An talented singer and pianist, and an active adjudicator and clinician, Associate Professor Julie Anne Wieck leads by example to motivate her vocal students.
She is director of opera and musical theatre and voice area coordinator for the School of Music, and presently serves on the National Advisory Board on Auditions for the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
What is your main research topic?
Although I perform a variety of vocal repertoire, after a sabbatical in Kiev, I turned my focus to Ukrainian art song, which reflects the social and political struggles of the region through the centuries, starting with Tsar Alexander II banning the use of the Ukrainian language through the Soviet Union’s suppression of Nationalistic representation. Ukrainian composers, along with the poets of their songs, found ways to resist in order to ensure that Ukraine would have a national art song heritage.
What classes are you teachiing at WSU Pullman for fall semester 2021?
I teach Applied Voice Lessons, MUSIC 203 through 503, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The students become successful music educators, performers, composers, recording studio technicians, or music business entrepreneurs.
As director of the opera and musical theatre program, MUSIC 428/528, I present three productions each year, including a fully-staged musical or opera with orchestra each spring, and a summer musical through which the students develop their singing, acting and stage movement skills.
What brought you to WSU Pullman?
I came to WSU in 1996 to accept a position that included all the things I love to teach: applied voice, opera workshop, diction and vocal literature. Coming from South Dakota, I love the rural area and being able to do my part to bring the arts to the Palouse.
How has COVID-19 changed how you teach?
Teaching vocal performance via Zoom was very challenging as singers, pianists, and the teacher were never able to be together and there were serious latency issues. Performances were all done remotely, either live or pre-recorded, and the opera productions were put in the hands of a student engineer which limited some of my control as a director. Those challenges made me appreciate the strength, creativity and resilience of our students.
We are really enjoying making music together again and hopefully, I have learned to let go of some of my control issues in the process!
What are some fun facts about you?
After a tour of South Korea, performing with the WSU Concert Choir, I fell in love with the people and their culture. I am now addicted to Korean dramas!
I am most widely known at WSU Pullman for singing the National Anthem at all four commencement ceremonies every year.
Adapted from the #FacultyFriday series on the WSU Pullman Facebook page.