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Volume 40, Issue 10.
February 25, 2003
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Professor shares music with class and community
By Dan Smith
Mesa Legend
MCC’s Piano Department Coordinator Ruth Yandell performed with the
Civic Orchestra of Tucson Feb. 16 and 23.
“Usually you just work with another piano or play by yourself,”
Yandell said. “It’s so different (to play with an orchestra),
because you have all the other instruments. It’s fun.”
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MCCs’ Piano Department CoordinatorRuth
Yandell performed with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson
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Herschell Kreloff, the director of the Civic Orchestra approached Yandell
after one of her concerts and asked if she would be willing to perform
with the orchestra. Exhausted from a tiring performance, Yandell
declined the offer. One week later, she called Kreloff and they agreed
to work together.
Yandell practiced with the orchestra at two rehearsals prior to the concerts.
Yandell performed George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”
at both performances.
“It’s a fun piece,” Yandell exclaimed, “you hear it
all the time, it’s popular and everybody knows it.”
Aside from her performance with the Civic Orchestra, Yandell also plays
piano at MCC faculty and student concerts. She has played with the Battle
Creek Symphony, Western Michigan University Chamber Orchestra, the Phoenix
Chamber Orchestra, and she has played the organ and harpsichord for the
Phoenix Bach and Madrigal Society.
Yandell came to the United States from Cebu, Philippines after graduating
from Silliman University and the Philippine Women’s University in
Music Performance. She graduated high school when she was only 14.
She began playing piano at the age of 8. She attended Western Michigan
University on fellowship, and was a Fullbright Scholar. Yandell received
a Masters degree in Music Performance.
“(Playing the piano) is very relaxing. You get emotionally involved
with it. It’s a way of expressing yourself,” said Yandell.
She has studied under Rosina Lhevinne, Erlinda Matthay-Corral, Albert
Faurot, and William Heiles. Yandell teaches Intro to Music Theory, levels
one through four of piano, Chamber Ensemble here at MCC, and she gives
private instruction. She began teaching at MCC part-time in 1972 and became
full-time in 1976.
Yandell currently works as an advisor for the Asian Pacific Islander Association
at MCC. She operated as president of the association last year.
The association established an endowment fund, providing scholarships
to Asian Pacific Islander students. Yandell also works on the International
Education Committee, the district’s Diversity Advisory Council, and
the District Faculty Recruitment Commission. She even has a Ruth Yandell
Endowment, which provides scholarships to piano/keyboard students.
She proposed the idea of a District Music Competition in 1988, the competition
is still held every year.
“It makes you feel good; you’re doing something for the students,”
Yandell said.
Yandell also attended the Aspen School of Music, where she met husband,
David Yandell.
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