Schnauber Brings Breadth of Experience to Performance Arts Dept.
January 14, 2008
You could say that when it comes to music, Assistant Professor of Performance Arts Thomas Schnauber can do it all.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a doctorate in composition and theory, Schnauber's résumé as a professional composer reveals an impressive list of work. He has composed upwards of 40 pieces for a variety of disciplines, including full symphony orchestra, string orchestra, choir, voice and piano, and soul instruments.
Over the last year especially, Schnauber has produced a number of works that have received much acclaim. Last December, his piece for string orchestra called In Memory of Henri Temianka was performed by the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin in Moscow as part of their "Christmas at the Kremlin" festival. A few months later his composition for treble choir, piano and flute called Three Cummings won the New York Treble Singers 2007 Composition Competition and was performed by the Treble Singers in New York in early March. He wrote an article entitled "Who Was Antonio Bertali and Why Might a Modern Composer Care" for the March issue of the National Association of Composers USA bulletin, while his ungrand opera, With Such Friends… was premiered by the New York City Opera and the opera department of New York University in early May.
While to the average person Schnauber's accomplishments in the field appear comprehensive, he's quick to point out that a broad understanding of music is simply the modus operandi for professional composers.
All composers go through training and can write for anything," he said. "Although the only thing I'm personally not skilled at are electronic instruments, which a lot of composers are very good at. I just never had a lot of interest in learning how to use all the electronic machinery. But as far as live instruments go, it's all just part of the training."
For Schnauber, maintaining a wide-ranging composing career has also proven especially useful in his teaching, as he has found his ability to translate his experiences in the world of professional musicianship plays a vital part in the way he relates information to his students.
"In my music survey class for instance, I can talk about composers and can talk firsthand about what it's like to be one myself," he said. "I can explain what someone must have felt like when they wrote such and such a piece, the difference between how Bach got his work as opposed to someone like me today. I think it is absolutely necessary to have professors who bring this real-life experience because it makes it a little bit more real for students."
Before coming to the College in September 2005, Schnauber was a visiting professor of composition and theory at Indiana University. When he and his wife decided to explore other areas of the country to live in, they narrowed it down to either somewhere in the Pacific Northwest or Boston, due to the fact that one of his brothers-in-law resided in the area. When the position at Emmanuel turned up, Schnauber applied, was hired, and soon began packing to head to the Northeast, knowing little about the place he was about to call home.
"I had heard good things about it," he said. "Now that we're here though we're really happy about it, Boston's a great place."
One of the things he enjoyed most about the opportunity to teach at Emmanuel was the potential he saw within the Performance Arts Department. Schnauber was hired to help shape the music side of the department, an incentive that caught his attention from the very beginning.
"I knew I would be starting from a very basic level and because of that I've been able to introduce a number of different courses that have raised the standards of the department," he said. "It was just an attractive part of the job, the idea of being able to build something."
It shouldn't shock anyone that a person as versatile as Schnauber has helped create within the department a special blend of productions that are unique to college campuses around Boston. Working with Performance Arts faculty such as Assistant Professor of Performance Arts Scott Gagnon and Special Instructor/Music Coordinator Tim Evans, Schnauber has been instrumental in the development of music theatre at Emmanuel, a concept he sees as having great promise in the future.
"We could potentially turn this into a high-end, high-quality music theatre department which is a niche that doesn't really exist in this city," he said. "There are plenty of music departments, but as far as I know there isn't anyone that specializes in mixing the two. Right now it's small but it's amazing what gets done. Scott does a fantastic job of cranking out wonderful productions."
Last April, the department's production of "Company" was held for consideration by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and nominated for "Outstanding Overall College Theatre Production of 2007" in the New England region. Gagnon, who directed the show, was recognized for his outstanding work as a faculty director and has been invited to direct one of the 10 minute plays at the festival at Fitchburg State College in January, where Emmanuel has the chance to be one of the colleges selected for an encore performance. The troupe will receive the American College Theatre Festival's decision on December 9th.
"We're all anxiously awaiting word as to whether we'll re-stage and perform the whole show, first here at Emmanuel again, then at Fitchburg State," said Gagnon.
Currently, Theatre Guild is working on its fall production of "Dracula," with opening night set for October 26th.
"We already have all the seeds," Schnauber said of the College's music theatre potential. "If we can get the water we need to make it grow we can turn this into something really great, and that's a long term goal to be able to do that."