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Franeschina named distinguished professor

02/14/2003—John Franceschina, distinguished professor of theatre arts was recently named as distinguished professors for his exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research and service.

Franceschina, distinguished professor of theatre, joined Penn State in 1997 as an associate professor teaching world theatre history, music theatre history, music theory, theatre semiotics and an opera workshop. Although he has held many teaching positions, he was most recently an associate professor at Syracuse University and Florida State University. He has also worked extensively in professional theatres throughout the country.

He has published numerous books, including most recently Duke Ellington's Music for the Theatre (McFarland & Company, 2001), David Braham: The American Offenbach (Routledge, 2002), Harry B. Smith: Dean of American Librettists (Routledge, 2003). His compositions, "Vathek: Concerto for Orchestra" and "Passacaglia and Fugue" have been chosen as test pieces for an national orchestral competition in Germany, the Deutscher Musikrat, in 2004.

Franceschina holds a master’s of music in theory and composition from Hartt College of Music and a M.F.A. in playwrighting from the Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Amercian Federation of Musicians, Broadcast Music, Inc., Dramatist Guild, The Duke Ellington Society, Midwestern American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies, the New Society for Eighteenth Century French Studies, American Accordionists Association and Phi Beta Kappa.

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