Latest InJordan College of the Arts

He left Butler nearly 20 years ago, but, from 1986–1996, Michael Shasberger provided his students in the Butler Chorale with great memories—including five international tours and the staging of Handel’s “Messiah”—along with instruction that still guides them today. The memories are so strong, in fact, that over the July 24–26 weekend, about two dozen of […]

The Butler Chorale has landed another spectacularly high-profile gig: July 4 with the Rolling Stones at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the band’s ZIP CODE tour. The 26-member choral group, which performed with Madonna as part of the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, will be providing backup vocals during one song of the […]

Matthew Kraemer ’99 has been named Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO). “The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra is a dynamic organization comprised of superb musicians providing its audience an impressive variety of music and concert formats,” he said. “This position would undoubtedly be highly attractive to any conductor, but I am […]

After more than 30 years as Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Opera and guest conducting across the country, James Caraher now relies on his vast expertise to prepare the next generation of opera talent—students. Caraher, who joined the Butler Opera Theatre as Music Director in January, has opera students preparing for the upcoming “A Night […]

In the liner notes on their self-titled debut CD, the Icarus Ensemble—Butler University School of Music faculty members Jon Crabiel and Gary Walters and three members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra—thank their fans. “You’ve waited a long time for this,” the group writes, “and we hope it was worth the wait.” Their followers have, in […]

Associate Professor of Theatre Rob Koharchik needed a couple of cartons of Kents, and he needed them fast. But after checking three smoke shops—and being told they’d cost $68 each—he decided to make them himself. “Just give me a carton of your cheapest cigarettes, and we’ll fake the rest,” said Koharchik, who needed the cigarettes […]