UW-Whitewater student is octaves above as Gaarder Award winner

October 14, 2004

For the second time in four years, the WMEA Richard G. Gaarder Award has been presented to a UW-Whitewater student. This top statewide award recognizes the exceptional leadership, musical excellence and service to the campus and community of an undergraduate music major. Laurel Meuth, of Blanchardville, recipient of this year’s Gaarder award, exemplifies these criteria.

Meuth, an upcoming December 2004 graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree, has received academic honors all four years in college. She has been on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Communication from 2002-2004; a student representative on the Academic Standards Committee and the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee. While a student at UW-Whitewater, Meuth has performed as part of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, the Warhawk Marching Band and with several musical orchestras and university trios.

“Laurel has so many personal strengths: she excels in the classroom, the concert hall, and the committee meeting,” said Christian K. Ellenwood, associate professor of clarinet and music theory. “She is a problem-solver, a thinker and a person of positive energy. The beautiful tone she makes with her oboe is the perfect expression and synthesis of her inner qualities.”

The Richard A. Gaarder Award was established to commemorate the 25 years of leadership and outstanding service Gaarder provided to the Wisconsin School Music Association. As the 2004 recipient, Meuth is the eighth UW-Whitewater music education student to receive the award in the 16 years since its inception in 1988.

“Receiving the Gaarder Award is a culmination of all the things I’ve done,” said Meuth. “I’ve won this award and that scholarship, but the Gaarder is special because a UW-Whitewater faculty member nominated me and others thought highly enough of me to write letters of recommendation.”

Meuth will receive the award on Thursday, Oct. 28 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison as part of the 2004 Wisconsin State Music Conference.

A graduate of Pecatonica High School in May 2000, Meuth began her musical career in the fifth grade. Often taking ‘the road less traveled,’ Meuth selected to play the instrument least chosen in band, the oboe. Currently, Meuth is student teaching at both the Patrick Marsh Middle School and the Sun Prairie High School, both in Sun Prairie, teaching band.

“My aspirations are to be a good teacher,” said Meuth. “As good as those who gave me their contagious enthusiasm and love for music. It’s finally settled in with me, this is where I’m supposed to be––teaching.”