Leon Lewis-Nicol's story is one of dedication. A native of Freetown, Sierra Leone, the West African native taught himself the piano for 10 years before moving to the United States in 2016 – an accomplishment he's very proud of because "it shows that nothing is impossible regardless of one's background," he says.
The Millikin University School of Music Preparatory Department has announced a series of online programs for students who want to learn more about music and music making with guidance from experienced teachers and musicians. Programs will all be delivered through Zoom video conferencing software and Google Classroom. Millikin's 2020 online summer music camps will be held June 29 – July 31.
This July, Alicia Rosier, a senior music education major at Millikin University, will be participating in the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois teacher preparation program for her third time.
The world has been turned upside down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, faculty and staff at Millikin University have brought classes to online and distant learning modes, students have adapted and continued learning in new ways, all working to keep Millikin's Performance Learning mission going.
The power of music can't be understated when it comes to building unity. At a time when a sense of community is needed the most, musicians around the world nowadays are coming together to share performances on social media.
On Feb. 23, 2020, Millikin University's Percussion Ensembles presented the School of Music's annual Synergy concert. In this unique event, Dr. Jeremy Brunk, assistant professor, and Aaron Villarreal, adjunct faculty, led the ensembles in a concert connecting music with nature, climate and politics.
Country music recording artist and 2012 Millikin University graduate Eric Burgett wanted to incorporate memories of how he had fun growing up in his latest single; what resulted was the song "Raised" released on Feb. 21, 2020.
W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's classic operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" has been a popular production for generations, and this year, the production has become a part of Millikin University's mainstage season, but with a twist.
Millikin University is one of the few academic institutions in the United States that can call itself a Neve College – a name attached to many high-end music studio products.