If you’ve never heard organ music in person, the first thing that strikes you is the complexity of the sound that comes from within it. At a recent concert showcasing an instrument donated to UMBC by Charles Nicholas, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, the organ’s power and artistry was on full display for a standing room-only crowd on February 10.

“I was blown away, for one thing,” said Nicholas, following the recital and historical lecture by Paula Maust, an adjunct professor in the Music Department. Maust played an array of pieces to show the range and history of what’s known as “the king of instruments,” including a piece by Frank Ferko played solely with the feet.

The instrument itself, donated in honor of the professor’s parents, Charles and Barbara Nicholas, sits in a practice studio in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building. As Music Department chair Linda Dusman told the crowd, the nation is facing a shortage of trained organists, so having an instrument on which to practice gives students an immediate leg up for employment, post graduation. (They previously had to seek out local churches for practice.)

In addition to the Ferko piece, Maust’s recital covered both sacred and secular pieces, all designed to show the organ’s versatility of sound. The organ has two keyboards: a board-full of buttons (known as “stops”) to alter the sounds made by the keys, as well as a full range of floor pedals that are played with the feet.

Dusman thanked Nicholas and his wife, telling the audience, “Dr. Nicholas’s generosity is going to make this extraordinary music available for generations of students and the communities that they’re going to serve, so thank you so much.”

Nicholas and his wife, Janice, said they enjoyed the show very much.

“I’ve been a fan of organ music all my life and I have never heard any of these pieces before, and I’m very impressed,” he said. “I’m glad that people are getting use out of this, so I’m just delighted.”

— Jenny O’Grady

Editor’s note: Here at UMBC, our students are the heartbeat of campus, and we are committed to providing them the best possible education. So, for the month of March, we will be highlighting our amazing academic departments, some of their recent achievements, and ways that you can help fund their continued excellence.

Your gift is extremely important and many of our students are depending on you. Please show your support and make an impact today. With you we can make a difference.

The Dance department is proud to announce that Alexis Renee DeVance won the top award in Outstanding Student Choreography at the 2014 American National College Dance Festival for her piece “Salt. Rose.Witness.” DeVance’s work was one of 31 selected for presentation at the festival. The department is also thrilled to share that last semester, UMBC hosted the Dance Education Training Institute, co-sponsored by Clancyworks and Baltimore County Public Schools; kicked off the performance season with a shared concert by Washington, DC based-companies Rebollar Dance and Clancyworks; and hosted the Maryland All-State Dance Auditions.

With your help, the Dance department can continue developing a regular master class series and funding new scholarships and summer study opportunities.

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The Music department is excited to announce that, as of last fall, it is officially moved into UMBC’s new Performing Arts and Humanities Building — students are now making music in a new concert hall, new recording studios, and a number of other state-of-the-art spaces. A gift to the department helps strengthen its programs and ensures that current students have the resources the need to make the most of their studies.

With your help, the Music department can continue supporting student ensembles, such as the orchestra, camerata, and wind ensemble, as well as funding visits by renowned musicians.

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The Theatre department is proud to announce that its new curriculum has broadened their focus on student training and internships. In the past year, the department placed more than a half dozen students in internships with theatre companies in Baltimore, Annapolis, and DC, including several run by department alumni who have excelled in their fields and are seeking to provide opportunities for our students to make the leap into the professional world.

With your help, the Theatre department can continue supporting initiatives such as its mentor program, which assists graduating seniors develop their professional acumen, and the Student Travel Fund Patron program, which provides on-going support for freshmen to experience professional theatre in Baltimore.

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The Visual Arts department is excited to share that Alumna Hadieh Shafie, M.F.A. ‘04, imaging and digital arts, received the Outstanding Alumni Award for Visual & Performing Arts from the UMBC Alumni Association. Shafie also launched her first one-person show in New York last month; Surfaced will be on view until April 11at the Leila Heller Gallery. The department is also excited to share that Lynn Cazabon, associate professor of art, will conduct research at Liepaja University in Latvia this spring after receiving a Fulbright Scholar Award.

With your help, the Visual Arts department can continue supplying new equipment and funding scholarships for their students.

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