LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Tippecanoe Arts Federation (TAF) announces 28 organizations throughout Region 4 (Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren, and White Counties) will receive a total of $116,393.00 in grant awards for Fiscal Year 2010.

Earlier this year volunteer citizen peer panels, convened by TAF, reviewed 30 proposals. Grant awards were approved August 3, 2009 during the TAF board of director’s meeting.

Grants are made possible by the Indiana Arts Commission with funds appropriated by the Indiana General Assembly and the U.S. Congress, through the National Endowment for the Arts, and are for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009.

The following organizations from Region 4 were approved for funding:

Activities of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation are provided, in part, with support from the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, with funds from the Indiana General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Two Lafayette-West Lafayette musicians and a Rensselaer violinist are winners of the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra’s 2009 Keller Competition, LSO officials announced today (July 20).

This year’s winners are vocalist Sarah Leeper, daughter of Wendy and Steve Leeper of West Lafayette; pianist Christopher Park, son of Kinam and Haesun Park of West Lafayette; and violinist Lydia Umlauf, daughter of Donald and Janet Umlauf in Jasper County.

Sarah Leeper

Sarah, who sang Handel’s Lascia ch’io pianga and Mozart’s Chi sa Chi sa qual sia during the open Keller competition, is taught by voice instructor Karen Goff. Christopher, who played Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 Op. 15 1st Movement, takes lessons from piano teacher Nayda Dubikovsky. Lydia, whose instructor is Desiree Ruhstrat, performed Ravel’s Tzigane.

A panel of professional judges selected the three musicians from 22 performances for the 36th annual competition, which was held earlier this summer at Covenant Presbyterian Church in West Lafayette.
The trio will perform with the symphony Nov. 21 at the LSO’s annual Keller Concert at the Long Center for Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., in downtown Lafayette.

Lydia Umlauf

“Congratulations to this year’s Allan W. Keller Competition winners and all who participated as finalists. We look forward to the performance by the three winners with the symphony at our annual Keller Concert in November,” said LSO music director Nicholas Palmer.

Musicians age 22 and younger are eligible to compete at the annual Keller Competition for the opportunity to perform as featured soloists with the LSO. The date for next year’s Keller Competition will be announced later this year.

The Allan W. Keller Memorial Award was established in 1973 to honor Allan Keller, a former LSO treasurer and supporter. Each year, young musicians compete for the opportunity to perform as featured soloists with the LSO and each winner is granted a cash prize.

Over the years, a number of Lafayette-West Lafayette area musicians have advanced to prominent music schools, performed at top musical venues and attained significant success with their instrument, whether that be violin, cello, voice, clarinet, trumpet, flute or percussion.

“We view the Keller Competition as a cornerstone for the LSO’s commitment to education and outreach as we grow our regional orchestra,” said LSO executive director Ken Bootsma. “Through this wonderful and longstanding program, we can tap into the local and area schools, employers and organizations to expand the symphony’s reach and offer professional performance opportunities for the region’s young musicians.”

Last year’s winners were clarinet player Anna O’Connor of Lafayette, pianist Jason Wu of West Lafayette and flutist Katie Christenson of Wheaton, Ill. The 2007 Keller Competition winners were Christian Schrock of Covington, Jinty McTavish of Lafayette and Nathan Kross of West Lafayette.

“The Keller Competition promotes quality musicianship, high achievement in musical performance for students from throughout the Lafayette-West Lafayette region,” Palmer said. “I am so proud the LSO sponsors this excellent competition because it confirms that in both school music programs and in private applied studios, quality music teaching takes place every day to support, encourage and challenge local young musicians.”

The LSO kicks off its 2009-10 season with Second Annual Outdoor Pops Concert at 6 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Tippecanoe Amphitheater, north of West Lafayette on Indiana 43. Cost is $10 per carload.

The LSO’s formal season begins at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 with the performance “Scheherazade,” featuring pianist Chu-Fang Huang, a Young Concert Artist who won the piano competition and a finalist in the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Texas in 2005. The concert is sponsored by Eli Lilly and Co.’s Tippecanoe Laboratories.

Launched in 1950 as a non-profit organization, the 70-person Lafayette Symphony Orchestra is focused on enriching the cultural life of the West Central Indiana community and 14 surrounding counties through excellence in orchestral music and educational experience.

About 80 percent of its patrons are from Lafayette, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County, while the remainder are from the surrounding counties of Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tipton, Warren and White.

For more details about season-ticket specials and other information on the Lafayette Symphony’s upcoming season, go to http://www.lafayettesymphony.org.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Even more children will benefit from Purdue University’s award-winning Purdue Athletes Life Success Program this summer as the camp, its activities and its support keeps growing.

More than 400 children will attend the June 18 through July 17 program also known as PALS. Last year more than 350 children attended, and this year’s program has a waiting list. The camp, for children 8-14, is free for the participants, who are selected based on referrals from local schools.

Drew Brees visits with campers at Purdue's 2007 National Youth Sports Program. The program, which is now known as Purdue Athletes Life Success Program, continues to grow with more than 400 campers. Camp activities focus on fitness, sports, financial literacy, stress management and nutrition. (Purdue University file photo/David Umberger)

“This program began seven years ago as a way to encourage children to embrace a healthy lifestyle through sports and athletics, but now it is about much more,” says Bill Harper, camp director and professor and head of the Department of Health and Kinesiology.

“Fitness is still the foundation of our program, and that’s why we space activity stations apart so campers are guaranteed 70 minutes of walking a day, and this year we will be using pedometers as well. But we also want these youngsters to be successful in all areas of life, so we offer a range of activities including units on computers, stress management, nutrition and financial literacy. We also are adding orchestra, specifically a violin unit, to this year’s program.

“But, the beauty of what we can offer these children has evolved because the local funding base and community support keeps growing. For example, Alcoa is providing pedometers for the children, and the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra is sharing its violins and instructors.”

PALS, formerly the National Youth Sports Program, changed its name last summer, thanks to support from Drew Brees’ The Brees Dream Foundation and Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union, which is known as PEFCU.

The former Boilermaker All-America quarterback, current quarterback for the New Orleans Saints and PEFCU spokesperson, has visited the camp annually since 2003. His visit to the camp this year is sponsored by PEFCU as part of its emphasis to support local youth.

PEFCU also supports the camp unit on financial literacy. PEFCU employees, who work with many classrooms during the school year on financial wellness topics, teach this course.

Before the name change, the national program honored Purdue’s camps for its achievements, including being named best new program in 2002 and special recognition for its 2004 and 2005 programs. This year the American Heart Association will honor Harper with the Cor Vitae Award for enhancing the community through innovation, philanthropy, vision and leadership.

The National Youth Sports Program began in 1969, and in 2005 there were more than 200 programs nationwide. However, the program’s federal funding was reduced, and in 2006 Purdue’s program was one 56 in the nation to receive partial funding. Federal funding was withdrawn from all National Youth Sports Programs in 2007, but Purdue’s camp successfully continued through university and private donor support.

More than 1,000 children have attended since the camp began in 2002. The students, in teams of 15, rotate through activity stations that include basketball, swimming, soccer and volleyball. The older campers get to participate in yoga, flag football, judo and table tennis.

Purdue researchers in the Department of Health and Kinesiology also are studying how participation in the camp benefits children by measuring their physical fitness, academic achievement and social relationships year round. Harper says many children often lose weight during camp, and anecdotal evidence from the local schools shows that participation in the camp has a significant positive effect on education, attitudes and sportsmanship.

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is housed in the College of Liberal Arts. The camp also has received assistance from Purdue’s Office of the Provost, Recreational Sports Facilities, Residence Halls, Information Technology at Purdue, Purdue University Student Health Center and the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fifteen Lafayette-area string musicians, including four who are home-schooled, are winners of this year’s McPherson String Scholarships to advance their musical training, the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra announced Tuesday (April 28).

The 2009 McPherson Scholarship recipients are Daniel Choi, Agustina de la Fuente, Joseph Frank, Mark Timmerman, Amy He and Bryce Wang of West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School; Kaleb Emery, Adrian Escobar, LeAnn Hackerd, and Dillon Miller of Frankfort Middle School; Kayla Newcomb of Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High in Lafayette; and Nathan Davis, Christina Doerr, Clara Loisch and Gabriella Loisch, who are home-schooled.

The Lafayette Symphony Orchestra announces the 2009 class of McPherson String Scholarship winners

Winners receive $300 each through the Dr. and Mrs. Richard C. McPherson String Instrument Scholarship Fund. This year, 54 scholarship applications were submitted. The Greater Lafayette Community Foundation distributes the annual scholarships on behalf of the Lafayette Symphony.

Ken Bootsma, executive director of the LSO, said the McPherson scholarships are designed to encourage interest in string instruments such as the violin, viola, bass or cello among the many young musicians in local and regional communities.

“The $300 individual awards, made possible for the 12th straight year through the generosity of the McPherson family, can be extremely helpful, especially during these tough economic times, for private lessons or music camps to foster a love for music for all ages,” Bootsma said.

Musicians who were nominated by local and area music instructors were asked to submit an application along with a 100- to 300-word essay about how the scholarship would help them advance their musical interests. An ad hoc committee of three LSO musicians recommended the 15 recipients to the LSO’s Education Committee for final approval.

“The McPherson scholarship program pays particular attention to those students whose interest in string playing proficiency is limited by financial constraints,” said LSO musical director Nicholas Palmer. “It also is a key part of the LSO’s outreach mission into our local and regional communities and to help these young musicians and their families grow their love of performance.”

The program was created in 1998 by the McPhersons in honor of their children, Gregg A. McPherson and Kimberly McPherson, to encourage and stimulate interest in string-playing proficiency.

Applicants for yearly scholarships must be enrolled in school in grades 7-12, which includes the summer following the 12th grade. They must be permanent residents of Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren and White counties.

The deadline for the 2010 McPherson scholarships is mid-February. Application forms can be picked up at the LSO offices on the second floor of the Long Center for Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette, IN, 47901. Prior scholarship applicants are eligible to reapply, and recipients from the last three years are not eligible to reapply.

Launched in 1950 as a nonprofit organization, the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra is focused on enriching the cultural life of the Lafayette-West Lafayette community, which includes Purdue University, and 14 surrounding counties through excellence in orchestral music and educational experience.

About 80 percent of the Lafayette Symphony’s patrons live in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County, while the remainder resides in the surrounding counties of Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tipton, Warren and White.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In their final performance of the 2008-2009 season, the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra presents “Spanish Fiesta” on Saturday, April 25th. Spanish Fiesta is a celebration of the Latin rhythms by composers like Gershwin, Rodrigo, Galindo and more. Classical guitarist, Jason Vieaux, is the guest artist and will perform the solo during Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.

Guest artist Jason Vieaux is the youngest First Prize winner in the history of the prestigious Guitar Foundation of American International Competition, and was honored as the Artistic Ambassador of the U.S. to Southeast Asia.

Vieaux is expanding the definition of “Classical Guitarist” with over 50 performance dates internationally this season. He has eight recordings to his credit and many more to come. Vieaux is the youngest First Prize winner in the history of the prestigious Guitar Foundation of American International Competition, and was honored as the Artistic Ambassador of the U.S. to Southeast Asia. The LSO will be performing a variety of symphonic works from Cuba and Mexico, while Vieaux joins in with a work from Spain.

Join the LSO for a fiesta after the show with complimentary appetizers and a chance to meet Jason Vieaux in person.

Tickets: Adults $17-35, Senior (65+) $15-32, Students $8-15
Location: Long Center for Performing Arts, Downtown Lafayette, Indiana
Date/Time: Saturday, April 25, 2009. 7:30p curtain.

Program:
GERSHWIN – Cuban Overture
RODRIGO – Concierto de Aranjuez (Jason Vieaux, guitar)
GALINDO – Sounds of the Mariachis
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio Espagnol
RAVEL – Bolero