Chestnut Hill College Music Professor to Hold Jazz Colloquium and Album Release Celebration

Thursday, April 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Edward Strauman, Ph.D., assistant professor of music at Chestnut Hill College will hold a colloquium and celebration of his recent Jazz album release on Thursday, April 30, 2009 from 12:00-2:30 p.m. in the East Parlor, St. Joseph Hall. 

Dr. Strauman’s lecture, “Thinking in Jazz,” will discuss some of the conventional components in jazz music (Blues, Improvisation, Swing, etc.) and will offer insight into how to interpret and utilize these elements in music.

Edward Strauman, Ph.D., assistant professor of music at Chestnut Hill College, teaches music theory, counterpoint and orchestration. Since his appointment at the College, he has created several new music courses, including “A Critical Survey of Music in Film," “Broadway Bound," “Introduction to Music Theory," and "Jazz Improvisation." In addition, he founded the Jazz Improvisation Ensemble Workshop, an ongoing performance-oriented forum that invites seasoned professionals and music faculty to form a mentor-apprentice relationship with students.

Edward Strauman, a Eubie and Marion Blake Scholar at New York University, earned his Ph.D. in music composition from the Steinhardt School of Education, Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. While earning a Master of Music degree as an Artistic Merit Scholar at Manhattan School of Music, Dr. Strauman studied composition with David Berger and Edward Green. Dr. Strauman earned his Bachelor of Music at Temple University, and has received commissions from the Philadelphia Film Festival, Interlink Video and WHYY Public Broadcasting.

Dr. Strauman was the recipient of two National Endowment Awards and a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Additionally, he has received a Rogers Phelps Award from New York University for outstanding dissertation, a Telly Award for contributions to children's educational video, several Popular Music Awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and the Margaret Jory Award from the American Music Center.

The lecture is free and open to the public. A CD with a compilation of Dr. Strauman’s work, which contains original music from three of his recordings, will be available for purchase. For more information, please contact Edward J. Strauman, Ph.D. at 215.753.3634 or e-mail straumane@chc.edu.