University of Missouri School of Music

Just because its summer doesn’t mean our faculty stop teaching! Last week Dr. McKeever spent five days on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington teaching for two different workshops, the Maverick Music Education Summer Institute and the Texas Conducting Workshop. While there, Dr. McKeever worked with conductors and educators from across the country, teaching conducting, score study, and rehearsal techniques alongside Maestra Diane Wittry and Dr. Silas Huff.

We have another scholarship signing to celebrate! Congratulations to Lyla Brite from Battle High School!

We’re thrilled to celebrate the recent promotions of three outstanding faculty members! Congratulations to Alice Dade and Leo Saguiguit, who were promoted to Full Professor and to Christian Noon for being promoted to Associate Teaching Professor.

We are proud to share that three of the six articles published in the June 2026 Issue of the Journal of Music Teacher Education were co-authored by School of Music alumni! Congratulations to Melissa Baughman (PhD, 2014), Christopher M. Baumgartner (PhD, 2012), Zachary Nenaber (MM, 2023), and Alec Scherer (PhD, 2020) for their valuable contributions to the profession! NAfME members can log on to read these articles, plus the others from this issue and past issues, for free at this link: https://nafme.org/publications-resources/journals/journal-of-music-teacher-education/.

From the Editor:
· What Belongs in the Preservice Music Teacher Education Curriculum? Part I (Colleen Conway and Zachary Nenaber)

Research Articles:
· Music Teacher Educators’ Perceptions of Gender and Parenthood Equity in the Workplace (Melissa Baughman and Christopher M. Baumgartner)

· Music Education Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Admissions and Selection Criteria for Doctoral Music Education Programs (Alec D. Scherer, Mark A. Belfast Jr., Ann M. Harrington, and D. Gregory Springer)

Attention students! Detailed information regarding auditions for Fall 2026 large ensembles and voice/piano studio placements is now available!

Audition excerpts for concert bands and orchestra, schedules and audition signups for choral ensembles, voice studio, opera workshop, concert bands, orchestra, jazz bands, and piano area auditions can be found here: https://music.missouri.edu/news/fall-2026-audition-information

Congratulations to Adam Chitta who was selected as a State Ambassador for Missouri in the Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education for the Council for Exceptional Children! Adam is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Education at Mizzou.

More info:

State Ambassadors State Ambassadors for DARTS division.

School of Music Alumni Spotlight! We're thrilled to feature Sam Mohler!

Sam Mohler graduated from the Mizzou School of Music in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. As a student, Sam performed with Marching Mizzou, and Ionic Winter Guard.

Upon graduation, Sam spent 4 years as a band director and elementary music teacher at Renick School District in rural Missouri. In 2024, he co-created the “Marching Mizzou Media Team”, a unique educational opportunity for university journalism and marketing students to develop their skills in a marching band setting. Marching Mizzou Media quickly became one of the most influential media teams in the marching arts, serving as a leading scholastic example for media & marketing education in the pageantry arts. He currently serves as Marching Mizzou’s Director of Digital Media.

As of 2026, he is the Multimedia Specialist for Music for All, a music education non-profit that is known for creating and operating the Bands of America marching band competition circuit.

During the summer, Sam spends much of his free time on the media team for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. In the winter, he serves as an official photographer for the MCCGA color guard circuit.

Are you a School of Music alumni?
Share your latest news, projects, performances, or career updates with us, and you could be featured on our social media! Send your updates to [email protected]. Be sure to include your graduation year, degree, and some photos!

Registration is open for this event with the City Club of Columbia featuring Dr. Amy Knopps as the keynote speaker!

More info: https://cityclubofcolumbia.org/event/marching-mizzou-keynote-speaker-and-dinner-event/

Congrats to Chris Gillette from Eureka High School!

Congratulations to Olivia Dilse from Boonville R-I High School and Lizzie Reissing from Rock Bridge High School!