Come Join The Celebration! - Wayne State College

Campus Notes
Pfaltzgraff Pfinds Pfriends at Wayne State
Philip Pfaltzgraff will mark time
for Wayne State College as the college
celebrates its centennial. Unveiling his
new composition, Pfaltzgraff has created a
unique, lasting time capsule for the event
with a work that focuses on time.
“‘The Time Cycle’ is a work with five
sections: ‘Once Forever,’ ‘Timeless,’ ‘The
Time Keeper,’ ‘Junctures’ and ‘Time to
Sing,’’’ Pfaltzgraff said. “This work will
involve the Concert Choir, Concert Band, a
Soprano solo and piano. My creative process
has been all over the map for this centennial
project. I have been looking at some of John
Neihardt’s writing for inspiration. Some of
the phrases of his writing have imagery that
is wonderful. When I write music, I start out
with a text, a scripture or some idea, and then
a chord progression jumps out. In this case,
there also are all the colors of the concert
band available to create something that is
hopefully memorable.’’
Pfaltzgraff began in August as a staff
accompanist for the college. He has also been
performing, composing and helping students
and faculty with practices and performances.
“Music is a good way to bridge gaps
with people. It has a way of reaching
people,’’ Pfaltzgraff said. “My contact with
students has included working with nonmusic
majors in the Topics in Music Class.
I’m very impressed with the students here at
Wayne State College. I like the attitude of the
students here.”
Pfaltzgraff staged “Pfaltzgraff and
Pfriends” last year at Lutheran Churches
in the community with other WSC faculty
members. He has also consulted with them
on his compositions including “The Time
Cycle.” In February, the Wayne State College
Concert Choir performed choral music by
traditional and contemporary composers,
including the Nebraska premiere of a work
by Pfaltzgraff.
Pfaltzgraff graduated from Westmar
College in LeMars, Iowa, in 1971 with a
music education (major in voice) degree.
He has worked in public and private
schools (K-12) in Hubbard, Des Moines
and Waukee, Iowa, St. Petersburg, Fla., and
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. In addition to a career
in music education, he has served in music
and pastoral leadership in churches in Iowa,
Florida, and Michigan.
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Philip Pfaltzgraff
As a Methodist pastor’s son, Pfaltzgraff
said he’s always written works for churches
including praise and worship music and small
anthems. He worked with musical theater
shows such as “Godspell’’ and “Jesus Christ
Superstar.’’ He was one of nine children in his
family who all took organ and piano lessons.
At the age of 12, he began to give piano
lessons. Pfaltzgraff said his family is multiethnic
as his parents adopted two children
who are Korean American and two from the
United States.
“It was a good experience growing up
with a large and diverse family. We always
had music in the house,’’ Pfaltzgraff said.
“Mom and Dad have both been singers and
instrumentalists, and many of my nieces and
nephews are also involved in music. We put
on a musical program with family members
for my Mom and Dad’s 60th anniversary.’’
Pfaltzgraff has worked with nationallyknown
composers. Some of his original
compositions were written with specific
groups of people in mind who will be
performing it.
“When you write for someone, there is
a sound expectation,” he said. “Music on a
page is just dots on a page until they come to
life in performance.”
Pfaltzgraff composed a set of pieces
for Josh Calkin’s students to perform in his
low brass studio after walking by his office,
hearing music and stopping to ask what he
was working on. Calkin, who was hired in the
2007-08 academic year, is assistant director
of bands and instructor of low brass at Wayne
State.
“I have been very impressed with Wayne
State College. Every aspect of the WSC
performance spaces, classrooms and pianos
have been great,’’ Pfaltzgraff said. “I’m an
advocate of higher education, but I believe
that smaller colleges have a unique way of
caring for and working with students.’’