Micah
Fusselman
Submitted:
June 24, 2011
Awarded
: $
1000
Contact Information:
Micah
Fusselman
1730 Cleveland Ave.
Apt. 2
Cincinnati
Ohio
45212
USA
513-309-0613
Reference 1:
Annalisa Pappano
Reference 2:
Vivian Montgomery
Summary of Submitted Materials:
1a letter of introduction and a letter of application. 2a letter of recommendation from Annalisa Pappano. 3Price lists from Pringle and Grabenstein. 4a recital program.
Submitted Documents:
Submitted Recordings:
Committee Notes:
His application is dated June 12. I understand that Karen's was also very close to deadline. And it is unfortunate that somehow his application didn't make it to us sooner. He seems like a deserving candidate, as do also Lisa and Karen. And we have at most (I've yet to get this confirmed) $3500 to work with. Sigh....This is why I think teachers ought to be in another category. We need to wrap up this granting period soon. Should we give them each $1000? $3000 ($3500) is all we have to work with until the beginning of 2012. I am asking the Board to either create a separate grant for teachers or to increase the amount for GIA substantially. But who knows whether that will happen with the present economy. Anyway, what do you think???
Lucy
This seems as deserving as Karen's. Should we give $$ to each request (Lisa, Karen, Micah), with slightly less going to Lisa but also with the assurance that, because of the nature of her proposal, more will come next year (for which she might have to renew an application)?
And can we decide for sure about the G-violone guy? The last I knew we all were leaning towards denial (or in it); can we make that official so Wendy can notify him?
Since it is not that great an amount of money, I guess I would be inclined to grant each one $1000. Lisa and Micah will need quite a bit more, and they will need to understand that the fund chest is not that big. Perhaps it will be an incentive for other possible funding sources for them. I will be interested to see what the board decides about the future of the GIA, whether to expand both the eligibility and increase the funds. I think the G-violone guy is out of the running, and we should make it official. OK David?
Lucy
Another possibility might be to leave Lisa out of the deliberations at this time until the board has decided whether to expand the GIA, and award $1000 to Karen and $2000 to Micah. This job would be so much easier if we could meet in person.....
Lucy
I agree with Lucy- but am also anxious not to lose Lisa in this process. In the event that the board does not expand the GiA, I would vote for an even split between the three. And yes, I agree that John Romey should probably be turned down. I think he has many other means, and his situation is not nearly so critical.
Project Description:
See uploaded letter of application
Request Amount:
$
Total Project Cost:
$
9000
Budget and Additional Funding:
Qualifications:
See uploaded letter of application
Letter of Reference 1:
Here's Annalisa's recommendation, sorry if it is already below...
(I wonder if there is a more efficient way to do this, but I'm old)
WG
Recommendation for Micah Fusselman
June 9, 2011
To Whom It May Concern:
Please accept this letter of recommendation for a grant-in-aid for Micah Fusselman. Micah began taking viola da gamba lessons with me at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music three years ago, where he is a doctoral candidate. He was quite interested in Baroque music and had played some Baroque cello. He is an exceptional young man who efficiently divides his time between contemporary music, teaching a cello studio at CCM, his family with two children, music theory, and viola da gamba.
He has excelled in every way possible. During the second week of class, he came with his viol and asked, "how long until I can play this?" He began playing the G Major Bach gamba sonata. I told him that it seemed that he was already playing it! (This was during a period when all the other students were struggling just to hold the instrument.) Micah has surpassed being a student and has turned into a colleague. He has played in four Catacoustic concerts and numerous outreach performances.
Micah hopes to finish his degrees (music theory and cello) and leave Cincinnati for a university job, which he will surely attain. There, he also hopes to be able to offer his skills as a gamba player for the community and the university students.
Micah recently performed the first ever student viola da gamba recital at CCM. It was a virtuoso performance, including the music of Hume, Simpson, Marais, and Schenck. In his concert talk, he said that many people have asked him why in the world he would bother with a non-degree/non-credit recital for an instrument that does nothing to further these pieces of paper and does not help support his two children. The answer at first was "because it is good for me." But, that later proved not to be enough. The answer showed itself. "Because I love the music." Micah's love for the viola da gamba and its repertory is fully evident, and it is this passion and enthusiasm that is ideal for the Viola da Gamba Society to nurture and support – especially in such a dynamic young man, who would certainly spread his interest for the viola da gamba and its music to the next generation of viol players.
I strongly encourage the Viola da Gamba Society of America to offer a grant-in-aid to Micah Fusselman to purchase a viola da gamba.
Sincerely,
Annalisa Pappano
Letter of Reference 2: