News Clips

PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Regional Chamber of Commerce will host Professor Robert Nadeau ofPlymouth State University, as he presents a Business Seminar on How to Increase Your Client Base on Wednesday, March 11 from noon to 1 p.m. at Pease Public Library, One Russell Street.

In this seminar Nadeau will show you ways to discover how to land more clients by: Taking a deeper look at techniques in the sales process, and share the latest data on lead conversions. There will be a segment on voice mail as since the majority of calls go into VM, what processes will yield the biggest lift, based on research of 600,000 voice mails. Additionally a template will be developed that is unique to each individual business. ion.

Nadeau will explain how leveraging an effective tool on LinkedIn, “saved searches” for your best buyer personas new to their roles, as they are much more likely to change vendors-vs-status the quo. According to Nadeau forty percent will make a purchase decision in the first 90 days.

As the Director of the Professional Sales Program, Nadeau teaches marketing, sales, and sales management for the College of Business Administration at Plymouth State University. Students learn the marketing framework and sales cycle, along with processes and leadership mechanisms to select, develop, and lead a sales organization. Nadeau is also a Business Consultant to organizations for new business development, and sales training.

For more information about the Brown Bag Seminars, or the Central NH Chamber of Commerce you may contact the Chamber office at 536-1001, or email info@plymouthnh.org.

PLYMOUTH—The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Plymouth State University will present “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart) March 5–8 in Hanaway Theatre at the Silver Center for the Arts.

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is a bawdy, sassy romp in ancient Rome, packaged in a traditional love story. The musical was inspired by the farces of the Roman playwright Plautus, and is infused with fun, vaudevillian sketches. It is recommended for mature audiences.

The scene for “Forum” is a Roman street with three adjacent houses: the brothel of Lycus, the house of Senex and the house of Erronius. The musical tells the tale of Pseudolus, a scheming slave of the house of Senex, who is desperate to obtain his freedom. Pseudolus devises a deal with his master, Hero, in which he will become a free man if he can win the heart of the virgin beauty, Philia, for his master. Of course, it cannot be that easy—everything that can go wrong does, and hilarity ensues.

“Forum” gives student actors and staff an opportunity to look at a different style of theatre from what they most often experience. Created during the Golden Age of Broadway, “Forum” is a big-scale production with orchestra and lots of brass, and a non-contemporary sound. Director Fran Page ’05 says that at Plymouth State, while the musical will stay true to the original lines and songs, it will take on some new twists. For example, Marcus Lycus, a “procurer and seller of female flesh,” is portrayed as a gay man.

Page says, “Our production looks closely at the style of physical humor and schtick that is embedded into the piece. I like to say that audience members should come prepared to laugh and enjoy themselves thoroughly. We have more schtick than you can shake a stick at!”

Page, a teaching lecturer at Plymouth State University, holds a B.A. from Plymouth State and an M.F.A. from Goddard College. He has many years of experience in bringing traditional and socially charged theatrical works to audiences.

The production staff includes faculty and staff members Lisa Travis, choreographer; Emily Jaworski, music director; Matt Kizer, lighting designer and Danee Grillo, costumer.

Marjorie Salvatore, a senior theatre arts major from New London, is the set designer. Zach Glennon, a junior theatre arts major from Meredith, is stage manager; and Leo Curran, a junior theatre arts major from Braintree, Mass. is assistant stage manager.

The cast includes Sam St. Jean, a junior theatre arts major from Goffstown, as Pseudolus; Hayden Stearns, a senior theatre arts major from Windham, Conn. as Senex; Olivia Opal, a senior theatre arts major from Hampden, Mass. as Domina; Nick Kalantzakos, a junior theatre arts major from Andover, Mass. as Hero; and Adam Beauparlant, a sophomore theatre arts major from Merrimack, as Hysterium; also Matt Bouvier, a senior theatre arts major from Hudson, Mass. as Erronius; Jakob Stone, a junior theatre arts major from Harrisville as Miles Gloriosus; Roland DuBois, a sophomore theatre arts major from Gilford as Marcus Lycus and Chelsea Merritt, a senior interdisciplinary studies major from Plainfield, Conn. as Philia; along with a number of courtesans, house boys and Proteans.

Page says, “This musical is guaranteed to exorcise your winter doldrums and put a buoyant spring in your step. Featuring Broadway standards such as ‘Everybody Ought to Have a Maid,’ ‘Comedy Tonight’ and ‘I’m Calm,’ ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ will have you laughing from its high-energy start through to its gloriously happy ending.”

Performances are March 5–6 at 8 p.m. and March 7 and 8 at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $21 for adults and $18 for seniors and youth at the Silver Center Box Office, 535-2787 or (800) 779-3869. Ticket are also available online at silver.plymouth.edu.

Information about the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance is online at Plymouth.edu/department/mtd.

General information about events at PSU is online at This Week@ PSU, http://thisweek.blogs.plymouth.edu.

PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth State University Symphonic Band welcomes Swedish flutist Göran Marcusson for a performance of classics and new works for wind ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, in Hanaway Theatre at the Silver Center for the Arts. Marcusson will also present a free public flute master class March 10 at 7 p.m. in the Smith Recital Hall at the Silver Center.

The 55-piece band, conducted by Professor Mark Stickney, will present a program of Scandinavian music rarely performed in the United States, plus British composer Philip Sparke’s “A Lindisfarne Rhapsody” for flute and concert band.

Göran Marcusson worked as a bricklayer and tram driver before fully devoting himself to music at the late age of 24, although he had played flute since he was eight or nine years old. He received international acclaim for the first time in 1987, winning the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition in the United States. In 1992, he earned his soloist diploma from the Music Conservatory of Goteborg.

That same year, while taking a class with James Galway, Marcusson was voted winner of a competition by his classmates and was presented a scholarship and a Waterford Crystal flute by Galway. “His was the sound I was striving for, that singing sound that makes you so joyful,” Marcusson says of Galway.

Marcusson has been guest principal flute with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Orquestra Cadaqués. While maintaining a busy international schedule as a soloist performing in the U.S., South America, Asia and throughout Europe, he also maintains a position with the Göteborg Wind Orchestra. In 2012, he toured the U.S., presenting recitals and master classes at four universities. Marcusson returns to the U.S. each June and July to present a master class at Wildacres Retreat in North Carolina and to perform with the Newport Rhode Island Music Festival.

Mark Stickney is assistant professor of music and director of bands at PSU. He has served on the brass faculties of Salve Regina University and the Community College of Rhode Island, where he taught trombone, euphonium and tuba. He guest conducted the Rutgers Wind Ensemble at their Carnegie Hall debut in 2005. Stickney has performed widely and has premiered a number of works as conductor. An active clinician, Stickney has worked with bands in New England, California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Kansas, Rhode Island, Texas and Utah and has performed at the Newport Music Festival and throughout Southern New England as a soloist and chamber musician.

Stickney’s doctoral studies focused on the wind music of Sweden.

He says, “It is very important to me to expose people to music they have not heard before. Music arranger Patrick Burns sent ‘Spring Song’ by Sibelius to me when he heard I was considering this program. Pat has conducted the Symphonic Band and knew that we would perform it well.”

The PSU Symphonic Band is featured annually at the All New England Band Festival that is hosted by Plymouth State University.

Tickets for the concert are $8 for adults and youth and $6 for seniors at the Silver Center Box Office, 535-2787 or (800) 779-3869. Tickets are also available online at silver.plymouth.edu.

Information about the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance is online at www.plymouth.edu/department/mtd, and on Facebook.

General information about events at PSU is online at ThisWeek@ PSU, http://thisweek.blogs.plymouth.edu.

PLYMOUTH — Back in 1999, Plymouth State University Professor of Music Carleen Graff decided there was a need for students to learn about composers and music of 20^th century.

Since then, she has been holding a piano festival with competitions, as well as lectures focused on music written over the past 100 years.

Plymouth State’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance is hosting the 17^th annual Contemporary Piano Festival at the Silver Center on March 7. It is designed to enhance exposure of students in grades seven through 12, as well as teachers, to this music.

“It is a great festival, and I learn new music myself from what the students bring forth,” said Graff.

Graff said there will be a focus on composers who have “dissonant writing, but still melodic.” She said this goes beyond traditional harmony, with “non-chord tones.” She said this year there will be a lot of work by Robert Muczynski, Alberto Ginestera, Sergei Slonimsky, and living producers Romeo Melloni of Manchester and Dianne Rahbee.

The festival will begin around 9 a.m., where 11 students will compete against each other with pieces between five and six minutes in length. A winner will be chosen, and second and third place will be honored as well. Graff said that year after year this tends to be an important part of the festival. She said this competition is focused not necessarily on what is most difficult, but how technically well it is played.

“The ones we declare winners are quite impressive young people,” said Graff.

Following the competition, at around 11 a.m., Graff will lead her annual discussion with the students and teachers. Each year Graff chooses a different aspect for the lecture, with George Crumb featured in past years for his avant-garde techniques using the inside of the piano.

This year, she has chosen Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein is one of the more popular American composers, conductors and pianists from the 20^th century, and is known for his time as music director for the New York Philharmonic and conducting music for performances like “West Side Story.” She said Bernstein brings a little bit of Americana to the program.

She said she was particularly inspired by Bernstein because he is very modern for many students, as he was born in 1918 and died in 1990. She also fondly recalls Bernstein’s television lectures on classical music, as well as the televised Young People’s Concerts. Graff feels that the students will learn a lot about one of the great contemporary pianists.

There will be another seminar led by PSU graduate Angela Olszta called “Smart Pianists: How Playing Piano Connects to Learning.” Graff said Olszta has commented that she feels everything is “smart” these days, from smart phones to smart televisions. She said the lecture will show how music can influence being smart and how it relates to other areas of learning.

This will be followed by a master class led by Graff. There will be four students playing four different pieces, and she will work with them in mini lessons. This will be focused on giving the students other interpretations of the repertoire.

The festival will culminate with a final concert, where winners of the morning competition as well as Plymouth State piano majors and other musicians will perform. She said Plymouth Regional High School senior Ian Soderberg will be playing a piece that he wrote called “The Commute,” which Graff said will surely be a highlight. In prior festivals there have been college students involved in this piece, but it is a rare occasion having a high school musician bring their own piece forward. She said Soderberg is a devoted musician who plans to major in composition when he gets to college.

Those looking to be a part of the festival, other than the competition or master class, must apply by Feb. 27. The programs are open to the public and free of charge. For information about the festival contact carleeng@plymouth.edu.

The application can be found at https://www.plymouth.edu/department/mtd/festivals-workshops-and-conferences/piano/contemporary-piano-festival/contemporary-piano-festival-application/.

New state regulations and career opportunities prompt change

PLYMOUTH — Accounting students now have an opportunity to put their careers on a fast track through Plymouth State University’s five-year accounting program. Students can earn both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in accounting through the five-year program, in addition to being well-prepared for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examinations. PSU’s College of Business Administration Dean Trent Boggess said the program reflects the needs of students and the financial services industry.

“Accounting is a growing field and there is an incredible demand for accountants, but becoming one is not an easy task,” Boggess said. “Our motivation for adding the Master of Science in Accounting degree is to create a five-year program that better meets the needs of our students and the state of New Hampshire.”

New Hampshire recently increased the licensing requirements for new CPAs; they are now required to have 150 credit hours in addition to passing all four parts of the CPA exam, and need one year of professional accounting experience prior to being certified. Tom Guarino, an accounting professor at PSU and CPA, noted that the five-year program prepares students both academically and for the rigorous exam process.

“The fifth year, which is a 30-credit master’s of science in accounting program, not only increases a student’s knowledge but also prepares them for the CPA exam,” Guarino said. “The goal is that students will be able to start taking and passing the CPA exam within their fifth year. Adding another year to their education at PSU is a ‘win-win’ for students because it solves the need to get the additional credits now required for a CPA and a master’s degree in accounting, which really puts them ahead of other graduates trying to find jobs in accounting.”

Furthermore, the fifth year can be taken online, which is crucial to those already working in the field.

“Having the fifth year available online provides students with the flexibility to work a fulltime job while attending school,” added Guarino.

Becoming a CPA is an arduous task, but the field is a lucrative one. According to Robert Half Management Resources, a financial industry staffing services leader, an entry-level CPA generally earns between $45,000 to $55,000 annually.

“What everybody wants to know is, is getting my degree worth it? The answer is yes, particularly in accounting,” asserts Boggess. “You have to work hard, but you will have a direct path to a good job. Our graduates, because they emerge so well trained, are avidly sought after by accounting firms. Our best students start getting job offers in the fall of their senior year, and virtually all of our accounting graduates get jobs shortly after they graduate.”

Graduates of Plymouth State’s accounting program have a sterling record of success. Larry Haynes ’86 is the president and CEO of the Grappone Automotive Group, one of New Hampshire’s largest automotive retailing groups. Prior to joining Grappone, he worked for Deloitte & Touche, First NH Bank and the MEG Companies in various financial and accounting positions. Jane Poulin ’84, Associate Chief Accountant, US Securities and Exchange Commission, is an executive with 27 years of experience in finance, accounting, internal controls and processes, audit, regulation and corporate governance involving international public companies.

PLYMOUTH — The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Plymouth State University will host the 17th annual Contemporary Piano Festival at the Silver Center Saturday, March 7. The festival is designed to enhance the students’ and teachers’ exposure to music that was written in the past 100 years, according to festival director Professor Carleen Graff.

Students, teachers and guests will be able to hear numerous 20th and 21st century works performed during a competition, seminar sessions, a master class and an afternoon performance in the Smith Recital Hall by winners of the morning competition and PSU piano students.

The schedule includes:

8:30 a.m. Competition

11 a.m. Seminar: The Piano Music of Leonard Bernstein presented by Professor Graff

1:15 p.m. Seminar: Smart Pianists: How Playing Piano Connects to Learning presented by Angela Olszta.

1:50 p.m. Master Class with Professor Graff

3:15 p.m. Concert of Contemporary Compositions performed by winners of the morning competition and PSU piano students.

All programs are open to the public free of charge.

For information contact Professor Graff via email to carleeng@plymouth.edu or logon to http://www.plymouth.edu/department/mtd/festivals-workshops-and-conferences/piano/contemporary-piano-festival/

Information is also on Facebook.

General information about PSU events is online at ThisWeek@PSU,http://thisweek.blogs.plymouth.edu.

PLYMOUTH — Faster than walking. Morepowerful than rainfall shower heads. Able to be lugged by anyone who can lift 42 pounds.

It’s a rock. It’s a stone. It’s curling.

The highly-anticipated second annual Plymouth Rocks Curling League returns in March to the Plymouth State Ice Arena. Calling all past, present and future curlers. It’s time to awaken from hibernation, attach those grippers, put on those sliders, grab your brooms and come together once again for the most social game on ice.

This spring, curling has been refined, revamped and reimagined. PSU will be hosting its curling open house on Wednesday, March 18, at 6 p.m. to kick-off the 2015 Spring curling season. If you or anyone you know would like to try curling out for the first time, the open house is free for everyone. Please e-mail if you plan to attend.

The Plymouth Rocks Curling League begins the third week in March. They are offering four league nights on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. New curlers are welcome. You may register in person at the Plymouth State Ice Arena or online at www.plymouth.edu/arena/curling/. If you are in need of a team, additional players to form your team, or if you have general questions regarding the league, please e-mail psu-icearena@plymouth.edu or call 535-2758. More information regarding the league along with the curling schedule can be found at www.plymouth.edu/arena/curling.

LANCASTER — Gov. Maggie Hassan was the keynote speaker at Wednesday’s 40th anniversary celebration of the Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC) that was held on the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin keynoted the two-hour counterpart open house on Monday, Feb. 9, in St. Johnsbury.

NCIC president Jon Freeman introduced Hassan after outlining the nonprofit’s organization’s role in six counties in the Twin States: Coös, Carroll, and Grafton; and Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom — Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans.

Since its formation on Feb. 10, 1975, NCIC has worked with local businesses, community bankers, elected officials, and community and economic development leaders to provide more than $145 million in financing for more than 2,000 enterprises, creating 5,600 new jobs and retaining more than 13,000.

Just in the last decade NCIC has secured over $15 million in grants in New Hampshire. And it has also expanded the programs and services it offers plus its funding sources.

NCIC’s services and successes have not only helped to support and enlarge the state’s middle class, Hassan said, but also to help ensure that democracy — so rooted and valued in New Hampshire — can quietly succeed every day.

“This is the story of the Granite State, where we engage with one another and are eager to find and develop new talents and energy and skill sets,” the governor said. “When we work together, we all get stronger.”

Founding corporate counsel Michael Mastronadi provided insights into how NCIC had been structured since Day 1 to meet community needs.

Entrepreneurs Dennis Cote and his wife Kathie who own Polly’s Pancakes Parlor, that’s now expanding its footprint in Franconia, and Rick Tillotson of Tillotson Performance Polymers, LLC, in Colebrook who donated large and elegant spiral Tilly balloons for the occasion, described the range and depth of help that NCIC is able to provide its clients.

NCIC has added another very positive dimension to Main Street, explained Lancaster’s planning and zoning coordinator Ben Gaetjens-Oleson. The Lancaster native urged the many people on hand for the event to go shopping on Main Street before they headed home.

Representatives of the Congressional delegation — Chuck Henderson for Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Mike Scala for Senator Kelly Ayotte, and Brian Bresnahan for Congresswoman Annie Kuster — read letters and a Proclamation, all of which praised NCIC’s commitment and hard work over four decades.

Shaheen wrote, “As an organization, NCIC has evolved dynamically to better face changing threats and to nurture opportunities. It has demonstrated a widely admired ability to partner with public and private entities and surmount complex financial and regulatory hurdles. Under the able leadership of Jon Freeman, the staff of NCIC has developed programs, individual capabilities, and relationships that magnify the organization’s effectiveness.”