Category Archives: News

Robert Fred Kern ’67

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Dr. Robert Fred Kern (BS, MM (IWU ’67), MM D.A.) was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award at the biennial meeting of The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP). The 2017 conference was held in Lombard, Illinois on July 24-29th, celebrating 35 years of excellence and innovation in music education at the keyboard alongside keyboard music educators, researchers, and industry leaders representing all fifty states and over a dozen other nations. The mission of NCKP is to enhance the quality of music-making throughout life and to educate teachers who are dedicated to nurturing lifelong involvement in music-making.

Dr. Kern resides in Dallas and is a native of Pittsfield, IL. He is Professor emeritus at the University of North Texas (Denton) where he was on the UNT keyboard and piano pedagogy faculty for 31 years. He also previously taught keyboard skills at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) for 9 years.

Congratulations, Robert, on this award and all of your recent achievements!

Hal Graff ’69

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On Father’s Day and beyond, Hal Graff (’69) honors his father, the late Dean Graff (’44), whose footsteps he followed to Illinois Wesleyan and onto the baseball field.

Read more here –
http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/columnists/kindred/kindred-a-father-son-bond-forged-by-baseball/article_4aaf9d68-ce41-5c03-9704-58f8eda63401.html

Hal Graff points to his father, Dean, in a photo of the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team from the late 1930s. Dean Graff played for a U.S. All-American team on a tour of England in 1938.

Bruce Borton ’69

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Before retiring from Binghamton, N.Y., University this spring, Bruce Borton (’69) conducted his final concert for the University Chorus. He has been Binghamton’s director of choral activities since 1988 while teaching undergraduate and graduate conducting and choral techniques, choral arranging, and voice, as well as directing the master of music in choral conducting program. He also chaired the music department for six years. Previously, Bruce taught at West Georgia College near Atlanta and spent 14 seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus as a member and conducting assistant for his service on the Tri-Cities Opera borad and as artistic director of the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton; he was selected by the Broome County Arts Council to receive its annual “Heart of the Arts” award.

Emily Stedman ’69

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Romancing Northampton, a collection by Emily Stedman ’69, is being featured at Historic Northampton Museum. The image above is a painting from her collection.
“Romancing Northampton explores our longing for a sense of continuity with our past.  New York City artist Emily Stedman has created a series of watercolor paintings based on archival photos from Historic Northampton’s collection. Through the use of transparent watercolor on paper, Stedman interprets these photos and creates lively, optimistic, and colorful visual stories. Looking at the past gives a much-needed context, direction and perspective on who we are and where we come from. In our dreams we are momentarily on our bicycles, wherever we grew up, and doing whatever it was we loved doing. In our minds’ eye, Grandma sat and knitted while kittens played with her yarn, kids wandered and explored outside for hours and chores were a part of life.”
You can read more about Emily’s work on her website: http://www.emilystedman.com/
Opening Reception: Friday, February 10th Arts Night Out 5 to 8 pm
Exhibition Dates: February 10-March 5, 2017
Exhibition Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 10 am to 4 pm Sundays 12 noon to 5 pm
Venue: Historic Northampton Museum
 46 Bridge Street
 Northampton, MA