The University of Portland’s Undergraduate Conducting Associates Program (UCAP) is an innovative musician training program that allows UP students to conduct the University’s Wind Symphony. Conducting Associates conduct pieces at every UP Wind Symphony concert, and have conducted nearly 20% of all pieces performed over the past five years. Students are selected based upon ability shown in MUS 331 (Fundamentals of Conducting). Upon invitation from Dr. Patrick Murphy, students then take private lessons and lead weekly rehearsals of the Wind Symphony. Students in the Program receive podium time and lessons that make it similar to a master’s degree conducting program, and gives them a unique learning experience not available to most undergraduates in the United States. All of their rehearsals and performances are recorded for critique and the development of a video portfolio. This year’s Associates are Amanda Pilcher and Tim Blaydon. [Read more…] about Student Symphony Conductors take Music in Hand
Hands On
Students conduct Tree Inventory
Students in David Taylor’s Biology 341: Field Botany lab are getting a chance to both learn to identify trees as well as to give back to the University Park neighborhood.
Trees provide an economic value for the neighborhood–reducing erosion and run-off, cooling streets and homes in the summer, and increasing property values. Recently Prof. Taylor contacted Portland Parks and Recreation about helping inventory trees in University Park. In exchange for collecting the data Parks and Rec. needed, Taylor was able to add more information to the survey, which the Park department will then process and crunch into useable data on the growth and distribution of mosses and other activity in the area.
Taylor notes that the experience has been good for students as well as the neighborhood. One resident asked the students to help him identify various trees he had in his backyard that he had always wondered about. Delighted that the students answered his questions, he responded by sending the students on their way with a basket of plums from one of his trees!
Students show off ocean creature research
By Hannah Kintner , Staff Writer kintner13@up.edu
From THE BEACON
So you spent your summer at the beach? So did seniors Tim Luethke and Matt Ortman, but they got to bring the beach back to school with them.
Over the summer, Luethke and Ortman worked with biology professor Tara Maginnis as Crab Lab interns. Crab Lab is a research programMaginnis started where students can study animal limb regeneration and animal behaviors.
The lab was set up last year and mainly focused on crab research. The program was expanded this year when Luethke and Ortman took it upon themselves to create miniature ecosystems in each of the holding tanks so they can take their research to a new level. [Read more…] about Students show off ocean creature research