Two choruses from Missouri State University’s Department of Music performed at the southwestern regional conference of the American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) March 4-7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Director of Choral Studies and Clif and Gail Smart Professor of Music Dr. Cameron LaBarr directed the Men’s Chorus. Associate Director of Choral Studies Dr. Erin Plisco directed the Women’s Chorus.
Artist-in-Residence Parker Payne accompanied both ensembles.
Missouri State University’s Arktos Quartet advanced to the final round of competition at the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) conference March 12-15 in Columbus, Ohio.
Arktos members are seniors Conlan Boatman and Lorelei Brem, sophomore Ryan Hunt and junior Preston Thorpe. All four students are Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Education majors in the Department of Music.
By reaching the final rounds, the Arktos Quartet is now among the top student saxophone quartets in North America, said Assistant Professor of Music Matthew Tracy.
“Witnessing their musical and professional maturity has been a highlight of my year,” he said. “They are as exceptional in character as they are in talent.”
Arktos is the Greek word for bear, Tracy explained. The Ursa Major or “Great Bear” constellation is in the northern sky. The word arctic comes from Arktos.
The quartet will celebrate their accomplishments with a recital at 7:30 p.m. April 17 in Hamra Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
The Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, or “RCASH,” offers students a variety of academic studies and professional opportunities. Art, theatre, dance, music, communication, history, sociology, languages, criminology and political science are just some of RCASH’s programs.
Opportunities are indeed abundant. Just ask Veronika Yerina, Rocky Lane and Caroline Wolfe.
Yerina, Lane and Wolfe are all pursuing non-RCASH degrees. Yerina, a junior, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology. Lane will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Wolfe will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and will continue her studies through Missouri State’s accelerated master’s program.
Yet these students are also supplementing their degrees with arts-intensive programs and courses. For each of them, there are no contradictions. Studying the arts has improved their professional prospects. They also believe it has made them better humans.
Missouri State University’s Dr. Phillip Roberts received an Honorable Mention in the Orchestral-Open Category for his composition, “Hocket Rocket,” in the 2026 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) competition.
Roberts is a visiting assistant professor of composition and music theory in the Department of Music.
As part of the recognition celebrations, the Columbia Civic Orchestra in Columbia, Missouri, performed all the winning compositions during a concert March 8, 2026.
GRAMMY® winner Stefan Freund conducted “Hocket Rocket.” Freund is the founder and music director of the Columbia Civic Orchestra, according to Roberts. He also teaches music composition at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Describing the concert as a “great success,” Roberts added that he enjoyed meeting the other composers and conductors.
Roberts’ composition blends the past and the present of music history and techniques, as reflected in its title.
“The title refers to both the Medieval musical technique of hocket, wherein a melody is broken up and bounced around the ensemble, and rocket, since it is brisk and has influences of funk and rock,” Roberts explained.
The Missouri Composers Project is part of a larger collaboration between the Mizzou New Music Initiative, the Columbia Civic Orchestra, Premiere Vocal Artists and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. The competition celebrates Missouri composers by recognizing original orchestral and choral works in two categories: open and high school.
Photo credits: Dale Lloyd of Dale Lloyd Photography and Films.
Several faculty and students from Missouri State University’s Department of Music attended the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) conference Jan. 27-31 at the Tan-Tar-A Conference Center in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Dr. Paula Patterson, music department head, described the event as “a great success.” Among the highlights, Dr. Daniel Hellman, professor of music education, was inducted into the MMEA Hall of Fame. In addition, seven music students performed with MMEA’s All-Collegiate Orchestra.
According to the organization’s website, MMEA’s Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have “made a lasting or enduring impact on the stature and condition of music education in the state of Missouri.” This year, the organization selected Missouri State’s Dr. Daniel Hellman for that distinction.
Hellman said he felt “deeply honored and genuinely humbled” to receive the award. He was nominated for his long-term efforts to support music educators and students through teacher preparation, service, research and advocacy.
“Being recognized in a room filled with dedicated Missouri music educators was especially meaningful,” he noted. “I have an immense amount of respect for my colleagues around the state.”
Being a professor at Missouri State is both a privilege and a responsibility, Hellman said.
“My work involves helping future teachers in our undergraduate programs and current teachers in our graduate program turn their musicianship, their understanding of teaching, learning and research-informed ideas, into the daily decisions that they make with students.”
The rewards are clear, he added, because he sees the impact Missouri State’s music graduates have on students every single day. [Read more…] about Department of Music shines at MMEA 2026
