The Psychology Club/Psi Chi recently celebrated the end of the semester and beginning of the Christmas season by creating stockings for The Last Minute Toy Store. The club purchased stockings for the store and decorated them during their party.
The store is a ministry of the 61st Ave. United Methodist Church in Nashville, in partnership with other UMCs, Highland Park Church, the Martin Corps Toys for Tots and many others providing gifts to families in need since 1993.
Belmont biology faculty members Drs. Darlene Panvini, Nick Ragsdale, Chris Barton and Roger Jackson, along with 31 biology, environmental science, biochemistry & molecular biology and neuroscience majors, attended the 125th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences held at MTSU on Nov. 20.
Four Belmont seniors received recognition in the poster sections including:
The following research projects were presented at the conference:
“The Effects of Glucose, Saccharine, Aspartame, and Sucralose on Longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans” by Emily Deas
A glimpse behind the curtains of a nationally broadcast concert.
Last spring, we sent a writer and photographer with the men’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament, chronicling time spent at the Big Dance. We thought it might be fun to try a similar approach with our own hometown version of a mammoth-event: coordinating more than 700 students, faculty and staff through a major concert performance for a national TV broadcast. Here’s 48 hours behind-the-scenes at the recent “Christmas at Belmont” taping:
Sunday, November 22:
10 a.m. Staff members load the supplies no one thinks of but that everyone needs—first aid kits, jewelry, painter’s tape, sewing kit, safety pins, easels and foam core signage—into cars to take to Nashville’s stunning, 1,844-seat Laura Turner Concert Hall, the main venue of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, for tomorrow night’s taping.
10:45 a.m. Buses begin arriving on campus, and nearly 200 students from musical theatre, the orchestra and jazz band load up for the short 10-minute drive to Schermerhorn, prepped for a long, long day of rehearsals… and waiting for rehearsals.
College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) Dean Dr. Cynthia Curtis notes that the two days of rehearsal and the taped performance are the culmination of more than a year of planning and practice. Contracts with Nashville Public Television (NPT) and the Schermerhorn are secured about a year in advance, and that’s generally when conversations begin with potential hosts. Ensemble directors spend the winter and early spring reviewing new material, and in May, they submit performance ideas to the “Christmas at Belmont” planning committee.
Despite the immense amount of time and energy that must go into a show for national broadcast, Dean Curtis finds much to love with the process. “This is such a huge bonding experience for our School of Music students. They have to spend so many hours working on this, all at the end of the semester, but they are doing it together and that develops a strong bond. Plus, ‘Christmas at Belmont’ has become a symbol, an emblem, for Belmont University, and we love playing that role. It’s an honor for us.”
12:45 p.m. The Bluegrass ensemble, Chamber Singers, Chorale, Company, Jazzmin, Percussion, Phoenix, Session, Southbound, University Singers, Women’s Choir and 24—a total of 429 students—join their peers at the Schermerhorn, arriving in comfy clothes and carrying an array of activities—from homework to Playstations—to occupy their free time between practice sessions.
There’s already a tremendous energy throughout the buildi
ng with students warming up their instruments at every corner while dancers are stretching out their limbs and trying on costumes. Individual ensembles are rehearsing on stage while NPT adjusts sound and lighting.
Sarah Davis, director of public relations and advancement for the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), quickly walks us through the maze backstage to see where the different ensembles are housed and to glimpse the technology at work to capture the best possible audio and visuals for the national PBS airing.
2:30 p.m. Poinsettias to help decorate the stage are delivered to the loading dock, but students are 
already decking the halls with hairband antlers, Christmas-themed sweaters and even a couple of light-up Rudolph noses.
3 p.m. Running a few minutes behind schedule, the mass choirs and orchestra join host Kathy Mattea for a rehearsal of “Unto Us a Child Is Born” and “Celtic Joy,” led by Superman… also known as Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music Dr. Jeffery Ames.
3:20 p.m. Mattea rehearses “Mary Did You Know” with the orchestra, and the strings, harp and percussion beautifully fill the room in perfect accompaniment.
3:30 p.m. As rehearsals of individual ensemble pieces continue, students who aren’t needed on stage settle into their assigned rooms and nearby hallways. While the orchestra is on stage most of the day, other ensembles only appear to rehearse their specific songs and the mass choir performances. The rest of their time is filled hanging out in designated areas backstage, where they practice, play cards and video games, study and socialize… or better yet, catch a well-deserved nap!
4 p.m. Rehearsals continue all afternoon as each ensemble runs through its planned performance. Dr. Curtis listens to every note with long-time 
CVPA Administrative Coordinator Joan Eakin by her side. Together they have reviewed every detail of the 14-page logistical plan behind Belmont’s 48-hour takeover of the Schermerhorn. “This is our fifth year here,” Eakin notes. “There are so many moving parts and so much happening behind-the-scenes… you have to delegate and be really organized to pull it off.”
4:30 p.m. Campus dining provider Sodexo arrives at the Schermerhorn to set-up for box dinners for the 700+ people on site.
7 p.m. Final performance run-throughs include songs from the Nashville Children’s Choir, the Percussion Ensemble, 24 and Company. Meanwhile, in the lobby, an NPT camera crew films promotional spots with Kathy Mattea to help market the upcoming broadcast and inform the national viewing audience about all of the benefits of a Belmont education.
9:15 p.m. Lights fall as the entire cast starts the day’s final rehearsal, a run-through of the entire show from the top with lights and audio in place.
11:55 p.m. After a long day of rehearsals, cast and crew board buses to head back to campus, ready to tackle a full two-show day in a few mere hours.
Monday, November 23: Show Day!
6:30 a.m. Despite limited sleep, School of Music crew members arrive on campus to carpool to the Schermerhorn.
10 a.m. Six buses of students and staff depart campus so that several ensembles can pre-tape their performances. Another six will follow at 1 p.m. Everyone is dressed for the concert, though more than one student can be seen moving through the hall in stocking feet, saving the high heels for show time.
2 p.m. Final touches are completed as the mass choir practices the opening number and the finale.
2:30 p.m. Ushers begin seating the audience for the full dress rehearsal, which is attended by hundreds of friends and family members of the participants. Senior music performance major Olivia Taylor finds a perfect quiet nook to fit her and two fellow clarinet players while they catch a few minutes of calm before the dress rehearsal. As members of the orchestra, they’ve all spent the majority of the past two days on stage rehearsing, “The best part of this for me is the music and the people. It’s fun to hang out with my friends, and especially with my section.”
2:58 p.m. The cast is called to top of show places for the opening number, “Carol of the Bells.”
3 p.m. Once the orchestra is tuned and quiet, a pre-recorded announcement signals the beginning of the show as the mass choirs enter down the aisles to pre-assigned places. And we’re off…
Or almost… a woman rushes through the side door near the School of Music staff seating, clearly concerned and urgently whispering: “The conductor has lost his score, and the show cannot begin until we find it.” The conductor apparently left it by accident in the audience seats during afternoon rehearsals, and ushers are now frantically looking for the large portfolio. Thankfully, it’s quickly discovered, and despite a few panicked moments, no one is 
the wiser.
After a kind introduction by host Kathy Mattea, the show kicks off with an outstanding rendition of “Carol of the Bells” followed by Southbound’s “Little Drummer Boy” and the Nashville Children’ Choir’s performance with the Belmont Orchestra of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
3:28 p.m. Mattea and accompanist Bill Cooley return to the stage to perform “Mary Did You Know” with the Belmont Orchestra, an experience she calls “one of the thrills of her life.” Throughout the afternoon, the orchestra defies the “student musician” moniker, providing a beautiful and thoroughly professional backdrop to countless performances.
3:45 p.m. Belmont Strings take the stage, bringing contagious joy to an arrangement of Vivaldi’s “Winter” with their energetic and precise performance.
4:18 p.m. The orchestra has dazzled, and the choirs have impressed… Now, it’s Company’s time to shine with Stevie Wonder’s “What Christmas Means to Me.”
4:30 p.m. Following a brief intermission, the Jazz Band welcomes the audience back with a rousing rendition of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.”
4:45 p.m. Phoenix delights the crowd with “Where Are You Christmas?”
4:56 p.m. Thanks to a lovely medley from musical theatre, it’s likely that all three of their upcoming shows of “White Christmas” will be sold out.
5:21 p.m. “He rules the world with truth and grace…” Beautiful vocal tones overtake the hall as the mass choirs join Mattea and the orchestra for the stirring and powerful finale, “Celtic Joy.”
5:25 p.m. It’s a wrap!… But only on the dress rehearsal. There’s still the main show yet to go, but confidence is high after such a smooth and complete performance. Ensembles return to their holding rooms to eat dinner, while their directors meet with Mattea and School of Music staffers to dissect the show and make any needed last-minute adjustments.
6:15 p.m. Ensembles freshen up and prepare for the 7:30 p.m. concert, as doors open and ushers begin seating for the taping.
7:05 p.m. Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher welcomes the audience to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
7:15 p.m. The cast is called to top of show places as seat fillers are placed in any seats that have yet to be occupied.
7:20 p.m. Backstage between performances, Mattea is surprised by a dozen-plus members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia – an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The guys charm the host by serenading her with one of their fraternity’s songs, appropriately titled “A Serenade to a Girl,” in gratitude for all of Mattea’s contributions to the weekend.
7:25 p.m. Stand-by to begin — From the truck, NPT cues the stage manager to send out the concert master to tune the orchestra for the start of the show, and the show begins a few moments later, with another excellent performance from all involved.
10 p.m. After two lengthy days, the load-out of Belmont equipment and decorations begin as students and faculty gather their belongings to board buses back to campus.
Tuesday, November 24:
9 a.m. And still, we’re not quite finished… Key personnel from School of Music and consultants from across campus gather with NPT representatives to review a raw DVD of last night’s performance to make final decisions on what makes it on air for the national PBS broadcast. Running on little sleep, this committee faces a full day trying to choose the best combination of songs from another spectacular “Christmas at Belmont” concert.
“Christmas at Belmont” is scheduled to air nationally on PBS Dec. 21 and 24. Check local listings for air times in your area.
To celebrate the University’s 125th anniversary, Belmont hosted a Blizzard on the Blvd prior to this year’s Battle of the Blvd, Belmont’s annual basketball game against Lipscomb University on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Faculty, staff, students and community members gathered around the Christmas tree on Belmont Blvd to sing Christmas carols, take photos with Santa and winter princesses, donate to Ms. Cheap’s Penny Drive and decorate cookies among Nashville’s first blizzard of the season.
The event featured snow machines that turned the celebration into a winter wonderland, allowing attendees to ring in the season in style. Decorated cookies were donated to a nearby senior living community, Morningside of Belmont.
The Bruins went on to defeat the Lipscomb Bisons, 105 to 89.
Assistant Professor of Entertainment Industry Studies Dr. Sarita Stewart was recently appointed to serve as a mentor in the Project Music Accelerator Program. This music technology accelerator program is now in its second year at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and was put in place by the EC to help support innovation within this key Nashville business sector.
Project Music serves to “meet the unique needs of music-minded entrepreneurs building music-driven startups.” With support from CMA, LaunchTN and Youtube, Project Music will begin in January 2016 and end in May.
Belmont students, alumni and faculty participated in the 139th International Audio Engineering Society Convention held in New York City’s Javits Center Oct. 29 – Nov. 1.
Senior audio engineering technology majors Ross Collier, Jessie Brock and Nick Lobel submitted their recent recordings in two categories, traditional studio and modern studio, in the AES Student Recording Competition. Judges for this event include respected recording engineers, mastering engineers and educators. Alumnus and recent gold prize winner in the traditional studio category Cory Wilhite also attended. Brock and Lobel received the silver award in modern studio recording and received recording-related prizes from the sponsors.
College of Entertainment and Music Business Professor Dr. Wesley Bulla presented the lead-off academic research paper in audio perception at conference titled “Detection of High-Frequency Harmonics in a Complex Tone.” Bulla’s experiment, a spin-off from his Auditory Perception and Hearing Science class, was the result of two listening tests investigating student and professional thresholds for differences in timbre and looking for an influence of high-frequency harmonics on timbre perception. In light of hype around the advent of consumer high-resolution audio, reviewers of the paper stated, “The topic is very important in the Audio Engineering Society considering the current movement to the high-resolution immersive audio reproduction.”
Lobel presented research conducted with students Wilhite, Jeremy Deardorff and Jack Mocherman under the direction of Bulla and Assistant Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dr.Eric Tarr with the help of Michael Janas. Their study investigated whether listeners could discriminate between real-time (RT) and double-speed (DS) digital transfers from analog tape recordings. Signals were recorded to tape at 15 inches per second (ips), then digitized at two copy rates: 15 ips (RT) and 30 ips (DS). The DS transfers were digitally time-stretched and spectrally processed to match the duration and frequency response of the RT transfers. 31 listeners participated in an experiment to discriminate between the RT and DS transfers. Results show discrimination between RT and DS transfers was not statistically significant. Additionally, discrimination did not vary significantly across source signals.
AET Instructor Jim Kaiser organized and moderated two Nashville production-focused workshops. The first, “Sound of ABC’s Nashville,” featured guest presenters from the show’s audio technical team. Matt Andrews (production sound mixer), Mike Poole (music mixer), Fred Paragano (dialog editor), Michael Colomby (sound re-recording mixer), Rich Weingart (sound re-recording mixer) and Glen Trew (production sound mixer) engaged the audience in an explanation of the audio production process involved in the television series and played segments of unique ‘live music performance-based’ shows.
Kaiser’s second workshop focused on the music production for Kacey Musgraves’s ‘Same Trailer Different Park’. This session featured the technical story behind this critically-acclaimed break-out record, from the selection of Nashville’s historic RCA A (Grand Victor) Studio for the initial tracks to final mastering by Andrew Mendelson at his Georgetown Masters facility. The audience was treated to an in-depth look at Musgraves’s hit singles (“Merry Go Round” & “Follow Your Arrow”) that defined this seminal recording.
Kaiser also chaired and participated in convention meetings of the Convention Policy Committee, Technical Committee on Recording Technology & Practices, Education Committee and the Board of Governors.
Assistant Professor of Business Dr. Haskell Murray presented on “Advisory Boards and Constituency Directors” at the Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on Nov. 14
For more information on the conference, click here.
Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business hosted its inaugural Business Ethics Workshop on Friday, Nov. 20. Speakers for the event included:
The workshop was co-chaired by O.C. and Linda Ferrell, distinguished professors of leadership and business ethics at Belmont, and was designed to help faculty and graduate students understand emerging topics and best practices in teaching business ethics and applying these critically important concepts.
Linda Ferrell said, “Belmont University is in the unique position of being able to take a leadership position in business ethics. The Edward C. Kennedy Center for Business Ethics, Jack C. Massey College of Business faculty and national connections through the NASBA Center for the Public Trust, Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative and work with a variety of businesses give the University some unique experience and capability.”
O.C. Ferrell said, “Attendees from Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois and New Mexico represented the diversity of interests and the importance of discussions of business ethics education. There was a real electricity in the room and attendees were engaged and interactive as they spent they day immersed in business ethics discussions.”
Deborah Farringer, assistant professor in the College of Law, was recently announced as a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s 2016 Leadership Law Program. Farringer is one of 33 attorneys who will take part in the program.
Now in its 13th year, Leadership Law is designed to equip Tennessee lawyers with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders in their profession and local communities. The class will meet for its first session in January, and then spend the next six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policy making in state government and the importance of community service.
For more information, click here.
Belmont student members of Beta- Beta-Beta, ECO, and SMACS , along with Dr. John Niedzwiecki, faculty advisor for ECO, participated in ReLeafing Day, the Nashville Tree Foundation’s fall planting event. Held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, ReLeafing Day was held in the Northwest Nashville neighborhoods of Bordeaux, Haynes Manor, Haynes Park, in public parks and along Titans Way with the Cumberland River Compact. Volunteers across the county come to plant trees in public spaces and private yards.
Belmont’s team planted four trees with the Nashville Tree Foundation. In partnership with Nashville Electric Service, the Tree Foundation has planted hundreds of trees that coexist with power lines since ReLeafing Day began in 2002.
