Shepherd Careers Forum: Faculty/ Staff Participants

College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati
PJ Woolston, Admissions Officer for Undergraduates.
P J Woolston manages undergraduate admissions and scholarships at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He also plays the bassoon and is no stranger to unique opportunities to create music. With his wife he has worked arduously to expand the bassoon/soprano repertoire. Through his teaching and research he strives to bridge the gap between "classical" and (cough) "popular" music by making them equally accessible. P J earned an MM in Bassoon Performance at the University of Michigan and a BA in French from Brigham Young University.

Cleveland Institute of Music
Catherine Jarjisian, Interim Dean of the Conservatory
Catherine Jarjisian is Interim Dean at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She held prior positions as Director of the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin-Wallace College and Director of the Music Education Division at Oberlin Conservatory, as well as faculty positions at Oberlin, Iowa State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She is serving a second term on the NASM Commission on Accreditation and was a recent president of the Ohio Association of Schools of Music. Her undergraduate degree is from Susquehanna University, graduate degrees from Temple University.

The Curtis Institute of Music
Mary Loiselle Director of Community Engagement and Career Development Services
Mary Loiselle is Director of Community Engagement and Career Development Services for The Curtis Institute of Music, where she also is a member of the Career Studies faculty. She has served as Director of Public Relations for the Philadelphia, Minnesota and Detroit orchestras; Assistant Director of Public Affairs at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.; and Director of Education and Community Partnerships for the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has taught at Drexel and West Chester Universities and at the Eastman School of Music. Also a trained executive and personal coach, she works with clients and groups, and leads seminars on a variety of subjects, including a seminar for Curtis students, “Composing Your Life.”   She earned a B.S. in music education at West Chester University, where she continued with a Master’s program in music history. She did further graduate work at Temple University and Ph.D. studies in music theory at Eastman, and is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training.

The Colburn School
Richard Beene, Associate Dean of Students, Professor of Bassoon
Richard Beene, Associate Dean of Students, Professor of Bassoon, Colburn Conservatory. Mr Beene was formerly the Professor of Bassoon at the University of Michigan, a post he held since 1989. In addition to chamber music, masterclasses, and music festivals performances, other activities have included work with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Detroit Symphony. While at The University of Michigan, Mr. Beene also performed as the Principal Bassoonist of the Toledo Symphony.

Eastman School of Music
Leslie Scatterday, Operations Manager, IML
Arts Leadership Program/ Careers & Professional Development
Leslie Scatterday is Operations Manager for the Institute for Music Leadership and Assistant Director of the Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Program (ALP) at the Eastman School of Music. She manages all aspects of the ALP including the curriculum, guest speaker series, internship program, certificate programs and ALP student advising. She is also responsible for overseeing operations in the IML and the Office of Careers and Professional Development. Prior to joining Eastman in 2002, she had 13 years of higher education experience in various administrative positions at Cornell University, the last being Associate Director of the Purchasing Department. She holds a degree in Business Education from the University of Akron.

The Juilliard School
Eric Booth, Artistic Advisor
Eric Booth, Juilliard School faculty member, nationally recognized consultant for the arts, and author, has been an award-winning actor (six plays on Broadway), producer, and small businessman. He founded the company Alert Publishing, which became the largest company of its kind in America in seven years, and launched him as a trend analyst with three books, a nationally syndicated radio program on the Business Radio Network; regular appearances on CNN and NBC. He has published over 80 articles and was the Founding Editor of the Teaching Artist Journal--the first peer-reviewed professional journal for the field. He writes the regular Edifications column for Chamber Music Magazine, and his last book, The Everyday Work of Art (Sourcebooks, 1997), won two awards and was a Book of the Month Club Selection. It is still used as a course textbook at over 20 universities. He has lectured and been a visiting scholar at over 40 universities, and gives over 60 workshops and lectures a year at major arts organizations. He is an active consultant, with current clients including seven of the nation's ten largest orchestras, Americans for the Arts, Opera America, Chamber Music America, Chorus America, Sundance, The Kennedy Center, and many others. Mr. Booth serves on the Mellon Foundation Orchestra Forum faculty and also mentors young conductors who are engaged by major symphony orchestras as a part of the American Symphony Orchestra League’s Conducting Fellows Program. He coaches young musical ensembles at music conservatories across the U.S. on their audience interaction, and education programs.

Lamont School of Music, University of Denver
Katharine Knight, Cello and Chamber Music Faculty, Career Coordinator
A co-founder and cellist of the Da Vinci Quartet from 1980 to 2005, Ms. Knight performed across the United States, in Russia, England and Canada. She has recorded extensively, has abundant teaching credits to her name, and is a veteran of many international competitions. Ms. Knight is a member of the performance faculty of the Colorado College and University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. This year she was named Lamont’s Career Coordinator, and is responsible for initiating its career development program.

Manhattan School of Music
Robert H. Smith, Jr., Assistant Dean, Graduate Program in Orchestral Performance/ Community Engagement, Workshop Director, Professional Musical Theater Workshop
Mr. Smith completed his bachelor of music degree in piano performance at Florida State University as a student of the late Edward Kilenyi, Jr.  Soon afterwards, Mr. Smith changed careers and pursued dance studies in New York City where he was subsequently invited to join the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. For a decade, Mr. Smith toured the United States and Carribbean performing the masterworks of African-American choreographers.  He returned to his keyboard studies and attained a master’s degree in accompanying and chamber music at the Eastman School of Music as a scholarship student.
Mr. Smith serves as the assistant dean of the graduate program in Orchestral Performance, Community Outreach and the summer Professional Musical Theater Workshop at Manhattan School of Music.  Additionally, he is the artistic coordinator for MSM’s renowned chamber music group, the Claremont Ensemble.

New England Conservatory of Music
Angela Beeching, Director of Career Services Center
Angela Myles Beeching directs the New England Conservatory Career Services Center, a comprehensive career resource office for musicians, internationally recognized as a model of its kind.  Ms. Beeching has been a guest speaker for the Eastman School of Music, the Oberlin, Colburn, and Peabody Conservatories, and conferences for the National Association of Schools of Music and Chamber Music America.  Ms. Beeching’s articles on music and careers have appeared in Inside Arts, Classical Singer, the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Assoc. Journal, and Chamber Music magazine.Her book, Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music, is published by Oxford University Press.

Tanya Maggi, Director of Performance Outreach
Tanya Maggi is the director of New England Conservatory’s Community Performances and Partnerships Program, a nationally recognized community outreach program that trains and connects New England Conservatory students with the Boston community. Ms. Maggi has previously worked for the Saint Louis Symphony as the orchestra’s Education Programs Manager, and the Tulsa Philharmonic as both Director of Education and a violist in the orchestra. Extensively involved with arts advocacy initiatives across the country and abroad, Ms. Maggi serves on numerous advisory boards and has recently worked on projects with the London Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, and Showa University in Tokyo.

Oberlin Conservatory
Kathleen Chastain, Clinical Assistant Professor of Flute, Woodwind Pedagogy, Chamber Music, and Professional Development for Musicians
Kathleen Chastain, French and American flutist, has appeared in solo and recital performances in the United States, Europe, South America and Asia. Kathleen has performed as soloist with chamber orchestras of Toulouse, France, Paris Chamber Orchestra and Versailles Chamber Orchestra, among others, as guest principal flutist with the Orchestre de Paris under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. Kathleen Chastain has been on the faculties of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, the University of North Texas and Baldwin-Wallace College. She is currently Clinical Assistant Professor of Flute and Professional Development for Musicians at the Oberlin Conservatory. 

Gloria Kim, Assistant Dean for Artistic Programming and Operations
Gloria Kim was appointed Assistant Dean for Artistic Programming and Operations of Oberlin Conservatory of Music in July 2007.  Kim is responsible for overseeing and administrating Oberlin’s Artist Recital Series, the Conservatory’s national and international tours, and all other special performance projects. Prior to joining Oberlin, Kim was the Manager of Annual Fund at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Raising nearly $5 million annually for the Philharmonic, Kim brought the annual fund programs to a new level of professionalism and productivity.    Previously, Kim was a recipient of the 2003 American Symphony Orchestra League’s Orchestra Management Fellowship. Kim’s assignments included residencies at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Indianapolis, Greenville, and Chicago Symphonies.Kim received her B.A. in Arts Administration and B.M. in Piano Performance from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music.

Peabody
Gary Louie, artist faculty, saxophone. Co-teacher of Business of Music class.
A native of greater Washington, DC, saxophonist Gary Louie has earned an admired niche in American Concert life for his dedication to championing the artistic possibilities and expanding the repertoire of his instrument. Today, critics regularly compare him to Richard Stoltzman and Heinz Holliger for popularizing the artistic expressiveness of the saxophone as they did the clarinet and oboe, respectively. Recent seasons have heard performances with the Baltimore Symphony, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, and with the Washington Chamber Symphony and National Chamber Orchestra. An avid supporter and interpreter of contemporary music,Gary Louie is actively in involved the commissioning and performing of new scores for the saxophone, including works by William Albright and John Harbison.

San Francisco Conservatory
Yunny Yip, Associate Dean for Student Life
Yunny Yip joined the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as Associate Dean for Student Life in August 2005.  As Associate Dean, Yunny coordinates career development, health & wellness programs, housing support, student government, disability services, and other co-curricular activities.  An economist by training, Yunny received a B.S. in economics & business administration from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.A. in economics from the University of Virginia.  Prior, she worked as class dean & coordinator of transfer programs at Columbia University and as special assistant to the dean at Carnegie Mellon University.

Jennifer Seaman, Assistant to the Associate Dean for Student Life
Jennifer Seaman joined the staff at San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2006 as the Assistant to the Associate Dean of Students.  As a liaison between students and administration, she aides in coordinating social activities, facilitating focus groups, collaborating in career development, and programming for health & wellness awareness.  Jennifer began her studies at Baldwin-Wallace College where she received a BME as well as a BM in Vocal Performance.  Jennifer continued her musical endeavors at SFCM where she went on to earn both a MM and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Vocal Performance.  Pursuing her love of singing through an eclectic array of vocal repertoire, Jennifer has found enjoyment in exploring roles such as: “Nora” in Riders to the Sea, “Dorothee” in Cendrillon, “Lisa” in Pique Dame, “Susannah” in Susannah, “Sarah Brown” in Guys & Dolls, “Anna” in The King & I, and “Clara” in The Light in the Piazza. .

The Shepherd School of Music
Robert Yekovich, Dean
Robert Alan Yekovich became the fifth dean of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in 2003 and is also the Elma Schneider Professor of Music. He holds bachelor's and master's of music degrees from the University of Denver Lamont School of Music and a doctorate from Columbia University. From 1991 to 2003 he was dean of music at the North Carolina School of the Arts at the University of North Carolina. As Dean of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Yekovich has significantly increased the visibility and enhanced the reputation of the school and its students. Yekovich is a composer whose works have been performed and broadcast throughout the United States and South America. He serves on several boards including the New York chapter of the League of Composers/International Society for Contemporary Music, Shepherd Society, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Friends of Music, Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival, Wellesley Composers Conference, Speculum Musicae, and the Lamont School of Music.

Benjamin Kamins, Professor of Bassoon
Since entering the world of professional music in 1972, Benjamin Kamins has enjoyed a distinguished career as an orchestral musician, chamber and solo performer, and educator. During his tenure as Associate Principal Bassoon with the Minnesota Orchestra, Mr. Kamins taught at St. Olaf and Macalester Colleges. In 1981 he was appointed Principal Bassoon of the Houston Symphony and has served as a guest principal with the New York Philharmonic as well as the Boston and Pittsburgh Symphonies. As a founding member of both the Epicurean Wind Quintet and the Houston Symphony Chamber Players, his life in Houston remained diverse and his artistic presence deepened in the community. Now as a Professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School, Mr. Kamins continues his commitment to our young musicians and to the future of live music performance. In all of his professional activities, Mr. Kamins has been active in the vitality of institutional systems. During his orchestral years, he served on numerous committees, searches and planning groups that worked toward the long-term success of these orchestras. As a member of the Rice Faculty Senate, he enjoys creating partnerships between the Shepherd School and other areas of Rice University.

Janet Rarick, Artist Teacher of Woodwinds and Professional Development
Janet Rarick is currently on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where she teaches Wind Chamber Music, classes in professional development and performance skills, and directs the outreach program. A former member of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras, she has also been an active recitalist in Houston since 1981.

Ms. Rarick is the creator of the Shepherd School of Music website Navigating Music Careers. This site explores many aspects of building and sustaining a career in music performance, and is an ongoing resource for students and professional musicians all over the world. She was a pioneer in the use of distance learning at the school through her webcast program Navigating Music Careers Interactive. Most recently she developed a prototypical course for the school titled Music and Performance: The Mind/Body Connection.

USC Thornton School of Music
Dr. Susan Helfter, Director of Thornton Community Engagement and Outreach Program
Susan Helfter is an artist-educator known for her community engagement work through music. At the USC Thornton School of Music, Susan is the Director of Outreach Programs, Co-Director of the Midori Center for Community Engagement and Clinical Assistant Professor in Music Education with continuing research involving the performer as educator. Beyond USC, Susan is called upon regularly for interactive pre-concert lectures and to lead teaching-artist training sessions for arts organizations including the New World Symphony and the Da Camera Society. Susan is a past winner of the Canadian National Music Competition and performs regularly as a free-lance horn player and teaching-artist in southern California.