麻豆影院

We recently caught up with cellist (DMA 鈥�07) on a range of topics鈥攆rom her role with the College of Music National Alumni Council (COMNAC) to the impact of her College of Music experience on her freelance career to her recent performance at the Birdland Jazz Club & Birdland Theater in New York City.

鈥淚t took the better part of 20 years to make my life in the states possible,鈥� says the Scottish-born alumna, who has performed in major venues of Europe, Asia and the United States as a classical soloist and chamber musician. Highlights include performances of the Saint-Sa毛ns, Elgar and Dvorak Cello concerti. 鈥淚n 2013, my husband [saxophonist Marc Phaneuf] and I bought a home in Westchester and in 2016 I became a U.S. citizen.鈥�

Dorman-Phaneuf has also been a featured performer with John Pizzarelli, Jeremy Jordan and Jason Robert Brown, and she鈥檚 appeared in multiple TV broadcasts鈥攊ncluding these 鈥淟ive From Lincoln Center鈥� broadcasts: Lang Lang鈥檚 New York Rhapsody and Joshua Bell with Friends @ The Penthouse; as well as Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do on 鈥淕reat Performances.鈥�

鈥淥nly after I鈥檇 started playing shows on Broadway, I learned that both my mother鈥檚 father, Robert Marshall, and my father鈥檚 mother, Marie Dorman, had played theatrical productions professionally in Glasgow,鈥� she continues. 鈥淚 guess theater-playing is in my blood?鈥�

Indeed, on Feb. 4 in the Big Apple, Dorman-Phaneuf hosted 鈥淢ore 麻豆影院 the Melody: Celtic Night Songs of Ireland and Scotland.鈥� With a traditional Celtic band and co-hosted by Steve Gibb (guitar) and Ben Power (Irish flutes and pipes), the show presented Broadway鈥檚 Scottish- and Irish-born singers in their interpretations of songs inspired by the ancient melodies.

鈥淚t was a mixture of Broadway tunes from shows like 鈥極nce鈥� and 鈥楤rigadoon,鈥� alongside more traditional Celtic melodies. I was听excited to be able to perform them with other Celtic-born folk,鈥� adds Dorman-Phaneuf, who has held chairs in 16 Broadway shows鈥攊ncluding 鈥淭he Bridges of Madison County,鈥� 鈥淎 Little Night Music,鈥� 鈥淪unday in the Park with George鈥� and 鈥淢y Fair Lady.鈥� Off-Broadway credits include the premier productions of Jason Robert Brown鈥檚 鈥淭he Last Five Years鈥� and the 2013 Classic Stage revival of Stephen Sondheim鈥檚 鈥淧assion.鈥�

Reflecting on COMNAC, she says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 comprised of an amazingly diverse group of alumni, and I鈥檓 honored to be included.

鈥淚 had the benefit of a teaching assistantship for most of my time at CU 麻豆影院, which made my studies financially feasible, so I鈥檓 glad to be able to give back in this way. I think it鈥檚 vital to connect current students with professionals, in whichever field they鈥檙e interested in pursuing鈥攚hich is an important part of what COMNAC is all about.

鈥淎s a performer, nothing beats hours and hours of practice and training during college鈥攂ecoming the best musician you can. But once you get 鈥榦ut there,鈥� why not have the benefit of others鈥� experiences to guide and maybe inspire you? I look forward to seeing how the COMNAC group grows and expands.鈥�

Upon receiving an associate degree at London鈥檚 Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Dorman-Phaneuf earned master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at the College of Music.

鈥淢y biggest influence was my teacher, [Professor Emerita of Cello] Judith Glyde,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had graduated from a conservatory in London that held a very strict standard for technical training. It nearly broke me, as I鈥檇 always been more expressively inclined, but Judith helped me find my emotional 鈥榝eet.鈥� She also taught me to see the big picture of the pieces I was playing, which was supported by the musicology studies I took.

鈥淪pecifically, I loved [Associate Professor of Music Theory] Steve Bruns鈥� courses. I鈥檇 previously always hated analyzing music鈥攚ho wants to dissect a frog!鈥攂ut he taught us different methods, like Schenkerian analysis, which I found helpful with regard to conceptualizing the entire piece.

鈥淚 was also able to gravitate toward studying the great 鈥楲ied鈥� composers鈥擝rahms, Schubert, Schumann, Mahler鈥攚hich was a foundation for understanding song-writing. Another practical skill was preparing for recitals. For a dozen years, I needed to prepare at least one full recital as part of my course requirements, and ultimately, lecture recitals for my doctoral studies.

鈥淏eing comfortable introducing your performance is a very useful skill. I鈥檇 certainly encourage younger performers to get in the habit!鈥�

When Dorman-Phaneuf moved to New York in 2002, she didn鈥檛 know anyone there from CU 麻豆影院. 鈥淚 reached out to the contacts I鈥檇 made through working professionally in Denver,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut it would have been very helpful to know someone living and working here in New York.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I think it鈥檚 wonderful to have this connection to our amazing alumni. is an incredible resource.鈥�