The Richard and Nancy Wolf Resource Center at the Wisconsin Center for Music Education contains several music and music education libraries, donated by and named for nationally recognized teachers and conductors:
Linda A. Petersen Festival Music Library
The Linda A. Petersen Festival Library contains over 8,000 titles from the WSMA Festival Music List, which are available for study during regular business hours and by appointment. A clavinova is available to play through selections (photocopying prohibited).
Linda Petersen was Director of Programs for the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) from 1994 to 2007. She developed and expanded many successful initiatives for WSMA programs, including the Middle Level State Honors Band, Choir and Orchestra, the High School State Honors Treble Choir, the online version of the WSMA Festival Music List, the Wisconsin Award for Excellence in Teaching Music, and was the lead writer for all rubric evaluation forms now used in WSMA festivals and auditions.
Prior to her work at WSMA, Linda was an editor, author and clinician for Hal Leonard Corporation in Milwaukee. She was the driving force of the original Essential Elements Comprehensive Band Method series, which has become the most successful series in Hal Leonard’s history as the world’s largest print music publisher.
Teachers are encouraged to visit the center to peruse the titles in this collection, either individually or as part of an in-service for your district. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Evening and weekend visits may be arranged by appointment by calling the office at 800-589-9762.
James Sewrey Percussion Library
James Serey is a retired professor of percussion, band director and performer. Jim is a charter member of the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), a founding member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), as well as the author of the society’s name. He is a founding member of Percussion Workshop of America, the American Orff Schulwerk Association, the Project Create Percussion Ensemble (PCPE), and the Spring City Area Percussion Ensemble (SCAPE). Jim conceptualized the development of a student drum-pad and bell kit for early instructional use. He has authored special studies for a band method book and solos for concert snare drum, as well as collaborated with fellow band director JD Morsch to score for large percussion ensembles.
He is currently the coordinator of a Percussion Fest to be hosted at Carroll University in Waukesha, is an advisor to the Wisconsin State Chapter of PAS board of directors, maintains a teaching percussion studio and enjoys giving clinics and lectures.
The James Sewrey Percussion Library includes personal materials donated by Jim Sewrey including music scores, book and other resources that will be utilized by musicians, teachers, students and the general public.
Jack Schutz Jazz Library
James and Jacquelyn Schutz and their children – Emile, Leah, Chloe, and Alec – provided the gift to name the Jazz Library in honor of James’ father, Jack Schutz. Their parents are lifelong supporters of music and music education and love jazz.
Jack played piano amazingly (by ear) and collected jazz records of all kinds to the delight of his family, It is especially appropriate that he is remembered through a distinctly American musical genre as he served his country in World War II and was proudly patriotic.
The Schutz Family wishes to make jazz more available to Wisconsin’s students and teachers to inspire them to love jazz as much as Jack did.
A variety of materials are available in the Jack Schutz Jazz Library including periodicals, biographies, jazz music and much much more.
Marvin J. Rabin Orchestra Library
Marvin Rabin, performer/conductor/educator, joined the UW-Madison School of Music and Extension Music Department in the fall of 1966 with the establishment of the Wisconsin String Development Program. Having already established himself as a leader in the country’s youth orchestra movement, he initiated the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra Program, which, now forty years old, is recognized among the nation’s elite. Known internationally for his leadership in string pedagogy (having taught on five continents), he made Wisconsin teachers and students the beneficiaries of growing string programs, teacher workshops, and guest artist/pedagogues. He is, above all, a life-long advocate of all the arts for young people and for more recognition of their achievements. The Rabin Youth Arts Award has been established to recognize those who support Youth Arts.
In 2011 the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music was honored to award Marvin J. Rabin with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to music education.
Michael E. Leckrone Band Library
The Michael E. Leckrone Band Library was established in 2005 to honor Mike Leckrone, director of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band and recipient of the 2007 Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mike Leckrone became the director of the UW Marching Band in 1969, turning a program with relatively little interest into a national phenomenon. In 1975 he created the Varsity Band’s Annual Spring Concert, which now includes three performances for over 25,000 attendees each year. Awards include “Outstanding Educator of America” by the Outstanding Americans Foundation in 1970 and the “Outstanding Bandmaster Award” by the Wisconsin Chapter of Phi Beta Mu in 1973.
The library contains several scores and parts for all levels of band repertoire. Donors to the Michael E. Leckrone Band Library include musicians and educators from throughout Wisconsin and around the country. View the Donors (PDF). If you are interested in donating materials or a financial contribution to this library contact our development associate.
Morris D. Hayes Choral Library
Morris Hayes came to Wisconsin by way of Nebraska and Kansas State. His major area of scholarship and specialty was the male chorus, and he was granted a sabbatical leave to study boys’ choirs. After many guest appearances in Wisconsin he accepted a permanent position in 1966 to become the Director of Choral Organizations for Wisconsin State University-Eau Claire, now University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His choral organizations, whether mixed chorus, women’s glee clubs or men’s groups, were of a standard that was the envy of many through the country. The Singing Statesmen male chorus was formed shortly after his arrival at Eau Claire and has become an integral part of the heritage of the campus. Wisconsin’s high school choral programs have reaped the benefits of Professor Hayes’ teaching both directly and through his students. He retired in 1987 and currently lives in Carlsbad, California.
Ralph J. Houghton Honors Library
Ralph Houghton served as the Kenosha Unified School District’s Director of Music from 1956 through 1979 when he was named the District’s Assistant Superintendent of Schools, a capacity in which he served from 1979 until his retirement in 1987. He is credited with starting such Kenosha area traditions as the annual Band-O-Rama, Orchestra Festival and Choral Festival. During his tenure as Director of Music, Kenosha attained a reputation as one of the finest public schools’ music education programs in the nation, a distinction it has retained for a half century. Throughout his teaching and administrative years, Ralph was also a leader in statewide music education as well, serving as President of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association and one of the founding fathers of the WSMA Wisconsin Honors Program, recognized nationally for its quality and educational values.
This library features scores, programs and recordings of the honor’s concerts dating as far back as 1968. Teachers and students are welcome to peruse the materials and listen to the recordings.