School of Music Faculty and Staff
Mark Avery, Adjunct Associate Professor of Bassoon, teaches studio bassoon, serves as principal bassoon with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and plays with the Millikin Faculty Woodwind Quintet. Dr. Avery received his D.M.A. in Bassoon Performance from the University of Michigan. He studied bassoon with L. Hugh Cooper, John Miller, Wendal Jones, and Bernard Garfield. Prior to moving to Decatur, he taught at Western Illinois University, the University of Mississippi, and Northern Arizona University. Dr. Avery has performed and presented papers at International Double Reed Society Conferences, and has published articles in the International Double Reed Society Journal and the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Journal.
e-mail: mavery@mail.millikin.edu
Solomon Baer is Adjunct Associate Professor of Clarinet. Mr. Baer is principal clarinet in the Millikin Decatur Symphony, Opera Illinois, and the Prairie Ensemble in which he was soloist in Finzi's "Five Bagatelles." He is also a member of Sinfonia da Camera which was on tour recently in London. Mr Baer has also been soloist at Krannert Performing Arts Center, and Smith Hall. Prior to coming to Illinois he was principal clarinet in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago, Chile. Mr. Baer also was principal clarinet in the National Symphonies of Costa Rica and Chile. While in Chile Mr. Baer was soloist on Mozart's Concerto for Clarinet, And Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. Mr. Baer also was member of the Grand Rapids Symphony. He has toured throughout the United States with various ensembles, performing in such venues as the Kennedy Center, The Museum for Contemporary Art in Chicago, The Grand Rapids Museum of Art, Race Street Gallery, Krannert Art Museum, Interlochen, and the Cabrillo Music Festival in Santa Cruz California. His clarinet teachers include James Livingston, Larry Combs, Clark Brody, Robert Marcellus, and David Harris. Mr. Baer is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. He can be heard on recordings with the Louisville Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony and the Sinfonia da Camera.
email: sbaer@mail.millikin.edu
Violist Christine Bock received the MM degree in performance from Northwestern University. She holds the principal viola chair in the Millikin/Decatur Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Symphony, Chamber and Pops Orchestras and has been principal violist in many regional orchestras, including South Bend, Peoria and the Missouri Symphony Society. As soloist, recent important performances include the Telemann Viola Concerto with the Illinois Chamber Orcherstra, featured soloist in Strauss' Don Quixote with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Karl Stamitz's Viola Concerto with the South Bend Symphony, and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #6 with the Illinois State University Orchestra.
e-mail: cbock@mail.millikin.ed
Soprano Ann Borders performed a recital at Alice Tully Hall as the Liederkranz Foundation Winner in 1988; that same year she also won the American Opera Auditions. Her theatrical experience encompasses roles with the Reimann Opera Theatre, the Illinois Opera Theatre, Springfield Opera Theatre, Little Theatre on the Square (Sullivan, Illinois), and Theatre 7 (Decatur).
email: amorrow@mail.millikin.edu
Jeremy Brunk teaches applied percussion, music theory and ear training, composition and 20th century music history. A proponent of new music performance, he also directs the Experimental Music Percussion Ensemble and frequently presents faculty recitals premiering new works. In addition to serving as principal timpani for the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, he is also a section percussionist with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Prof. Brunk is also currently ABD in percussion performance and literature at the University of Illinois, studying with William Moersch. He will soon complete his dissertation comparing the aspects of Debussy’s influence on two works for solo marimba by Jacob Druckman and Richard Rodney Bennett. He holds an M.M. in percussion from the University of Oklahoma where he studied with Richard Gipson.
e-mail: jbrunk@millikin.edu
David Burdick (DMA, University of Texas at Austin) has taught commercial music, composition, and guitar at Millikin since 1989, and is faculty adviser for the Millikin Songwriters Guild. Dr. Burdick has recently installed and wired his own recording studio, which during its first seven months of operation released fourteen CDs. He continues to perform professionally on guitar and acoustic bass in the Central Illinois region. His last two compositions have enjoyed a number of performances around the country and his most recent piece has been performed at two festivals.
e-mail: dburdick@mail.millikin.edu
Andy Burtschi has taught jazz and commercial styles on acoustic and electric bass at Millikin since 1998. He holds a bachelor's degree in music business from the University of Evansville and has completed coursework toward a master of jazz studies at the University of North Texas. Andy has worked as a professional bassist for nearly fifteen years in Dallas, Memphis, Nashville, and Central Illinois. Recording projects since coming to Millikin include: Hard at It and Cool Yule with Randall Reyman; Rose of Laomi, Oop Bop Sh'Bang, and Bird's Eye View with Sam Crain. An in-demand bassist with extensive studio and live experience in a wide array of musical styles, he continues to enjoy a full playing schedule with many of the finest groups and musicians in the Central Illinois area.
e-mail:aburtschi@mail.millikin.edu
Dr. Daniel Carberg, tenor, has recently performed with Sting, Piffaro, The Catacoustic Consort, Baroque Artists of Champaign (BACH), and has been featured on National Public Radio's Performance Today . Dan is also a founding and current member of the internationally acclaimed Concord Ensemble as well as the Millikin University faculty ensemble for early music, Gravitación. Other credits include performances with Theatre of Voices, The Pro Arte Singers, and at The Madison Early Music Festival, The Bloomington Early Music Festival, The Berkeley Early Music Festival, The Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Disney Hall, Weil Recital Hall, and recording credits include such labels as Dorian Records, Gothic Records, Harmonia Mundi, and First Step Records. At Millikin University Dan teaches applied voice, vocal pedagogy, vocal performance seminar, and Medieval/Renaissance music history. Dan directs a prestigious small vocal ensemble, Tudor Voices, and is also a music director, conductor, and continuo player for the Millikin Opera Theatre. Past and current projects include Purcell's Dido and Aeneas , Mozart's Bastien and Bastienne , and Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea . Dan also serves as voice faculty at Bella Musica, Millikin's summer immersion program in Urbania, Italy. Dan holds a doctorate in music from Indiana University, Bloomington.
e-mail: dcarberg@mail.millikin.edu
website: http://faculty.millikin.edu/~dcarberg
Charles R. Ciorba, Assistant Professor, teaches courses in music education, coordinates the general music practicum, and supervises student teachers. Dr. Ciorba received a B.M in Music Education from Wayne State University, a M.M. in Music Education from Bowling Green State University, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from The University of Miami (FL). Prior to joining the faculty at Millikin University, Dr. Ciorba taught instrumental and general music for the Ann Arbor Public Schools. His research interests include jazz improvisation achievement, self-perception, and the use of technology in the elementary music classroom. Dr. Ciorba has presented research and participated in workshops at the North Texas Symposium for Music Education, Illinois Music Educator's Association, National MENC, and the Society for Research in Music Education's Research Symposium I.
e-mail: cciorba@mail.millikin.edu
Dr. Susan Schroeder Cobb teaches class piano, studio piano, and piano pedagogy at Millikin University. Professor Cobb received her DMA degree from University of Oklahoma and her MM and BM degrees in piano performance from the University of Illinois. An active solo and collaborative recitalist, she gave her first solo recital at the age of 12; at age 13 she was concerto soloist with the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra of Rock Island, Moline, and Davenport. In 1999 Dr. Cobb performed a solo recital at the Instituto Cultural Dominicano-Americano in Santo Domingo in conjunction with a fine arts exchange program with Millikin University. She performs regularly with violinist Thomas LeVeck and most recently presented a duo piano recital with Millikin faculty Bruce Gibbons. She is past director of the Millikin Preparatory Department, a non-credit division of over 600 students and served as coordinator of class piano. Dr. Cobb is currently Director of Bella Musica – Millikin in Italy, a program which she established in 2006 in Urbania, Italy that combines intensive music and Italian study with cultural excursions. In the summers of 2003 and 2004 Dr. Cobb was on the faculty of La Musica Lirica, an international music festival in Urbania, Italy. As coordinator of the chamber music division she coached student ensembles; as pianist for faculty chamber ensembles she presented recitals in Urbania, Pergola, Urbino, and Piobbico. Dr. Cobb appears in the 2002 edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She has been on the faculty of the Summer Sonatina International Piano Camp in Bennington, Vermont and the Illinois Summer Youth Music Camp at University of Illinois, most recently in 2005.
e-mail: susancobb@aol.com
Soprano Frances Daniels is an active recitalist, oratorio soloist, and director. Over the past few years she has been the musical director and coach for Music Man, Sound of Music, She Loves Me, and Oklahoma in various regional theater companies. She is the Director of Music for the First Christian Church in Charleston, IL., directing the Chancel, High School, and Handbell choirs. Prior to Millikin she taught at Indiana State University, Penn State University, and Loras College. Since 1980, Professor Daniels has been a frequent contributor to the National Association of Teachers of Singing, adjudicating the NATS Artist Award Competition at both District and Regional levels. This past summer, Professor Daniels participated in an intensive Italian language and conversation study in Urbania, Italy at the Centro Studi Italiani. Daniels holds a B.M.E. in voice from Drake University, an M.A. in voice performance from the University of Iowa, and has completed coursework and required recitals toward a D.M.A. in voice performance from the University of Illinois. Currently, she teaches diction for singers and private voice.
E-mail: fdaniels@mail.millikin.edu
Assistant Professor of Music Ronnie Dean is in charge of the technical component of our program, and has managed our 24-track recording studio since 1985. His experience includes several years of technical and production work in radio, television, and the music industry, most notably in Nashville. Currently a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), he holds a valid Federal Communications License. He continues his activity in the industry as a freelance designer, installer, and television audio engineer. Professor Dean's most recent accomplishment is the design and installation of our new recording studio and video editing facility, Millitrax .
e-mail: rdean@mail.millikin.edu
Amy Catron Flores is active as a cellist in the central Illinois area, playing as principal in the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, principal and with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and principal with Sinfonia da Camera. She is the cellist with the Kirkland Piano Trio. She has been on faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Bands of America Camp, and Illinois Summer Youth Music Programs. Solo appearances have been with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (Florida), the Illinois Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and the Illini Symphony at the University of Illinois. Prior to moving to Illinois, she held a position with the Naples (Florida) Philharmonic. Mrs. Flores has performed with many orchestras including the Florida Philharmonic, the Akron and Canton (Ohio) Symphony Orchestras and the Richmond Symphony. Festival participation includes the Colorado Music Festival, the Brandeis Summer Institute, the National Orchestral Institute, the Leonard Rose Cello Competition Masterclasses, the Eastern Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival. She received her B.M. from Eastman School and M.M. from University of Akron. Mrs. Flores teaches applied cello, lower string methods, and chamber music at Millikin University.
e-mail: aflores@mail.millikin.edu
Dr. Guy Forbes holds a PhD in music education from the University of Florida and a Master of Music in choral conducting from Florida State University. He currently serves as Coordinator of Music Education and Associate Conductor of Choirs. Dr. Forbes teaches senior-level music education classes and conducting; he also directs the Freshman Women's Ensemble and the Chamber Chorale. He is on the Executive Board for the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Assn. (IL-ACDA) and serves as Editor for the "Conductors' Podium," a publication of IL-ACDA. In March of 2001, he presented a research paper on "Repertoire Selection Practices of High School Choral Directors" at the national ACDA convention in San Antonio. Dr. Forbes has served as a clinician and conductor for IMEA District Choral Festivals across the midwest and Florida.
Dr. Bruce Gibbons performs as a collaborative pianist in approximately thirty student recitals and ten faculty recitals per year at Millikin University, and has played for numerous NATS events throughout Illinois. He regularly assists with graduate recitals at the University of Illinois, Illinois State University, and Western Illinois University, and has toured the southeastern United States and Canada. Adjunct Professor of Piano since 1985, he holds the DMA from Louisiana State University.
e-mail: bgibbons@mail.millikin.edu
Associate Professor Helen M. "Hadi" Gibbons has taught voice, music theory, diction, and song literature at Millikin since 1985. Her DMA is from Louisiana State University. Dr. Gibbons has served as the Illinois State Governor of the National Association of Teachers of Singing since 1998, and she regularly judges state and regional auditions. She performs locally both as a soloist and in the choral group Opus 24. Dr. Gibbons recently studied and performed at the Franz-Schubert-Institut in Baden-bei-Wien, Austria.
e-mail: hgibbons@mail.millikin.edu
Associate Professor Laurie Glencross teaches flute, music theory and aural skills and coaches chamber ensembles including flute choir. She is Principal Flute of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra and the Faculty Woodwind Quintet. She completed a Doctor of Music from Florida State University in 2000. In 2002 Dr. Glencross and the Faculty Woodwind Quintet toured to the International Double Reed Society conference in Banff, Alberta where they presented a lecture-recital of Canadian music. As well that year she was a winner of the National Flute Association's Convention Performers Competition, appearing in recital at the NFA's Washington convention. She has performed as a chamber musician, soloist, and flute choir director in Canada and the United States, and as an orchestra member of the Orquestra del Festival de Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, the Palm Beach Opera, Valdosta Symphony, and Southwest Florida Symphony orchestras. At Millikin University Dr. Glencross has established the Millikin University Flute Society in an effort to foster a deeper interest in flute playing at the school and in the local community. This summer Dr. Glencross established the first Millikin University Residency at the St Andrews Arts Festival in New Brunswick, Canada. After this successful start to a new international program, she looks forward to returning next summer. For further information and to apply, go to the Millikin International Studies webpage listed below or contact Dr. Glencross directly at:
e mail: lglencross@mail.millikin.edu
http://www.millikin.edu/international/immersions/imm_07/Canada_music_summer07.html
Ted Hesse is a Lecturer of Music at Millikin University. He conducts the University Women’s Choir, Concert Choir and has conducted several of Millikin’s opera theatre productions. He also teaches voice, music theory and conducting. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Millikin University and his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Northern Iowa. He also attended the University of Minnesota where he studied music education.
e-mail: thesse@mail.millikin.edu
Sara Hoffee, adjunct professor of music history, is a native of Albion, IL. She received her MA in Musicology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her BM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Illinois Wesleyan University. Sara’s research interests include the Robert Schumann circle, early 20th-century modernism in American music, and Wagner reception in England. In addition to her academic interests, Sara is active in chamber and collaborative music and is a member of the piano preparatory faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Brad Holmes holds the DMA in choral conducting from Arizona State University. Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Millikin since 1991, Dr. Holmes teaches conducting and choral methods in addition to directing the school's flagship choral ensemble, University Choir and Concert Choir (freshmen mixed ensemble). He has been a guest conductor for festivals throughout the Midwest including All-State choirs in Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Mississippi and Illinois.
Internationally, he served a term as a Visiting Fellow at Wolfson College in Cambridge, England. While there he worked extensively with the Choir of Clare College, leading them for Evensong services and consulting on recording projects. He has conducted choirs in over 30 countries in Europe, South America, East Asia, the South Pacific and Australia. His most recent international engagement with the Royal Free Singers of Winsor, England featured a program of American music.
Under his direction, the Millikin University Choir has been invited to sing for three regional conventions of the American Choral Director's Association as well as state MEA conventions in both Indiana and Illinois. The choir has been invited to sing for the National ACDA convention in Miami in March 2007. Under Holmes' direction, the choir has produced four CDs on Millikin's First Step label. Click here to view Holmes' choral arrangements.
e-mail: bholmes@mail.millikin.edu
Since 1986, Associate Professor Georgia Hornbacker (MM Indiana University) has taught violin, upper string pedagogy and methods, and coached chamber music at Millikin. She has been Associate Concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra for the past 25 years, and is Associate Concertmaster of Opera Illinois. As violinist with the Kirkland Trio she has performed recitals in Taiwan at the National Taiwan University, on WILL radio’s Second Sunday Concert Series, and at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. She has played concertos with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Chamber Orchestra, and the Illini Symphony at the University of Illinois. Professor Hornbacker was named Outstanding Studio Teacher for 2001 by the Illinois chapter of the American String Teachers Association.
e-mail: ghornbacker@mail.millikin.edu
Dr. Grace Huang is Adjunct Assistant Professor at Millikin, where she teaches class piano and preparatory piano. A prizewinner in several young artist competitions in the Midwest, she has performed recitals throughout the U.S. as soloist and collaborative artist. Festival appearances have included Aspen, Madeline Island, Eastern, and Hampden-Sydney. Also an active teacher, adjudicator, and clinician, Dr. Huang has presented guest lectures and workshops, and recently published an article in the Fall 2006 issue of Georgia Music News.
Dr. Huang received her MM and DMA degrees in performance from the University of Minnesota under pianist Lydia Artymiw, and her BM from Vanderbilt University under Craig Nies. She has taught on the faculties of the University of Georgia, St. Cloud State University (MN), St. Joseph's School of Music (MN), and the Blair School of Music (TN).
email: ghuang@millikin.edu
Dr. Sharon Huff teaches Applied Tuba and Euphonium, Brass Methods, and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. She also supervises music education student teachers. Dr. Huff holds degrees from Illinois State University (BME) and the University of Illinois (MM and DMA). Before coming to Millikin, Dr. Huff was responsible for low brass, conducting, music education, band, music literature, humanities, and many other courses at Illinois State University and St. Norbert College (WI). She is an experienced public school teacher and much in demand as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. Author of numerous review articles for the International Tuba Euphonium Association Journal (formerly known as the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association Journal), she has also served ITEA on its Executive Committee as Conferences Coordinator. Dr. Huff is currently president of the International Women's Brass Conference, and she was host of the 2003 and 2006 conferences which were held at Illinois State University. Dr. Huff is Music Director of the Brass Band of Central Illinois and she performs
with the Monarch Brass Ensemble.
email: shuff@mail.millikin.edu
Brian Justison directs the Percussion Ensemble I and the World Percussion Ensemble. In addition, he teaches courses in jazz history, percussion methods, percussion pedagogy, and drum set styles. Mr. Justison's performance credits include the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Tupelo Symphony Orchestra, Danville Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Brass, and the Brass of Illinois. He has also performed with a variety of leading jazz, Latin, and pop artists including Gene Bertoncini, Brian Bromberg, Warren Chiasson, Jeremy Davenport, Dardanelle, Jane Hartman, Dave Hoffman, Bill Moore, Marcus Roberts, and John Whitney. Mr. Justison is sponsored in part by the Promark Corp. and Innovative Percussion. He is currently the president of the Illinois chapter of the Percussive Arts Society and a recent host of the PAS Illinois Day of Percussion. HoneyRock Publishing will release two of his pieces for percussion ensemble this fall. Mr. Justison holds degrees from Eastern Illinois University and the University of Mississippi.
e-mail: bjustison@mail.millikin.edu
Sonja Kassal teaches horn, serves as principal horn of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the Faculty Woodwind Quintet. She holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Eli Epstein, and from the University of Illinois, where she studied with Kazimierz Machala. She plays third horn in the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and regularly performs with the Illinois Symphony, the Peoria Symphony, and the Prairie Ensemble. During the summers, Prof. Kassal has performed as part of the National Orchestral Institute in Maryland, the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, and Sugar Creek Symphony and Song in Watseka, Illinois. In the summer of 2007 she toured the Gulf and Atlantic coasts with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her teaching duties at Millikin, Prof. Kassal teaches privately and has taught at St. Matthew School in Champaign.
email: skassal@millikin.edu
Jody Kienzler, lyric soprano, teaches both private and class voice. Ms. Kienzler graduated from Illinois Wesleyan with a degree in organ performance and holds the MA in vocal performance from Eastern Illinois University. In addition, she has completed course work, recitals, and exams for the DMA from the University of Illinois in vocal performance. Previously, Jody was a full-time staff musician at St. Joseph Parish in Vacaville, California, where she founded the St. Joseph Boys’ Choir, as well as seven other performing groups. The Boys’ Choir was invited to Canterbury, England, to participate in the International Children’s Choir Festival under the direction of David Flood and Henry Leck. In 2005 the choirs of St. Joseph toured Italy, culminating in a liturgy at the Papal altar of the Vatican.
Ms. Kienzler has made recent vocal performances in Sacramento, California, as the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, soloist for California regional Messiah, soloist for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Israel, and soprano soloist with Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Illinois. Since her return to Springfield, Ms. Kienzler started SERAPHIM, a treble quintet. She is the featured conductor for Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) Children’s Festival chorus November 2007 in Macomb, Illinois.
Baritone Matthew Leese is fast becoming known as a versatile baritone, voice teacher and director, specializing in early music, art song and opera. He has founded three critically acclaimed ensembles, the ‘ Otago Camerata ', ‘ the bath street studio ' and most recently Millikin's own early music ensemble 'Gravitación'. Extensive performing experience includes numerous recital and oratorio credits, as well as lead roles in 'Dido and Aeneas', 'l'Euridice', 'Venus and Adonis', 'Cephale et Procris', ‘The Tide' and ‘The Telephone'. In New Zealand Matthew has premiered the contemporary roles of Frank in 'Outrageous Fortune' by Gillian Whitehead and Man in 'The Trapeze Artists' by Anthony Ritchie. Other ensemble experience includes work with the Tower New Zealand Youth Choir, Pro Arte Singers, Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana, the Catacoustic Consort, Ensemble Lipzodes and Fenix de los Ingenios. Matthew holds the MMus in Early Music from Indiana University, a GPDip In Historical Performance from the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA and a MusBHons from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.
www.geocities.com/mattleesekiwi
www.millikin.edu/gravitacion
Michael Luxner, Professor of Music, has been at Millikin since 1996. Music Director and Conductor of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Luxner also conducts the String Arts Ensemble and teaches theory, in which he holds a PhD from the Eastman School of Music. Formerly conductor of the Owensboro (KY) Symphony and the Savannah (GA) Symphony, he has been a frequent guest on podiums around the United States and throughout the world. He is a board member of the Illinois Council of Orchestras and a former director of the Conductors Guild, an international music service organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of the highest standards of the art and profession of conducting.
e-mail: mluxner@mail.millikin.edu
Manley Mallard received the Master of Music Education degree from Kent State University and the Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Webster University in St. Louis. Since 1987 he has taught classical and jazz guitar, guitar ensembles, combos, and music theory at Millikin. Professor Mallard has published numerous arrangements with Plucked String, Inc., Guitar Chamber Music Press, and Mel Bay. He recently gave a presentation on arranging for guitar ensemble at the 1999 Guitar Foundation of America Conference. As a soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Mallard has performed on two National Public Radio broadcasts on WILL-FM. He recently completed a recording with colleague Joseph Mayes (Rowan University) of Johan Kaspar Mertz's Duetten for two guitars. That CD was also released in the spring of 2000.
e-mail: mmallard@mail.millikin.edu
Judith Mancinelli (MM, University of Tulsa) has taught piano at Millikin since 1980 and is also supervisor of accompanying. Professor Mancinelli performs as pianist with the Kirkland Trio, and serves as a frequent adjudicator, notably for the National Guild of Piano Teachers. She has appeared as soloist in recent years with area orchestras, performing Beethoven's Triple Concerto, Mendelssohn's Double Concerto, and Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals. The Kirkland Trio toured Taiwan in 1996 and have recently produced their first CD.
e-mail: jmancinelli@mail.millikin.edu
Tina Nicholson is an Associate Professor of Oboe at Millikin University, Decatur,IL. She has been principal oboist with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra since 1987, princpal oboist with the Danville Symphony Orchestra since 1992, and performs with the Millikin Faculty Woodwind Quintet. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Madison and taught oboe at Beloit College before coming to Millikin in 1987. She has performed with The Illinois Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, the Elgin Symphony, the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, the Madison Symphony, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble, finished the 2001 tour(11 concerts) with the Moscow State Orchestra, and is a frequent soloist in the central Illinois area. She lives in Decatur with her daughter Claire, and twins Si and Kyle. When Tina isn't making reeds, you might find her waterskiing or watching football. During her sabbatical in fall of 1999, she wrote a piece: Moments from Women which was premiered by Nancy Ambrose- King at the International Double Reed Society Convention in Buenos Aires in August of 2000. In April of 200,7 she was invited to perform a recital on the Society of Russian Oboists Series in Moscow, Russia.
e-mail: tnicholson@mail.millikin.edu
Cynthia Oeck, soprano, has taught Voice and Diction at Millikin University since 1994. Ms. Oeck has performed throughout the country on the opera, oratorio and recital stage. Operatic roles include Vanessa, Fiordiligi, the Countess and Violetta. She has appeared in concert with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra and Rainier Symphony in Washington State; the University of Missouri at Kansas City Symphony and Chorus, the Illinois State Symphony and the Decatur/Millikin Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Oeck has presented sacred and secular recital programs throughout the country from Seattle, Washington to College Station, Texas. Recent recitals have included all Bach and all Russian programs. In July, 2001 Ms. Oeck performed Nicolas’ Flagello’s Contemplazioni di Michelangelo at the University of Illinois. Future engagements include appearances at Baldwin-Wallace University and with the Community Chamber Concert Series in Bryan, Texas Ms. Oeck received a Master of Music from the University of Washington. Past teachers include Augusto Paglialunga, Mary Curtis-Verna and Margaret Harshaw.
e-mail: coeck@mail.millikin.edu
Praised by critics as having lyrical and brilliant coloratura "star quality," soprano Sherezade Panthaki is in constant demand as an opera and oratorio soloist. She appeared in the title role in multiple performances of Mozart's opera 'Il re pastore' at the 2006 Bloomington Early Music Festival (Indiana), and is the winner of the Adams fellowship (soprano soloist) competition for the 2006 Carmel Bach Festival, Carmel, California, performing several concerts with the festival. She was a recent finalist in the Le Jardin des Voix international vocal competition sponsored by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants , and has been a featured soloist at the Tafelmusik Baroque Institute (Toronto). In addition to performances at various international music festivals in France, Holland and Switzerland, Ms. Panthaki's recent and upcoming engagements include a variety of repertoire with the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra , the Boston Early Music Festival, Ensemble Voltaire (Indianapolis), the Apollo Chorus of Chicago , La Donna Musicale (Boston), Ars Musica (Chicago), the Amherst Early Music Festival (Vermont) , the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (Illinois), the Bach Society of Saint Louis , the Bloomington Early Music Festival (Indiana), and the American Opera Theater (Washington D.C.). She is a founding member of the Baroque trio Arte Bella , as well the newly-formed Medieval Renaissance quartet, Gravitación , both of which perform frequently throughout the United States. Ms. Panthaki's discography includes two recordings of 17th and 18th century music by women composers with La Donna Musicale , as well as "Elements"-a captivating collection of Medieval and Renaissance repertory with Gravitación. In addition to her performing and recording schedule, Ms. Panthaki serves as Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, Illinois.
email: spanthaki@mail.millikin.edu
Douglas Phillips, Professor Emeritus of Millikin University School of Music and presently adjunct Professor of Music at Millikin, holds degrees in music from Northwestern University. He has been principal clarinetist of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra and has played as an extra clarinetist with the Chicago Symphony in concerts and recordings. He was Chair of the Music Theory Department at Millikin and coordinator of woodwinds. Before coming to Decatur, he was a member of the faculty at Luther College in Iowa.
Adjunct Assistant Professor Diana Rai holds the Master of Music degree from the University of Illinois, U-C. She teaches double bass to students of all levels, and cello through the Preperatory Department. She is also active teaching string classes in the Decatur Public Schools.
Professor Rai has performed in many regional orchestras and chamber groups. She has also performed in masterclasses throughout the USA, Canada, France, Scotland, Norway and Australia.
e-mail: drai@mail.millikin.edu
Perry Rask is Associate Professor of Music at Millikin, teaching saxophone and improvisation, coaching commercial ensembles and saxophone quartets, and directing Jazz Lab Band II. Professor Rask completed his Doctor of Arts at the University of Northern Colorado. Recording projects include: Hard at It with Randall Reyman and Faculty Jazz; a multimedia CD for Japanese software firm (Linguamaster); and as the featured soloist on Millikin's Vocal Jazz I and Jazz Lab Band I CD projects. Dr. Rask studied privately with Fred Hemke at Northwestern University in 1998-99. As a member of the Springfield Jazz All-stars, he traveled to Ashikaga, Japan in August 1999, performing at various venues in Japan as part of the Springfield Sister Cities delegation.
e-mail: prask@mail.millikin.edu
Randall Reyman is Director of Jazz Activities at Millikin University and Coordinator of Brass. He serves as principal trumpet with the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra and member of the Millikin Faculty Brass Quintet. His teaching duties include directing Millikin University's Jazz Band I, studio trumpet instruction, brass ensembles, jazz combos, and improvisation. Mr. Reyman holds degrees from the University of Northern Iowa, University of Illinois, and Illinois State University. His teachers have included Keith Johnson, Vincent Cichowicz, John Haynie, and Bill Adam.
An active composer, arranger, and trumpeter, he performs frequently in jazz venues throughout Central Illinois with his West End Trio and other groups such as the Millikin Faculty Jazz Sextet and the Decatur Big Band. Professor Reyman has published educational materials with Mel Bay Publications and Kendor Music, and his CD , Hard at It , is available from First Step Records.
e-mail: rreyman@mail.millikin.edu
Trumpet Studio Website
Mark Rubel brings to the classroom an extensive and intriguing background in the music industry. He currently is president and chief engineer/producer of Pogo Records Recording Studio in Champaign, Illinois. Mark has worked with thousands of clients, all styles of music, and produced and engineered more than 250 records. Some of those clients include RCA Records, Capitol, MCA, Warner, Sony and the like. Mark also continues to work professionally as an audio and music business consultant and performs as bassist for the ever-popular band, Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets. His credits as a live sound engineer include extensive tours with BMG/Catalyst recording artist Toby Twining Music in venues such as Lincoln Center, Ravinia as well as broadcasts for Prairie Home Companion. Mark is a member of the Recording Academy and serves on the organization’s Grammy Producers Committee.
e-mail: pogostudio@shout.net
Dr. Timothy Schmidt, Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice, has taught at Millikin since 1996. He holds degrees from Westmont College, University of Northern Colorado, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Regionally he has sung with Union Avenue Opera Theater in St. Louis and Muddy River Opera in Quincy, Illinois, and has performed numerous concert and opera roles with the Baroque Artists of Champaign, Danville Festival Chorus, University of Illinois, Illinois State University, and the Millikin-Decatur Symhpony Orchestra. In 2005 he created and recorded a role in the world-premiere one-act opera Where the Cross Is Made, by Nancy Van de Vate. He has also worked regionally as both a conductor and stage director.
e-mail: tschmidt@mail.millikin.edu
Gary R. Shaw, Professor of Music and Director of Bands, has taught trombone, wind ensemble, and conducting at Millikin since 1982. He currently performs on trombone with the Millikin Faculty Brass Quintet, the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, the Decatur Municipal Band, and the Sinfonia da Camera. Dr. Shaw's groups have toured and performed extensively in Germany, Austria and The Netherlands. In March 1998, the Wind Ensemble traveled to the Dominican Republic where they taught beginning band students at the Instituto Cultural Domenico Americano. Last spring, Dr. Shaw worked with adult municipal bands in the Dominican Republic through a program sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. Dr. Shaw is resident conductor of both the Decatur Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Decatur Youth Band. He holds the DMA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
e-mail: gshaw@mail.millikin.edu
Millikin University Bands
Dr. Neal Smith teaches instrumental music education courses, directs the University Concert Band, and supervises teaching internships. He received both a PhD and a Master of Music Education at The Hartt School of Music and previously taught music in schools in Illinois and Connecticut. Dr. Smith has guest conducted numerous regional, county, and district music festivals as well as the Hartford Chamber Players, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra and Manchester (CT) Symphony. As an administrator he served as the Executive Director of the Hartt Summer Young Music Festival, the Roberts Center for Young Leadership in the Arts, and the Paranov Arts Partnerships. He is well known as a presenter on issues related to the use of technology in music education and in the application of assessment in music. Currently Dr. Smith serves as the special area chair in technology for IMEA, as a certified instructor for the Technology Institute for Music Educators, and as an ambassador for Sibelius Software Inc.
Websites:
http://faculty.millikin.edu/~nsmith
e-mail: nsmith@mail.millikin.edu
John Stafford II, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music, teaches music theory, composition, and directs the vocal jazz ensemble, "Rebirth of Cool". His music has been performed throughout North America and Europe. The University of Oregons Waging Peace Through Singing, an international competition for choral music on the theme of peace sponsored by the Carlton Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace, has recognized his work. He has also received recognition from other organizations such as American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, the Society of Composers Inc. (both national and regional conferences), the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs, the Sandusky New Music Festival, the North American Music Festival at Lynn University, the Otterbein Festival of Contemporary Music at Otterbein College and Primavera En La Habana 2004 (Spring in Havana 2004) International Electroacoustic Music Festival in Havana, Cuba. Also, he was recently selected as a finalist for the IV Edition of Pierre Schaeffer International Competition of Computer Music in Italy. In addition, such artists as Velvet Brown, Marilyn Shrude, members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the New York New Music Ensemble, the Hradec Kralove Men's Chorus, the Gregg Smith Singers, Chicago A cappella, the New York Treble Singers, and the Anti-Social Music Ensemble (based out of NYC) have performed his music. He holds degrees from Millikin University (B.M.) and Bowling Green State University (M.M.) and currently attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (D.M.A in choral conducting).
e-mail: jstafford@millikin.edu
www.johnstaffordii.com
www.myspace.com/johnstaffordii
Travis D. Stimeling, assistant professor of music, teaches courses in music history and ethnomusicology at Millikin University. He holds the Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the M.M. in music history from West Virginia University, and the B.A. in music from West Virginia Wesleyan College. Dr. Stimeling has presented his research at annual meetings of the Society for Ethnomusicology, the Society for American Music, and the International Country Music Conference. His research interests include country music, the history and practices of the American music industry, and the Federal Music Project.
email: tstimeling@millikin.edu
Terry Stone (MM, University of Illinois-Urbana) has been Adjunct Assistant Professor of Voice at Millikin since 1993, teaching studio voice, Opera Workshop, and song literature. He has sung in recent performances of Dialogues of the Carmelites with the Muddy River Opera Company, and of Schubert song cycles Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise.
e-mail: tstone@mail.millikin.edu
Marion van der Loo holds the B. Mus. Degree in Opera Performance and the M. Mus. Degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music in Philadelphia. She also completed a doctoral residency in Choral Conducting at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Ms. van der Loo enjoyed a long singing career on the east coast as a mezzo-soprano with consistently enthusiastic reviews for her interpretation of opera, oratorio and the lied. She has sung with orchestras throughout the east coast, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, and the Baltimore Symphony, as well as in Europe and in the Midwest. Since moving into the area of conducting, while still maintaining a private voice studio, Ms. van der Loo has, for 17 years, conducted choruses and orchestras in both professional and non-professional venues. During her 12 seasons as Director and Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Chorus in Springfield, she frequently conducted the Chorus with the Illinois Chamber and the Illinois Symphony Orchestras. She has since become Music Director and Conductor of the 55-voice Springfield Choral Society and is the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of Prairieland Voices, a chamber chorus based in Springfield.
e-mail: mvanderloo@millikin.edu
An accomplished jazz pianist, Stephen Widenhofer is Director of the School of Music. He directs the award winning vocal jazz ensemble, OneVoice. He has taught music business, jazz piano, vocal jazz, music theory, organ and church music at Millikin since 1983. Widenhofer holds the Doctor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. He is the founder of First Step Records, Millikin's own record label and publishing company, developed as a hands-on learning experience for MU students and continues to direct the label's operations as faculty mentor and advisor. Dr. Widenhofer performs with the Faculty Jazz Group and also serves on the music staff at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
e-mail: swidenhofer@millikin.edu
Soohyun Yun, born in Korea, holds BM in Piano Performance from Yonsei University in Korea and the MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Illinois, where she is completing a DMA in Piano Performance. Ms. Yun is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music and teaches class piano as well as studio piano in the Preparatory Department.
As an active soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Yun has performed Baroque to Contemporary repertoires throughout Germany, Korea and the US. She was awarded the 21Century Piano Commission Award(2004) and Honorable Mention in Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition(2007). Upon Special Presentation Award in Artists International's Auditions, Ms. Yun will present a New York debut solo recital in Carnegie Hall in June, 2008.
email: syun@millikin.edu
Lois J. YaDeau (BM, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory, MM University of Illinois) teaches studio voice, vocal pedagogy, and class voice at Millikin. She has performed in various venues and given workshops throughout the Midwest. Adjunct Associate Professor YaDeau serves as a Singing Voice Specialist for Decatur Memorial Hospital. She lectured at the Belarus Academy of Music in Minsk, Belarus in 1998, also performing recitals in Bratislava, Bardejov, and Presov, Slovakia. Two of her former students are Metropolitan Opera national winners.
e-mail: lyadeau@mail.millikin.edu
Associate Professor W. Ronald YaDeau has taught piano, music theory, and class piano at Millikin since 1978. Through First Step Records, he has released a CD recording of 24 Preludes and Sonatina Iumoreska by Belarusian composer Petr Podkovyrov, and of Metamorfózy by Slovakian composer Eugen Suchon. A student of Marian Filar since 1990, Dr. YaDeau gave a lecture-recital on the Podkovyrov Preludes at the Illinois State Music Teachers Association Convention in 1999. His article "Thoughts on Medical Problems of Performing Artists" appeared in a 1995 issue of The American Music Teacher. An active member of the Music Teachers National Association, he has served on its Board of Directors and as East Central Division President.
e-mail: ryadeau@mail.millikin.edu
Coordinator for Outreach and Community Relations
e-mail: tcunningham@millikin.edu
Audition Coordinator
e-mail: AuditionCoordinator@millikin.edu
Secretary
e-mail: cgreenleaf@millikin.edu
Financial Coordinator
e-mail: ryoung@millikin.edu