career as Vice President of Global Human Resources Business Process Management.

In addition to his career with Marriott, Finn served as a guest lecturer in the Purdue School of Hospitality and Tourism Management for more than 20 years. He was a recipient of the “Friend of Purdue University Award” and was inducted into the inaugural class of the School of Hospitality Hall of Fame.

Georgana reports that in the 48 years she’s known Dan, Purdue and the Glee Club have always been a big part of his life. “The experiences he had and disciplines he developed helped shape him to be the man I love,” she said.

Finn felt the call to the Permanent Diaconate in the Roman Catholic Church, and after five years of preparation, he was ordained in 2010. He had always wanted to pursue a charitable, giveback career. A year after his ordination, Dan retired from Marriott and became the Executive Director of Human Resources for the Archdiocese of Washington.

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A graduate from the Krannert School of Management, Dan Finn sang second tenor with the Glee Club from 1968 to 1972. Finn sang under the direction of Al Stewart and Bill Luhman and served as a Purdue Sir student leader. His real-life “brother in song,” Bart, sang in the Glee Club 18 years later and they have sung together on numerous occasions as alumni.

Finn’s fond Glee Club memories include singing with the Obernkirchen Children’s Choir in Germany on one of PMO’s many performance tours, including a European international tour and two summer trips to Hawaii. However, his favorite memories were made during the Glee Club’s preseason camp week.

“The annual Glee Club camp before classes started was always a special time when we came together, welcomed new members, prepared for the coming year and had a great

Georgana and Dan Finn

Finn claimed that it was his time spent singing with the Glee Club, as well as his faith, that inspired Georgana and him to establish the Finn Family PMO Opportunity Scholarship for underrepresented minority students at Purdue.

“First and foremost, God has been incredibly good to us,” said Finn.

“We look for opportunities to give back in thanksgiving for these incredible blessings.”

Dan and Georgana established the Finn Family PMO Opportunity Scholarship – a sustainable endowment of $100,000 – to support students from historically excluded demographics who are interested in attending Purdue and performing with PMO.

“We would love for someone who is interested in sharing their musical gifts and who might not have the resources to attend Purdue, be given some funds to help them attend the University,” said Finn. “We would love to hear them performing in one of the PMO groups and know we helped them choose Purdue and have the wonderful opportunity to participate in these groups, receive an incredible education and make friends for a lifetime.”

In establishing the Finn Family PMO Opportunity Scholarship, Dan and Georgana wish to set an example and inspire others to give — especially to increase opportunities for underserved populations.

PMO is grateful for the Finn family’s generous support of its students and for providing opportunities for our organization to strengthen its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Troutner Honored as Student Life Distinguished MentorSource: Kelley Stier, Associate Dean of Students

Joanne Troutner has served as a Purduette mentor for more than a decade, so it was no surprise when she was honored as the Purdue Student Life Distinguished Mentor for 2020-21.

“I was privileged to have Joanne as my Purduette mentor in 2011, and I’m thrilled to say that we still keep in touch a decade later,” said Chrissy Crawley, PMO Marketing & Communications Manager and Purduette ’13 alumna. “She taught me so much about how to network as a professional and the importance of giving back to the organizations that built you — like PMO. She just adopts you into her family; once you’re one of Joanne’s mentees, you’re hers for life.”

In addition to her service as a Purduette mentor, Troutner also serves as co-advisor for the Purdue Foundation Student Board, which provides leadership opportunities to students who serve as ambassadors to the University Development Office. She has served the University in numerous capacities, most recently as the chair of the President’s Council Advisory Board. Her tenure as chair saw the completion of Purdue’s Ever True campaign, the largest fundraising endeavor in Purdue’s history. She is also an honorary member of the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board.

We are proud to call Joanne a member of our PMO family. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved honor!

Joanne Troutner with Purduette ‘20 alumna, Addison Sarver.

To learn more about the Student Life Impact Awards, visit http://bit.ly/Troutner.

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As the first professionally trained musician in her family, Suki Wong began playing piano at the age of four. Her musical journey blossomed into a full-time career when Wong earned her Bachelor of Music degree at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Soon after, she moved to Australia for her master’s degree in piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Most recently, Wong earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and pedagogy, with a minor in music education and arts administration, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“I was determined to continue devoting myself in teaching and community engagement,” she said. “I was inspired to make the best possible use of my rigorous musical education and the practical experiences that I have acquired as an administrator.”

Wong attributes her love of music and appreciation for arts education to watching her parents devote their lives to the community music school they established while she was growing up.

“I witnessed the impact my parents had on hundreds of students of all ages, and the influence that behind-the-scenes work has on educating, empowering and changing the lives of young artists.”

In addition to her years of musical training, Wong is an accomplished pianist, performing both as a soloist and collaborative artist around the world. Having performed internationally in Portugal, Germany and Australia, Wong is particularly proud of her research and recording involving the Moór piano and the Hyperpiano — the newest innovation in piano design featuring a double-manual keyboard.

Along with these international performance opportunities, Wong is grateful for her time spent teaching college-level piano and applied piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as teaching group piano to community members at Madison College.

“I am glad I had countless occasions to share my love for music, passion for teaching and enthusiasm for community work,” said Wong. “I believe my professional experiences will help me excel PMO’s principles in music education and its mission to connect diverse elements of society.”

In her position as Assistant Director, Wong is most excited about embarking on a new musical journey with PMO students and staff. Throughout the 2021-22 academic year, she will have the opportunity to work with each student ensemble and to learn from PMO’s musical directors. “I am eager to employ my musical and administrative talents for this organization, and I hope to bring new ideas and energy to PMO.”

The PMO staff invites you to join us in congratulating Suki and welcoming her as the newest member of our musical family!

PMO WELCOMES WONG AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

PMO is thrilled to welcome Suki Wong as its newest musical staff member!

PMO to Present Virtual Christmas ShowIn response to public concern about the COVID-19 pandemic, the PMO staff has made the tough decision to host the 88th annual Purdue Christmas Show virtually again this year.

For a production of this size, the PMO staff begins planning the annual Christmas Show in January each year. Given the early planning necessitated by the scope of this show, and the general uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and vaccination availability in January 2021, the PMO staff determined it was not fiscally responsible to host an in-person production this year.

The PMO students and staff are excited to return to the Elliott Hall of Music to film this year’s virtual production, and they invite you to tune in from your home this December. The virtual Christmas Show production will be available to view on PMO’s new custom broadcasting network. For a small fee, families will be able to celebrate the holiday season by watching the annual Purdue Christmas Show from the comfort of their own homes.

PMO plans to use this new broadcasting network to share livestream performances from all six student ensembles, including a virtual production of the Christmas Show, which will return to its live, in-person format in December 2022. The PMO staff are hopeful that students, their families, alumni and friends will tune in from wherever they call home to enjoy this new, virtual streaming platform year-round!

Questions about the virtual Christmas Show may be directed to Bill Griffel, the Albert P. Stewart Director of Purdue Musical Organizations and Jack Calhoun Director of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club, via email at wgriffel@purdue.edu.

To learn more about PMO’s new broadcasting network and to purchase a subscription, visit pmobroadcasting.com.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARSPMO performances open to the general public listed in detail at purdue.edu/pmo/calendar.

Unfortunately, at time of printing, outside visitors will not be permitted to attend performances this fall. The following concerts will be shared virtually via livestream:

SEPTEMBER 3 | 7 P.M.Purdue Varsity Glee Club “First Nighter” Livestream Concert

SEPTEMBER 10 | 7 P.M.Purduette Premiere Livestream Concert

NOVEMBER 6 | 7:30 P.M.PMO Fall Show featuring the All-Campus & Community Chorale, Heart & Soul, Purdue Bells and University Choir

DECEMBER 17, 2021Virtual Purdue Christmas Show

PMO Broadcasting Subscriptions Available$40 Annual All-Access Pass

$20 Monthly All-Access Pass

$14 Two-Day Pass

DETAILS AVAILABLE ATpmobroadcasting.com

Beth McCuskey, Ed.D.Vice Provost for Student Life

Katherine Sermersheim, Ph.D.Dean of Students

William E. Griffel Albert P. Stewart Director of Purdue Musical Organizations, Jack Calhoun Director of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club

Rhonda BlacklockDirector, Purdue Bells and Heart & Soul

Brittney BowersBusiness Manager

P U R D U E M U S I C A L O R G A N I Z A T I O N S

Jake StensbergAssistant Director, Purduettes and University Choir Director, All-Campus & Community Chorale and PMO Kids Choir

Hadley ThomasDirector of Development, Purdue Research Foundation

Jeff VallierDirector, Purduettes, University Choir and Recruitment

Kris WebsterLead Administrative Assistant

Colton WithersAssociate Director, Purdue Musical Organizations Director, Administration & External Relations

Suki WongAssistant Director, Purdue Musical Organizations

YOUR PMO STAFF S E R V I N G ST U D E N T S , A L U M N I A N D D O N O R S

Non-ProfitU.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 74 Lafayette, IN

Ralph & Bettye Bailey Hall359 Northwestern AvenueWest Lafayette, IN 47906800-893-3041 | 765-494-3941purdue.edu/pmo

Follow us online @PurduePMO

All-Campus & Community Chorale | Heart & Soul | Purdue Bells | Purdue Varsity Glee Club Purduettes | University Choir

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Chrissy CrawleyMarketing & Communications Manager

Kim DelksAccount Clerk

Scott HinesAssistant Director, Purdue Varsity Glee Club

Rachel MirkinAudience Development & Special Events Manager

Debbie SicilianoAssistant Director of Financial Affairs, Purdue Student Life

Congratulations to University Choir alumna, Emily Harvath, for receiving one of the 10 “Old Golden Tickets,” which awards her $9,992 – the equivalent of one year’s in-state tuition!