Ashland University Music Department Presents Faculty and Guest Artist Recitals in September

RELEASED Sept. 13, 2011

ASHLAND, OH -- The Department of Music at Ashland University begins the fall semester with several faculty and guest artist recitals offered in September. Beginning this Saturday, Sept. 17, at 3 p.m., a guest artist recital will feature flutist Dan Perszyk and pianist Amy Malyuk followed on Sunday, Sept. 25, with a mini-guitar festival presenting a faculty recital by guitarist Adam Sarata at 3 p.m. and a guest artist recital by Akin for Jazz at 7:30 p.m.

The flute and piano guest artist recital presents two musicians with roots at the University of Akron. Perszyk received a Spotlight Series Performer Award while at the University of Akron and is now a freelance flute performer and teacher in the Washington, D.C. area. He has a bachelor of music from the University of Northern Iowa, a master of music from the University of Akron, and most recently spent a year studying with Thomas Robertello at Indiana University.

Malyuk has a bachelor and a master’s degree in piano performance, as well as a piano pedagogy certificate, from The University of Akron School of Music where she is a piano instructor and staff accompanist. She has served as the accompanist and assistant director for the Stow Chamber Orchestra Chorus, the Chagrin Valley Choral Union, and the Cuyahoga Falls Community Chorus, and has been the music director for numerous musical theater productions at The University of Akron and Coach House Theatre.

As the guitar faculty member and adviser of the Guitar Club at Ashland University, Adam Sarata has planned a mini-guitar festival on Sept. 25 beginning with his own faculty recital at 3 p.m. In addition to Ashland University, Sarata is currently on the faculty of Mount Union College and The Summit Music School, where he is also the founder of guitar studies. He maintains an active performance schedule appearing at venues such as Severance Hall, E.J. Thomas Hall, Stan Hewitt Hall, and many colleges. Sarata performs in a wide variety of styles such as classical, sacred, jazz and popular music.

Following Sarata‘s concert, a guest artist recital at 7:30 p.m. will feature Akin for Jazz with Dean Newton on guitar, Tim Akin on bass, and percussionist Mark Gonder. With over 40 years of teaching and performance experience, a master’s degree in music education and bachelor’s in jazz studies, Newton is currently a faculty member at Cuyahoga Community College and the University of Akron, where he also conducts the University of Akron Jazz Guitar Ensemble. His experience is vast, from the theater pit to the jazz club and the concert stage with The Cleveland Pops Orchestra, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Akron Symphony, Canton Symphony, Youngstown Symphony, Kent State Symphony and with members of the Cleveland Symphony.

Bassist Akin studied at The University of Akron and is a member of the Reunion Band of Hudson and freelances with other groups while teaching Spanish at Mentor Public Schools and The University of Akron.

As the principal drum set instructor at The University of Akron, Gonder has also been on the faculty at Kent State University, Lakeland Community College, Cuyahoga Community College, Youngstown and Cleveland State universities. He has extensive performance and recording experience with The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Glen Miller Orchestra and Ernie Krivda Fat Tuesday Big Band as well as jazz artists including Wynton Marsalis, Mel Torme and Maria Schneider.

All of these performances will be held in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, and are free and open to the public. For more information about these recitals, visit the Web site at www.ashland.edu/music or contact Tricia Applegate, coordinator of performing arts publicity and events, at 419-289-5950 or tapplega@ashland.edu.

Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.