Dr. Jeffery Ames, professor of music and director of choral activities, recently led members of the Coro Novo Spiritu in a 25th Anniversary concert held in the courtyard of the Von Trapp castle in Caldonazzo, Italy.
The week-long festival consisted of rehearsals and cultural exchanges in the Trentino region of Northern Italy. This was Ames’ fifth appearance as guest conductor/clinician in the festival’s nine year history.
NBC’s new series “Songland” features undiscovered songwriters pitching original songs to superstar recording artists and a panel of chart-topping music producers in hopes of creating the artists’ next megahits. A graduate of Belmont’s songwriting program, Kathryn Kempthorn, better known by her artist name Rynn, was one of the four lucky songwriters to pitch a song to former Disney stars Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas (aka the Jonas Brothers) on the show’s fourth episode.
Rynn performed her song “Crowded Places,” and the Jonas Brothers selected her song to move on to the next round, pairing her with producer Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves “Merry Go Round,” The Band Perry “Better Dig Two” and Keith Urban “Female”).
“Songland” celebrity artists each choose their favorite three songwriters to take to the next level. Pairing each selected songwriter with one of the show’s three producers, the contestants then tailor and evolve their songs to fit the artists, who will ultimately choose one winning song to record and release worldwide.
“Songland could not have been a more positive experience! It was so incredible to be a part of the first season of such an amazing show that champions songwriters and pulls back the curtain on an essential aspect of the music industry that the general public doesn’t normally get to see,” said Rynn.
Rynn graduated from Belmont in 2016 with her BBA in music business and B.S. in songwriting. She talked about Belmont’s story-driven approach to songwriting in a recent interview with Early Bird Music and said the songwriting program played a huge role in shaping her as a writer.
“It pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best ways and gave me the confidence and preparation to step out in the real world as a songwriter,” said Rynn.
Post “Songland,” Rynn is residing in Los Angeles and continuing to write every day, pitching songs to other artists, pitching songs for film and TV placements, as well as releasing music under her own artist project.
The 11-episode series “Songland” will feature artists: Jonas Brothers, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, OneRepublic, Old Dominion, will.i.am, Kelsea Ballerini, Leona Lewis, Aloe Blacc and Macklemore. Along with McAnally, producers include Ryan Tedder (Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love,” Beyonce “Halo,” and his own hits with OneRepublic) and Ester Dean (Nicki Minaj “Super Bass,” Katy Perry “Firework,” Kelly Clarkson “Mr. Know it All”).
Belmont University hosted the second and final live, televised 2019 mayoral debate last night with Nashville’s leading mayoral candidates participating.
In partnership with WKRN, the debate provided voters an up-close perspective on the positions of current Mayor David Briley, State Representative John Ray Clemmons, Metro Councilman John Cooper and retired Vanderbilt professor Carol Swain. News 2 Anchor Bob Mueller moderated and questioned the candidates on a variety of issues affecting Nashville, including teacher pay, police body cameras, property taxes, traffic and transit, and even scooters.
“Belmont always seeks to be an engaged member of this community, bringing people together to talk about issues, whether it’s a mayoral, gubernatorial or even a presidential debate,” Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said. “This city’s course directly impacts our alumni and campus community, and we want to do our part to help educate voters in a race that determines Nashville’s future while also modeling active citizenship for our students.”
WKRN broadcast the debate live from Belmont’s McAfee Concert Hall and streamed the event live on www.wkrn.com. Open to the public, attendees reserved tickets prior to last night’s free event. Belmont political science students Matthew Nicholson and Jace Wilder, along with University staff, served as volunteer hosts for the candidates.
This is Belmont’s second successful mayoral debate this summer after collaborating with News Channel 5 and The Tennessean to host the first live, televised debate on June 25. Early voting in the mayoral race begins July 12 with Election Day on Aug. 1.
View more photos from last night’s debate here.
With a record 343,000 people taking to the streets of Downtown Nashville for the Fourth of July celebrations, it is evident the city’s growth and development in the hospitality and tourism industries are not slowing down. Belmont is working to fill an all-time high demand for professionals in this area by incorporating a new Hospitality and Tourism Management major into the Jack C. Massey College of Business.
In recent years, Nashville has seen unprecedented growth in the field of travel and tourism. Data from the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation shows direct visitor spending at more than $6.5 billion a year in 2017, and there was a record 15.2 million visitors in 2018. This historic growth has fostered the opening and development of 15 new hotels since 2016, with many more on the horizon. With approximately 70,000 jobs in the Nashville tourism sector, Belmont has a prime opportunity to utilize the vibrant surrounding city to train students to be leaders in the industry.
Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns said the new major is good for both students and the community. “We are excited to offer our students new opportunities for innovative learning experiences through the Hospitality and Tourism Management major. We are essentially creating a pipeline of high-quality employees that will benefit the local business community, as well,” he said. “The Nashville tourism industry is booming. We want to make sure our students are prepared to take advantage of all of the opportunities right here in our backyard.”
The new major will integrate business, liberal arts and public relations courses to create a unique program and professional degree, giving students an in-depth curriculum that also tackles the legal, financial and marketing tools needed to be successful in the field.
For the required 30 credit hours, students can choose a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) route. Unlike other collegiate hospitality programs that focus solely on hands-on skills, Belmont strategically placed the major in the college of business to provide a foundational understanding of all facets of business while still offering access to experiential educational opportunities and front-line internships.
Developed jointly between faculty in the College of Business and the University’s Sports Administration program, this major will be unique in its course offerings. For students pursuing the B.B.A., courses will cover higher-level management, accounting, public relations, marketing and finance, and the program will provide a wealth of internship opportunities. Students pursuing the B.S. option will have a built-in minor, which could be another area of business or a program outside of the business school. The B.S. option allows for more flexibility in choosing supplemental courses, such as an emphasis in entrepreneurship or a foreign language.
Associate Dean of the College of Business Stan York said the degree would help students no matter which route they decide to follow, whether they long to become a CEO or head up the food and beverage services for a major hotel.
“It is part of what we do here at Belmont. It’s a lot like music business. This major gives you the tools you need to do the behind-the-scenes work,” he said. “This major dovetails nicely with Belmont’s academic offerings in sports administration, music business and entertainment because all of those fields usually come with some type of hospitality.”
Reflecting the diversity of the profession, graduates will be qualified and prepared for corporate management positions in a variety of areas, such as convention and visitors’ bureaus, destination management organizations, conference centers, resorts, hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants. With the available course options, students may also build the skill sets of business planning and raising capital to undertake an entrepreneurial venture.
“Where do they want to be? Students could minor in a foreign language and take advantage of our robust study abroad programs at Belmont, then maybe end up in Brussels or Paris,” said York. “The robust relationships we can call upon for internships at local organizations also set us apart. By the time the students leave, they have a good understanding of this industry, and it is more than a look at it—it is applied.”
Capitalizing on the success of undergraduate and graduate programs in Sports Administration and the reputation of the Jack C. Massey College of Business, faculty will encourage students to think about long-term career advancement. Their hope is that courses such as lodging management would help students start with some leadership responsibilities, and then move up more quickly into management positions. Whether in marketing, finance or event management, there are huge opportunities.
Following their first-ever JUNO Award nomination, sisters Lauren DeLeary (a 2014 Belmont School of Music graduate) and Brooke DeLeary of the faith-forward pop duo LOVECOLLIDE were honored by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) recently with the 2019 Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year JUNO Award.
The duo’s award-winning album, Tired Of Basic, released April 13, 2018 on ABS Entertainment, LLC with global distribution through The Fuel Music.
The JUNO Awards ceremony for Canada’s biggest night in music was held in London, ON, was hosted by Sarah McLachlan, and broadcast live across the country on CBC, CBC Radio One, CBC Music and more.
In addition to LOVECOLLIDE, Lauren is releasing her own music in the next few months, is active with her YouTube Channel and her podcast with her husband, Adam Budnick, “Let’s Talk Abut It with Lauren and Adam.”
For the past seven weeks, 19 Belmont nursing students participated in a summer internship program called Vanderbilt Experience: Student Nurse Internship Program (VESNIP) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) along with students from four other regional nursing programs.
Two nursing students were awarded the highest honors at the culminating awards ceremony held Wednesday, June 26. VUMC identifies those individuals who aspire to excellence and expert performance by exhibiting the following behaviors: making those they serve their highest priority, conducting themselves professionally, respecting others’ confidentiality, communicating effectively, having a sense of ownership, and a commitment to colleagues. The identified individuals are recognized with Credo Awards, which are based on feedback from nurse preceptors, nurse educators and the entire healthcare team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Belmont nursing student Emily Beck received the Credo award in the Pediatric Track while fellow Belmont student Caitlin Turner received the Credo Award in the Women’s Heath Track.
This is the 15th year of the VESNIP program. The program began as a partnership between Belmont School of Nursing and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It has now expanded to a total of 60+ students from four area nursing schools.
The VESNIP positions are very competitive and are considered elite opportunities for students from around the region. Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Leslie Folds states, “Our students are exceptional and represent Belmont’s values throughout this program. I was extremely impressed by not only the students’ professionalism, but their ability to engage in critical thinking, reflection and incorporation of evidence-based research to the clinical setting. The feedback received from nurse preceptors as well as the entire health care team at VUMC was overwhelmingly positive.”
All 2019 VESNIP participants from Belmont University are pictured below as well as a picture with the Credo Winners.
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation recently awarded the Pollock Prize for Creativity to Belmont alumnus Todd Williamson. The $50,000 award will be directed towards Williamson’s exhibition Processional, a solo installation on view during the 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, May 9 through November 24, 2019.
In partnership with MAK Center for Art and Architecture and curated by MAK Executive Director Priscilla Fraser, Processional will be presented at the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pietà, located on Riva degli Schiavoni between St. Mark’s Square and the entrance to the Arsenale. Williamson’s eight large-scale canvases will be displayed on the walls of a narrow chapel and will interact with the 18th-century church’s classically proportioned interior, challenging perceived order and tradition. The exhibition will explore contemporary influencers and thought leaders such as Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Nelson Mandela. It will also feature a sound room in the entry vestibule, with music that will be a harmonic nocturne created in collaboration with Professor Greg Walter from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
The annual Pollock Prize for Creativity, created to honor the artistic legacies of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock, is given to an artist whose work embodies high creative standards and has a substantial impact on individuals and society.
Established in 1985 through the generosity of Lee Krasner, the Foundation provides grants to artists that allow them to create new work. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded $75 million to 4,500 artist grantees in 77 countries. These grants can be used by artists to create new work, rent studio space and prepare exhibitions.
Williamson, an American artist based in California whose work has been exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Milan, Naples, and Tokyo, has been part of the California school of abstraction and was the recipient of a 2010 Pollock-Krasner Grant.
“Todd Williamson is a gifted artist who, with curator Priscilla Fraser, has created an innovative installation,” said Ronald D. Spencer, Chairman and CEO of Pollock-Krasner Foundation. “The Venice Biennale provides a wonderful platform for Todd to show his work on an international stage. We are delighted to help support his exhibition, because fostering new work and the development of visual artists is central to the Foundation’s mission.”
“I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation with the Pollock Prize for Creativity. The award provides invaluable support for my work in Venice, allowing me to focus on the creation of my art,” said Todd Williamson. “I am grateful to the Foundation for their generous support.”
Williamson’s concept for Processional interplays with the Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Pietà’s classical design. Occupying the long, narrow chapel located to the side of the Church, the space will invite a meditative, sequential process of reflection. Drawing from the formal proportions, material richness, and dramatic natural light of the site, Williamson has developed a series of works to encourage contemplation yet challenge the perceived order. The eight-painting installation will offer a new layer to the deep patina of aging plaster and brick, establishing a rich, and continuous monochromatic palette.
The recently opened Frederick Hart Studio Museum was featured in the August 2019 issue of Fine Art Connoisseur, which serves art collectors and enthusiasts with articles about representational paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints — both historical and contemporary, American and European.
The article notes that the “handsome facility… brings alive Hart’s belief that art ‘must be an enriching, ennobling and vital partner in the public pursuit of civilization.'”
For ten days, students from around the world gathered at Belmont for an intensive research project on the music industry in partnership with Universal Music. Belmont students, along with peers from China, Norway and Australia, used the “Global Perspectives in the Music Business” study abroad course as an intercultural, hands-on experience to work on an industry project.
The experience started last summer at the Australian College of the Arts (Collarts). This year, Dr. David Schreiber, chair of Belmont’s Creative and Entertainment Industries program, organized the course and hosted the experience at Belmont.
“This is really a first-of-its-kind collaboration. Belmont has a pipeline project which works with the industry to do research over the summer, and we tried to take that and bring it into this experience,” said Schreiber. “I’m excited that our students are able to participate in this opportunity, especially since our industry is one that continues to rely on global perspectives and international collaborations.”
Last year’s group worked more loosely with Mushroom Music and LiveNation in Melbourne. This year, there were more parameters and structure as the mutually beneficial partnership with Universal Music aimed to provide the company with international market perspectives.
Mike Harris, COO of Universal Music Nashville, charged the group with researching how YouTube videos – official, unofficial and lyric videos – influence music consumption. Students looked at different ways to optimize and strategize investment in music videos and examined which strategies have been successful around the world.
The student teams developed research and analyzed case studies before presenting their findings to Harris. According to their major takeaways, official music videos generate the most traction, views and engagement. Therefore, they suggested that Universal Music spend less money on behind-the-scenes type footage. Consumers want personal, relatable content, and although personal content garners the least amount of views, it has the highest engagement rate. Influencer collaborations and even cameos are wildly popular; earlier is better when it comes to release timing; and the Chinese market is way ahead of the United States on livestreaming.
Harris said he was blown away at the good work produced by the students.
Schreiber said the biggest difference this year was inviting the Norwegian students to join the class. “It’s neat to have that European perspective we were missing last year,” he said. “The idea was to have a representative from each continent there. When the students arrived, they all gave a lecture on their industry from their country of origin. They worked in interdisciplinary cultural teams for the project, so they’re all learning from each other.”
Before the week began, all three of the international faculty members indicated they wanted their students to build long-lasting relationships and learn from each other.
Jess Carroll, program coordinator of entertainment management at Collarts, said, “They all want to have careers in the music industry so it is important to build those connections and have a stronger understanding of international perspectives and intercultural awareness.”
Norwegian Assistant Professor Ola Haampland said his students anticipated how they would have to adapt to the new situation before they arrived. “I am sure they will be able to see new cultural aspects here,” he said. “China is very different from the U.S., and again the U.S. is very different from Norway. It’s going to be very interesting to observe their takeaways.”
Chinese Professor Hao Zhang agreed. “I really hope they will reach out to the students from other countries to learn about American culture because my students only have an abstract concept about American freedoms, for example. I really want them to talk with the other students about social topics but also deep cultural topics,” she said. “And, it would be fantastic if they could accomplish some good academic research while they are here.”
The week wrapped up successfully and the international colleagues are already planning to potentially extend the experience in China next summer.
Belmont O’More interior design alumni Evan Millard, Betsy Trabue and Lauren Moore–partners in Modern Remains interior design studio–were recently selected to contribute with other designers to House Beautiful magazine’s second annual Whole Home Concept House in Nashville.
Millard said, “We are humbled and thankful for the chance to not only design one room but three. While we’ve individually been designing for some time, we didn’t expect to have this opportunity so shortly after coming together as Modern Remains. To be included amongst some of the top in our industry is truly an honor.”
The nearly 6,000 sq. ft. home will be constructed in the English Arts and Crafts style and created in partnership with Castle Homes. Other designers involved in the project include Amy Berry, Barclay Butera, Joy Huber and Rachel Haag of Castle Homes, Chenault James, Dani Arps, Tavia Forbes and Monet Masters of Forbes+Masters, Kristine Paige Kamenstein of Jackson Paige Interiors, Matthew Quinn and Richard Anuszkiewicz of Design Galleria Kitchen & Bath Studio, and Vern Yip
The interior designers are challenged to provide their design expertise to create a home that is beautiful and with the intention to promote happier, healthier and smarter living. The Whole Home Concept House will debut in Nashville in tandem with the brand’s November 2019 issue, which hits newsstands on October 17, 2019.
“At House Beautiful, we believe your home should work for you – bringing you joy, helping you reconnect with family and recover from external stresses,” said Carisha Swanson, senior editor and market director. “This house will illustrate these concepts through layout, product, and inspiration, providing actionable ideas that readers and visitors can implement in their own homes. I look forward to seeing this exceptional group of designers bring these ideas to life and transform these spaces into more than just beautiful rooms.”
Modern Remains will deliver a top floor media room that acts as a central zone for game and movie nights, plus they are creating a breakfast area off the main kitchen and a landing area on the second floor. Millard noted, “While designing three rooms in such a short period of time will be a challenge, we believe there is strength in numbers. We will collaborate on each design, divide and conquer while leaning on each others strengths. We will pay close attention to how each space functions with each layout being beautiful and functional for a family.”
“The Breakfast Room will be a be a happy and energetic place to start your day,” he continued. “It will feature a bright and cheerful color palette filled with shades of pink, red & orange. We envision the Media Room to feel cozy and calm. It will be consist of a dark monochromatic palette layered with multiple textures and tones. It’ll be the room where you want to kick back and relax. As you enter the second floor, the Stair Landing will not only bridge the public and private spaces of the home, it will also be a space all of its own. Furnished as an intimate seating area, we envision this space filled with a carefully chosen selection of furnishings and art.”
House Beautiful will take their audience inside the home with an exclusive web series launching on HouseBeautiful.com when the issue hits newsstands. Each episode will focus on a single designer and showcase the before, during and after of their design process, including decision-making, design plans and shopping for the home. The web series will also offer viewers a chance to hear first-hand how designers solve problems, including repurposing rooms that are rarely used, and how to create a private home office to maximize work productivity.
House Beautiful’s Whole Home Concept House will be open for tours daily October 18 through November 3 in the historic Belle Meade area of Nashville. The beautiful English Arts & Crafts style home will promote happier, healthier, and smarter living and is being built by Castle Homes in partnership with ten designers from across the United States benefiting the Nashville Symphony. Tickets will be available via CastleHomes.com.
