University of Toledo film and music students journey to China March 4-12, 2017
Thirteen students and two faculty from the University of Toledo School of Visual and Performing Arts traveled to the far east March 4 for a study-abroad experience, titled Music Teaching and Learning in China. The students will be studying Chinese cultural arts and music education in China. A group of seven UT film majors will serve as a film crew that will be documenting the experience and the students’ activities. They will return March 12. Six music performance and music education majors will visit Yan Shan University and attend its music classes where they will interact with Chinese teachers and YSU students. They will also visit a high school in Qinhuangdao. They will tour the school to observe and interact with students in music classes, as well as to learn about their traditional Chinese music ensembles. Additionally, the students will have the chance to perform for the Chinese students. The UT students will also visit the Beijing Film Academy and Han Ban to visit and film the Chinese cultural museum. Han Ban is a cultural exchange organization that promotes China world-wide, and is sponsoring this study abroad experience along with Yan Shan University. Other artistic highlights include dinner at a traditional Chinese tea house that presents a shadow puppet play, an example of intangible Chinese cultural heritage. The group will also see other examples of Chinese performing arts including Peking Opera, a performance on Danxian (a single-string plucking musical instrument), acrobatics, and a demonstration of Shaolin Kung Fu. Dr. Pamela Stover, assistant professor of vocal and music education, is one of the faculty members who organized the trip. “This will be my third exchange to China. Three years ago, I was part of an Educator-to Educator exchange in the summer sponsored by Han Ban and the Confucius Institute. During this exchange, I met with a piano faculty member at Yan Shan University and we discovered that our departments were very similar. And that experience led to setting up this educational exchange.” Not only will the exchange be educational for the UT students, it also makes Chinese students aware of UT. Dr. Stover says, “I am hoping that more Chinese students will want to come to the University of Toledo and that we can continue these cultural exchanges and short-term and long-term study abroad experiences for our UT students and faculty as well as for Chinese students and faculty.” Holly Hey, associate professor of film and head of the film program at UT, is leading the film crew of students. The film students will shoot footage for several short documentaries about the trip to China. “We've got a great group of adventurist filmmakers who will partake in experiential learning and global citizenship. Our presence in China will bring positive visibility to our university and our country, Hey says.” The students going to China are: Music Education majors - Nate Krebs, Dondre Cook, and Ashley Roark; Music Performance majors - Meridian Prall, Will Floss and Mercy Olson. The Film students are Evan Sennett, Elizabeth Markert, Eva Noria, John Leo, Nicholas Gaietto, Nikhil Burse, and Christian Moran. Part of the funding for the trip was provided by the UT School of Visual and Performing Arts, the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre and Film. Dr. Stover also credits the leadership of the Confucius Institute at UT as well as CISP (Center for International Studies and Programs) for their encouragement and support for this project. Photos and videos of the students’ journey are available on the Music Department Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/UToledoMusic/
Press Release Contact Name: Angela Riddel
Press Release Contact Phone: 419-530-2452
Organization Name: School of Visual and Performing Arts
Organization Address: PA 1002A, Mail Stop 611
2801 W. Bancroft, Toledo, OH, 43606