Faculty News & Notes
Shannan Baker, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in Church Music and Digital Humanities, recently had the initial findings of her collaborative research project published on worshipleaderresearch.com. This research project focuses on the worship music industry. The group brings together both practitioners (worship pastor Marc Jolineur and recording artist Elias Dummer) and academics (Baylor postdoc Dr. Shannan Baker; Belmont assistant professor, Dr. Adam Perez; and Southern Wesleyan University professor, Dr. Mike Tapper). The project was the focus for a news article written by Bob Smietana in Religion News Service. This article was then picked up by other major news sources including the religion section of The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Associated Press, and ABC News. It is estimated that more than 1 million people have engaged with the article about their study. The first article published by the group explains that the most popular worship songs are connected to the "Big 4" megachurches (Bethel, Elevation, Hillsong, and Passion). Of the 38 songs in the study that debuted on the charts between 2010 and 2020, only two songs had no connection to the primary contributors. This article is the first of many that provide insight into the worship music industry and the primary creators of the songs. More articles are being published frequently on their website: www.worshipleaderresearch.com. It was also just announced that Baker was one of the three Outstanding Dissertation Award winners for the 2022-2023 academic school year. This award is given to Baylor doctoral candidates who exhibit exceptional scholarship, research and writing.
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Congratulations to Philip Borter, D.M.A., assistant professor of cello, and his wife, Hirono, for the arrival of their beautiful and healthy baby girl, Marie Angelica! She was born on March 14.
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Randall Bradley, D.M.A., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Music, professor of church music, and director of the church music program and The Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies, was named a 2023 recipient of the Elizabeth Vardaman Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduates. This high honor was presented to Bradley at the URSA Scholars Week awards ceremony in April. The Elizabeth Vardaman Faculty Awards annually recognize Baylor faculty members who go above and beyond in mentoring undergraduate students. The "Betsy" awards, as these have nicknamed, honor Professor Elizabeth Vardaman for her 39 years of mentoring Baylor students as they seek to maximize their education through learning beyond the classroom.
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Kelly Hollingsworth, Ph.D., associate professor of music education, and Dr. Michele Henry, Ph.D., chair of the Music Education Division and professor of music education, presented a study entitled "Assessing Dispositions: A Pilot Study Comparing Student Self-Perception of Teaching Readiness Before and After a Music Teacher Preparation Program" at the 9th International Symposium on Assessment in Music Education held March 20-22, 2023, in Hanover, Germany. The presentation was the work of Drs. Hollingsworth and Henry, along with Dr. David Montgomery and Dr. Michael Alexander, all in the Music Education Division.
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Kathleen Kelly, Fulbright Stipendium, assistant professor of vocal coaching, was one of the judges for the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Arkansas District in January and in February, her new Waco-based organization Lone Star Songs hosted the songSLAM, a competition for Texas-based composer/performer teams. A team from Baylor comprised of composer Breck McGough, tenor Davian Raggio and pianist Cezary Karwowski, won second place. Kelly also did short teaching residencies at Fort Worth Opera and UNT and in March, she was the official pianist for the Shreveport Opera competition. Kelly did a recital tour with soprano Emily Albrink of the music from her new album, Force Of Nature. The tour started at Baylor and went to Notre Dame and University of Louisville. The album is four newly commissioned song cycles centering around women's experiences. Force of Nature debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, Traditional Classical Albums.
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Matthew Laube, Ph.D., assistant professor of church music, recently returned from an invited presentation at a conference in Nuremberg, which was sponsored by the German Lutheran Church and commemorated the 500th anniversary of the German Lutheran hymnal. Laube also was invited to present his research at the British Museum in London at a workshop on the histories of time, materiality, and sound, this summer.
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Lesley McAllister, D.M.A., professor of piano and director of Keyboard Studies, presented two sessions at the 2023 national conference of the Music Teachers National Association in Reno, NV, in March. Her presentation for the Wellness Track of Pedagogy Saturday was titled "Mindful Movement for the Well Musician: Prepare, Release, Prevent, and Optimize," and she also gave a presentation titled "Sing, Move, Breathe and Play: The Benefits of Mindful Movement for the Beginning Musician." McAllister also was recently selected by Baylor University Board of Regents to serve as a Faculty Regent. "There are several reasons we celebrate Lesley's selection to serve on the Board of Regents," said Gary Mortenson, dean of the School of Music. "She comes with unique insights into Health & Wellness issues. As a Faculty in Residence Family, Lesley along with her husband Scott and their children, know first-hand what student life is like in the residence halls on our campus. Lesley understands the intersections of the Fine Arts generally, and the School of Music specifically, with the larger campus community and beyond. All these knowledge sets, and so many others, will help guide her valued contributing member of the Board of Regents."
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Maria Monteiro, Ph.D., lecturer in church music, and doctoral student Sen Kikon will be two of the seven presenters at this summer's Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR) in Oxford, UK. Monteiro will present "Conquering 'The Vast, Immense World for Christ': Brazilian Baptists Sing about Their Mission" and Kikon will present "Music in the Naga Baptist Missions: 1838-1911." Kikon's paper discusses how the bridge to Christianity and conversion was first built to the Nagas (tribals from India) through hymns as a tool for evangelism. Prior to Christianity, the Nagas were head-hunters and animist in their beliefs. With the advent to Christianity, missionaries introduced hymns, making it a central part of worship. This enabled the Nagas to express their newfound faith through hymns and spiritual songs, thus, transforming them from head-hunters to Christ seekers.
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Jeffrey Peterson, D.M.A., associate professor of vocal coaching and music director for the Baylor Opera Theatre, and Kristy Morrell, D.M.A., associate professor of horn, spent their spring break in Paris, France, performing a recital on the Atelier Concert Series at The American Church in Paris. The Atelier Series has been around for nearly 100 years and consists of weekly concerts that are held on Sundays in The American Church in Paris. Peterson said this concert marked his fifth performance and Morrell's first on the series. "I've always played with singers, and this was the first instrumental recital I've performed over there," said Peterson. They performed works by composers Vignery, Krausas and Beethoven, and also performed an arrangement of Amazing Grace by Alex Parker, director of the Wayne Fisher Jazz Program and senior lecturer in Jazz Studies.
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Jen Stephenson, D.M.A., director of Baylor Opera Theatre, advanced as a national semifinalist for The American Prize in The Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Stage Directing for The Tender Land.
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Jamie Van Eyck, D.M.A., The Charles W. Evans Endowed Chair in Voice, associate professor of voice and director of the Department of Vocal Studies, received the Baylor University Outstanding Faculty Award for Tenured Teaching. The Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize the best all-around professors – including non-tenure track, tenured and tenure-track faculty – based on teaching capabilities, research achievement, effective committee service, time spent with students and civic and church involvement. The designation represents a singular honor for Baylor faculty since the recognition comes from their colleagues.
New Hires
The Division of Vocal Studies is proud to officially welcome Morgan Manifacier, D.M.A., to the Vocal Studies faculty in a tenure-track position. He joined us in the fall as a visiting faculty member, and now we are thrilled to announce his new role as assistant professor of voice.
The Keyboard Division is very pleased to welcome Jens Korndörfer, D.M.A., as our incoming associate professor of organ. Korndörfer has established himself internationally over the last two decades as a performer, educator, and church musician.
Kristina MacMullen, D.M.A., has been appointed the Mary Gibbs Jones Chair in Music and director of choral activities, starting August 1. She comes to Baylor from the University of North Texas and will succeed Lynne Gackle, Ph.D., who announced her retirement effective in July after serving, with distinction, as the director of choral activities since 2016.
The School of Music is excited to welcome (back) School of Music grad Will McLean, D.M.A., who will be joining the Choral faculty as temporary lecturer in choral ensembles next fall. McLean (B.M.E. St. Olaf College, M.M. Baylor University) joins us most recently from his doctoral studies at the University of North Texas, where he has served as the conductor of the UNT Chorale and teaches undergraduate conducting.
In Memoriam
The School of Music mourns the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Richard Shanley, emeritus professor of music. He passed away on March 16 and his family held a graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery on April 1. Dr. Shanley was a kind and thoughtful soul and will be missed and remembered by the many lives he touched.
He and his wife, Helen Ann, met while playing in the El Paso Symphony during their college years and have two daughters, Alison Lugo and Melissa Holland. Helen Ann is a retired principal flutist of the Waco Symphony Orchestra.
The Richard and Helen Ann Shanley Fund, administered by the Waco Symphony Foundation, honors both Dr. and Mrs. Shanley, and will fund a chair in the Waco Symphony Orchestra. Donations may be made payable and sent to the Waco Symphony Foundation, PO Box 1201, Waco, TX 76703. Or, donations may be made online.