[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E932-E933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO CHRIS CARDUCCI, GARTH EPPLEY, GEORGINA JOSHI, ZACHARY NOVAK 
                           AND ROBERT SAMELS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 23, 2006

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, the community of classical vocal music 
artists and listeners suffered a great loss on April 20, 2006, when a 
light plane carrying five outstanding graduate students from Indiana 
University's Bloomington campus School of Music crashed just short of 
its destination. We join those grieving the loss of these talented 
musicians--Chris Carducci of Monroe, MI; Garth Eppley of Wabash, IN; 
Georgina Joshi of South Bend, IN; Zachary Novak of Anderson, IN; and 
Robert Samels of Medina, OH--for their accomplishments, for the great 
promise they held, and for the people they were. We will remember them 
today:
  Chris Carducci--born April 18, 1978, in Monroe, MI, a graduate of 
Monroe High School, he received a bachelor of arts degree in music 
education in 2002 from Bowling Green State University--BGSU, Bowling 
Green, OH. He earned a master's degree in music from Indiana 
University, Bloomington, in 2005. He was a life member of St. John 
Catholic Church, where he was baptized, confirmed, and educated at its 
school. He was a former member and past president of the BGSU Men's 
Chorus. His opera career included an appearance at Carnegie Hall, where 
he sang selections from Wolf's Italienisches Liederbuch for the Marilyn 
Horne Foundation's ``The Song Continues . . . 2005.'' A baritone, Mr. 
Carducci performed with Toledo Opera, Michigan Opera Works, BGSU Opera 
Theater and IU Opera Theater. In 2005, he created the role of Pontius 
Pilate in ``Pilatus,'' a new opera by Robert Samels. Last year, he was 
recognized by the Metropolitan Opera National Council's Indiana 
District with an Encouragement Award. He also was a two-time winner of 
the Conrad-Peatee Art Song Competition.
  Zachary Joseph Novak--Born Sept. 17, 1980, in Anderson, IN, graduated 
Highland High School in 1999. He went on to Anderson University and 
received a bachelor's degree in 2004, graduating summa cum laude with 
honors in music. Zach received the Anderson University music 
department's Voice Performance Award and won the Senior Men category 
and State National Association of Teachers of Singing Awards. He was 
due to graduate in early May with a master of music degree in choral 
conducting with a minor in voice from Indiana University in 
Bloomington. During his years at Indiana University he studied under

[[Page E933]]

the direction of Dr. William Gray, professor of chorale conducting, who 
was instrumental in Zach's participation in the Lafayette & Carmel Bach 
Chorale. The Jacobs School of Music at IU continued to foster and 
enrich his gift of music. Numerous teachers, professors, and ministers 
had a positive influence on Zach throughout his life. While in 
Bloomington, Zach was the worship coordinator at First United Methodist 
Church where he directed the Wesley Choir and Children's Choir. During 
his time in Anderson, he was the choir director at Bethel United 
Methodist and choir director and organist at St. Ambrose Catholic 
Church, where he was a member. He touched so many with his musical 
talents. Zach received numerous awards during his life, including the 
American Legion Award twice, the Arion Music Award, Best Male Vocalist 
1999, and Who's Who Among American High School & College Students. 
Scholarships include: The Theodore Presser Music Award, The Lilly 
Foundation, Anderson University Academic Honors, AU Music Award, AU 
Trustee Award, Tri Kappa Award, Student Exploratory Teaching, AFT 
Teacher's Award, and the Herman and Anne Leaf Award.

  Robert Samels--Born June 2, 1981, in Akron, OH. Robert taught as an 
associate instructor in the IU Jacobs School of Music Theory Department 
with the same zeal he approached all his other professional activities. 
He was in charge of T231 and was loved and admired by his students. As 
a bass-baritone he had recently appeared as Mr. Gibbs in the world 
premiere of ``Our Town'' by Ned Rorem, as Marco in the collegiate 
premiere of William Bolcom's ``A View from the Bridge,'' as well as 
Joseph and Herod in the collegiate premiere of ``EI Nino'' by John 
Adams. In September 2005, he conducted the premiere of his own opera, 
``Pilatus.'' As a member of the Wolf Trap Opera Company for 2006, he 
would have added three roles this summer, including Bartolo in ``Le 
nozze di Figaro,'' Friar Laurence in ``Romeo et Juliette,'' and Pluto 
in Telemann's ``Orpheus.'' Other opera credits included the title roles 
of ``Don Pasquale'' and ``Il Turco in Italia,'' as well as Leporello in 
``Don Giovanni,'' Falstaff in ``Merry Wives of Windsor,'' and Bottom in 
``A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' In the summer of 2004, Samels performed 
Creon in the New York premiere of John Eaton's ``Antigone.'' He also 
frequently performed in the oratorio repertoire. In the spring of 2005, 
he was selected as a semifinalist in the annual competition of the 
Oratorio Society of New York. He began his vocal studies with Alfred 
Anderson at the University of Akron and Andreas Poulimenos at Bowling 
Green State University. He was a doctoral student in choral conducting 
at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and had studied voice 
with Giorgio Tozzi and Costanza Cuccaro. Robert was an announcer as 
well as host and producer of ``Cantabile'' with public radio station 
WFIU. A soloist with Aguava New Music Studio, he recently performed a 
concert at the Library of Congress.
  Georgina Joshi--Born October 21, 1981, in Elkhart, IN and embarked on 
a life filled with beautiful music. Georgina started singing at a very 
early age and studied violin from the age of 3. Georgina's first stage 
appearance was in Canton, OH, where she appeared with Players Guild of 
Canton in a production of the musical, Oliver. Her operatic debut was 
as Amahl in Indiana Opera North's production of Amahl and the Night 
Visitors. Georgina graduated from John Adams High School where she was 
a member of the 1999 State Champion Mock Trial Team. During high school 
she was a member of the IUSB Philharmonic and the South Bend Chamber 
Singers, concertmistress of South Bend Youth Symphony, and participated 
in summer music programs at lnterlochen, Tanglewood Music Center and 
Aspen Music School. She received numerous awards, including the YWCA 
Young Woman of the Year. Georgina attended the Royal College of Music, 
London, England, where she studied with Eiddwen Harrhy, receiving a 
bachelor of music, honors, degree in 2001. Since that time she has been 
a student at the IU Jacobs School of Music where she studied with Alan 
Bennet. While at IU, Georgina appeared as a soloist in various concert 
works including Haydn's Creation, Handel's Solomon, the B-Minor Mass of 
Bach, Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia, Mendelssohn's Psalm 42, Schubert's 
Mass in A Flat Major, Mozart's Litenae Lauritenae K.195, the Mozart 
Requiem, and the Brahms Deutsches Requiem. She also appeared with IU 
Opera Theatre as Clorinda in Cenerentola and Despina in Cosi fan Tutte. 
She collaborated with other musicians such as the Catacoustic Consort, 
the Bath Street Studio, and was a member of the Carmel Bach Festival 
Chorale. Outside the USA she appeared as a soloist in England, Wales, 
Romania, and Greece.

  Garth Eppley--Garth was born on Feb. 7, 1981, in Wabash, IN, 
graduated Wabash High School. He graduated from Anderson College in 
2003 with a degree in music performance, and was a student at Indiana 
University Jacobs School of Music. He attended Giest Christian Church, 
Fishers, and was a member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, 
Yankee Beamers, and Rounders No. 7. Eppley had a bachelor's degree in 
voice performance with honors in performance from Anderson University. 
A tenor, Eppley studied under Fritz Robertson while at Anderson. His IU 
Opera Theater roles included Lysander in ``A Midsummer Night's Dream,'' 
the second man in ``The Magic Flute,'' and the lawyer in ``Peter 
Grimes.'' He was a frequent soloist with the Indiana University 
Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, with which he recently sang the role of 
Pilatus in Arvo Part's ``Passio.'' Eppley also was a frequent soloist 
with the Lafayette Bach Chorale, where he had performed in such 
programs as Handel's ``Solomon,'' Rachmaninoffs ``Vespers'', and the 
Festival of Sacred Choral Music under the baton of guest conductor 
Craig Jessup of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Last summer, Eppley was a 
participant, along with other singers from the United States and 
Canada, in the Charley Creek Vocal Workshop, an intense program of aria 
and song study. He was a master's student at IU, studying with Peru 
native Timothy Noble.
  They are mourned across the country--from Carmel, CA, to New York's 
Carnegie Hall, to the Wolftrap Farm Park Summer Opera in northern 
Virginia, to all over the Midwest and Indiana. May we never forget.

                          ____________________