Friday, October 4,1996
Features
Still strikes up the band
Page 5
George Spitzer
Design/Layout Editor
Excellence, inspiration, and
musical marvel are just a few words
that accent Ms. Ruth L. Still. She has
worked with some of the most well-
known composers, performers, and
conductors of the twentieth century.
Aaron Copeland, Fred Mills, Fred
Fennel, and Robert Shaw are just a few
legends she has worked with
throughout her career.
Still has been involved with many
people she considers mentors.
“William Vacchino, Nadia Boulanger,
and Vincent Persichetti have been three
of the most influential people in my
music career,” Still commented.
“They always demand excellence
in music and also very high personal
ethics and values. Results of their
teaching and inspiration have taken me
to places I once only dreamed about.”
The new Mexico Brass Quintet is
currently performing a composition
written by Still. She entitled it
“Prayer’s From The Ark.” “That was
the beginning of the piece,” Still
exclaimed.
Selection for the piece was
interesting. “Somebody gave the New
Mexico Brass Quintet the score for my
music. They read it, and now it is
being performed in China,” Still said.
Not only have her compositions been
performed in China, they have also
been performed throughout the United
States, Canada, and Europe.
Still’s advice to any who plan to
pursue a career in music composition
“Listen to as many works as
possible, especially the great works
from all periods of music. Be open
minded to many different types of
music and learn the craft. Music
composition is the only field of work
where all the teachers of the past are
still alive.” Still explained.
When asked how it felt when
finishing a composition, still had some
input. It is a thrill for me after I am
done with a work of music. I have
never had any interest in promoting my
work. My pieces seem to have their
own way of finding where they
belong,” Still commented.
This past semester her students
performed a movement of her Noah’s
Ark piece. “I am very proud of my
students performing a piece as difficult
as this one. They have never let me
down,” Still said.
Her work has been highly
acclaimed by many different music
critics. “A piece I wrote called Triplex
was given outstanding reviews by the
Los Angeles Times.” Still exclaimed.
Still has also commented that a lot
of her works have been inspired by one
force alone. Music clearly has soothed
f 1
“Music composition is
the only field of work
where all the teachers of
the past are still alive. ”
la
Ruth L. Still
I 4 ■”» 1 l-v r . '-V »
the soul for Still. “God has been the
biggest influence on everything I have
written, ” Still remarked.
In addition to her work in
composition. Still also has an intense
background in brass studies. Many of
her former students have been highly
successful in this field, such as Adel
Sanchez, principal trumpet for the
National Symphony Orchestra in
Washington, D.C.; John Schnell,
principal trumpet, Portland, Maine
Symphony, and Mark Schubert,
Hawaii Symphony. Mark is also
currently on the faculty of the Brevard
Music Center.
While enjoying some time off, Still cuddles with her dog, Bartok.
She has accomplished many things in her music career.
Special to The Clarion
]B)]r(evar(d Colieg^e
Cultural Events Calendar
October 1996
Tuesday, October 8, 8pm
BREVARD FACULTY RECITAL
Dr. David Kirby’s performance features classical and
new works for the clarinet.
Thursday, October 10, 7:30 pm
POETS AND WRITERS AT BREVARD
Gil Alien reads from his works of poetry and short
fiction. An English professor at Furman University, he
recently won two major awards-the 1995 Robert Penn
Warren Prize for poetry and the 1995 Porter Fleming
Award for short story.
Saturday, October 12, 8 pm
AUTUMN CHORAL CONCERT
Alfred Calabrese presents his first concert in his new
community.