NSU Music Faculty
Professor of Piano
Fine Arts Building 222
918-444-2707
chioldi@nsuok.edu
Degrees:
D.M.A. Piano Performance - University of Illinois
M.M. Piano Performance - University of Illinois
B.A. Music - Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Courses Taught:
Piano
Piano Pedagogy
Group Piano
Music Theory
Ronald Chioldi is Professor of Music at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma where
he teaches piano, class piano, and music theory. Other teaching appointments include
summer piano faculties at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Georgia State University, and
the University of Illinois. As a performer, he has appeared recently in Alabama, Arkansas,
Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
and Texas. A diverse and committed educator, his piano students have won placement
in masters programs and summer festivals throughout the country. Chioldi is a coauthor
of the popular group-piano textbooks Keyboard Musicianship, and Keyboard Fundamentals,
published by Stipes Publishing, and he has presented showcases highlighting these
texts at national conferences of the Music Teachers National Association. He has presented
workshops/lectures to piano teachers groups, and he is a sought-after adjudicator,
throughout the south central and south east region of the United States. His article,
Reflections on a Remarkable Career: An Interview with James Lyke, is published in
the May/June 2009 issue of Clavier Companion. Chioldi received a Doctor of Musical
Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Illinois, where he was a student
of Ian Hobson.
Dr. Alexandra Doyle adores teaching music history, chamber music, and of course, the clarinet. She is the Assistant Professor of Clarinet at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Her responsibilities there include all of her favorite things, as well as teaching a Taylor Swift course and leading the NSU CommUniversity Band. Previously, Dr. Doyle was on the faculty of Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio, Thomas More University in northern Kentucky and the Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton.
As a performer, Dr. Doyle most enjoys playing orchestral repertoire, opera, and chamber music. She is a member of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, where she serves as the festival’s marketing director. Dr. Doyle has also performed with the Tulsa Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Illinois Symphony, Lima Symphony, Symphony of Southeast Texas, and many others.
Dr. Doyle is an active musicologist, with a chapter on women wind instrumentalists due to be published in Oxford’s Handbook of Wind Music later this year. She is a regular contributor to The Clarinet magazine and the Vandoren WAVE. Dr. Doyle can also usually be found performing and presenting at the International Clarinet Association’s annual conference, ClarinetFest. Her primary research interests are clarinet pedagogy and the experiences of women in music, and she serves on the ICA Pedagogy Committee.
Originally from Houston, Dr. Doyle holds bachelor’s degrees in clarinet performance and print journalism from the University of Houston (2016), as well as a minor in creative works through the UH Honors College. Her Master of Music (2018) and Doctorate of Musical Arts (2022) are both from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
Dr. Doyle is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician and Buffet Crampon Artist.
Assistant Professor of Music (trumpet)
Fine Arts Building 123
918-444-2709
hayb@nsuok.edu
Degrees:
D.M.A. - University of Oklahoma
M.M. - University of New Mexico
B.M. - Oklahoma State University
Courses Taught:
Applied Trumpet
Trumpet Ensemble
Jazz Combo
Music Theory (Harmony) I & II
Music Appreciation
Dr. Benjamin Hay is a trumpeter, educator, and composer/arranger based in Northeastern
Oklahoma. Ben holds degrees from Oklahoma State University (B.M. Performance) and
the University of New Mexico (M.M. Performance). He currently serves as Assistant
Professor of Music (Trumpet/Theory) at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah,
OK. Prior to his appointment at NSU, Dr. Hay served as Adjunct Instructor of Music
at Tulsa Community College, where he taught applied trumpet, applied horn, music theory,
jazz improvisation, and chamber brass. Ben received his doctorate (D.M.A. Performance)
at the School of Music at the University of Oklahoma.
Ben is a member of Tulsa's Signature Symphony and frequently performs with the Symphony
of Northwest Arkansas and the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. Additional performances include
appearances with Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus, Frontier Brass Band of Oklahoma,
and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. A frequent recitalist, Dr. Hay
has performed guest solo recitals at the University of Arkansas, University of New
Mexico, Pittsburg State University, and Oklahoma State University, among others. Ben
has performed as a soloist with the Signature Symphony, the Symphony of Northwest
Arkansas, Tulsa's Starlight Band, as well as numerous high school and college ensembles.
An avid chamber musician, he has performed with Tulsa Camerata, the faculty brass
quintets of the University of New Mexico and Northeastern State University, and the
brass quintets of Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa Symphony. Dr. Hay has had
the privilege of sharing the stage with a wide range of the world's top performers
such as Eric Whitacre, Michael Daugherty, JoAnn Falletta, Benjamin Zander, the Irish
Tenors, Bernadette Peters, and Johnny Mathis.
Ben's primary trumpet teachers have been Andrew Cheetham, Jacob Walburn, Thomas Booth,
John Marchiando, and Karl Sievers. Additionally, Ben has studied composition and arranging
with Marvin Lamb, and horn performance with Eldon Matlick. Dr. Hay also serves a music
reviewer for the International Trumpet Guild Journal. Ben is a member of the International
Trumpet Guild, ASCAP, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and the American Federation of
Musicians (Local 94).
Benjamin Hay is a Conn-Selmer/Vincent Bach Endorsing Artist.
George Hilligoss
hilligog@nsuok.edu
(918) 444-4603
Professor of Music Education
Percussion Studio Head
Fine Arts Building 216
918-444-2702
lindrotj@nsuok.edu
Degrees:
Ph.D. Music Education University of South Florida
M.M. Percussion Performance University of Massachusetts Lowell
B.M. Music Education University of Massachusetts Lowell
Courses Taught:
Applied Percussion
Elementary Music Methods
Secondary Music Methods
Student Teacher Supervisor
Rock & Roll History
Percussion Ensemble
Dr. James T. Lindroth received his B.M. in Music Education from the University of Lowell, his M.M. degree in Music Performance from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and his Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of South Florida. He joined the music faculty at Northeastern State University in Fall of 2012 where he serves as the Coordinator of the Music Education Program and Percussion studio head.
Before teaching at the university level, Dr. Lindroth taught music in the public schools at all grade levels. His primary focus for 17 years was high school band and orchestra. His performing ensembles received praise at the local and national level. His ensembles have represented their school at state and national parades and competitions throughout the United States. Dr. Lindroth has been listed several times in Who's Who of American Teachers.
Dr. Lindroth is an active clinician and adjudicator at the secondary level. He is a member of the Central States Judges Association, where he adjudicates marching bands and indoor percussion ensembles throughout the United States as well as local music festivals. He is also part of the Vic Firth and Zildjian Education Team. Dr. Lindroth proudly serves on the Scholarly Research and Health and Wellness Committees for the Percussive Arts Society (PAS).
Dr. Lindroth is an active arranger and has written music for many high school and university marching bands including Ohio State University, University of Tennessee, Northeastern State University, and the University of South Florida. He is also an active performer at the local and national level. He has performed with the New England Philharmonic Orchestra, Metropolitan Symphony, Florida Wind Band, Clark Gibson Orchestra, and the Boston based rock group, 3D.
Dr. Lindroth’s research interests include the construction of creative identity in music and pre-service teacher education. He has presented his research at state level music education conferences in Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas. He has also presented at various international conferences such as the Society for Music Education in Ireland and the Percussive Arts Society International Conference (PASIC) in Indiana.
Dr. Lindroth is an active music scholar presenting his research at many national and international conferences, and his research has published in various media periodicals and peer-reviewed journals such as UPDATE: Applications in Research in Music Education, Percussive Notes, Rhythm Scene, and Kansas Music Review. He also serves as an editor for SAGE publications and various music conferences. Dr. Lindroth is an active member of College Music Society, Percussive Arts Society, National Association for Music Education, Center for Music Education Research, Pi Kappa Lambda (National Music Honor Society), and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Artist Instructor of Music
Collaborative Pianist
Fine Arts 204
918-444-2700
mayfielf@nsuok.edu
Degrees:
M.M. Piano Performance and Pedagogy University of Oklahoma
B.A. Education - Northeastern State University
Courses Taught:
Class Piano
Music Appreciation
Rock and Roll History
A native of Oklahoma, Farren Mayfield attended Jenks Public Schools from K-12. During high school he played guitar in several metal, and funk bands until discovering the piano. He immediately fell in love with the instrument and began private lessons. After high school, Farren acquired an associates degree in Liberal Arts from Tulsa Community College, and transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. Farren spent the next four years there, studying piano with Ronald Chioldi and guitar with Randy Wimer.
After Northeastern State University Farren moved to Norman and studied Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma. He studied piano with Howard Lubin and Pedagogy with Jane Magrath, and Barbara Fast while there. After grad school, Farren operated a private piano studio in the Jenks & Tulsa area, teaching around 40 students. After four years of private teaching he decided to move back to Tahlequah for college teaching, and performance opportunities in 2009.
Farren currently serves as Collaborative Pianist at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He is an instructor of Class Piano, Music Appreciation, and Rock Music History and also teaches in the NSU Community Music Academy. Throughout the year Farren collaborates with numerous faculty, guest artists as well as working with Opera & Musical Theatre, University Singers, and University Chorus. Since 2009, Farren has played in the River City Players band, while directing the band since 2016.
Farren is the co-founder of Salon House Concerts, a bi-monthly series featuring musicians from the region. He has been a collaborative artist for many competitions including the Crescendo Music Awards held each year in Tulsa. His recent solo projects include a recital titled Creatures of Light and Dark , which included various character pieces ranging from gnomes to gargoyles, and a recital titled Dances for Piano , ranging from Bach to Bartok to Piazzola. Farren's current project is a recital involving video game music in different mediums.
Farren leads, and plays mandolin in a Tahlequah group called Bear Creek Troupe. Their focus is Celtic dance music, and ballads. Additionally, he plays mandolin in the Tahlequah Mandophonics; a group that specializes in a variety of octet arrangements for mandolins, mandola, mandocello, guitar, bass, and flute.
In Farren's spare time, he enjoys hiking outdoors, and science fiction absorption. Farren tends to a small herd of miniature horses known as Little Cherokee Horses with his wife, and children. He is also a proud member of the Cherokee Nation.
Farren's degrees include a B.A. in Education from Northeastern State University (summa cum laude,) and an M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.
A versatile teacher and performer, soprano Alison Moore enjoys a career performing
art song, oratorio, and musical theatre. Established as a teacher, Moore has more
than 10 years of experience teaching voice at the collegiate level and a doctoral
degree in voice performance from Ball State University. Her dissertation is focused
on the vocal music of Cécile Chaminade and seeks to highlight and elevate the music
of this underrepresented composer.
As a performer, Dr. Moore has collaborated with various choral communities serving as the soloist for major chorale works including the Brahms "Ein deutsches Requiem", Fauré "Requiem" and Dan Forrest's "Requiem for the Living". Passionate about highlighting works by female composers, Dr. Moore has presented lecture recitals on the music of Cécile Chaminade and Germaine Tailleferre.
Additionally, she holds a master's degree in voice performance from Wichita State University and a bachelor's degree in music from North Park University Chicago. Prior to this position, Dr. Moore directed the University Chorale and taught applied voice at Indiana University East.
Catalina Ortega, a native of Colombia, teaches flute at Northeastern State University, where she works closely with students in applied flute and is dedicated to developing the next generation of performers and educators. In addition to her work at Northeastern State University, she also serves on the faculty of University of Arkansas, where she teaches Music Appreciation and flute at the Community Music School.
An active performer and educator, Ms. Ortega regularly performs with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Fayetteville Opera, Ozark Family Opera Company, and the Manguaré Trio. She maintains an international career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, and teacher, with performances throughout South America, North America, and Asia. She has served as flute and piccolo player with the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and previously performed with the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra in Colombia.
Her research focuses on exploring and promoting new repertoire for flute by women composers and highlighting Latin American music connected to her cultural heritage. Through her performances and research, she actively advocates for the inclusion of underrepresented voices in the flute repertoire. Deeply committed to teaching and mentorship, her students consistently earn top placements in Arkansas All-Region and All-State bands. In 2017, she was recognized as an Outstanding Mentor by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at the University of Arkansas.
Ms. Ortega holds a Master of Music in Flute Performance and a Certificate in Advanced Instrumental Performance from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society. Through her teaching, research, and performances, she is committed to expanding the flute repertoire and fostering meaningful musical connections across cultures.
Origin Records recording artist Jordan VanHemert is a saxophonist and composer based in Oklahoma. Hailed by legendary bassist Rodney Whitaker for his “powerful voice on the saxophone”,
VanHemert is currently touring as a bandleader and has performed in iconic venues across the United States. Acclaimed for his "adept and purposeful" solos that "swing surely and easily in the manner of Sonny Rollins" (All About Jazz), VanHemert’s compositions pay homage to his Korean roots and his inspiration from blues-infused hard bop tradition that was handed down to him by his mentors.
VanHemert can be heard on over 15 commercial recordings, including four critically acclaimed releases as a leader. His fifth project will be released in 2024 on Origin Records and will feature VanHemert alongside jazz luminaries Rodney Whitaker, Helen Sung, Lewis Nash, Michael Dease, and Terell Stafford. VanHemert has performed or recorded with some of the most celebrated artists in jazz, including Rodney Whitaker, John Webber, Dmitri Matheny, Chris Vadala, Geri Allen, Vince DiMartino, and more.
Passionate about empowering the next generation of musicians, Dr. VanHemert currently teaches at Northeastern State University where he leads the Jazz Studies and Commercial Music major and serves as the Director of the NSU Jazz Ensemble. Previously, he has served on the faculties of the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University and Hope College, earning awards for exemplary teaching and his commitment to students in and outside the classroom.
VanHemert is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician, Selmer Paris Saxophones Performing Artist, and KeyLeaves endorsing artist. He performs exclusively on Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces and Selmer Paris saxophones, and he uses KeyLeaves products on all of his saxophones. He holds degrees from Central Michigan University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Professor of Music, Director of Choral Studies
Fine Arts Building 220
918-444-2715
wall03@nsuok.edu
Degrees:
D.M.A. Choral Conducting - University of South Carolina
M.M. Choral Conducting - University of Tennessee
B.M. Vocal Music Education - Texas Tech University
Courses Taught:
University Singers
University/Community Chorus
Advanced Choral Conducting
Dr. Wall is director of Choral Studies at Northeastern State University. He joined the music faculty at Northeastern State University in Fall 2013 and is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities. In that capacity, he conducts the University Singers and the University/Community Chorus & teaches Advanced Choral Conducting.
He came to NSU from Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS where he was the Elmer F. Pierson Distinguished Professor of Music. He served as Co-Chair of the Music Department and Director of Choral/Vocal Activities at Bethany. He conducted several student choirs, and the Bethany Oratorio Society for the annual Messiah Festival of the Arts. Dr. Wall conducted Handel's Messiah and J.S. Bach's Passion According to St. Matthew annually. Additionally, he has teaching experience in choral pedagogy and conducting, applied voice, and other vocal music classes.
Dr. Wall is in demand as a conductor, teacher, clinician, adjudicator, and baritone soloist. He is conductor of the professional-level chamber choir called Vox Solaris headquartered in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He has experience in collegiate, high school, professional, community, and church settings. He has served as a faculty member at Georgia State University in Atlanta and New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, NM. He has also taught public school, grades 7-12 in Lubbock, TX. He frequently sings with the semi-professional chorus, the Ken Davis Chorale, based out of the Dallas area. Dr. Wall is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the National Association for Music Educators, the College Music Society, and several other professional organizations.
He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education from Texas Tech University. Dr. Wall received his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting was earned at the University of South Carolina.
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