Art History
Music
Studio Art
Art History Faculty
Martha Dunkelman, Art History program director, professor
Phone: 888-2405
E-mail: dunkelmm@canisius.edu
BA - Wellesley College
MA - Institute of Fine Arts, New York University
PhD - Institute of Fine Arts, New York University
Martha Dunkelman, PhD has been studying art history, especially the art of the Italian Renaissance, since her freshman year at Wellesley College, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree. She received master and doctoral degrees from New York University's Institute of Fine Arts. Before coming to Canisius on a permanent basis in 1997, Dunkelman taught at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and the University at Buffalo. She is chair of the Department of Fine Arts.
Dunkelman was a consultant for the Educational Testing Service's Advanced Placement Program in art history for many years. She also spent several summers at Rutgers with a National Endowment for the Humanities Seminar on the World of Leonardo da Vinci. She is particularly interested in the sculpture of Donatello and has published Central Italian Painting 1400-1465 as well as numerous articles and reviews.
Justine D. Price, assistant professor
Phone: 888-2531
E-mail: price11@canisius.edu
AB - Bryn Mawr College
MA - University of Texas at Austin
PhD - University of Texas at Austin
Assistant professor Justine Price completed her dissertation, "Abstraction, Expression, Kitsch: American Painting in a Critical Context, 1936-1951" in 2007. Her broad range of scholarly interests includes 19th -century French and 20th -century American painting, critical theory, the history of art criticism, and the history of photography. Current research projects include the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. She is also preparing a paper on Walter Benjamin's theory of art history and an essay on Expressionist painting in 1930s New York. Recently, she contributed to the exhibition catalogue Roy Lichtenstein: American Indian Encounters (2005) and to the museum catalogue Blanton Museum of Art: American Art since 1900 (2006). In addition to the introductory survey, she offers courses on French Impressionism, the history of photography, art in Buffalo, 20th -century modern art, and contemporary art.
Holly E. Hughes, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2416
Email: hhughes@albrightknox.org
B.A. Buffalo State College
M.A. State University of New York at Buffalo
Holly E. Hughes is currently Associate Curator at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. Ms. Hughes graduated from Buffalo State College with a major in Fine Arts and a minor in Art History. During her early years at the Albright-Knox, she pursued Master of Arts degree from the University at Buffalo in Art History, focusing on Contemporary Art. Her curatorial practice involves organizing exhibitions from the permanent collection at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, as well as working on site-specific projects with artists. Most recently, she work with Los-Angeles based artist Ingrid Calame to commission a site-specific wall drawing from the artist-in-residency project at the Gallery and future projects involve a major multi-media exhibition of film in video in Summer 2010 and an exhibition that explores drawing as a contemporary medium in Fall 2011. As adjunct professor of Museum Studies, she values being able to utilize local museums as an important learning resource for students. Ms. Hughes rejoined the faculty at Canisius College in 2009.
Eric Jackson-Forsberg, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2416
E-mail: jackso26@canisius.edu
BA - Hamilton College
MA - State University of New York at Buffalo
Eric Jackson-Forsberg currently teaches history of architecture courses at Canisius. He is associate curator for the Martin House Restoration Corporation, and former curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Castellani Art Museum, Niagara University. Jackson-Forsberg received his BA from Hamilton College, with a concentration in creative writing and, after several years in the corporate world, his MA in art history from UB. His thesis was titled Gustav Klimt and the Female Figure: Typologies and Transgressions. Since 1998, he has taught various art history courses at SUNY Fredonia, Daemen College and UB; he also contributes fine arts reviews to Artvoice and The Buffalo News. He has a particular interest in fin de siecle (turn-of-the-century) art and culture, the arts and crafts movement and performance art.
Margaret Krawczyk, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2416
E-mail: krawczym@canisius.edu
BA - Buffalo State College
MA - State University of New York at Buffalo
Margaret Krawczyk holds a BA in art history from Buffalo State College and an MA in art history with a minor in modern Chinese art from the University at Buffalo. Her master's thesis was A Postmodern Deconstruction of H.H. Richardson's Design for the Buffalo Mental Asylum.
Her paper "Holding up the Whole Sky: Gender Issues that inform the art of Chinese Women Artists in the Third Space" was presented at Gender Across Borders: Graduate Student Symposium on Gender at SUNY at Buffalo in 2004. Krawczyk also teaches art history at Rochester Institute of Technology and Buffalo State College.
Yvonne Widenor, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-5942
E-mail: widenory@canisius.edu
BA - State University of New York at Buffalo
MA - State University of New York at Buffalo
Yvonne Widenor is a Buffalo native. She received her joint BA in art history and German at the University at Buffalo. Her master's degree in art history with a concentration in ancient Greek art and archaeology and a minor in Northern Renaissance and Baroque Art and native North American Art is also from UB. As a graduate student, she spent four summers working on an archaeological survey project in Crete.
Widenor worked at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York as a collections cataloguer for a digital project. She also held a position at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, where she maintained the slide collection and managed the Image Recourse Center, a newly created subdepartment that focuses its efforts on image access and use, copyright concerns, and rights and reproductions.
Music Faculty
Bob AccursoPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: accursor@canisius.edu
BFA-State University of New York at Buffalo
Bob Accurso received his BFA degree in Music Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo where he studied with Lynn Harbold and Jan Williams. He has served as Instructor of Percussion for Villa Maria College and for the State University College at Buffalo. He is currently the President of the New York State Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. Bob has been a member of the Maelström Percussion Ensemble since 1986 and has been its Executive Director since 1990. With Maelström, he has performed for the Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts, the Kennedy Center, the DCI World Championships, the Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention in 1999 and 2003, and at universities and concert halls across the country. In 2006, Bob performed for the Rochester International Jazz Festival with high energy, new jazz group, Hard Logic. An Artist/Endorser for KAT Electronic Percussion, Bob is currently performing with the venerable fusion group, Gamalon. As a composer, Bob has been commissioned by the Creative Education Foundation, the Commissioning Project, and the Lockport City Ballet. A mallet player, drum-set artist, hand drummer, multiple percussionist, and composer, Bob has devoted his career to exploring the vast and dynamic world of percussion.
Ansgarius Aylward, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: aylwarda@canisius.edu
BM - New England Conservatory of Music
MM - Yale University
Ansgarius Aylward, adjunct professor of music at Canisius, is assistant concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO). He is frequently called upon to play solo violin for the BPO, performing repertoire from the standard (Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, etc.) to the twentieth century (Nicholas Flagello and John Corigliano). Aylward has been concertmaster and soloist with the Ars Nova Musicians Chamber Orchestra and now appears annually as soloist on their popular "Viva Vivaldi!" Festival. In 2001, Aylward founded the critically acclaimed Chamber Music on Elmwood Festival, for which he serves as director and as principal violinist. He was also first violinist of the Nichols String Quartet. Aylward was the conductor of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra and is now the conductor of the Canisius College Chamber Orchestra. He travels regularly to Germany, where he is a guest soloist and recording artist with the Stuttgart Music-Forum. During the summer months, Aylward performs in the Grand Teton Music Festival and teaches at the Allegheny Music Festival in Meadville, PA and at Bravo, an international chamber music workshop in Buffalo.
Aylward holds degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and from Yale University School of Music. When not practicing he enjoys chess, photography and hiking in Maine with his family.
Ellen Barnum, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-5990
E-mail: barnume@canisius.edu
Website: http://www.ventochiaro.org/html_docs/vento.html
BM, graduate performance diploma - Peabody Institute of Music, Johns Hopkins University
Artist diploma in chamber music - The Longy School
Bassoonist Ellen Barnum is a founding member of Vento Chiaro, a Boston-based woodwind quintet, which performs across the U.S. and Canada. She maintains an active freelance career in the Boston, MA and Buffalo, NY metro areas, performing with many local ensembles such as the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to her performance engagements, Barnum coaches chamber music at Boston University's Tanglewood Institute, a summer music program for talented high school musicians in Lenox, MA. In Buffalo, she is a lecturer at Buffalo State College in addition to her duties at Canisius, where she teaches bassoon, chamber music and music literature. Barnum also maintains an active private bassoon studio.
Barnum received her bachelor of music and graduate performance diploma from the Peabody Conservatory, and an artist diploma from the Longy School in Cambridge, MA. She received several awards as a member of Vento Chiaro, including the Saunderson Award at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition and the Silver Medal at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. Vento Chiaro is the Ensemble-in-Residence at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge.
Paul D. Biddle, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: biddlep@canisius.edu
BM - State University of New York at Fredonia
MM - State University of New York at Fredonia
Paul D. Biddle received his bachelor of music degree in music education and his master of music degree in music performance from the University at Fredonia. He is currently a band director at Amherst Middle School, where he directs the sixth grade band, Jazz Lab and Chamber Ensembles, teaches general music to sixth through eighth graders and accompanies the Amherst Choirs. In the last four years, he has taught the summer music programs in the Amherst, Cleveland Hill, Clarence, Williamsville, Orchard Park and Frontier school districts. He is an active accompanist to soloists and choirs in the Western New York area. Biddle is a Music adjudicator and band chairman and festival host for the Erie County Music Educator's Association's All-County Festival. His professional affiliations include ECMEA, NYSSMA and Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity.
Jane Cary, department chair, professor
Phone: 888-2526
E-mail: caryj@canisius.edu
BM - Syracuse University
MM - Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester)
Jane Cary has served on the faculty since 1983. A native of Allentown, PA, Cary holds a bachelor of music degree from Syracuse University, a master of music degree from the Eastman School of Music and took graduate studies in music education at the University of Buffalo. She has studied harpsichord with David Fuller and Edward Parmentier.
Performing extensively throughout Western New York (WNY), she has been harpsichord soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Maximiano Valdes and Arie Lipsky, the Niagara Falls Philharmonic and with the Ars Nova Musicians Chamber Orchestra. In addition, she performs with chamber ensembles, and has presented many solo recitals.
Cary is administrative director of the ArtsCanisius Program at Canisius. Also active in local music organizations, she has served on the boards of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, the Buffalo Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, and the Chromatic Club of WNY.
Michael Colquhoun, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: colquhom@canisius.edu
Website: http://zendogs.org/
BA - State University of New York at Buffalo
MFA - State University of New York at Buffalo
PhD - State University of New York at Buffalo
Composer/flutist Michael Colquhoun is an active soloist and clinician. He earned his doctoral degree from the University of Buffalo, where he studied with Robert Dick, Morton Feldman, Lejaren Hiller, and Leo Smit. His works have been published by McGinnis and Marx Music Publishers, and performed by Los Caribes, the New Music Consort, the Talking Drums, the New Jazz Orchestra of Buffalo, the Schanzer/Speach Duo, the Buried Treasures Ensemble, the East Buffalo Media Association and the Maelström Percussion Ensemble.
Colquhoun’s compositions draw upon both the classical and jazz traditions, and often involve a mixture of composed and improvised elements working together to produce a coherent whole. Read more about him here.
Bryan Eckenrode, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: eckenrob@canisius.edu
BA - State University of New York at Stony Brook
MM - State University of New York at Buffalo
Cellist Bryan Eckenrode graduated cum laude from the University at Stony Brook and holds a master of music degree from the University at Buffalo. He is currently principal cello with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and associate principal cello with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra and the Erie Chamber Orchestra. Eckenrode is a member of the soprano/cello duo Voci d’Amore. In addition to his work as a cellist, his bagpipe and flute music is on many CD recordings. He has recently recorded the sound tracks for a number of movies being distributed by the Turner Broadcasting Network.
A highly regarded Suzuki string teacher on cello, violin, and viola, Eckenrode is director of the string department at Villa Maria College, as well as the Institute of Music in Buffalo. He has also taught at SUNY at Buffalo. He is quickly gaining a fine reputation as a soloist in both the United States and Canada. He has been principal cellist of the British Columbia Mozart Festival, Canada, as well as artist faculty at the NASO-ASTA String Conference, SUNY at Fredonia since 1994. He currently teaches cello at Canisius College.
Richard Falkenstein, assistant professorPhone: 888-2407
E-mail: falkensr@canisius.edu
BFA - State University of New York at Buffalo
MA - State University of New York at Buffalo
PhD - State University of New York at Buffalo
Richard Falkenstein is a scholar of the lute music of the Italian Renaissance. He received a doctoral degree in musicology from the University at Buffalo, where he studied as a Woodburn Fellow. His current publications include introductions to editions of music by Francesco da Milano and Vincenzo Galilei (Editions Minkoff, Geneca) and a monograph on Perino Fiorentino (Journal of the Lute Society of America). For two decades he has performed on lute and guitar in the Buffalo area as a soloist and in chamber ensembles, most notably with the Buffalo Guitar Quartet (BGQ). While a member of the BGQ, Falkenstein made concert tours throughout the United States as well as in Poland, Russia and South America. He has also recorded with the BGQ for Centaur and New World Records. During the 1990s, he and the members of the BGQ were Artists-in-Residence at Canisius College.
Stuart Fuchs, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
Email: fuchss@canisius.edu
Stuart Fuchs is a full time professional musician, arts educator, and creativity consultant based in Western New York. He enjoys performing acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, percussion, didgeridoo, and many other indigenous instruments from around the world. Stuart has over fifteen years of experience performing music of many styles including: classical, jazz, rock, musical theatre, world-beat, hip-hop, free improvisation, and avant-garde.
In 2004 Stuart formed the award winning Gypsy Jazz band “Babik”, (bah-beek) which the Buffalo News called “one of the hottest bands in Buffalo”. Babik tours and performs at Jazz festivals regularly and has won over 6 Buffalo Music awards including “Best Jazz Band” from Artvoice Magazine. In March of 2008, Babik performed the music of legendary Gypsy guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhanns Music Hall.
Stuart also works as an Artist in Residence at Roswell Park Cancer Institute as part of the Arts-in-Healthcare Initiative founded by U.B.’s Center for the Arts. As an artist in residence, Stuart brings the healing nature of the arts and creative play for wellness and self-expression to patients and families at Roswell Park.
Stuart facilitates fun and lively drum circles and workshops in music improvisation across Western New York for musicians, corporate executives (Fisher-Price), children, and special needs populations (Aspire of W.N.Y., Headway). As a longtime practitioner of Yoga with over 10 years of practice, he also has facilitated his “Awaken Your Inner Musician” workshop at Holistic centers in Costa Rica, Colorado, Florida, and here in W.N.Y.
Stuart is a certified Music for People teacher (www.musicforpeople.org) and is thrilled to be part of the Canisius College Music faculty. Stuart studied classical guitar at the University at Buffalo with Joanne Castellani.
www.babikjazz.com
www.myspace.com/babikjazz
Carole J. Harris, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: harris67@canisius.edu
BA – State University of New York at Buffalo
PhD – State University of New York at Buffalo
A native and resident of Niagara Falls, NY, Carole Harris is adjunct professor of music theory and ear training at Canisius. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Music, and a PhD in Music Theory and Historical Musicology, both from State University of New York at Buffalo. She also holds a BA in French, cum laude, from the same school. Her PhD dissertation was “The French Connection: Stravinsky’s Neoclassical Influence, through Boulanger, on the Music of Copland, Piston and Talma.” Her dissertation adviser was Dr. Martha M. Hyde, nationally-known Stravinsky scholar.
Harris is currently CoDean of the Buffalo Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is Music Director at Church of the Nativity UCC in Buffalo. She founded and directed the first Women in the Arts Festival, a four-day event held in April 2008 that showcased works of women composers, artists, choreographers and performers, sponsored by the Buffalo Chapter AGO.
She is a private piano, organ and music theory instructor in Niagara Falls. Her principal piano instructor was Canadian pianist Harold Bradley, a student and protégé of French pianist Isidor Philipp. Her primary organ instructor was Dr. Barbara Harbach, internationally-known organist, harpsichordist, recording artist and composer.
In addition to music theory, Harris has taught courses in music history, music for film, women in music and world music at Niagara County Community College in Sanborn, NY. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society.
Kathleen Keenan-Takagi, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: keenantk@canisius.edu
BS - State University College at Potsdam
MSM - University of Illinois
PhD - State University of New York at Buffalo
Kathleen Keenan-Takagi is a graduate of the University at Buffalo, the University of Illinois, and the State University College at Potsdam. She has taught at the University at Brockport, the Illinois State University, the University of Southern Maine and the University at Fredonia.
Keenan-Takagi founded the Freudig Singers of WNY in 1984 and led the ensemble until she accepted a position at Illinois State University in 1997. She has prepared choruses for the Buffalo Philharmonic, Ars Nova Chamber Musicians, Orchard Park Chorale and the Erie County Wind Ensemble as well as for conductors including Eije Oué, Raymond Harvey, and Peter Schickele. Keenan-Takagi is an author and clinician in choral music and general music education. She is a frequent presenter at Allerton Choral Music Education Retreat and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association. Her articles have appeared in Music Educators Journal, the Maine School Music News and the Choral Exchange. She served on the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal.
Martha Malkiewicz, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: malkiewm@canisius.edu
BM - Indiana University
MM - Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester)
Martha Malkiewicz joined the bassoon section of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) in 1984 and the faculty of Canisius College in 1987. She received her bachelor of music performance degree from Indiana University and her and master of performance and master of music education degrees from the Eastman School of Music. Malkiewicz did advanced study at the Hochschule for Music in Vienna, Austria.
She has been a member of the Evansville Symphony Orchestra and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and has performed in Italy, Austria, Germany and Hawaii. She has taught at the College of Charleston, Geneseo State College and Villa Maria College. Malkiewicz designed and currently teaches the course, Canisius and the BPO Experience, which brings BPO musicians and staff members to the college and takes Canisius students to Kleinhans Music Hall for concerts and backstage viewing of the BPO. Malkiewicz is also the hostess of Informally-Formal, a chamber music series that brings BPO musicians to the Montante Cultural Center for music, light refreshments and conversations with the audience.
Malkiewicz is the 2007 recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award.
Marc McAneny, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-5958
E-mail: mcaneym@canisius.edu
BM - University of Tennessee
MM - Northwestern University
Marc McAneny is a native of Chicago, IL. He received his bachelor of music degree from the University of Tennessee, winning the Theodore Presser Scholarship for music and academics in 1994. In 1996, McAneny received his master of music degree form Northwestern University, where he also studied doctoral-level composition with Marta Ptaszynska.
His work, Summation, won the 1996 NU Philharmonic Orchestral competition. McAneny coordinated and taught the composition program at the annual National High School Music Institute in Evanston, IL from 1998-2003 and has been teaching music theory, composition and ear-training for 10 years.
Elizabeth Reeds, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: reeds@canisius.edu
BM - Southwest Missouri State University
Betsy Reeds, a native of Springfield, MO is currently second flute with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO). She has been a soloist with the Springfield Symphony and the BPO as well as various chamber orchestras, both in Southwest Missouri and Western New York. She has been featured on the Opus Classics Live series of WBFO radio several times including appearances with the Reeds/Ali Flute and Guitar Duo with guitarist Mir Ali. The duo has performed in many prestigious venues including the National Flute Convention, the Rantucci International Guitar Festival and in August 2001, was invited to tour in Spain where the duo performed works from their CD, Cafe. Reeds is also a member of The National Flute Ensemble and appears on all ten of its CDs. She currently lives in Amherst with her husband and three sons.
Leslie Salathé, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: salathel@canisius.edu
BM - University of Hartford
MM - University of Connecticut
Violist Leslie Salathé received a bachelor of music degree from Hartford College of Music and a master of music degree from the University of Connecticut. Before coming to Buffalo, she was a member of the Symphony and Chamber Orchestra of Hartford, CT and a participant, for three summers, in the chamber music program of Kneisel Hall in Maine, where she studied with Karen Tuttle and Walter Trampler. Salathé also taught at Daemen College and the Community Music School. She has recently completed music certification studies at the University at Fredonia.
A violist with the Parker Quartet and the Quartette Classique, Salathé has played regularly with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra since 1981 and has been a member of the Ars Nova Musicians since 1980.
David Schiavone, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: schiavod@canisius.edu
BM - Berklee College of Music
Woodwind player Dave Schiavone has toured nationally and internationally with the bands of Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, and Doc Severinson. He has also performed with notable celebrities such as Nancy Wilson, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Johnny Mathis and many others. Schiavone performs in a variety of musical settings around Western New York, including with his own jazz quartet. He also runs an extensive private teaching studio.
Schiavone is the current director of the University of Buffalo Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos. In addition to serving on the Canisius music faculty, he is saxophone and clarinet instructor at Buffalo State College and Villa Maria College. Schiavone is a graduate of the University at Buffalo Music School and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He served for three years as saxophonist and flutist in the 324th and 327th U.S. Army Bands. Schiavone recently released a CD, Hidden Treasures with pianist Joe Brancato.
Karen Schmid, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: schmidk@canisius.edu
BM - Oberlin Conservatory
MM - The Juilliard School
Fortepianist Karen Schmid, a Buffalo native, has performed nationally and internationally in recitals, as soloist and in master classes. She became interested in the fortepiano, the forerunner of the modern piano, while a piano performance major at the Oberlin Conservatory. After receiving her bachelor of music degree, she went on to obtain her master’s in piano from the Juilliard School. Upon graduation, she studied the fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson of Cornell University, the leading advocate of this instrument in America.
Schmid built her own fortepiano, a replica of a 1774 Stein - Mozart's own piano - and began touring. She has performed at Canisius College, the University at Buffalo, the Boston Early Music Festival, the Early Keyboard Series in Los Angeles, the Monuments en Musique Series in France, NPR's Baroque and Beyond Series, Oberlin Conservatory, Chautauqua Institute, the deYoung Museum Series in San Francisco, the San Jose Chamber Music Series, as well as WNED-FM Music in Buffalo, Daemen College and WBFO-FM Opus: Classics Live. She is also a private piano teacher, and active in local musical organizations, especially Music Forum for Piano Teachers.
Frank Scinta, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
E-mail: scintaf@canisius.edu
BA - State University of New York at Buffalo
MFA - State University of New York at Buffalo
Frank Scinta is well known as one of Western New York’s most active choral directors and music educators. In addition to directing the Canisius College Chorale, he serves on the faculty of the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. He served for 12 years as chorus master for the Greater Buffalo Opera Company and is now in his 25th year as organist/choirmaster at Blessed Sacrament Church. He has also been associate artistic director for Opera Sacra since 1976.
A frequent guest conductor, adjudicator, and lecturer, Scinta has conducted the Master Chorale of Western New York, Buffalo Schola Cantorum and University of Buffalo Choir and Chorus as well as numerous high school festival choirs. He has prepared choruses for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony, Opera Theater of Syracuse and Buffalo Lyric Opera, and has conducted or staged more than 30 operas and music dramas for Opera Sacra. He was awarded Buffalo Public Schools Teacher of the Year in 1994, the Business First Pathfinder Award in 1995, and Buffalo Opera Company’s Award of Excellence.
Brett Shurtliffe, Adjunct Professor
Phone: 888-2536
Email: shurtlib@canisius.edu
BM - Eastman School of Music
MM - Duquesne University
Brett Shurtliffe is Associate Principal Double Bass with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. He joined the faculty at Canisius College in the fall of 2007, and in the summer of 2008 will join the faculty at Round Top TX. Mr. Shurtliffe received his Bachelor in Music from the Eastman School of Music, and his Master in Music from Duquesne University. During his time at Eastman he became only the second bassist in twenty years to receive the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. Other honors include 1st and 3rd Prizes from the International Society of Bassists Orchestral and Solo Competitions, 1st Prize PADEASTA Solo Competition, and Special Recognition for Bass Performance at the National ASTA Solo Competition. He has appeared in recital across the east coast of the U.S. and Canada, and as an orchestral musician has performed with the Wheeling, Erie, Detroit and Pittsburgh Symphonies. Apart from teaching and performing, Mr. Shurtliffe has commissioned new works for the double bass, as well as creating numerous transcriptions of his own including Monte’s Czardas, Kabalevsky’s 1st Cello Concerto, and Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen among others.
Melissa Thorburn, adjunct professorPhone: 888-2536
E-mail: thorburm@canisius.edu
BM - Louisiana State University
MM - New England Conservatory of Music
Mezzo-soprano Melissa Thorburn has performed nationally and internationally with such organizations as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Vancouver Symphony, the Bermuda Festival, and the Little Orchestra Society. She sang with the symphony orchestras of St. Louis, Indianapolis, Utah, Seattle, Memphis, and Puerto Rico, among others, and has appeared with the opera companies of Sacramento, Ca, Austin, TX, Knoxville, TN, Sarasota, FL, Omaha, NE, and Kansas City, MO. Local engagements include appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Greater Buffalo Opera, as well as recitals for the Friends of Vienna. Currently an adjunct professor of fine arts at Canisius, she has taught on the music faculties of the University at Buffalo and Niagara County Community College and also teaches privately.
Thorburn received bachelor of music degrees in both piano and vocal performance from Louisiana State University (both summa cum laude), studied piano in Paris for two years on fellowships from the French and American governments, and received a master of music degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated with honors and distinction.
Persis Vehar, composer-in-residence, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-2536
M - Ithaca College
MM - University of Michigan
The vocal and instrumental compositions of Persis Parshall Vehar’s, range from chamber music to large ensembles and include two operas. Her work has been performed at Carnegie Recital Hall, the Kennedy Center and Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Charleston, SC. in the U.S. and at international venues including the Royal Festival Hall of London, Graz Music Festival in Austria and McMaster & Brock Universities, Canada.
An award-winning composer, Vehar is the recipient of six Meet the Composer Grants, 22 annual ASCAP Awards (1984-2000) and a Margaret Fairbank Jory Award (1997). In 2008, she was inducted into the Western New York Women’s Hall of Fame.
Her compositions which number into the hundreds have been published by Tenuto, Leyerle, and Dorn Publications, Shawnee Press, Kendor Music, Plymouth Music Company, Northfield Press and Almitra Music and may be heard on Aeolian, MMC and Fleur de Son recordings. Vehar has performed as solo pianist with many orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Ars Nova Musicians Chamber Orchestra. Both her compositions and piano performances are broadcast on NPR.
Vehar holds degrees from Ithaca College and the University of Michigan. She studied composition with Warren Benson, Ross Lee Finney, Roberto Gerhard and Ned Rorem.
Website: http://www.persisvehar.com/
Studio Art Faculty
David G. Miller, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-3752
E-mail: millerd2@canisius.edu
BFA - Pratt Institute
Since his graduation from Pratt Institute, David Miller has developed his own design/fine arts business in the Buffalo area. His major areas of endeavor include illustration, mural painting, sculpture (notably wood), period furniture reproduction, package design, trade show models, and exhibit design. Clients include the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., Red Cliff Preserve in Utah, Lewis and Clark Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, and locally at Hadley Exhibits, Praxair, Empire Sports, the Buffalo Bills, the Buffalo Sabres, Empire Sports Network, and Kleinhans Music Hall. His post-graduate work experience includes Senior Production Artist at Calspan (Cornell Aeronautical Labs), Head Designer at Arnold Exhibit and Design, and Adjunct Instructor, Design Department at Buffalo State College.
Michael F. Tunney, S.J., Studio Art program director, professor
Phone: 888-3752
E-mail: tunneym@canisius.edu
BA - Fordham University
MFA, MS - Pratt Institute
MDiv, STM - Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley
Michael Tunney, S.J. first showed in the 46th Western New York Exhibition at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York in 1996. His works show regularly in Buffalo’s Art Dialogue Gallery. Regional group show credits include The National Museum of Catholic Art and History, New York, NY in 2006/07; Gesu Center of Creativity, Montreal, Canada in 2006, Rockhurst University, Missouri in 2005; Fairfield University, Connecticut in 1997. He has also been illustrating articles for AMERICA Magazine since 1996.
Christine Walsh, assistant professor
Phone: 888-3752
E-mail: walshc@canisius.edu
BFA – SUNY Buffalo
MFA – SUNY Buffalo
Christine Walsh’s work addresses themes rooted within the female gender and is often inspired by materials and process. Show credits include a 2007 solo exhibition at the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University as part of the TOPSPIN exhibition series. Recent awards include a 2006 first prize in “Beyond the Barrel” at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, Niagara Falls, N.Y. and a 2006 Juror’s award in “Big Orbit Members Show”, Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY. She has also participated in a number of juried and invitational shows in the Western N.Y. area throughout the recent years.
Thomas Wolf, adjunct professor
Phone: 888-3752
Email: tomwolfimaging@mac.com
BA - Canisius College
Photographer Tom Wolf’s images are reflections of the spontaneous moments he has observed in life, at work and while traveling the world, which has allowed for diverse publication and a prolific career.
As a commercial and fine art photographer for 15 years, Wolf’s photographs have been featured at the Smithsonian Institution, the Peter A. and Mary Lou Vogt Gallery and Logan Galleries at Chautauqua Institution. Wolf’s images of local and national political figures have appeared in news publications worldwide. He has also provided photographic and art direction for on-air commercials for local politicians.
In April 2003, Wolf received a coveted NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame Photography Award. His photo of Buffalo Bills’ cornerback Antoine Winfield was one of four photos to be recognized by the NFL that year. As a photographer for the Bills, his photographs have appeared in Sports Illustrated, People, ESPN the Magazine and Inside Sports as well as weekly in Bills’ Digest. Wolf has captured many record-breaking moments in sports and his work is featured in memorabilia and product lines marketed by Upper Deck, Photofile and EA Sports.
Tom Wolf’s photographs can be seen in marketing campaigns for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), America’s Fair (Erie County Fair), Northwest Savings Bank and St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. Restaurants including Pearl Street Grill, Shanghai Red’s and Curley’s have turned to him to create signature images of both their food and ambiance. Recent clients include the NCAA, Chautauqua Institution, Diocese of Buffalo, Abbey Mecca, Sassy Design Group, The Marketeer, First Niagara Bank, Canisius College, Buffalo State College, Villa Maria College, University of Buffalo School of Management, Pathfinder Communications, Chart Publishing, IP.com and Phillips, Lytle LLP.
Recent overseas work has included assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, a photo essay on Portugal in Fotodigital magazine and creating the summer Travel Photography Class in Italy for Canisius College.
He continues to attract unique assignments through Tom Wolf Imaging while maintaining his position here at Canisius College.