Department of Music

Alumni News

Welcome to news about that very important group of people, our graduates. We hope the alumni enjoy catching up with old friends. For those of you visiting for other reasons, please take note of the important activities of our graduates.

If you have news you would like to share, please forward it to khatch@astate.edu.

Christine Erlander Beard

BM 1995, has been invited to give her concerto debut with the Kislovodsk Symphony Orchestra in Kislovodsk, Russia in May 2005. Other recent engagements include solo performances in Ireland, England, and France while on tour with the UNO wind ensemble (June 2004). Plans to record a solo CD are currently underway and will begin production during the summer 2005.

Dr. Beard joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2002 where she serves as Assistant Professor of Flute and Coordinator of Woodwind Studies. She is also the Piccolo Artist/Clinician for emeinhardt Flutes, a position the company created for her in 2002. Christie is married to Michael R. Beard, also an alumni of ASU (BME 1994); the couple will celebrate their 9th anniversary in June. She can be contacted at christiebeard@alumni.utexas.net; her websiteis www.christiebeard.homestead.com.

Michael R. Beard

BME 1994, will graduate in May 2005 with an MME with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he has served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the band area since 2003. Prior to returning to full-time student status, Michael taught public school band for 9 years, including positions in Osceola, AR; Temple, TX; Thorndale, TX; and most recently at Northwest HS (Omaha, NE).

Michael's principal conducting teachers include Thomas J. O'Neal (ASU), Erica Neidlinger (UNO) and James Saker (UNO), and he has done additional study with John Lynch and Sarah McKoin at conducting workshops held in Missouri and Kansas (2004, 2005); and with Malorie Thompson, Jerry Junkin, Michael Haithcock and Richard Floyd at the Art of Conducting Symposium at The University of Texas at Austin (1998). He is currently auditioning at universities across the U.S. to begin work on a DMA in conducting starting in August 2005. Michael can be contacted at mbeard829@yahoo.com.

Andrew Skoog

BME 1989. Just wanted to share some fun news with you all. I was offered an engagement today to sing in Carnegie Hall this coming April. I will be singing the tenor solo in Carmina Burana with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. I have always thought how much fun it would be to sing that work (my favorite) in Carnegie Hall (again, my favorite). I am just so excited and wanted to share this with all you guys!

Brandon E. Robinson

BME 1995, is the Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Supervisor for the Marion School District in Marion, AR. The Marion High School Symphonic Band has been selected to perform at the American School Band Directors Association 2005 National Convention. The convention will be July 5-9, 2005 in Hot Springs, AR at The Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. The Marion Band will perform on Friday, July 8, 2005 at 2:45 pm. The musical program will feature Arkansas composers Dr. Tom O'Connor, Dr. Frances McBeth, Mr. Brady Massey, Mr. Billy Madison, and Mr. David Robinson.

Dr. Bruce Keeling

to conduct all-star jazz band in New York
Dr. Bruce Keeling’s musical talents are known throughout the country and now he will use his talents to conduct the Community College All-Star Jazz Band at the International Association for Jazz Education International Convention in New York City on January 9 -14.
The all-star band is comprised of the top community college students in the United States and Canada as chosen through a rigorous audition process. The conductor is selected each year through either observation of live performance or video. This individual is then invited to attend the conference and conduct the all-star jazz band. Keeling was honored with this invitation the previous year but due to a conflict was forced to turn the offer down.
“I never thought I would get another chance to conduct this group,” Keeling said. “This is such a great opportunity and I feel so honored to have been asked again.”
Upon arrival in New York, Keeling will meet the students for the first time and begin practicing immediately. The group will be preparing for a gala performance on Saturday, January 13 at 5:00 pm. The all-star band will be the final performance of the gala. As conductor, Keeling has selected six pieces to be performed. Keeling also selected guest soloist and jazz artist Wycleffe Gordon to perform at the gala. Gordon will select three to four pieces to perform with the jazz band playing in the back.
“I am very excited to work with 20 top-notch college students that have been selected for the All Star Jazz Band,” said Bruce Keeling. “I also am excited about working with Wycleffe Gordon. He is a great player and it will be great being able to work with him and also expose the students to such an outstanding artist.”
In 1984, Keeling joined the South Plains College faculty as an instructor in music. He now serves as a professor of music and SPC Jazz Band director. Since 1988, he has been involved in the IAJE when his students first made the all-star band. For the past 13 years, Keeling has headed the audition process coordinating all audition materials, judge selection and administering audition tapes for judging.
The IAJE International Convention hosts over 8,000 jazz educators, top jazz musicians and students. The conference will host clinics throughout the day and over 200 performing artists will be present to display their talents. Renowned jazz artists will be featured during nightly concerts.

Dr. John Erwin

(BME ’67, MME ’68) and brother Randy Erwin (BME ’76) and their choirs have recently been invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association convention in Los Angeles in February 2005. Jim Stone has informed us that Gene Brooks, Executive Director of ACDA believes this is the first time two brothers have been invited to perform in the same year. John is Director of Choirs at the University of Central Arkansas and Randy is Choral Director at Springdale High School. This is a great honor of John and Randy and it is a tribute to the ASU Department of Music.
Rev. Bob Pruett, BME 1970, is the Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Birmingham Metro Area. Bob is currently playing his trombone with the Celebration Winds Orchestra in Birmingham. The Celebration Winds is directed by Greg Berry, former band director at Samford University and Howard Payne University. This band is composed of band directors, music students from Samford and those in other lines of work but desiring to play good college level band music. The group is a regular in the Gulf Shore Alabama Concert Series and has toured London as well as playing for The City Stages Festival in Birmingham. ropathome@aol.com

Mark Butler

BM '81, MM '82, is Professor of Music at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS, teaching music education and horn since 1988. He is incoming President of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education and a past president of the Mississippi Music Educators Association. He currently serves on the writing committee for the Music Curriculum Framework Revision project at the Mississippi Department of Education. Mark plays horn in the Delta Brass faculty ensemble and the Delta Symphony Orchestra, and is organist/choirmaster at the St. James' Episcopal Church in Greenville, MS.

Robert Bidewell

BME, 1976; MME, 1977 is currently serving in his sixth year as Director of Music at Lakewood United Methodist Church, North Little Rock. Duties include directing two adult choirs, a youth ensemble, two adult handbell choirs, a youth handbell ensemble, and a children’s handbell choir. He oversees the children’s choir program, the contemporary service praise team, and the church concert series. He is Past Dean of the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Guild or Organists, Past President of the Arkansas Chapter of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, and will serve as State Chair of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers for 2006-2007. Bob recently attended the AGEHR National Director’s Master Class in Sherman, Texas, under the direction of Dr. William Payn. He is the Music Director of the Pinnacle Ringers Handbell Ensemble (a semi-professional group) and toured with that group to England in 2002. He continues to play bass clarinet in the Little Rock Wind Symphony and remains active as an organ recitalist. Contact Bob at bbidewell@lakewood-umc.org

David Berry

BM 1990, has accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor (to begin in the fall of 2003) at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. He and his wife Shannon will be moving there soon.

LeAnne Foust

BME 1990
I will receive my Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa in August. I will continue teaching voice at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and will be performing solo recitals as well.
I am engaged to Paul Ragan, a software developer for NCS/Pearson. We will be married in my hometown of Forrest City, Arkansas on November 29, 2003. After we are married we will continue to live in Coralville, IA.
I have affiliated with the Alum chapter of SAI here in Iowa City/Coralville. I would love to hear from people from ASU. Please email me at SingerFLF@hotmail.com