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Southwestern Oklahoma State University

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Quick Facts About the SWOSU Music Department

  • Ensembles from SWOSU are routinely selected (by blind taped audition) to perform at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OMEA) Convention in Tulsa. The SWOSU Women's Chorus recently performed in January of 2007. The SWOSU Wind Ensemble Performed in January of 2005 and the Southwestern Singers performed in January of 2004. The Wind Ensemble and Women's Chorus performed in 2003. The Jazz ensemble performed in 2002. Both the Wind Ensemble and Southwestern Singers were chosen to perform in 2001. The Chamber Choir was selected to perform at OMEA in 2000, and the Wind Ensemble in 1999.

  • Seven of the last twelve Presidents of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association are faculty, retired faculty, or graduates of SWOSU. Currently, the music faculty at SWOSU includes the President of OMEA and the editor of Oklahoma Music, the official publication of OMEA. One retired faculty member has served as the Southwest Division President of the Music Educators National Conference.

  • The music faculty at SWOSU is made up of committed and excellent teachers. Of the eleven winners of the Bernhardt Award for excellence in teaching at SWOSU, two, Dr. Terry Segress and Dr. Breckenridge, are from the music department.

  • Dr. Terry Segress was awarded the 2006 Governor Arts & Education Award from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

  • Dr. James Breckenridge was awarded the 2007 Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in College & University Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.

  • Students at SWOSU are outstanding performers. They have won state, regional, national, and international awards in competitions including NATS, MTNA, and the Bartok/Kabalevsky International Piano Competition.

  • Eighteen of the thirty-eight Presidents of the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association are faculty, retired faculty, or graduates of SWOSU.

  • Twelve faculty, former faculty or graduates have been elected to the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.

  • Twelve faculty, former faculty, or graduates have been elected to the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame.

  • Two SWOSU music faculty have served as President of the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association. One faculty member recently served as the President of the Southwestern Division of the American Choral Directors Association.

  • Over 5,000 people will attend concerts and recitals on the SWOSU campus this year.

  • Over 3,000 students and teachers will visit SWOSU for music contests and honor bands this year.

  • Over 2,500 students, teachers, friends, and relatives will attend camp functions during the summer of 2008. Eight camps will be held in six weeks, including choral, marching percussion, color guard, jazz, guitar, string, and band camps. The band camp this year will mark its 53rd year at SWOSU.

  • Over 2,000 students and teachers will hear performances by ensembles from SWOSU during student tours and off-campus performances this year. SWOSU music groups will appear in more than a dozen schools in Oklahoma and Texas this year.

  • The SWOSU Music Department, along with the Oklahoma Beethoven Society, sponsored National Beethoven Festivals on campus during 1996 and 2000.

  • Two different music faculty members at SWOSU have each served two terms as President of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association.

  • Each February since 1970, SWOSU has brought world-famous jazz performers to Weatherford for the Jazz Festival. Past performers have included Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels, Marvin Stamm, Lou Marini, Bill Watrous, Dianne Reeves, Carl Fontana and Paquito d'Rivera. 2008 will be the 38th year for the Jazz Festival and will feature alto saxophonist Bobby Watson and his quintet.

  • SWOSU hosts workshops for music educators each summer. Topics have included Native American music for elementary music teachers, Music Technology, marching band drill design, beginning band, and Orff certification.

  • SWOSU has the only music therapy program in the state.

  • SWOSU music therapy graduates since 2002 have 100% first-time passing rate on the National Board Certification Exam for Music Therapists.