By Mark Boshnack
Organizers said they are hopeful that changes to this year's SUNY Oneonta Music Department Hall of Fame inductions will help motivate students to follow their dreams. The department will honor two alumni and two retired faculty members with induction ceremonies at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Goodrich Theater on campus.
The ceremony is open to the public and coincides with homecoming and family weekend, said Colby Thomas, music department staff member and Hall of Fame committee chairwoman.
The inductees are: Rosemary Summers, who graduated in 1977 and is in her 21st season with the Metropolitan Opera; and Scott Miller, who graduated in 1988 and is a composer of orchestral, chamber, electroacoustic and multimedia works, with numerous performances in North America, according to a news release. They will join former SUNY Oneonta faculty member Carleton Clay, who taught there from 1968 to 2007 while composing more than 400 works. He was principal trumpet for several area orchestras.
Charles Burnsworth is also being honored. He joined the college faculty in 1957 and served as chairman of the music department and conductor of the women's glee club. After retiring in 1994, he taught part time for several more years, the release said.
This is the second year for the inductions, Thomas said. Last year, the event was held in June, but this year, the committee decided to hold the ceremony during the school year to allow the inductees to "inspire and network" with students.
In the future, the ceremony will take place every two years, and on the off years, past recipients will be invited back to meet with students. The 2008 inductees included students George Boziwick, Rebecca Johnson Carrington, Richard Croft, Michael Holober, Aaron Perrino, Robert Preston, Jennifer Coleman Segal, Chris Vettel and Jennifer Federici. Faculty members were Margaret Cawley, William Cole, Hewitt Pantaleoni and John Worley.
The only inductee who could be reached by e-mail Monday was Clay, who said he was looking forward to sharing the spotlight with the others.
Burnsworth was chairman of the department in 1968, Clay said. "I owe a debt of gratitude to Chuck for his confidence in me and then of course in building such a vital artistic community."
In addition, the two alumni representatives were both Clay's pupils. They were "very high-achieving students and wonderful people," Clay said.
Miller will be holding two concerts, today and Wednesday, that are free and open to the public, according to a media release from the college.
Today's concert is part of the Hewitt Pantaleoni Memorial concert series. The performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanford Auditorium "" also known as IRC #3 _ will feature Miller playing original compositions with clarinetist Robin Seletsky. He will also be performing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday with SUNY Oneonta faculty members Joe Pignato and Orlando Legname at the Little Theater in Alumni Hall.
