Music Faculty

Our Music Faculty are experts in their field and dedicated both to their performance art as well as training the next generation of musicians.

 

 Area directors and coordinators
PROF. KIMBERLY BEASLEY, CHAIR AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF VOICE
Dr. Julian Bryson, director of choral activities
Prof. Chris creswell, director of bands
DR. JIANJUN HE, COMPOSITION
Dr. Jay ivey, director of vocal studies
DR. SHANNON LOCKWOOD, STRING COORDINATOR
prof. john ricci, director of jazz studies
dr. Marguerite richardson, director of orchestral activities
PROF. TONY STEVE, PERCUSSION COORDINATOR 
dr. scott watkins, piano coordinator

Faculty Accomplishments

  • Dr. Julian Bryson's The Field (ubi caritas) won third prize for the 2020 American Prize in Professional Choral Composition. It was commissioned by the San Jacinto College Choir, Directed by Patrick J. J. Callaghan, who gave the premiere last May.  The Field (ubi caritas) has been added to the Project: Encore catalog, joining two of Dr. Bryson's earlier compositions, O nata lux and Fire and Ice.
  • Dr. Shannon Lockwood worked this summer to keep the students of the Golden Isles Youth Orchestra in Brunswick, Georgia engaged and making music while they have been unable to meet and play together. In July, she crafted and taught a two week online intensive music theory course for their middle school students. She also taught weekly online lessons and masterclasses to students ranging from beginning cello to advanced high school. 
  • Director of Jazz Studies John Ricci collaborated with Fine Arts board member, jazz composer/arranger and area studio owner Mica Bethea to perform a livestream concert recording of all original music at the Studio at NFS Ranch recording studio with the JU Jazz Faculty (The Delfini Sextet, consisting of Professor Ricci, David Champagne, Scott Giddens, Gary Starling, Stanley Piper, and Ricky Kirkland) on the evening of September 22. 

  • Dr. Scott Watkins, Professor of Piano, was selected to present his research on American composer Howard Hanson to the Society for American Music's National Conference in March, scheduled to be held in Minneapolis. Due to the pandemic outbreak the conference was unfortunately cancelled. Watkins' research has also recently uncovered an unpublished manuscript by Hanson of a piano work, "Prelude and Ballet," composed in 1919. The manuscript has been lost for a century and, working with archivist at the University of Rochester, David Peter Coppen, the find was confirmed. Watkins' edited version of this music has been accepted for publication by Carl Fischer of New York, joining Watkins' previously discovered unpublished work, "Symphonic Rhapsody," which was published by Carl Fischer in 2018.

Faculty

Dina Barone

Adjunct Instructor, Voice and Choral Ensembles

kim beasley Kimberly Beasley

Associate Professor of Voice

 

 

Benjamin Beck

Staff Accompanist

Aaron Brask

Adjunct Instructor, Horn

Michelle Brock-Kemp

Adjunct Instructor, Voice

Julian brysonJulian Bryson

Director of Choral Activities

 About Julian Bryson

 

 

David Champagne

Adjunct Instructor, Jazz Trumpet

        About David Champagne

chris creswellChris Creswell

Artist-In-Residence of Music

 

 

Stephen Fennell

Staff Accompanist

Scott Giddens

Adjunct Instructor, Jazz Piano

Patrick Graham

Adjunct Instructor, Clarinet

Jianjun HeJianjun He

Professor of Music Composition & Theory

 

 

Jay iveyJay Ivey

Assistant Professor of Voice/Music Theatre

 

 

Rick Kirkland

Adjunct Instructor, Drum Set

shannon lockwoodShannon Lockwood

Assistant Professor of Music Theory/Cello

 

 

Todd Lockwood

Adjunct Instructor, Bass

Brian Luckett

Adjunct Instructor, Classical and Flamenco Guitar

Brian Magnus

Adjunct Instructor, Chamber Strings

Stephanie Magnus

Adjunct Instructor, Bassoon, Music Theory

Elyse Matthews

Adjunct Instructor, Voice

About Elyse Matthews

Edith Moore-Hubert

Adjunct Instructor, Secondary Piano, Arts in Medicine

Eric Olson

Adjunct Instructor, Oboe

Brian Osborne

Adjunct Instructor, Trumpet

Stan Piper

Adjunct Instructor, Jazz Bass

john ricciJohn Ricci

Artist-In-Residence, Jazz Studies

 

 

marg richardsonMarguerite Richardson

Professor of Strings

 

 

Les Roettges

Adjunct Instructor, Flute

tony steve georgeTony Steve

Artist-In-Residence, Contemporary & World Music

 

 

scott watkinsScott Watkins

Professor of Piano

Directory