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SWOSU MUSIC ACADEMY FACULTY

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ABOUT THE MUSIC ACADEMY FACULTY

Learn about our outstanding SWOSU Music Academy Faculty below. Private lessons are led by Junior Faculty (SWOSU Music Majors) under the mentorship of SWOSU Professors. Group classes are led by SWOSU Faculty. Please contact the SWOSU Academy office for more information. 

SWOSU Faculty 

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Kristin Griffeath
      Dr. Kristin Griffeath, soprano, grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota and was inspired to pursue teaching music as a career by dedicated and caring public music educators like Norma West Hammer and Dennis Jewett, and incredible private voice and piano teachers, including Annette Valley, Emilia Vishnevestky-Flegel, and lifelong mentor, Mary Kay Schmidt. Griffeath attended the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI, where she double majored in Music Education (Choral/Vocal) and Piano Performance.  Dr. Michael Kim, Dr. Catherine Kautsky, and Mrs. Joanne Bozeman were all important musical mentors in her years at Lawrence, and Griffeath enjoyed accompanying some of the Lawrence Community Girl Choir ensembles while in Appleton. In 2004, she married tenor Dr. Robin Griffeath and decided to continue her educational journey with a dream of teaching voice at the college level in order to combine her passions for education and voice with the opportunity to play piano every day.  She spent three years living in sunny Tucson, Arizona, teaching in the public schools and helping first graders compose short, original operas while earning a master’s degree in Voice Performance from the University of Arizona. She studied voice with Dr. Kristin Dauphinais and performed the roles of “The Lady with a Hand Mirror” from Argento’s Postcard from Morocco and “Dorine” from Mechem’s Tartuffe.  Griffeath then attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, singing the roles of “Miss Wordsworth” in Britten’s Albert Herring and the “Dew Fairy” in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel.  Studying voice with Dr. Rebecca Sherburn, Griffeath completed a DMA in Voice Performance and a second master’s degree in Musicology. She taught voice as a graduate teaching assistant at UMKC and for the Conservatory Academy’s “Musical Bridges” program, an urban outreach program connecting private teachers to talented students in Kansas City Public Schools.  She now teaches as a professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She enjoys directing SWOSU Opera Workshop productions, teaching the music history sequence, and working with talented young singers in her voice studio.  As the faculty director of the SWOSU Music Academy, she values the opportunity to work with elementary voices in the Allegro Youth Choir and enjoys mentoring Junior Faculty Members.  Recent musical projects have included music directing the Southwest Playhouse community theatre production of The Drowsy Chaperone, performing recitals in Minneapolis as part of the Thursday Musical Artist series, and playing fun piano duets with her two amazing children, Nora and Brendan.
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Laura Julian


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Kathleen Jung
Kathleen Jung is a 2008 graduate of Okeene High School. She attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University graduating in 2013 with a Bachelor's in Instrumental Music Education with a minor in Child Developmental Psychology. and her Masters in Music Education from SWOSU in 2016.  While at SWOSU, she joined Mu Phi Epsilon serving in multiple officer roles and was awarded the Sterling Achievement Award in 2013.  Also during her time at SWOSU, she was a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and The Pride of the Great Southwest serving as drum major in 2012.  In 2013, she began her teaching career in Enid followed by Elk City where she is currently in her 9th year.  During her time at Elk City she began the Fairview Elementary Honor Choir and Elk City Elementary Honor Choir.  She was awarded Fairview Teacher of the Year in 2017, Elk City Elementary Teacher of the year in 2022, and Elk City Public Schools District Teacher of the Year in 2022.  She has served on multiple district and building committees and helps orchestra district level Music in Our Schools Month activities each year.  Ms. Jung currently teachings PreK, 2nd, and 3rd grade music at Elk City Elementary and is an adjunct music professor at SWOSU.  She serves as the President of the Oklahoma Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, Director of Operations with HOBY Oklahoma, and Financial Manager for SWOSU Music Camps and Music Academy.
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Didier Khoo


2022-2023 Junior Faculty 

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Destyne Anderson


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Kendrick Brown
Kendrick Brown is a sophomore Music Education and Music Performance major with percussion emphasis from Moore, Oklahoma. His goals are to get his doctorate in music and teach percussion ensemble and private lessons at a collegiate level. Kendrick has performed for the Frontier Brass Band, SWOSU Wind Symphony, SWOSU's percussion ensemble, as well as SWOSU's Jazz A and B programs. "I am excited to work with student in the music academy not only because it gives me teaching experience for my degree, but I get to be apart of a program like the Music Academy as it only grows from here. I also love sharing my knowledge of percussion so more and more people come to music. We hit things professionally and I find that to be the coolest thing to be a part of!"
 

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Guillermo Castellon
Born and raised in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. I finished my High School and Bachelor's degree in Honduras. After graduating, I traveled to Oklahoma to complete a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Currently I am working on my bachelor's degree in instrumental music education. I plan to graduate in 2023 and hopefully be able to share all the knowledge that I have acquired at SWOSU in a school. My primary instrument is the guitar, which I have been playing for about 20 years. I am also learning the viola and voice. I have been a member of Southwestern singers, SWOSU Symphony Orchestra, and Swosu Jazz Ensembles since 2018. I welcome anyone interested in learning the guitar to join the SWOSU Academy. ​


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Allena Hawthorne
"Hi, my name is Allena Hawthorne, and I am from Wilburton, Oklahoma. My goals for the future are to obtain a job teaching a middle or high school band/choir. I am a senior this year and I am majoring in both vocal and instrumental education. I have been performing with the SWOSU Wind Symphony for two years now. I have also been with the SWOSU Chamber Choir for two years. I have been in the "Pride of the Great Southwest" marching band and Southwestern Singers for four years and look forward for the next year. I have had the great opportunity to perform in a couple master classes featuring Parthena Owens and Julia Evers. I am really excited about being able to work with the SWOSU Music Academy. This is such a great opportunity to be able to do what I love and gain experience in the teaching field."


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Wayne Hoover
Wayne Hoover is originally from the cultural rich city of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. While a student in the Bartlesville public schools, Wayne focused much of his time on music and began enjoying his freelancing career by playing frequently in different churches around the city. Waye had also interned with the acclaimed music festival OKM Music, formerly OKMozart, where he was gifted with his first professional horn: a Bach Stradivarius. Wayne has also pioneered a new freelancing career in Weatherford, OK with his jazz combo group, Those Cats From Out West, in collaboration with his friends and colleagues at SWOSU. Wayne has also been a freelancing teacher in the OKC area having been the lessons instructor for trumpet in the after school mariachi program at Epic Charter Schools and Cristo Rey High School for the 2021-22 school year during an online semester away from Weatherford. Wayne Hoover has had the opportunity to play in SWOSU's Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, and lead in SWOSU's Jazz A as well as being the honorable mention in the 9th annual Joyce Adams Curtis Concerto competition. While at Southwestern, Wayne has the opportunity to play in masterclasses for Matilda Lloyd, Raquel Samayoa, Christopher Smith, Chris Wilson, Mary Elizabeth Bowden, and Ryan Beach. Wayne's future goals include furthering his studies in orchestral trumpet, creating his own private studio of students, and doing anything involved with playing trumpet.


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Tiffany LaFerry
​​Hello, my name is Tiffany LaFerry. I graduated from SWOSU in May of 2022 with a Music Therapy Degree in Vocal/Keyboard emphasis. Throughout my time at SWOSU I received clinical experiences from Burcham Elementary, the VA in Clinton working with the Dementia and Assisted Living,  Legends Assisted Living, a Womens Shelter and Homestead Living Centers dementia unit. I had the honor of doing a 6 month internship with Companion Hospice in Guthrie, Oklahoma and the OSU Developmental Lab. I currently stand as the Music Coordinator at Pepper's Ranch Foster Care Community and give adaptive lessons for the Music Academy. I am currently attending graduate school at SWOSU to recieve my masters in Music Therapy.


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Jack Morgan
Jack Morgan is a saxophonist from Mustang, Oklahoma. He is currently working on his bachelors in Music Education. Jack is an avid performer in a multitude of ensembles including the Pride of the Great Southwest, SWOSU Wind Symphony, SWOSU's Jazz Ensemble A, and the illustrious jazz combo, "Those Cats From Out West." Jack strives to meet the individual needs and expectations of every student he meets, and foster an environment in which students can develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become a rationally self-actualizing player, person, and student.


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Ryan Picht
"Hello, my name is Ryan Picht. I am from Elgin, Oklahoma, and I am studying Music Business and Performance at SWOSU. I have been playing the trombone since I was twelve years old, and my goal is to share the knowledge of music and trombone with kids in a fun way. I want to one day write and produce music while still performing in ensembles and continue doing solo work. I have been part of many honor bands in the past such as SWOBDA All-Region, Shortgrass, SWOSU All-Senior, and OSSBDA Small School All State. I have had the pleasure of working in masterclasses with various trombonists such as Dr. Christopher Brown, Dr. Jonathan Houghtling, and Dr. Benjamin Yates. I am currently playing in different bands such as the SWOSU Symphony Orchestra, SWOSU Jazz ensembles, The Pride of the Great Southwest Marching Band, and the SWOSU Trombone Studio under Dr. Philip Martinson. I have also had the pleasure of performing in the SWOSU Brass Choir and SWOSU Wind Symphony in years past. I joined the SWOSU Music Academy because I love music. My passion for music flows through me, and I want kids to experience the same feeling. Music is a gift, and I want to give it to others. Nothing is better than that."


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Zachary Pratt
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Hello! My name is Zachary Pratt, and I am a Music Education and Violin Performance Major at SWOSU. I was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but eventually moved to Ardmore where I graduated from high school. My main goal with getting my degree is to open a private teaching studio of my own. I am the concertmaster of the SWOSU Symphony Orchestra, which is a position I’ve held for around 2 years. My passion is in music, violin, and in teaching and passing on my passion to students, so being given this opportunity to teach private lessons through SWOSU is very exciting!


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Dawson Richter
Dawson Richter is a SWOSU student and Junior Faculty member from Ponca City, Oklahoma. He is majoring in Music Therapy and Vocal Performance, and plans to teach private voice while pursuing a Music Therapy career. He transferred to SWOSU in the fall of 2021 after 2 years at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, Oklahoma studying music. Dawson was a member of the NOC Roustabouts, as well as the choir and the acapella vocal ensemble at NOC. He is currently involved in Southwestern Singers and the Opera Workshop at SWOSU. He is excited to work with aspiring young singers to create and feed a love for music and singing.


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Erika Stutzman
Erika Stutzman is a graduate from Weatherford High School in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She has lived in Weatherford her whole life. She is majoring in two degrees which are Music Education and Elementary Education. Her ultimate goal in live is to be a high school band director in small town America. She has been an active member in many ensembles on Southwestern's campus. She has performed in large ensembles such as the SWOSU Wind Ensemble, SWOSU Symphony Orchestra, and the Pride of the Great Southwest. Erika also performed with the Southwestern Singers. She has also performed in some small ensembles such as the Saxhorn Quartet, where she played the alto horn and the "Wild Dawgs" basketball band. Erika works closely with the Weatherford High School giving lessons to their horn students and working as a tech with the high school marching band. Ms. Stutzman is most excited to work with the Music Academy because she loves working with students. She likes watching her students grow from their very first day to when they are reading music on their own!


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Kassadee Ostermaier
Hello, I am Kassadee Ostermaier, and I am from Enid, Oklahoma. I am currently a Freshman majoring in Music Education, with my primary instrument being Trombone. I plan to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree and teach, while possibly pursuing a Masters in Music Education and/or Performance. Some highlights throughout my college career include performing in the Benjamin Yates masterclass in October 2022, and the Pride of the Great Southwest in the fall. Other ensembles I participate in are Brass Ensemble, Jazz B, and Symphonic Band. I am so excited to teach my students the art of playing trombone, and vastly grow their musical knowledge throughout the semester! 




ABOUT

SWOSU DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

Southwestern Oklahoma State University includes one of Oklahoma’s largest music schools – one of established excellence. Undergraduate degrees offered at Southwestern include: Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental/General), Bachelor of Music Education (Vocal/General), Bachelor of Music (Performance or Music Business), and Bachelor of Music (Music Therapy). The Graduate Division of the department offers the Master of Music in Performance, the Master of Music in Music Therapy, and the Master of Music in Music Education.

​Whatever your musical goals, SWOSU’s Department of Music works with you to achieve your personal best. You study with superb musicians committed to your academic and musical advancement. With individual training customized to meet your needs, SWOSU’s Department of Music gives you the educational and performance opportunities to put you on the path of musical success. Our Department of Music is one of the region’s largest and finest music schools. The excellent quality of training offered at SWOSU is demonstrated daily by the hundreds of graduates now working in Oklahoma and throughout the United States.

Southwestern offers a full range of scholarship and financial aid to university students. For information about scholarships, contact Dr. Shelley Martinson, Chair; Department of Music: Southwestern Oklahoma State University; 100 Campus Drive; Weatherford, OK 73096. Telephone: (580) 774-3708 Email: shelley.martinson@swosu.edu.

College seniors can visit bit.ly/auditionswosu to schedule a scholarship audition.


Visit us at the official SWOSU Department of Music website: www.swosu.edu/music

Contact Us:
June 6 - July 17: Call 580-774-3296
After July 17: Call 
580-774-3708

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  • SWOSU Music Camps
    • Camp Scholarships
  • Music Academy
    • Music Academy Scholarships
  • City of Weatherford
  • Contact