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Faculty News
Dr. Christian Bester gave many recitals both on campus and off, including Washington D.C.’s Church of the Epiphany Tuesday Concert Series, and with Voces Intimae: The Art of Song - Texas. He was a Filstrup Resident Artist with Tulsa Opera and also contributed to the “I Can’t Enjoy Opera” workshop. Dr. Bester’s article “LGBTQ+ Vocal Literature - Songs for Life” was published with the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal. He gave several lectures on Afrikaans Art Songs - An Introduction to Afrikaans Song Repertoire with The University of Memphis, Baylor University, and Fellowship Congregational United Church of Christ’s Arts and Spirituality Virtual Series. Bester gave and hosted virtual masterclasses, served as adjudicator for many events.
Dr. Ron Chioldi continued his work as co-author of the group piano textbook for college and universities titled, Keyboard Musicianship, Book 2, 11th edition with Stipes Publishing. Dr. Chioldi also performed a limited audience house piano recital in Fayetteville, AR.
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Dr. Clark Gibson was named as featured artist with Taylor Entertainment Group of Tulsa. He performed for TEG’s International Jazz Festival. He also performed with Maybelle Wallace, Theater North and the Greenwood Cultural Center for the 100th year commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Dr. Gibson hosted a virtual Green Country Jazz Festival this year with guest artist, Jon Hamar.
Dr. Ben Hay is Principal Trumpet for the Bartlesville Symphony, Acting Principal Trumpet for Signature Symphony at TCC, and Extra/Substitute Trumpet for Tulsa Symphony and Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He recorded as second trumpet for a YouTube concert video with Gateway Chamber Orchestra (Clarkesville, TN). Hay gave presentations and masterclasses with Humboldt State University (Arcata, CA), University of Northern Alabama (Florence, AL), and Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY). He plays with Zen Brass (national brass chamber group) and is a founding member of Ionic Brass, an emerging chamber group. Dr. Hay was named as award-recipient for the NSU Presidential Model the Way award.
Dr. Whitney Myers performed many recitals and roles this year. She performed often as a Filstrup Resident Artist with Tulsa Opera. Notably, Dr. Myers performed the role of Lucy in Billy Goats Gruff with Tulsa Opera, sang for donors and board members, participated in the “I Can’t Enjoy Opera” workshop series, and for Tuesdays at Trinity Episcopal. She also performed the world premiere of the one-act opera, Royal Flush, with Marble City Opera in the role of Franckie. She sang with Marble City Opera for Opera on Tap and Women’s History Month. Dr. Myers performed for The Jefferson in Arlington, VA and for Roland Park in Baltimore, MD. In addition to her activity as a performer, she adjudicated several competitions and was a finalist in Opera Ithaca’s International Competition of Voice and Lyra New York’s International Vocal Competition. She was a semi-finalist in the Grand Prix International Music Competition.
Dr. Bryan Raya served as guest clinician for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association All-State Symphonic Band trombone section. He also coordinated many on-campus events including a virtual Department of Music open house - a first for NSU Music. Dr. Raya coordinates the NSU Music Concerto Competition, mentored and supervised the competition winner, Dylan Ward, as well as seven student conductors towards performance with the Wind Ensemble and Communiversity Band.
Dr. Jeffery Wall conducted the University Singers as invited honor choir at the virtual conference of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association. He continues his work with the professional-level chamber choir, Vox Solaris in Tulsa and serves as College/University Repertoire & Resources Chair for the Oklahoma state chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He also serves as Interest Session Chair for the Southwestern division of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Wall was a guest clinician for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association AllState Mixed Chorus alto section.
Dr. Anne Watson was contributor for bass clarinet finger drills, extended scales, and technique studies in the book Finger Fitness Etudes for Clarinet and Auxiliary Clarinets by Kristen Denny- Chambers. She was guest clinician for the Oklahoma State University clarinet studio and the clarinet studio of Kristen Denny-Chambers. She performed with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas in the virtual collaboration of Latency Canons by Raymond J. Lustig.
