College of Arts and Humanities
Faculty
Music Faculty
Adam Donohue
Professor Adam Donohue received his Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston. He then began an eight-year tenure as a musical director in the cruise line industry, after which he went on to earn a Master of Arts in music from Washington State University with an emphasis in jazz composition and saxophone.
Justin DiCenzo
Justin DiCenzo has firmly established himself in the music industry, with his name featured in the music department of the film Get Out and credits on Anderson Paak’s Grammy award-winning album Ventura.
Trevor Frost
Trevor Frost (b. 1994) is an educator, conductor, and composer based in the Greater Saint Louis area. Frost currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands at 丝瓜APP University in Saint Charles, Missouri. He earned a B.M. in music education and earned a M.M. in music conducting from the University of New Hampshire as a student of Dr. Andrew Boysen Jr. and studied composition with Dr. Boysen and Dr. Michael Annicchiarico and earned his D.M.A. in wind band conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a student of Dr. Carolyn Barber and studied composition with Dr. Tyler White and Dr. Greg Simon.
Jesse Reed
Jesse Reed is a professional vocalist, conductor, and educator currently serving as Visiting Faculty in Music, where he directs choirs and leads the voice area. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Mount Union and Master of Music degrees in both Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from Kent State University, where he studied with Dr. Scott MacPherson. Mr. Reed is currently ABD in the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Iowa, where his studies were guided by Dr. Tim Stalter. As a performer, he frequently presents vocal recitals throughout the region and has appeared in operatic roles including Alfredo in La Traviata. Passionate about artistic growth and student-centered music making, Mr. Reed is excited to revitalize the choral and vocal programs and guide them in a new, positive direction focused on musical excellence, collaboration, and community.
Adjunct Faculty
- Keely O鈥橦ara Abeln 鈥� Private French Horn
- Dr. Samantha Arten – Music History
- Bob Baker 鈥� Guerilla Music Marketing, Case Studies in the Music Industry 鈥� Bob Baker is an author, speaker, musician, and former music magazine editor dedicated to showing musicians of all kinds how to get exposure, connect with fans, sell more music, and increase their incomes through their artistic passions. He is the author of the highly acclaimed Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook and created the Music Marketing 101 course for Berklee Online. He is one of the most widely recognized authorities on music marketing and has been called the 鈥淕odfather of Independent Music Marketing鈥�.
- Abby Benson – Voice
- Justin DiCenzo 鈥� Private Bass Guitar, Modern Music Ensemble, Improvisation 鈥� Justin DiCenzo is a bassist, producer, and music technician who works on film/tv soundtracks, and video games. Justin spent 10+ years honing his craft and skills in Los Angeles with the film/tv industry around composers David Schwartz, Gabriel Mann, Ludwig Goransson, Freddy Scott, and Michael Abels. Credits include second engineering for Lady Gaga, Robin Thicke, Bloodpop, a studio build and tech for Snoop Dogg and DJ Pooh, and engineering for Anderson Paak, Miguel Atwood-Furgeson, Ronnie Laws, Thomas Chase, David Schwartz, and Clayton Studios.
- Cara Dineen 鈥� Private Jazz and Contemporary Voice 鈥� American jazz and contemporary vocalist Cara Dineen performed extensively throughout the NYC-metro area from 2012-2020, as solo vocalist, founder, band manager, booking agent, and musical/creative director for her bands: BELLATONIC (jazz/pop), The Brooklyn Sugar Stompers (traditional jazz & blues 1920鈥檚-1930鈥檚), and her original music project ANAAM. Under this moniker, Ms. Dineen creates solo-vocal improvisations with a loop/effects pedal and writes multi-layered electro-acoustic voice compositions.
- Shawn Harrel 鈥� Instrumental and Choral Composition and Arranging 鈥� Shawn Harrel is a multi-talented digital media technology educator with a wide range of experiences in education, audio/video production, instrumental music, composition & arranging, and radio. Mr. Harrel is an adjunct professor at 丝瓜APP, an Ed. D. student in instructional design and performance technology at Baker University, and a part-time announcer at KCUR 89.3 FM, NPR in Kansas City.
- Rebecca Hill 鈥� Music in America, Private Clarinet, Woodwind Techniques 鈥� Rebecca Hill is an active freelance musician and music educator in the St. Louis area. She is 2nd clarinet for the Paducah (KY) Symphony Orchestra and performs with many recognized ensembles in St. Louis. As an educator, she teaches clarinet, saxophone, and piano lessons, in addition to music appreciation and American popular music.
- Wendy Hymes, DMA 鈥� Private Flute 鈥� Dr. Wendy Hymes鈥� recordings include a solo CD, African Art Music for Flute, featuring music for flute by composers from Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa which was also the subject of her doctoral dissertation. As an arts administrator, she was the Director of the Fowler Performing Arts Center in Jonesboro, AR, and currently directs the Intercultural Music Initiative Chamber Players, a mixed ensemble dedicated to performing music by diverse composers and serves on the National Flute Association鈥檚 Pedagogy Committee. Past performances include Ghana, Togo, England, and Brazil, numerous National Flute Association Conventions, the IMI Chamber Players, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Winter Opera, the Union Avenue Opera, the St. Louis Philharmonic and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Hymes holds BA, MM and DMA degrees in flute performance, music theory and arts administration from Principia College, Indiana University and Louisiana State University. Visit for information on her upcoming concerts.
- Darcie Johnson 鈥� Class Voice, Private Voice 鈥� Darcie Johnson has been an active performer and teacher in the St. Louis since 2008. She is Soprano I section leader for Bach Society of St. Louis and The Church of St. Michael and St. George. She has also been a featured soloist with Bach Society, the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra, and Manchester United Methodist Church.
- Ken Kehner 鈥� Private Jazz Piano 鈥� Ken Kehner holds a degree in Piano Performance from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He has backed such noted artists as Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew, Buddy DeFranco, Pete Christlieb, Eric Marienthal, Louie Bellson and Clark Terry. Ken is also a member of Elsie Parker鈥檚 group, the Poor People of Paris, and can be heard on that group鈥檚 CD entitled Live!
- Brett Kristofferson 鈥� Private Voice, Music Theory for Non-Majors
- Mark Lauer – Bassoon, Music Fundamentals
- Dr. Mihyun Lee -Piano Proficiency, Keyboard Techniques, Private Piano- Mihyun Lee earned degrees in piano performance from Cleveland Institute of Music (MM) and The Ohio State University (DMA). Dr. Lee has performed with the Russia Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Vienna CMS Orchestra, Romania Oltenia Craiova Philharmonic Orchestra, Janacek Chamber Orchestra, and Sae-Jong Symphony Orchestra. Her outstanding performance was broadcasted on the Classical 101 and WOSU TV in Ohio, and she made her debut at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall and the Kennedy Center as a winner of International Piano Competitions. She has served as Professor of Piano at Sook-Myung Women鈥檚 University, Baek-Seok Arts University, Hobart and William Smith College (staff Accompanist), and CMS Webster University. She currently serves as an Adjunct Piano Faculty at St. Charles Community College and 丝瓜APP University.
- Debbie Lennon 鈥� Jazz and Contemporary Voice 鈥� A member of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus for thirty-two seasons, Debby Lennon made her solo debut with the St. Louis Symphony
Orchestra in the 1992 Carnegie Hall premiere of William Bolcom’s “Songs of Innocence and Experience.” The Boston Globe called her “brassily irresistible.” From 1992-1999, Ms. Lennon recorded and performed with the nationally known a cappella group “Pieces of 8” of which she was a founding member. Ms. Lennon is active in the St. Louis opera scene having performed in Winter Opera’s 2012 production of La Boheme, and with Union Avenue Opera (UAO) in their productions of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She played Annina in La Traviata and Giovanna in Rigoletto directed by Tim Ocel, and Mrs. Mullen in Carousel directed by Ken Page at UAO. She made her Opera Theater of St. Louis debut in the ensemble of Dialogues of the Carmelites. - Cassandra Loy – Oboe
- Jerry Mazzuca – Drum Set
- Brittany Moleski – Voice
- Keith Moyer – Trumpet
- Dr. Matthew Pace – Music Theory
- John Sorsen – Low Brass
- Mathew von Doran 鈥� Private Guitar, Guitar Ensemble 鈥� Matthew Von Doran鈥檚 career highlights include the release of his acclaimed modern jazz album of original compositions, In This Present Moment, featuring Jimmy Haslip, Peter Erskine, Larry Goldings, Bob Sheppard, James Genus, Terri Lyne Carrington, (and more) as well as a world tour with La Quinta Estacion, winner of the 2010 Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album, and has recorded with numerous artists. Von Doran is the creator of The 99 Decisions Guitar Program, a comprehensive online instructional video course and served as ten years as an instructor at the Grammy Foundation鈥檚 Summer Music Camp in Los Angeles, California.