Faculty & Staff
Northern Kentucky University, a growing metropolitan university on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati.
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Music Program Head

FA 312C

sanderk@nku.edu

(859) 572-6922

Bio

Kurt Sander's compositions have been performed in 15 countries on five different continents. Much of his choral and instrumental work takes its inspiration from the sublime dimensions of the Eastern Orthodox faith and the richness of its artistic traditions.â

His sacred choral work has been recorded and performed by professional ensembles throughout the world including Cappella Romana, the Kastalsky Choir (RUS), the Cincinnati Camerata, the Cantata Singers of Ottawa (CAN), the St. Romanos Cappella, the Clarion Choir, Archangel Voices, the Patriarch Tikhon Choir, and The Orthodox Singers (RUS) and the PaTRAM Institute Singers.

In 2017, he received a commission by the Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute (PaTRAM) for a new English-language setting of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. This 90-minute work was recorded by the PaTRAM Institute Singers under the direction of Peter Jermihov and released as a 2 CD set on Reference Recordings label in 2019. The CD of this work was nominated for a Grammy in 2020 under the "Best Choral Album" category.

Sander was one of five featured composers on the collaborative composition "Heaven and Earth" which was commissioned by the St. John of Damascus Society and will be recorded in 2021 by the renowned choral ensemble Cappella Romana under the direction of Michael Boyer. The CD is scheduled for international release in 2022 on the Cappella Recordings label.

Sander has also acquired notoriety for his chamber and orchestral writing. He was recently named a finalist in the American Prize for his song cycle "Ella's Song" about the life of St. Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia. Other instrumental works have been performed by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, the Brasov Philharmonic (Romania), the Pleven Philharmonic (Bulgaria), the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Synchronia, the Corbett Trio, the Solaris Wind Quintet, and the St. Petersburg Quartet.

âSander currently serves as Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Theory and Composition at Northern Kentucky University. He holds degrees in composition from Northwestern University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Cleveland State University where he studied with Bain Murray, Alan Stout, Rudolph Bubalo, and Andrew Imbrie.

Sander's music is published through Musica Russica and Media Press, Inc.

Lecturer II

Viola

FA 368

attarh1@nku.edu

(859) 572-5649

Bio

Holly Attar currently serves as Lecturer of Viola, Director of the Music Preparatory Division, and Master Teacher of the NKU String Project at Northern Kentucky University.

Dr. Attar is an enthusiastic teacher, administrator, and performer whose passions for music education and instruction are driven by the desire to ensure quality musical experiences to all learners and audiences. Combining her interests, she authored the book, A Handbook for Collegiate Studio Teaching: Applying the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education to Music-Centered Instruction. She has previously served as the Director of Career Services and the Student Artist Program at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and has also held teaching positions at Loveland Public Schools (OH), West Clermont Local Schools (OH), The Midland Academy of Advanced and Creative Studies (MI), and West Intermediate School (MI).

As an active violist, Dr. Attar has performed in orchestral, chamber, and solo concerts in Michigan, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Peru, and Mexico as well as in festivals including the Opera Music and Theater Festival of Lucca (Italy), the Roanoke Island Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Music at Penn's Woods Festival in Pennsylvania. She has performed at the International Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois, the Bowdoin Music Festival in Maine, and as co-winner of the Clark J. Haines concerto competition with the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Attar is an avid chamber musician and has served as violist in the Corbett Trio, an NKU ensemble-in-residence dedicated to engaging the community in high-quality and informative chamber music experiences. She is a frequent clinician at honors orchestras, solo and ensembles, youth symphonies, and K-12 schools throughout the Kentucky and Ohio regions.

As a dedicated proponent of music education and community outreach, she has leveraged nearly $100,000 in grants awards, and fundraisers to further educational, performance, creative, and outreach endeavors that enhance the community. Through her vision and creativity, programs in the Music Preparatory Program have become programs of distinction at NKU and have received Best of Northern Kentucky Awards for three years. She has helped secure tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to help local youth afford high-quality music instruction and was acknowledged in the American String Teacher (a national publication of the American String Teacherâs Association) for acquiring Coda Bows for students and helping a student win a new instrument from Potter Violins.

Dr. Attar holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Central Michigan University. Her major teachers include Masao Kawasaki, Catherine Carroll, Ulrich Eichenauer, Seanad Dunigan Chang, and Seunghee Lee. She is a recipient of the full viola fellowship at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Judy and Bill Watson Scholarship Award, Betty and Lou Eckersly Leadership Award, Fletcher Opera Institute Orchestras Award, Kenan Performance Outreach Grant, Semans Art Fund Grant, and William G. Quine Scholarship.

Lecturer II

Director of Choral Studies

FA 365

bartonm2@nku.edu

(859) 572-1376

Bio

Professor Katie Barton is the Director of Choral Studies at Northern Kentucky University and conductor of the Northern Chorale, Womenâs Choir, and Chamber Choir. She also teaches courses in ensemble accompanying and conducting, as well as applied organ. This academic year is her 14th year at NKU.

She earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees from the University of Louisville where she studied choral conducting with Dr. Kent Hatteberg, piano with Dr. Brenda Kee, organ with Melvin Dickinson, and voice with Edith Davis Tidwell. She taught choral music for eight years at Lloyd Memorial High School and Tichenor Middle School in Erlanger, Kentucky. During this time, she served as district choral chair and festival manager for the Northern Kentucky district. She has frequently performed with area high schools as an accompanist for concerts, solo and ensemble competition, and choral festivals.

Under her direction, the NKU Womenâs Choir was chosen as a performance group for the 2020 KMEA State Conference and the NKU Chamber Choir was invited to perform in New York City at Carnegie Hall in June 2022. In May 2024, the Chamber Choir will be traveling to Europe to sing in London, England and Edinbugh, Scotland.

Professor Barton has served as accompanist for the Kentucky High School All-State Choirs as well as the Kentucky All-Collegiate Choir since 2009, and is currently in her third year as the College and University Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Kentucky American Choral Directors Association.

Guest conducting invitations have included the Northern Kentucky 5th Grade Honor Choir in 2016, the D13 High School Honor Choir in Kings Mills, Ohio, in 2020, and the District 6 7th/8th Grade Honor Choir in March 2022. Upcoming events include the District 6 Junior High Treble Honor Choir and a âCome and Singâ event with the Northern Kentucky Community Chorus in April 2024.

In the spring of 2018, she was named the Outstanding University Clinical Educator for NKU. She was also named the College/University teacher of the year for District 6 of the Kentucky Music Educators Association in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

In 2004, she auditioned and was chosen to participate in the Robert Shaw Chorale Workshop in New York City, culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall.

Active in church music ministry, she is currently the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Mary Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is also the director of the Diocesan Choir of the Diocese of Covington at the Cathedral Basilica. Her choral composition, âVictimae Paschali Laudes,â is published with GIA Publications.

She serves on a national committee for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and is also a member of the American Guild of Organists, American Choral Directors Association, and the National Association for Music Education.

Part-Time Faculty

Music Education, Percussion

brickerj1@nku.edu

Bio

A âtour de forceâ performer (Seen and Heard International), percussionist Joseph Bricker joins the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Timpani/Percussion at the start of the 2022-23 season. Prior to joining the CSO, Bricker was the percussion fellow with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2019-2022. In addition to the Cincinnati and Civic orchestras, he has performed with the orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington

D.C. (National), Dallas, Houston, and Miami (New World), the Metropolitan Opera, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet and several others. In the summers, he has held fellowships with the Verbier, Tanglewood, Pacific (Japan), and Aspen Music Festivals. He received his Master of Music from DePaul University, studying with Cynthia Yeh, and his Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School, studying with Greg Zuber. He has also studied with Patricia Dash.

Joe maintains a deep commitment to community engagement and experimenting with educational models within music. In 2020, he co-founded Chicago, From Scratch, a program for students of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative in which students receive unique instruction in creative musical thinking through the lens of contemporary composition and performance. In 2017, as a Morse Teaching Artist Fellow, he co-created a new band program for New York Public School #191. Since 2020, he has also worked with Notes forPeace, a Chicago-based project that works with families who have lost children to gun violence to create new songs in their memory. In addition to these projects, Bricker has been engaged as an educator by the Interlochen Center for the Arts, Chicago Public Schools, the Aspen Music Festival, the Illinois Music Educators Association, the Juilliard Schoolâs Music Advancement Program, and several others.

An advocate for new and contemporary music, Bricker has worked with composers such as Steve Reich, Tyshawn Sorey, Elizabeth A. Baker, Kevin Day, Silvia Borzelli, Vivian Fung, Fredrick Gifford, and numerous others on several premieres and recordings. He has performed as a guest artist on the North Shore Chamber Music Festival, the Literary Music Series, the Live Music Project, Juilliardâs FOCUS! Festival, with the International Contemporary Ensemble, and has curated concerts for fellows of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, in addition to other projects. While in his graduate studies, he taught a course on non-standard percussion notation and interpretation at DePaul University, culminating in an entirely digital version of Dai Fujikuraâs work Longing from Afar. Joe can also be heard as composer/performer on a 2017 advertisement for TaylorMade-Adidas featuring Tiger Woods. He has been the recipient of awards from the Zildjian Company, the Aspen Music Festival, National Public Radio, and the Skokie Valley Symphony.

Lecturer

Voice

FA 360

wallacejo@nku.edu

(859) 572-5157

Bio

Dr. Joy Burdette, dramatic soprano, is in her twenty-third year as a professor of voice at Northern Kentucky University. She has performed opera, oratorio, and various concert works regionally and internationally. Her operatic roles include Leonore in Il Trovatore, Fiordiligi in CosÃ¬ fan tutte, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Vanessa in Vanessa, Mrs. Maurrant in Street Scenes, Magda in The Consul, and Mother in HÃ¤nsel und Gretel. Joy has performed various roles, as well as professional chorus work, with Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the University of Louisville School of Music. Joy has performed concert works with the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy, Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, Lebanon Symphony Orchestra, Voices of the Commonwealth, University of Louisville, University of Virginia, Northern Kentucky University, Hartnell Chorus, and the Northern Kentucky Community Chorus. Joy presents recitals and masterclasses regularly, and is in demand as an adjudicator.

A regular with Cincinnati Opera, she has been a member of the companyâs professional chorus for twenty years and is often featured as a soloist in outreach events and chorus showcase concerts.

Equally comfortable in the field of musical theatre, Joy has taught in the theatre departments of Xavier University and Northern Kentucky University. She is the past music director for the NKU Preparatory Departmentâs Mainstage Theatre Company.

Joy earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Louisville School of Music, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky).

In the summers of 2012 and 2019, Joy spent five weeks teaching music courses in Salzburg, Austria as part of the Kentucky Institute of International Studies.

Joy is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She is married to Tony, also a singer, and they have two children, Calia and Benjamin. They reside in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area.

Part-Time Faculty

Flute

fitzpatric5@nku.edu

Bio

Caroline Fitzpatric is currently faculty of flute at Northern Kentucky University and a frequent university guest lecturer, most recently at Fresno State University and Ohio Northern University.

Apart from her university work, Caroline founded Fitz Flute Studio in 2016 which keeps her busy with 25+ flute students in the Cincinnati area. Her students consistently participate in Ohio and Kentucky All-State and District Honor Bands, Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble, OMEA Solo and Ensemble, Flute Competitions and studio performances.

As a flute instructor, Caroline is also active in the music education community in the Cincinnati area. She has been the woodwind instructor for Lakota East High School and Sycamore High School Marching Bands and has been invited as a guest clinician at Loveland High School, Milford High School, Walnut Hills High School, Madeira High School, Kings High School, E.H. Greene, Three Rivers Middle and High School and Lakota West High School. Her passion for education is further reflected in the recent publication of the band educational book series Scales and Rhythm Chunks by Richard Canter, where she is featured as the flute recording artist.

In addition to her busy teaching schedule, Caroline can still be seen performing in the Cincinnati area with the Fitz Flute Trio with violin and cello. She was also featured as a solo performer for the "Joyful Sounds" concert series and enjoyed a performing artist residency with the Concert Nova chamber music program.

Outside of Cincinnati, Caroline accepted invitations to study and perform with the National Music Festival Orchestra, Aria International Summer Academy, Panoramic Flutist Master Class, and Marina Piccinini International Flute Master Class. She has also enjoyed international performances with the Saarburg Music Festival in Germany where she was able to study and perform chamber music. Caroline was runner up for the Flute Society of Ohio Young Artist Competition and prizewinner of the Flute Society of Kentucky Collegiate Soloist Competition, Mid-South Flute Society College Master Class Competition, Carolina Flute Guild Master Class Competition, and the South Carolina Flute Society Fall Master Class Competition.

Caroline received a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music where she performed principal positions in the CCM Philharmonia, Wind Orchestra, and Chamber Players.

Caroline earned her Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the University of South Carolina where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Her research on Jacques Ibertâs Solo Piece for Flute was published in the Fall 2013 edition of the Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal. From 2012-2014, Caroline was the Artistic Director of Project Design, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for the maintenance and beautification of the music building at the University of South Carolina.

When sheâs not performing or teaching, Caroline enjoys hiking in her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina and knitting with an enormous cup of coffee. She also loves her jazz trumpet playing husband, Erin Fitzpatric, and their three cats, Finn, Rey, and Boo.

Assistant Professor

Strings Coordinator, Orchestra, Cello

FA 364

gillinghaa1@nku.edu

(859) 572-1568

Bio

Amy Gillingham Culligan is a multi-faceted artist dedicated to leveraging her roles to advance, empower, and inspire others. She holds the Corbett Endowed Principal of Strings distinction at Northern Kentucky University where she serves as Associate Professor of Strings (Cello) and Director of Orchestras.

Dr. Culligan has dedicated a significant part of her career to creating accessible string education opportunities for youth and college students. She has written and received over $200,000 in grant awards for outreach and creative endeavors, co-founded the nationally recognized NKU String Project, and went on to help start and cultivate over 40 String Project sites across the United States. Dr. Culligan has served as Executive Director of the 501(c)3 National String Project Consortium, is currently President of the Kentucky American String Teachers Association, and National Chair of the American String Teachers Association Student Advisory Committee.

As a performer, Dr. Culligan balances a meaningful variety of creative projects as a conductor and cellist. She is a collaborative conductor with the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, which led to her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut in 2022, and regularly guest conducts with a variety of youth and honor orchestras. Her work as a conductor and educator has been featured in a national PBS documentary. As a cellist, she has over 50 published and internationally distributed recordings with labels including Sony Entertainment, Mark Records, Universal Music Group, Crossroads Music Group, and Legend that have streaming reach into the millions. Dr. Culligan enjoys working with a diverse group of artistic collaborators from classical to country to gospel, and has collaborated with artists including Amy Grant, Lecrae, Rayne Johnson, eighth blackbird, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Nakai, and Michael W. Smith. She has performed on national tours of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Josh Groban, and Michael W. Smith. Dr. Culligan enjoys a diverse array of music but has a particular soft spot for the Haydn cello concertos and wrote a book entitled, Cultivating Perception, about Haydnâs musical patterns and audience expectations.

A proud product of a public-school education, she started the cello at 6:30 a.m. in a before-school program and went on to earn a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree from North Carolina School of the Arts and both a Master of Music (M.M.) and Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Dr. Culligan has received national and regional awards for her teaching, creativity, and service, and credits the feedback, encouragement, and wisdom or many incredible teachers who invested in her. Prior to her appointment at Northern Kentucky University, she held faculty positions at Indiana Wesleyan University and the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

Although music and the arts are a significant part of Dr. Culliganâs life, she is also an avid runner, loves to cook, and has many outside passions that align with her overall vision of living a compelling life that empowers and inspires others. Fervent in the belief that your past circumstances do not have to determine your future, she has a heart and passion for foster care, and is a licensed foster and adoptive parent. She is married to Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Associate Principal Percussionist, Michael Culligan, and together they get to parent awesome children and a lot of cats.

Assistant Professor

Aural Skills Coordinator,Â Violin

FA 369

herzogw1@nku.edu

(859) 572-5958

Bio

Violinist William Herzog is an accomplished performer of solo and chamber music and a devoted educator. His performances and recordings range from Beethoven and Bach, to Ysaye, Lutoslawski and improvised music for violin and steel drum. Herzog has taught violin to students of all ages, from beginners to accomplished career violinists.

Dr. Herzogâs performing career began early, with him winning a coveted seat in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra at the age of 10, the youngest musician ever admitted. He went on to produce and star in a yearly concert series at the age of 14, which garnered him appearances on TVOntario and CBC radio. Since then, William has concertized across the continent, including performances at Roy Thompson Hall (Toronto, Ontario), Maureen Forester Hall (Waterloo, Ontario), Kodak Hall (Rochester, NY), The South African Embassy (Washington, DC), and the Gordon Center (Baltimore, MD), and worked with renowned composers and performers, including James Ehnes, Christian Tetzlff, Rachel Barton-Pine, Franz Welser-MÃ¶st, Ryan Chase, and Shulamit Ran. Throughout his career, Dr. Herzog has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Performerâs Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, second prize in the Samuel and Elinor Thaivu competition in Chicago, the Penderecki String Quartet Chamber Music Prize, and first prize in the Wilfrid Laurier University concerto competition. He has also been the recipient of notable scholarships, receiving the Buxton Fellowship and C.C. Barsh scholarship at the Eastman School of music as well as the Premiere Young Artist Award at Indiana University.

An established pedagogue, Dr. Herzog has been praised for âhis deep understanding of the technical, psychological, and emotional aspects of violin-playing, and his ability to communicate this knowledge clearly and empatheticallyâ (Will Ejzak, former student). This engaging and creative pedagogical style have given rise to an article published in the peer-reviewed journal American String Teacher, and earned him invitations to present at the American String Teacherâs Association national conference for the past two years.

Dr. Herzog received his Doctor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music with an advanced certificate in college teaching and a Performerâs certificate. Prior to his work at Eastman, he received his Masterâs degree from Northwestern University and his Undergraduate from Indiana University.

Part-Time Faculty

Piano, Class Piano

hickmanm2@nku.edu

Bio

Melinda Hickman teaches Applied Piano and Class Piano at Northern Kentucky University. Originally from Las Cruces, New Mexico, Melinda Hickman began piano lessons at age seven. As a teenager, she was a soloist several times with the Las Cruces Civic Symphony. She started her own piano teaching studio at the age of 14, which continues to this day. For college, she moved to Arizona, then to Cincinnati, teaching music in various forms along the way. At the College-Conservatory of Music she earned three degrees in piano, culminating in the Doctor of Musical Arts.

Her D.M.A. degree is in Piano Performance with a cognate in Music History. Lecture Recital:Â Religious Symbolism in Lisztâs Sonata in B Minor:Â A Study of Formal and Programmatic Aspects. Doctoral Thesis:Â Meaning in Piano Music with a Religious Theme:Â A Philosophical and Historical Approach. Her major piano teachers include James Ruccolo, Eugene Pridonoff, Elizabeth Pridonoff, and Frank Weinstock. Chamber music study was with Sandra Rivers, and piano pedagogy study with Michelle Conda.

During her college years, Dr. Hickman won many scholarships and awards, including first prize in the Rildia Bee OâBryan Cliburn Piano Competition in Cincinnati.Â Upon completion of her Bachelorâs degree (summa cum laude), she also won the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for graduating with the highest G.P.A. in the College-Conservatory of Music.Â She was chosen twice to perform live on Cincinnatiâs classical radio station, WGUC.Â She also performed in summer festivals including the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska, and the Academie de Musique de Sion in Switzerland.

From 1997 to 2019, Dr. Hickman was an adjunct professor at Cincinnati Christian University, where she enjoyed teaching several classes including Applied Piano (to majors and non-majors), Piano Pedagogy, Class Piano, Music in World Cultures, Introduction to Musical Styles, and Music History. As master teacher, she oversaw all types of applied music lessons. She was the founder and director of the New Horizons Piano Competition for high school students held at CCU. Each year from 2010-2014, top students competed for $1600 in cash prizes as well as scholarships.

After CCU closed in December of 2019, Dr. Hickman joined the faculty at NKU and also opened Espressivo Piano Studio where she teaches children and adults. She is a member of MTNA and an active performer and adjudicator in the Cincinnati area.

Associate Professor

Jazz Coordinator, Saxophone

FA 363

hoggw1@nku.edu

(859) 572-5885

Bio

William Hogg is an international performer, recording artist and Conn-Selmer and Harry Hartmann Fiberreed Endorsing artist known for his fierce and moving performances. Hogg boasts over 25 years of playing and teaching experience in the United Kingdom, Canada, Morocco North Africa, France, South Africa, Mexico, and several states across the United States. Hoggâs passionate approach to music touches the lives of thousands of people yearly on the stage and in the classroom.

Hogg has performed with or accompanied a wide array of artists including the Temptations, the Coasters, the Dells, Josh Groban, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, the Drifters, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Blue Wisp Big Band, Scott Hamilton, Mahmoud Guinia, Brad Goode, John Von Ohlen, Manhattan Transfer, Lonnie Mack, Steve Turre, the Gypsy Kings, Carl Weathersby, Jeff Coffin, Rick Margitza, and Little Anthony and the Imperials to name a few.

As a recording artist William Hogg, can be found playing on over 50 professional recordings with such artists as Fred Wesley, Bootsy Collins, The Goshorn Brothers, and over 50 radio, television, motion picture, and commercial recordings. Notable recordings include âChristmas 4 Youâ and âTha Funk Capital of the Worldâ with Bootsy Collins, âDeath by Stereoâ with Umphreyâs McGee, âTown and Countryâ with Magnolia Mountain, and âCincinnatiâ by King of the World. His own group âThe Voyager Quartetâ released a debut album in 2014 titled âRencontreâ recorded in Marseille France, also to international critical acclaim. He consulted, co-arranged and performed on âLate Night-Elixir of Sara Martinâ by Laurie Jane and the 45s. A finalist in the recording division of the International Blues Challenge, the recording has received international acclaim and radio play.

Also, William Hogg is noted as an instrumental composer and arranger, Hogg brings a fresh approach to writing for the big band and chamber jazz ensembles. Over 10 of Williamâs compositions and arrangements are published by EJazzLines Publishing Company and Walrus Publishing, available for purchase at most popular sheet music websites.

Theatre performances include the Off Broadway hit Love, Janis at Actorâs Theatre, Louisville Kentucky and the Cincinnati Playhouse, Cincinnati Ohio. He has also served as a consultant for the Cincinnati Playhouse and other local and regional performing businesses. He has performed with the Cincinnati Pops, Richmond Symphony and has been a featured soloist with the Kentucky Symphony, the Springfield Symphony and the Blue Ash Symphony.

William Hogg is the Associate Professor of Saxophone at Northern Kentucky University. He also teaches a variety of jazz courses including pedagogy, performance ensembles, improvisation, jazz appreciation and jazz styles and analysis. Finally, Hogg works with a number of community service organizations in the United States, Morocco, and South Africa.

Associate Professor

Vocal Coordinator

FA 361

gelbwassek1@nku.edu

(859) 572-1563

Bio

Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri, soprano, is Associate Professor of Voice at Northern Kentucky Universityâs School of the Arts (NKU SOTA).

Dr. Lazzeriâs passion lies in performing art song. Of her singing, American composer Jake Heggie wrote, âIn addition to a wonderful humanity, beautiful voice, and depth of feeling, Kimberly also brought joy: the joy I feel is essential to singingâand sometimes missing! She loves to sing and she loves to sing songs.â Dr. Lazzeri also regularly pursues her love for theatre. Locally, she has appeared with The Commonwealth Theatre Company and the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. Nationally, she has appeared with Sierra Repertory Theatre, Pear Avenue Theatre, and Bus Barn Stage Company. Dr. Lazzeriâs operatic roles include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Adele in Die Fledermaus, and Despina in CosÃ¬ fan tutte. Her concert repertoire includes Beethovenâs Symphony No. 9, Brahms'sEin deutsches Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Elijah and Psalm 42, Mozartâs Requiem, Respighi's Laud to the Nativity, and Vivaldi's Gloria.

Additionally, Dr. Lazzeri enjoys an active performance career in chamber music. She is pleased to be a member of the Zia Trio (soprano, clarinet, and piano), whose repertoire includes Gordonâs Orpheus & Euridice, Roremâs Ariel, and Spohrâs Sechs deutsche Lieder, which the trio was invited to perform at the International Clarinet Associationâs ClarinetFest. As part of other chamber-music collaborations, Dr. Lazzeri has been invited to perform at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy.

Dr. Lazzeriâs research has focused on the following topics: The Musical Portrayal of "Lust for Life and Adversity" in Selected Songs by Leonard Bernstein and "To Be an American": How Irving Berlin Assimilated Jewishness and Blackness in his Early Songs. She is currently a cantorial soloist at the Isaac M. Wise Temple, which holds services at the historic Plum Street Temple in downtown Cincinnati. Dr. Lazzeri looks forward to recording her first album this fall, of classically arranged Yiddish folksongs.

Dr. Lazzeri is a former president of the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has twice served as music faculty at the Kentucky Institute for International Studies in Salzburg, Austria. Prior to arriving in Kentucky in 2014, she served as Instructor of Voice at Eastern New Mexico University and as Visiting Professor of Voice at the University of North Florida.

In 2016, Dr. Lazzeri was awarded the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in the College of Arts and Sciences at NKU. One of her favorite courses to teach at NKU is âYoga for Creativity,â as she is a certified Kripalu yoga instructor.

Dr. Lazzeri holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Barbara Honn. Dr. Lazzeri holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University. To learn more, visit âKimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri Voice Studioâ on Facebook.

Part-Time Faculty

Harp

rebmanj1@nku.edu

Bio

Joseph Rebman is a rising harpist and composer with a passion for new music. A recipient of the Alice Chalifoux prize for harp, Rebman has performed solo and with ensembles in thirteen different states. In the summer of 2019, he will be premiering his concerto "Hyperion" for harp and orchestra at the Mostly Modern Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY. Previous accolades include semi-finalist for both the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh competition and the Classics Alive Artists Competition, and a finalist for the National Collegiate Solo Competition hosted by The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own". He was also a finalist for the Anne Adams Awards competition, and a finalist and honorable mention in the Coeur d'Alene Symphony's Young Artist Competition. During the spring and summer of 2014 he performed the Debussy, Mozart, and Handel concertos with orchestras in Oklahoma and Colorado. He was a winner of the Rocky Ridge Music Center's concerto competition, and a finalist for the Eastern Music Festival's concerto competition. Rebman is currently principal harpist with the Kentucky Symphony, the Huntington Symphony (WV) and the Queen City Opera (OH). Previously he was acting principal with the Amarillo Symphony (TX) and guest principal with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Fort Smith Symphony (AR).

A strong believer in new music, Rebman is frequently involved in the premieres of new music and promoting the harp to young composers. April of 2017 saw the culmination of a passion project to commission and premiere five new works for solo harp, designed to expand the repertoire of the instrument and explore the many capabilities of the harp that are often ignored. This was followed by a second recital in September of 2018 featuring six new works. These works will be the foundation of his first album of harp solos. Rebman was a featured harpist and composer for the 2018 inaugural season of the Mostly Modern Festival at Skidmore College and the TUTTI 2017 and 2015 New Music Festival at Denison University. He was also harpist in the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival â Yale School of Music's New Music Workshop in the summer of 2016. He first discovered a love of new music as principal harp for the FiveOne Experimental Orchestra in Cleveland.

After seeing a need for increased communication between harpists and composers, Rebman created a presentation and packet on the basics of composing for the harp. This lecture has been given to composition students at the Mostly Modern Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, Cleveland Institute of Music Young Composers Program, Rocky Ridge Music Festival, University of Oklahoma, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Based on this experience, Rebman was invited to be a featured presenter at the 2018 American Harp Society National Conference, speaking as part of a panel on the topic of commissions and working with composers.

As a composer, Rebman has written for a variety of ensembles while also specializing in modern techniques of harp composition. He was a winner of the Mostly Modern Festival concerto competition and will premiere his harp concerto Hyperion in their 2019 season. 2017 featured the premiere of Twilight for solo harp at the 2017 TUTTI New Music Festival at Denison University. 2016 premieres included He Would Not Stay: Seven Poems of A.E. Housman for Baritone and piano, premiered by "The Secret Opera" in New York City, Prana for solo violin, commissioned by Catherine Rinderknecht, and Hyperion: Concerto for Harp and Orchestra premiered by the composer with piano. Mnemosyne, a suite of character pieces for harp and flute, was selected for performance at the NACUSA 2016 convention in Knoxville, Tennessee and the 2015 TUTTI New Music Festival. Eros for solo harp was featured at the 46th annual Ball State Festival of New Music in 2016, and won third prize in the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs' Collegiate Composers competition. Summer of 2014 found Rebman in Estes Park, Colorado, as a participant in RRMC's composition program. The Faculty Ensemble there premiered his song cycle He Would Not Stay: Seven Poems of A.E. Housman for Baritone and pierrot ensemble. Rebman also participated in the Atlantic Music Festival, where Mnemosyne was first premiered. Elegy for solo alto flute was selected by the Greater Cleveland Flute Society for inclusion in their Composers' Connection concert.

Aside from performing and composing, Rebman is also an active teacher. He directs the harp program at Cincinnati's School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where students in grades 4-12 have daily harp ensemble rehearsals during the school day. They also perform solo repertoire and perform in the school orchestra. Rebman is also a part-time faculty at Northern Kentucky University, where he teaches harp and runs a private studio with students from age 9-80!

Rebman is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has studied harp with Michelle Gwynne, Yolanda Kondonassis, Gaye LeBlanc, and Gillian Benet Sella. Compositions studies have been with Jeremy Allen, Robert Paterson, and Marvin Lamb.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rebman discovered the harp at age ten through Disney's Fantasia, creating a love for all things harp that was fostered through study with the late Michelle Gwynne and performance in his school's string orchestra for eight years. Happiness is also found in video games, yoga, dogs, and Italian food.

Official Website

Full Professor

Theory & Composition Coordinator

FA 359

sanderk@nku.edu

(859) 572-6922

Bio

Kurt Sander's compositions have been performed in 15 countries on five different continents. Much of his choral and instrumental work takes its inspiration from the sublime dimensions of the Eastern Orthodox faith and the richness of its artistic traditions.â

His sacred choral work has been recorded and performed by professional ensembles throughout the world including Cappella Romana, the Kastalsky Choir (RUS), the Cincinnati Camerata, the Cantata Singers of Ottawa (CAN), the St. Romanos Cappella, the Clarion Choir, Archangel Voices, the Patriarch Tikhon Choir, and The Orthodox Singers (RUS) and the PaTRAM Institute Singers.

In 2017, he received a commission by the Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute (PaTRAM) for a new English-language setting of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. This 90-minute work was recorded by the PaTRAM Institute Singers under the direction of Peter Jermihov and released as a 2 CD set on Reference Recordings label in 2019. The CD of this work was nominated for a Grammy in 2020 under the "Best Choral Album" category.

Sander was one of five featured composers on the collaborative composition "Heaven and Earth" which was commissioned by the St. John of Damascus Society and will be recorded in 2021 by the renowned choral ensemble Cappella Romana under the direction of Michael Boyer. The CD is scheduled for international release in 2022 on the Cappella Recordings label.

Sander has also acquired notoriety for his chamber and orchestral writing. He was recently named a finalist in the American Prize for his song cycle "Ella's Song" about the life of St. Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia. Other instrumental works have been performed by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, the Brasov Philharmonic (Romania), the Pleven Philharmonic (Bulgaria), the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Synchronia, the Corbett Trio, the Solaris Wind Quintet, and the St. Petersburg Quartet.

âSander currently serves as Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Theory and Composition at Northern Kentucky University. He holds degrees in composition from Northwestern University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Cleveland State University where he studied with Bain Murray, Alan Stout, Rudolph Bubalo, and Andrew Imbrie.

Sander's music is published through Musica Russica and Media Press, Inc.

Lecturer

Brass Coordinator, Brass Choir,Â Low Brass

FA 371

setzerl1@nku.edu

(859) 572-5421

Bio

Dr. Louis Setzer is the Lecturer of Low Brass at Northern Kentucky University. Prior to his appointment at NKU, he served as Instructor of Low Brass at Marian University of Indianapolis, where he taught low brass lessons, aural skills, music theory, directed the pep band, and worked as staff for the concert and marching bands.

Dr. Setzer is the author of Solo Literature for Trombone and Harp â An Annotated Bibliography. Â This book contains information on over 200 solos, transcriptions, trios, quartets and chamber works featuring the trombone and harp. He has commissioned and recorded several works for trombone and harp as a direct result of this book. In 2017 he and NKUâs own Instructor of Harp, Joseph Rebman, formed the JOLO Duo. Their mission is to raise awareness for this genre of music through performance, and collaboration of new works. JOLO Duo released their debut album in February 2020, JOLO Duo: The Bounds of Spring. It features eight previously unrecorded works for trombone and harp. They maintain an active schedule, and have been invited to perform at international festivals and universities throughout the country.

Recent solo engagements include performing Frank Gulinoâs Capriccio with the Indiana Wind Symphony, Joseph Turrinâs Fandango with the Marian University Wind Ensemble, and his own arrangement of Four Songs from Dichterliebe at the American Trombone Workshop. In addition JOLO Duo has performed for both the International Trombone Festival and the American Trombone Workshopâs Guest Artist Recital series. Dr. Setzer was a featured soloist of the Penn State alumni trombone choir on their concert tour of Santiago Cuba â an experience he will not soon forget.

Dr. Setzer earned his BM in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania (â11), his MM in Trombone Performance (â13) from The Pennsylvania State University, where he served as the Graduate Teaching Assistant for Mark Lusk, and his DMA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (â17). His primary teachers were Stephen McEuen, Mark Lusk, Timothy Anderson, and Peter Norton

Official website

Part-Time Faculty

Music Education

smithb114@nku.edu

Bio

Branden D. Smith is a graduate of Central State University in Wilberforce, OH, where he earned his Bachelorâs Degree in Music Education and served as staff arranger for the Central State University Marching Band Program. Mr. Smith then went on to earn his Masterâs Degree in Music Education from The South Carolina School of Arts at Anderson University, where he completed his research thesis entitled âThe HBCU Marching Band: The Underground Railroad for African American Students to Higher Education.â

Most recently, Mr. Smith has served within Cincinnati Public Schools in Cincinnati, OH, where he served as the program coordinator and teacher lead for the Black Music of America fourth grade district-wide instrumental music start-up initiative, which provided over 20 elementary schools with musical instruments and private instruction based upon curriculum ranging from the Music of the African diaspora, Early Jazz through todayâs hip-hop and R&B. In addition, he has served as Associate Director of Bands at Aiken High School and Director of Bands at Roberts Academy. Mr. Smith served as Director of Bands at North College Hill High School in Cincinnati, OH, from 2014 to 2019. Under the baton of Mr. Smith, his students and ensembles have earned consistently superior and excellent ratings at district and state marching band and symphonic band festival contests. Under Mr. Smithâs leadership, his instrumental ensembles have boasted a 100 percent graduation rate and over 8 million dollars in musical scholarships earned nationwide.

Mr. Smith is an avid trombone player within the Cincinnati area as he often performs with The University of Cincinnati Community Band and is a member of the All Saints Church of Cincinnati, OH Brass Quartet. Mr. Smith also sings Bass with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Classical Roots Community Chorus. He often serves as a guest clinician, arranger, and drill writer for various high schools and universities within the Midwest region.

Mr. Smith is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and best practices within in the field of music education. Mr. Smith holds professional memberships within the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA), National Foundation for Music Education (NAfME), and HBCU Band Directors Consortium. Mr. Smith has presented as a guest clinician at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference on Instrumental Music and best practices within urban school settings. He has also participated in the OMEA Charles H. Benner leadership academy.

In addition, Mr. Smith served as a contributor and editor with the 2022-2023 Ohio Department of Education Fine Arts Standards Committee. Mr. Smith is also a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. and presides as Vice-Polaris of the Gamma Xi Omega Greater Cincinnati Alumni Chapter.

Lecturer

Keyboard Coordinator

FA 235

vandyker1@nku.edu

(859) 572-5792

Bio

Richard Van Dyke, DMA, NCTM is the Keyboard Area Coordinator at Northern Kentucky University where he teaches Piano Pedagogy, Keyboard Literature, Applied Piano to majors and minors, Class Piano and coaches Chamber Music. Dr. Van Dyke completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance and Master of Music Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where his primary teachers were Elisabeth and Eugene Pridonoff and Richard Morris. He studied collaborative piano and chamber music with Sandra Rivers. His primary mentor in Piano Pedagogy was Michelle Conda.

Dr. Van Dykeâs students have been recognized for their performances at the David Dubois International Piano Competition, Depauw Young Artists Piano Competition, MTNA National Competitions, the Overture Awards and OhioMTA Pre-Collegiate Buckeye Competition. His advanced students have been accepted into the music programs at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University Jacob School of Music and other fine institutions.

As an active member of MTNA, he served MTNA as the OhioMTA Southwest Association district president and OhioMTA state president. In 2010 he was chosen as the OhioMTA Independent Music Teacher of the Year and in 2017 was recognized as a MTNA Fellow in recognition of his contributions to the organization.

Dr. Van Dykeâs performs solo and chamber music recitals regularly and has presented workshops and master classes nationally at state and local conferences and music camps. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Cincinnati, Kent State University and Miami University of Ohio and has been selected to speak at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in Chicago, IL (July 2011, 2015 and 2019), and Music Teachers National Associations National Conference in Anaheim, CA (March, 2013) and Orlando, FL (March, 2018).

Full Professor

Voice

FA 360

vestj3@nku.edu

(859) 572-5622

Bio

Tenor Jason Vest enjoys a full life as an active musician and educator. Vest is a versatile performer who enjoys equally the challenges of opera, concert, recital, and professional choral work. He has been featured with Cincinnati Opera, Amarillo Opera, Stara Zagora and Plovdiv opera houses in Bulgaria, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and many others. In concert, he has recently been the featured soloist in the works of Bach, Handel, and Rachmaninoff. Vest has worked with composers to premiere their works in roles he originated or debuted, such as Douglas Pewâs The Good Shepherd and Bradley Ellingboeâs Star Song.

As a recitalist, Vest delights in the opportunity to communicate closely with audiences and has performed for the Mexico Liederfest in Monterrey and the Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival in Albuquerque, as well as in recitals across the United States. Vestâs album of Richard Hundleyâs songs, Evening Hours, was released through Roven Records in the fall of 2018.

Vest is a member of the Grammy-award winning choral group, Conspirare, under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. With Conspirare, he has toured throughout the United States, most meaningfully in performances of the Grammy-nominated new oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard. Vest also sings with the Vocal Arts Ensemble, Collegium Cincinnati, and the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas.

Jason Vest is an associate professor of voice at Northern Kentucky University. His students have been finalists at district and regional NATS competitions and have been accepted at graduate schools, including USC, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Texas. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Kentucky after earning a Bachelor of Music from Butler University and a Master of Music from Brigham Young University. Jason is a staff writer for Classical Singer magazine and has also published in the Journal of Singing.

Official website

Part-Time Faculty

Piano

yongk1@nku.edu

Bio

Kang Ning Yong is a piano instructor, pianist, and church music director in Ohio. She is also a part-time faculty member, teaching Aural Skills at Northern Kentucky University. She teaches piano with students of all ages at the West Chester Academy and also teaches at students' homes in the Cincinnati area. Additionally, since 2018, she has been a certified music teacher in the Music for Young Children program. Kang Ning has also been associated with the National Teachers of the Royal Conservatory of Music in the US region.

In 2021, she was awarded the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Teacher Enrichment Grant, which allowed her to further pursue her piano studies with her piano professor, Prof. Siok Lian Tan, at Miami University. She also performed a charity piano recital at Berkeley Square in 2022.

Born and raised in Malaysia, Kang Ning received a graduate assistantship and completed her Master's Degree in Music Performance at Miami University under the tutelage of Prof. Siok Lian Tan in 2018. During her graduate studies, she also served as a teaching assistant for the Functional Piano course for non-piano undergraduate music students. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Universiti of Putra Malaysia, where she studied piano with Dr. Loo Fung Chiat, Ms. Geneviene Wong, and Ms. Carolyn Lo in 2014.

Beyond her teaching role, Kang Ning serves as the Music Department Leader at the West Chester Academy, where she helps and sustains the music teachers' teaching qualities by conducting teaching observations twice a year at the academy.

Throughout her professional journey, Kang Ning finds joy in creating piano arrangements of popular songs and sharing her piano performances through social media videos.

Part-Time Faculty

Bassoon

youngr13@nku.edu

Bio

Rachael Young is the Principal Bassoonist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Springfield Symphony Orchestra and a member of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus. She is also the Principal Bassoonist of the Shippensburg Festival Orchestra.

Rachael has maintained an active and varied orchestral career, holding positions with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Tuscaloosa Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, and Symphony of Southeast Texas in addition to performing with the Cincinnati Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta and many others. She has also performed as a soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Rachael won a silver medal at the 2008 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, has performed at the Kennedy Center, and was invited as a fellow to Yaleâs Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She also received the John Celentano Award for Excellence in Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music.

Alongside performing, Rachael has always maintained a passion for outreach and education. In addition to teaching Bassoon at NKU and Xavier University, she performs over 90 in-school educational concerts a year as a member of the DPO Wind Quintet, reaching students all over the greater Dayton and Southwest Ohio region. She has also participated in the Dayton Performing Artâs Alliance Spark Program, using music to enhance core curriculum in kindergarten classrooms.

Rachael graduated from the Eastman School of Music as a student of John Hunt and Rice Universityâs Shepherd School of Music as a student of Benjamin Kamins.

Lecturer

Trumpet, Jazz

FA 370

zappaj1@nku.edu

(859) 572-6988

Bio

John Zappa is a performer and educator. At Northern Kentucky University, he teaches trumpet, Jazz Theory, Arranging, Jazz History, Composition, Improvisation and Jazz Appreciation as well as coaching a variety of ensembles. As an educator, Zappa has written a text book for Jazz Appreciation and developed Jazz Theory and Arranging courses to fit the needs of the students at NKU. He also developed a course called Composition For Commercial Media which blends composition with technology. Many of Zappaâs former students have gone on to successful performing careers and some as successful music educators. His trumpet students range from serious jazz players to lead/commercial players and classical players looking for better technique.

He also maintains a performing schedule and has appeared throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. Zappaâs professional credits as a trumpeter run the gambit of musical styles and ensembles. While primarily a jazz trumpeter appearing regularly with several big bands and jazz combos, he also plays with salsa bands, concert orchestras, pit orchestras, and show bands. John is also an accomplished studio musician recording music for theme parks and T.V. commercials as well recording for various album projects which have included the Grammy nominated âWhen Bullfrogs Croakâ by Zach Morgan and âWe Want the Funkâ by Bootsy Collins for the movie âUndercover Brother.â

Zappa has recorded his own music on albums including âNot Too Slow, Not Too Fastâ and âMoon and Shadowâ with famed and legendary Cuban drummer, Ignacio Berroa. Another album called âNow Hear Thisâ is also the name of his band that features his original compositions and arrangements that explore world beat rhythms in a contemporary jazz setting. John has worked consistently as a band leader fronting dance bands of different sorts as well as jazz groups for 22+years. One such group featured the drummer of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton fame John Von Ohlen.

John has performed a variety of concerts with headliners including Don Rickles, Eddie Money, Wayne Newton, Leslie Gore, The Temptations, The OâJayâs and Frankie Vallie, in addition to jazz concerts with well-known artists including Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Ignacio Berroa, Jimmy Heath, Lew Soloff, Terell Stafford and Jeff Coffin.