New school year brings fresh faces to Southeast faculty

School is back in session at Southeast Missouri State University in a week and with the new school year comes some new faces, and some familiar faces in new positions, in the university's music and theater and dance departments.

In the music department, Dr. Steve Hendricks is the new director of choral studies, leading the university's three choirs -- the Choral Union, the University Choir and Cantus Choralis.

Hendricks replaces former choral director Dr. John Egbert, who retired from the position in May. However, Egbert will continue to teach classes at the university.

For almost five years, Hendricks has worked as an assistant professor of music education at Southeast.

Although he has been busy teaching, Hendricks received his degrees in music education with an emphasis in vocal music and conducting and has served as conductor for choirs outside the university. Starting in January, he became director of Cantus Choralis, the university's newest choir.

"Rather than do some big search, [Egbert] thought since I did have he background that logically I should be asked if I'd like to take over," Hendricks said. "It was an easy decision to make."

It will not be an easy task to take on, though.

Hendricks will continue to teach his music education classes and he acknowledges that his new title means many more hours of work, but he is not upset about that.

"I really think it's important for people in music education to stay active in performing," he said.

Under Hendricks, the University Choir and Cantus Choralis will each have one less rehearsal per week and will be performing at the same concert on Nov. 18.

Those are likely the only choral changes to take place this year, Hendricks said.

"Nothing drastic will change right away because I think I need to learn what John did and learn my way from the traditions he started," Hendricks said.

"I'm not going to shake things up just to shake things up, that wouldn't be good for the kids. Any transition is going to be slow and well thought through."

Hendricks will start rehearsals with the University Choir and Cantus Choralis once school begins and rehearsals for the Choral Union, which is open to the public, begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

There are some other changes in the music department.

Dr. Robert Conger is the new assistant professor of low brass, replacing Dr. Robert Gifford, who also retired in May. Conger will also be director of the university's jazz bands.

Most recently, Conger was an instructor at Fort Hays State University, where he conducted several honor bands.

"He has wonderful credentials," said music department chairman Dr. Gary Miller. "We're very happy to have him."

Visiting professorDr. Michael Gill will be visiting assistant professor of percussion for this school year, until a permanent replacement for Dr. Daniel Dunavan, who died July 20, can be found.

Gill, who holds a doctorate in percussion performance, is the husband of Carol Scates, chairwoman of the university's English department.

Felecia Foland is the music department's new bassoon instructor. Foland replaces Linda Huck, who after 14 years at the university, also decided the previous school year would be her last.

Foland is the second bassoonist in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Miller calls Foland's hiring "a coup."

Southeast's Department of Theatre and Dance has two new dance instructors, Leslie Miller and Kari Schroeder. Dance professor Paul Zmolek left the university at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

Schroeder just graduated from the University of Arizona where she received her master of arts in dance.

She will teach jazz and modern dance classes.

"It was a great opportunity," she said of her new instructing position. "It's a chance to get into a program where we want to raise the standards and be more competitive on a national level."

Ballet and jazz experienceMiller received a bachelor of fine arts in dance from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass., and her master of fine arts in performance and choreography from Smith College, during which time she taught ballet and jazz classes.

She has performed with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Chicago, Complexions, A Concept In Dance in New York City and danced in a musical theater-style show in Monte Carlo and at the Hilton hotel in Tokyo. She has also choreographed musicals in the San Francisco Bay area and taught dance at a private high school there.

Miller was looking at several possible schools at which to serve as an instructor when she visited Southeast Missouri State University and was impressed with what she found.

"I came down to Cape Girar-deau and found that the students were the most excited students I had been around," she said.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

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