Faculty Information

Below is a list of the WSU Winds and Percussion Faculty. If you have any questions about instrumental studies at WSU, please feel free to contact any of the faculty members. Scroll down to see all of the Winds and Percussion faculty members or use the categories to find the professor for a particular instrument or program.

Department Chair

Director of Bands
Professor Dr. Victor Markovich
victor.markovich@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6424

Woodwinds

Flute
Professor Dr. Frances Shelly
frances.shelly@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6598
BM, MM, DMA from the University of Michigan. Flubright Scholar, Hochshule fur Musik, Berlin, Germany. Principal flutist, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Lieurance Woodwind Quintet, and the Shelly Egler Flute and Organ duo. Performances throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. World Premieres performed at the National Flute Association convention in Washington, D.C. in 1991, and American Guild of Organists convention in Detroit in 1986. Flute and Organ compact disc available on the Summit Record Label. Awarded Artist-Fellowship to Bach Aria Festival and Institute in Stony Brook, NY.

Oboe
Assistant Professor Andrea Banke
andrea.banke@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6606
BM from the Eastman School of Music, Summa Cum Laude, and MM from the University of Minnesota. Principal Oboe with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. Frequently serves as Guest Principal Oboe of the esteemed Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Former Principal Oboe of the Rochester Philharmonic in New York. Ms. Banke has appeared with the Bach Society of Minnesota, the Kansas City Symphony, Omaha Symphony, and served as Principal Oboe in the Heidelberg Opera Festival in Germany. Recorded with the Dakota Wind Quintet and featured on NPR's Performance Today.

Clarinet
Assistant Professor Suzanne Tirk
suzanne.tirk@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6191
BM, Lawrence University, WI; MM, Michigan State University. Member, Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. Has professionally performed and taught throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Past assignments include Bemidji State University, Lawrence University, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and Montana State University. Active in several professional organizations including the International Clarinet Association, the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, Phi Kappa Phi, the College Music Society, MENC, and KMEA.

Bassoon
Assistant Professor Scott Oakes
scott.oakes@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6586
BM from University of the Pacific, CA; MM from DePaul University, Chicago. Principal Bassoon, Wichita Symphony and Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. Principal Bassoon, Quad City Symphony, Davenport, IA. Member, Illinois Symphony. Mr. Oakes has also appeared with numerous orchestras throughout the Chicago area and upper midwest, including the Elgin Symphony, Lake Forest Symphony, Rockford Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Northwest Indiana Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, Green Bay Symphony, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Other appearances include performances at the Aspen Music Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, Southern Illinois Music Festival, and Ravinia Festival.

Saxophone
Associate Professor Jean Lansing
jean.lansing@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6574
BME, Coe College; MM and doctoral studies, Indiana University. Principal saxophonist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Executive board member of the North American Saxophone Alliance and visiting Professor of Saxophone at Indiana University. Premier performances at the World Saxophone Congress, International Saxophone Symposium, National Conference on Women in Music, North American Saxophone Alliance National and International Conferences. Solo performances in Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Venezuela. National tour with Sotto Voce Trio in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Brass

Trumpet
Assistant Professor Donald Duncan
donald.duncan@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6578
BME Wichita State University (PA); MM Arizona State University. Principal trumpet, Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Wichita Brass Quintet. Principal trumpet, AIMS Festival Orchestra, Graz, Austria. Substitute trumpet, Chicago Symhony Orchestra. Formerly second trumpet, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra; thrid trumpeet Wichita Symphony. Also performed with Phoenix Symphony, Wichita Falls Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestral, Chicago Symphony, Summit Brass, and Kings Brass. Principal teachers: Dr. Walter J. Myers, Regents Professor David Hickman, and Chuck Berginc. On faculty with AIMS Fesitval, Graz, Austria. Formerly faculty at Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas. Taught privately for eighteen years. Also thirteen years in music ministry in churches, playing, conducting, and leading worship.

Horn
Professor Dr. Nicholas Smith
nicholas.smith@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6590
BM, Pittsburg State University; DMA, Eastman School of Music. Principal horn, Wichita Symphony Orchestra; former Principal horn, Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra; and former Assistant Principal horn of the Rochester Philharmonic. Has served as Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State University. Has been a faculty member at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina, American Institute of Music Studies, and at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His publications include a book, Don't Miss!!! Studies for Better Accuracy on the Horn, and articles - "History of the Horn Mute" in The Horn Call Annual and "The Horn! Still a Tonal Instrument" in the Kansas Music Review. Has performed solo and chamber recitals in Wichita, KS; Denton, TX; Provo, UT; Pottsdam, NY; Graz, Austria; Oklahoma City, OK; San Francisco, CA; Washington, D.C.; and the Carnegie Recital in New York.

Trombone
Professor Russ Widener
russ.widener@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6111
BM, Baylor University; MM, Catholic University; doctoral study, Indiana University. Principal trombonist, Wichita Symphony Orchestra; trombonist, Wichita Brass Quintet; bass trombonist, Music Theatre of Wichita. Performed with bands and symphonies throughout the U.S. Former university appointments include University of Georgia, California State University - Fullerton, and University of California - Santa Barbara. Professor Widener has specialized in developing uses of technology in teaching - recording sound and video to communicate trombone performance techniques to his students.

Tuba and Euphonium
Assistant Professor Phillip Black
phillip.black@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6111
BM, Ball State University; MM, University of New Mexico. Principal tubist, Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Wichita Brass Quintet. Former Principal tubist, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Galliard Brass Ensemble, New Mexico Symphony, and New Mexico Brass Quintet. Substitute tubist for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Former tuba instructor at Flint Institute and the University of New Mexico. New materials reviewer for International Tuba Euphonium Association Journal. Appears on recordings of the Music Heritage Society (Galliard Brass Quintet).

Percussion

Percussion
Assistant Professor Gerald Scholl
gerald.scholl@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6155
B.M. in performance, Boston University and M.M., New England Conservatory of Music studying with Tom Gauger and Vic Firth respectively. Principal Timpanist/Principal Percussionist in the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Held principal positions in Israel Chamber Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (Canada), and Tulsa Philharmonic. Also Principal Timpanist with the Tulsa Symphony and Tulsa Ballet Orchestras and Assistant Principal with the Colorado Music Festival. Educational artist and clinician for the Zildjian Cymbal Company; Grover Pro-Percussion; Remo Inc.; and most recently the Pearl/Adams, Mr. Scholl presents master classes and clinics at schools and universities throughout the Midwest. He is also the originator of the popular young audience educational series Jerry Scholl s Wild World of Drums and The American Jazz Hour.

Jazz Studies

Jazz Studies
Associate Professor Craig Owens
craig.owens@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6198

 Instrumental Music Education Studies

Music Education
Dr. Steve Oare
steve.oare@wichita.edu
(316) 978-6434

Steve Oare is the assistant professor of music education at Wichita State University. Dr. Oare earned his Ph.D. in music education from Michigan State University. Prior degrees include a Master of Music in School Music and a
Diploma of Fine Arts in the Kodaly Method from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Idaho. Dr. Oare taught beginning through high school band and general music for 16 years, also serving as
school district instrumental music facilitator. A woodwind specialist, Dr. Oare has served as the principal clarinetist in the Olympia Symphony Orchestra and the Northwest Wind Symphony, and as a saxophonist with the 22nd Avenue Dixieland Band and in his church worship team. His research interests include improving the practice habits of novice instrumentalists, self-assessment, and the use of video case studies in teacher education.