Artists and Judges
Below are biographies for our distinguished judges for the 2008 Festival as well as our guest artist and resident accompaniest.
Ms. Karen E. Smith
Guest Artist and Voice Judge
Karen E. Smith, a native of Texas, received her BM in vocal performance from Louisiana State University where she studied with Patricia O’Neill and Martina Arroyo. After completing her BM, she continued at the Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music where she received her Master of Music under the teaching of Barbara Honn. Upon completion she entered into the Artist Diploma program designed for opera professionals. While there, Mrs. Smith coached under Slvia Plyler, David Adams and Kenneth Griffiths and performed in master classes with artists like Warren Jones, Renata Scotto and Luigi Alva. She performed numerous roles at CCM including the role of Suor Angelica. She has sung with the Cincinnati and Baton Rouge Operas as well as Opera Theatre di Lucca in Lucca, Italy under the direction of Lorenzo Malfatti. She taught for several years in Texas in both the Houston and Dallas areas before moving to Johnson City. She is currently the Director of the Opera Theatre at ETSU, as well as adjunct instructor of voice at both ETSU and Milligan College. Mrs. Smith will be playing the role of the Witch in Hansel and Gretel this February at ETSU.
Mr. Robert Jeter
Resident Piano Accompanist
Mr. Jeter earned his bachelor of music degree from East Tennessee State University in 2004. While attending ETSU, he studied the piano and trombone, performing both classical and jazz styles. His piano professor at ETSU was Dr. Lynn Rice-See. In the fall of 2003, Robert won the MTNA Steinway Young Artist Competition for the state of Tennessee and in the summer of 2004 received a scholarship from the Piano Technicians Guild Auxiliary which included playing a recital at their National Convention in Nashville. In 2004, Mr. Jeter played solo piano with the Milligan College Jazz Band opening for Ellis Marsalis at the Grove Park Inn’s All That Jazz Weekend in Ashville, NC under the leadership of trombonist Rick Simerly. In 2006, Robert earned his Master of Music degree as a graduate piano performance student at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City studying with Phillip Kawin. In 2006, he began teaching Music Theory and Ear-Training at ETSU, as well as teaching at the ETSU Summer Piano Camp. Robert is currently in great demand as a vocal/instrumental accompanist, coach, and private instructor.
PIANO & VOICE — Dr. Andrew Adams
Dr. Adams is the Assistant Professor of Piano at Western Carolina University. He earned the Bachelor in Piano Performance from the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying from the University of Illinois, and his Doctorate in Piano Performance at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he was a student of Robert Spillman.
PIANO — Ms. Donna Crawford
Ms. Crawford holds a Bachelor's degree from Heritage Baptist University, an M.A. degree from Pensacola Christian College, and an M.M. degree from Bob Jones University with additional study at the University of Akron. Ms. Crawford is on the faculty of Bob Jones University and serves as the coordinator for the pre-college piano program.
PIANO — Ms. Anne Elliott
Ms. Elliott teaches piano and directs the Women’s Chorale at Milligan College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance and a Masters degree in Church Music in Piano/Accompanying. She received a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy from ETSU where she studied piano with Dr. Lynn Rice-See.
PIANO — Mr. Tom Grimble
Mr. Grimble holds a Bachelor's degree from Indiana State University and a Master's degree from Bob Jones University. A native of Fairbanks, Indiana, Mr. Grimble is currently on the faculty of Bob Jones University in the area of applied piano and coordinator of student accompanists.
PIANO — Ms. Amy Gugliotta
Ms. Gugliotta is local piano teacher and piano accompanist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music as well as a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Presently, Ms. Gugliotta teaches piano at Sullins Academy in Bristol, Virginia and is the pianist for Covenant Presbyterian Church in Johnson City.
PIANO — Ms. Faye Lopez
Ms. Lopez holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Bob Jones University with additional study at Bartlesville Wesleyan College, Mid-America Nazarene College, and the Conservatory of Music at University of Missouri at Kansas City. Ms. Lopez is on the faculty of Bob Jones University.
PIANO — Dr. Christina Reitz
Dr. Reitz is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music History at Western Carolina University. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from Youngstown State University, and a Master's degree in Piano Pedagogy and a PhD in Historical Musicology from University of Florida.
PIANO — Dr. David Runner
Dr. Runner has been Professor of Music at Milligan College since 1972 where he teaches organ, piano, voice and music theory. He earned Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Eastman School of Music where he was a student of David Craighead and the late M. Alfred Bichsel.
PIANO -- Dr. Bair Shagdaron
Dr. Shagdaron was born in Moscow, Russia and began studying music at age of four. He studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under the renowned Tatiana Nikolaeva. In 1984, he received his Doctorate degree in piano performance. In the fall of 2000, Dr. Shagdaron joined the faculty of Appalachian State University, where he is an Associate Professor of Piano.
PIANO — Ms. Lorri Turcios
Ms. Turcios holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in music from Bob Jones University, and a Master of Music degree from Southern Methodist University. Ms. Turcios is on the faculty of Bob Jones University with an interest in piano pedagogy and group piano.
STRINGS — Dr. Kellie Brown
Dr. Brown is an Associate professor of music at Milligan College. She earned a Master of Music degree at Appalachian State University, and holds a Doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration (music emphasis) from East Tennessee State University.
STRINGS — Dr. Gina Caldwell
Dr. Caldwell began her musical studies at age three in North Carolina and holds a Bachelor's degree from the North Carolina School for the Arts, a master's degree from Boston University, and a doctoral degree from the Catholic University of America.
STRINGS — Ms. Marjorie Hill
Ms. Hill is originally from Cincinnati where studied with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra members including the emeritus concertmaster, Sigmund Effron. She has been a lifelong devotee of the Suzuki violin, first as a student and now as a teacher, currently at WNC Suzuki in Asheville.
STRINGS — Dr. Miro Hristov
Dr. Hristov, originally from Bulgaria, is the Associate Concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He holds degrees in violin performance from the State Academy of Music (Bulgaria), Southeastern Louisiana University, and received his doctorate in violin from the University of Kentucky. He has held positions in professional orchestras throughout Europe, Mexico, and the U.S.
WOODWINDS & BRASS — Dr. Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham
Dr. Schneeloch-Bingham is Associate Professor of Flute and Director of Graduate Studies at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University. She received the Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University and has performed with the Western Piedmont Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, Tallahassee Symphony, Kingsport Symphony, and North Carolina Symphony.
WOODWINDS & BRASS — Mr. Rick Simerly
Mr. Simerly is an Associate Professor of Music at Milligan College where he teaches a variety of music courses and leads jazz studies with emphasis in the music area. In addition to teaching, Mr. Simerly has an extensive performancea and recording career as a jazz trombonist. He holds a master of arts degree from East Tennessee State University.
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