Emeritus Professor of Music
studebak@nsuok.edu
Degrees
D.A. - University of Northern Colorado
M.M. - Illinois State University
B.M. - Eastern Illinois University
Courses Taught
World Music
Donald Studebaker is a emeritus professor of music at NSU. He was director of choral activities from 1984-2011. He currently teaches world music as a part-time faculty member and is the choir director at First United Methodist Church in Tahlequah. He holds degrees from Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and the University of Northern Colorado.
He has conducted concerts in England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the US including performances at Carnegie Hall. He has conducted numerous state and regional festivals including the Arkansas All-State Orchestra. From 1990-'93, was the associate conductor/chorusmaster of the Breckenridge Music Festival where he conducted concerts with the BMI Chamber Orchestra and Chorus. In 1989 he was a member of, and soloist with, the Robert Shaw Festival Singers in France where he performed bass solos with the Bourdeaux Symphony in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.
In addition to his work with Robert Shaw, he has also been bass soloist for Leonard Slatkin, Margaret Hillis, Tom Peck, and Sir David Willcocks. He served as chair of the NSU Music Department from 1997-'99. In 2001, he was a conducting fellow at the Oregon Bach Festival, where he was a student of Helmuth Rilling. In 2002, he became the artistic director and conductor of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus. During the 2004-'05 academic year, he was the Kirk Distinguished Visiting Professor of Music at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta. In 2004, he received the Oklahoma Governor's Arts Award for Education.