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A Single Noon – Gregg Kallor
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Alumni, Video on April 22, 2013
Tufts Alum Gregg Kallor, A00, has recently released a CD entitled A Single Noon. Kallor started playing the piano as a toddler and before high school graduation he had already performed at the White House and toured Europe twice. As a double major in American studies and music while at Tufts, Kallor had the opportunity to further sharpen his skills.
Since graduating from Tufts, Kallor moved to New York to pursue music. In 2007, he had the opportunity to play his New York concert debut in Carnegie’s Hall Weill Recital Hall. Kallor’s most recent Carnegie Hall concert, in 2011, featured the first premiere of A Single Noon. He won the Aaron Copland Award for Composition which gave him the opportunity to live in Rock Hill, Aaron Copland’s restored, longtime New York home and take time to focus on his creative work, free from distractions and other professional responsibilities.
Unlike his first album, There’s a Rhythm, which featured his jazz trio with bassist Chris Van Voorst Van Beest and drummer Kendrick Scott, his newest album is a nine-movement suite for solo piano. It is told through a combination of composed music and jazz improvisation. A Single Noon was inspired by Kallor’s life in New York – the music represents moments of caffeinated bliss, embarrassing subway mishaps, the buzzing energy of a city driven by dynamic, thoughtful, talented and slightly crazy individuals.
Watch the music video below for the first single ‘Espresso Nirvana.’
For more information and updates on Kallor, like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter.
AutismSees
Posted by Amelia Cohen in App, Research, School of Engineering, Students, Technology, Video on April 15, 2013
Two Tufts Students, Danielle Feerst, A16, and Isabella Slaby, A15, are currently raising funds for their business, AutismSees. They are working to create an iOS app for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The goal of the app is to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders to improve their social skills, personal presentation skills, and leadership development.
The app has a range of important features, such as using the device’s camera in order to give video feedback to the user. Any text can be imported into the app and visual cues will be embedded to make the user look up at a pair of eyes on the top of the screen, as many individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders have difficulty with making eye-contact.
The part of their app they are currently raising funds for is “Text to Speech” technology. Basically, software will be embedded in the displayed text in order to detect vocal intonation, mispronunciations and timing of the user’s speech. This feature will help individuals to improve pronunciation, respond to questions on time and build vocabulary.
Watch the video below to see Danielle and Isabella discuss more details about their app and why they believe it can improve many lives:
Jumbo Jugglers Performance Night
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Student Experience, Students, Video on April 10, 2013
The Tufts Jumbo Jugglers recently held a performance as a chance for the Tufts community to come see the amazing skills that these Jumbos refine every week. The group practices a variety of styles and techniques, including balls, contact staff, clubs, rings and devil sticks.
Their performance included guest acts by Vassar College’s Barefoot Monkeys, an acrobatic duo, and Cirque de Light, a local performing duo.
Watch the videos below for a taste of what Tufts’ juggler’s can do and click here for more videos:
TUSM Match Day 2013
Posted by Amelia Cohen in School of Medicine, Student Experience, Students, Video on April 3, 2013
March 15 was “Match Day,” when fourth-year medical students from Tufts University School of Medicine gathered to learn where they will do their residency training following graduation. Nearly 200 doctors-in-training were in attendance, as well as their families, friends and the university community. Each was eager to receive the envelope which would contain the results of their match.
This year was the first time Tufts medical students were matched into a program called the “Maine Track” which is a partnership between Tufts University and Maine Medical Center for students interested in careers in rural areas.
Watch the video below to learn more about Match Day and see some of the excited students receive their matches.
Too Many Notes With Deke Sharon
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Alumni, Video on March 29, 2013
Onstage & Backstage, a blog from the Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group, published a Q&A with Tufts alumnus and former Beelzebub Deke Sharon, A91, about his love for and career in a cappella music.
Sharon talked about what drew him to a cappella:
[The beelzebubs] came and sang at my high school and it just changed my life. I was like ‘what is this? This is the greatest thing in the world!’ Up on stage there was all this energy, all these sounds, layers of voices.
He also spoke about the most rewarding aspect of writing a cappella music:
It gets really exciting and interesting because while a voice can only make one sound at a time, it’s actually able to create a wider range of sounds than any instrument and it’s also able to span musical styles in a way that instruments really can’t.
Recently, Sharon co-authored the book A Cappella Arranging, which is essentially a textbook for a cappella writing for every vocal arranger whether amateur or professional.
Check out the video below of Sharon as he gives his opinions on a cappella dos and don’ts:
Why We Need An Easi-Scan Song
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Student Experience, Students, Technology, Video on March 27, 2013
A group of Tufts University veterinary students entered the BCF Technology University Contest to win an Easi-Scan ultrasound system. To enter the contest, the students had to send in a group photo, article and video of why they deserve the system for their program. This group of Tufts students from the Student Livestock Organization were chosen to be one of the final eight schools in the competition.
The Student Livestock Organization is a group dedicated to helping students gain experience working with various types of livestock. Among other activities, this past year they sponsored a poultry-handling lab on campus, a full day of hoof trimming at a local sheep farm, and an AI certification lab. They also organize several practical labs each year and monthly rounds with their ambulatory vets.
Watch their video below and vote for Tufts here.
A Resurrection
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Alumni, Video on March 26, 2013
Check out Tufts alumnus Nick Jandl, A07, in the recently released movie A Resurrection! Prior to this film, Jandl had played a variety of roles in well-known television shows and movies, including The Green Lantern, Hot in Cleveland and Law&Order:LA.
A Resurrection opened in select theaters on March 22. It is a horror/suspense film that tells the story of a young boy who believes his recently deceased older brother has come back to life.
Watch the trailer below to see fellow Jumbo Nick Jandl in action:
What Do Students Learn in Mobile Health Design?
Posted by Amelia Cohen in App, Research, School of Medicine, Staff, Students, Technology, Video on March 21, 2013
Mobile Health Design is an online course offered by the Tufts School of Medicine. Taught by Assistant Professor Lisa Gualtieri, the course explores the role of mobile devices in consumer health at both national and global levels.
Some of the topics included in this course are trends in use of mobile devices, how design incorporates mobility and input/out capabilities of mobile devices, the role of big data and predictive analytics in public health, how and why consumers find and use health apps, and techniques for creating, maintaining and overseeing the use of health apps. This five week course is conducted through a mix of lecture, discussion and skill-based exercises. The program culminates in the actual creation of a health app by the students for a real organization.
To learn what some students have done for their final projects, check out this YouTube channel and watch below as Meghan Hamrock, N13, shares details on her final project about medical adherence and the app version for patients:
Magic Man Climbs the Charts
Posted by Veronica Richter in Alumni, Social Media, Video on March 18, 2013
Tufts graduate and musician, Alex Caplow, A12, is reaping the fruits of his labor with the release of Magic Man‘s new single, “Paris.”
This single is quickly captivating music lovers everywhere and has even proven its worth on Hype Machine, a music discovery site that compiles the songs music bloggers write about into feeds and playlists. One of their playlists, “Popular Now ranks the top tracks on the site based on how many likes each song received. According to the Last.fm blog, Magic Man reached the coveted #2 spot on the “Popular Now” list with more than 1,640 listens and 1,260 likes in less then a week.
Magic Man began as Caplow and his friend’s side project while at Tufts and has since grown into a 5-piece group. Like what you hear? You can download the single here and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
Daylight Saving Time
Posted by Amelia Cohen in Faculty, Research, Video on March 14, 2013
This past weekend was Daylight Saving Time, when most people in the U.S. set their clocks an hour forward. CBS reported on this event and noted that some find Daylight Saving’s useful while others find it to be quite frustrating.
Tufts faculty member Michael Downing, the author of Spring Forward, a book all about Daylight Saving Time, explained the origin:
Daylight saving was originally meant to save electricity with lighting at homes.
He also remarked about some long standing Daylight Saving Time errors that have occurred. For example, what happened after Russia sprung forward for the first time in 1928:
When October came, the Russians forgot to fall back. It wasn’t until 1985 that an AP reporter stumbled onto the fact that the clocks were all wrong in Russia.
For more facts and insights from Downing, watch the rest of the CBS report here.