Event Calendar & News: Faculty News

Welcome New Faculty

Dr. Mitch Robinson, assistant professor of music education

Prior to his appointment with the School of Music in August 2003, Dr. Robinson was assistant professor and coordinator of music education at the University of Connecticut; assistant professor of school and community music education at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.; and director of wind activities and wind ensemble conductor at the University of Rochester. For ten years, he was director of bands and music department facilitator in Fulton, N.Y.

Dr. Robinson was awarded the 1997 Reston Prize from Arts Education Policy Review for his analysis of arts education policy, and the 1999 research award from the International Network of Performing & Visual Arts Schools. He serves on the editorial committee of the Music Educators Journal, and his publications have appeared in several journals. He co-authored a book on the topic of beginning music teacher mentoring and induction, published by Music Educators National Convention in Fall 2003. Dr. Robinson also served for two years as scholar-in-residence for music for the Connecticut State Department of Education, where his work focused on beginning music teacher induction and support.

Dr. Robinson received B.F.A. degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an M.M.E. from the Hartt School of Music, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from the State University of New York-Oswego, a Ph.D. in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, and pursued post-graduate studies in music education and conducting at Northwestern University.

“Dr. Robinson is an excellent teacher and scholar and has a wealth of practical experience as an educator and administrator. He will be a wonderful asset to the faculty and will contribute greatly to the education of our music students,” said John Kratus, professor and chair of music education at MSU.

Andrew Goodrich, visiting instructor in music education

Mr. Goodrich served on the jazz studies faculty at Arizona State University prior to his appointment to the School of Music faculty in August 2003. Previous to that, he was a high school and junior high school band director for four years, and a general music specialist.

Mr. Goodrich teaches Introduction to Music Education, Seminar in Psychology of Music Education, Seminar in Music Curriculum and Pedagogy, and Jazz Pedagogy. He is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation in Music Education at Arizona State University. He earned a M.M.E. with a Jazz Concentration from Arizona State University, and a B.M.E. from the University of Montana.

Vincent Gardner, instructor of jazz trombone

Prior to his School of Music appointment in August 2003, Mr. Gardner toured with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has performed, toured and/or recorded with The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, The Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Chaka Kahn, A Tribe Called Quest, Tommy Flanagan, Marcus Roberts, Matchbox 20, Jimmy Heath, Lauryn Hill, among many others. Gardner attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Erica Ohm, visiting assistant professor in piano

Prior to her appointment to the School of Music faculty in August 2003, Dr. Ohm taught at Sejong University in Seoul, Korea. She has acquired many prizes in competitions and has appeared in numerous concerts.

Since her first solo recital in Seoul, which was highly received and hailed by the press, Dr. Ohm has been performing vigorously as a solo performer as well as an ensemble player throughout her native land. She has appeared on stages in Japan and China, and in a concert series of the Complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas and the Complete Beethoven Piano Trios, which have been featured on television and radio programs. Because of her activities as a performer, Dr. Ohm has been chosen among "the best and the most active pianists in Korea" by music journalists.

Dr. Ohm earned her DMA at Michigan State University after completing her master’s and Professional Studies in Music at Manhattan School of Music.

Percussion:

David Hall, assistant professor in percussion

Mr. Hall served as assistant principal percussionist and assistant timpanist with the Grand Rapids Symphony prior to his appointment with the School of Music in August 2003. Winner of the 1998 Leigh Howard Stevens International Marimba Competition, he is one of America’s leading marimbists. He has been a featured soloist with numerous symphonies, and actively presents clinics. He is also an active freelance pit percussionist and drum set player, performing with the Broadway Theatre Guild and Cherry County Playhouse. As a Tanglewood Fellow in Percussion in 1986, Mr. Hall has worked with conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and John Williams, among others. He participated in the Aspen Music School for three summers and was twice the winner of the Annual Concerto Competition. Mr. Hall earned a B.M. from Ithaca College and a M.M. at the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the Performers Certificate.

Richard Fracker, assistant professor of voice (tenor)

Mr. Fracker was appointed to the MSU School of Music faculty in August 2003. He regularly performs in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world. He has appeared frequently with the Metropolitan Opera and has appeared several times in Texaco’s Live from the Met national radio broadcasts. Career highlights include world debuts of Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox and Orphee, as well as his Carnegie Hall debut as the tenor lead in Glass’s demanding Civil Wars to critical acclaim. He has performed leading tenor roles in Spain, Italy and Iceland and with companies throughout the United States. Mr. Fracker has participated in the prestigious Spoleto Festival (Italy) and the Saito Kinen Festival (Japan), and has worked with such illustrious conductors as James Levine, Seiji Ozawa, Carlos Kleiber, Nello Santi, Valery Gergiev and Marco Armiliato.

Nathan Williams, visiting associate professor of clarinet

Dr. Williams was appointed to the School of Music faculty in August 2003. He is also instructor of clarinet at the Interlochen Arts Academy, and is under artist management with Lois Scott, Inc. in New York. 

Dr. Williams performs with and is a founding member of Strata, a clarinet-violin-piano trio, and has also performed throughout the United States, Austria and Eastern Europe. He has recorded for Albany Records, CBC Radio, NPR, Composers Recordings, Inc., Musical Heritage Society, and Arizona University Recordings. Honors and prizes were awarded to him in the following competitions: the William C. Byrd Young Artist, International Gaudeamus Interpreters, Eastman Concerto, and Naumburg International Competitions. He has commissioned several works for clarinet and performed and made world premiere recordings of both solo and chamber music for the New York Guild of Composers, the Austrian Composers Foundation, the Focus! Festival at New York's Lincoln Center, and San Francisco's Composers, Inc. Dr. Williams earned a DMA from the Juilliard School, a M.M. from Eastman School of Music, and Artist's Diploma from the Academy of Music and Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria.