NSU faculty and student to make presentation at state music educators conference

NATCHITOCHES - Six members of Northwestern State University's music faculty and one graduate student will be representing the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at the annual Louisiana Music Educators Association Conference on Jan. 16-19 in New Orleans.

Director of Orchestras and Professor of Music Dr. Douglas Bakenhus, Assistant Professor of Music Leah Forsyth, Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music Dr. Oliver Molina, Associate Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music Adam Philley, Assistant Professor of Music in Music Education Dr. Jennifer Pulling,

Director of Choral Activities Dr. Shane Thomas and Graduate Student in Music Education

Nathan Gay will be presenting sessions or serving on panels at the conference.

Bakenhus will conduct the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra in a performance on January 17.Syll-Young Olson is assistant director and Sofiko Tchetchelashvili is instructor. Olson, a teacher at Natchitoches Central High School, is a member of the LMEA Hall of Fame.

Thomas said conference presenters are chosen through a juried selection process, and this reflects the high level of creative research and scholarship being conducted by Northwestern faculty.

"NSU faculty have consistently been leaders across the state of Louisiana and served in several impactful capacities to promote musical excellence and advocate for music education since the university was founded," said Thomas. "As faculty members, our ability to promote our university and share relevant and innovative performance knowledge is crucial to our roles as professors to recruit and retain the best possible students and allow our university to thrive beyond our classrooms."

Northwestern works closely with the LMEA and hosts the organization's Hall of Fame located outside Magale Recital Hall. The Hall of Fame includes former faculty Bill Brent, Richard Jennings and Dr. Jerry Payne and several NSU alumni.

Caption

Six members of Northwestern State University's music faculty and one graduate student will be representing the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at the annual Louisiana Music Educators Association Conference on Jan. 16-19 in New Orleans. Representing NSU are, from left, graduate student Nathan Gay and faculty Dr. Shane Thomas, Dr. Douglas Bakenhus, Leah Forsyth, Adam Philley, Dr. Jennifer Pulling and Dr. Oliver Molina