High School musicians are invited to attend the School of Music’s Feature Days where you can work with our faculty, guest artists, and current students in a series of master classes, recitals, and workshops. Each Feature Day is tailored to a specific instrument and takes place in our state-of-the-art performance venues. Feature days are free and open to the public.

Nicholas Finch, Guest Artist

Finch has collaborated with some of the most prominent artists of today, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble, violinist Sarah Chang, pianist Joyce Yang, conductor Keith Lockhart, fiddler Jeremy Kittle, the Argento New Music Ensemble, the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble 20>>21, and composers Gabriela Lena Frank, Osvaldo Golijov, Andrew Norman, Bright Sheng, and many more.  Performances have taken him to the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Spectrum in New York City, and Alice Tully Hall. He has made concerto appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, the Louisville Civic Orchestra, the Quincy Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Civic Orchestra. Learn More.

Date

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Time

11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Location

Sursa Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Peter Opie

Miles Maner, Guest Artist

Miles Maner joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in July 2013 as contrabassoon/bassoon and joined the DePaul University School of Music faculty in 2014. For the three seasons prior to his appointment at the CSO, Maner performed with the Kansas City Symphony in their new home, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to his position there as associate principal bassoon and contrabassoon, Maner was the principal bassoon of the Breckenridge Music Festival. Previously, he has participated in such prestigious music festivals as the Pacific Music Festival, the Tanglewood Music Center and the National Repertory Orchestra. His former teachers are Benjamin Kamins of Rice University and Kristin Wolfe Jensen of the University of Texas. Learn more.

Date

Thursday, November 10, 2019

Location

Hahn Hall and Music Instruction Building (MI-152)

Schedule of Events

TBA

Register for the Event

Questions?

Contact Keith Sweger

Jeffery Zook, Guest Artist

Jeffery Zook has been a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra flute section since 1992. His formal musical studies began at the Interlochen Arts Academy and continued at the University of Michigan. With additional studies in England, Mr. Zook attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and received the coveted Recitalists’ Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music in London. His teachers have included William Bennett, Trevor Wye, Judith Bentley, Jacqueline Hofto, and former DSO piccoloist Clement Barone. He is currently the chairman of the Piccolo Committee of the National Flute Association and has been past president of the Southeast Michigan Flute Association. Learn More.

Date

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Time

All-Day

Location

Music Instruction Building

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Mihoko Watanabe

Matthew Fries, Guest Artist

Pianist/composer, Matthew Fries, is professor of jazz piano at Western Michigan University. He is highly regarded in the jazz world as both a soloist and accompanist. The winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, his debut album, Song for Today (TCB Music) was named a 2001 critics pick by Jazziz Magazine, and his continuing work with his collaborative trio, TRI-FI, “takes on the Jazz Trio challenge and delivers a ‘knock out’ punch” (Jazz Review). As a sideman his work has been described as “the best jazz accompaniment I’ve seen in a cabaret in years” (The New York Times), and “the crispest rhythm section imaginable” (The London Times). Learn More.

Date

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Time

11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Location

Hahn Hall

Schedule of Events

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Matthew Fries with Nick Tucker and Cassius Goens III - Piano Trio Masterclass
12:30-2 p.m. Lunch break
2 p.m. Scott Routenberg Trio with Joel Tucker - Ball State Faculty Rhythm Section Masterclass
3 p.m. Q&A with Matthew Fries
4 p.m. Open discussion session with Ball State Jazz Faculty
5 p.m. Break (sound check for concert)
5:30 p.m. Concert with Matthew Fries and Ball State Jazz Faculty

Questions?

Contact Scott Routenberg

Robert Atherholt, Guest Artist

Robert Atherholt retired from the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 2011 after twenty-seven years as principal oboist. He continues his long association at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where he is professor of oboe. He was a student of Robert Bloom at The Juilliard School. Prior to joining the HSO, he was a member of Orpheus, The St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, and the Opera Orchestra of New York among others. He was principal oboist of the New Jersey Symphony during the 1979 - 80 season and has appeared as guest principal oboist with the Boston Symphony,  St. Louis Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and is presently principal oboist of The Grand Teton Music Festival. Learn more.

Date

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Time

noon-8 p.m.

Location

Hahn Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Lisa Kozenko

Nathan Nabb, Guest Artist

Saxophonist Nathan Nabb maintains a vibrant and diverse international schedule as a performer, clinician and teacher. A regular performer with the St. Louis and Houston Symphonies, he has worked with renowned conductors Michael Tilson-Thomas, David Robertson, Hans Graf, Marin Alsop, Michael Stern, and Keith Lockhart. His solo and chamber recordings on the Amp, BIS, and Innova labels have clearly positioned Nathan as a bold champion of new music, featuring acclaimed performances of composers ranging from Luciano Berio and Milton Babbitt to Philip Glass and Mari Takano. Learn more.

Master Class: Sunday, September 15 from 5-7p.m. | Hahn Hall 
Recital: Monday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. | Sursa Hall

Josh Quinlan, Guest Artist

Josh Quinlan is a U.S. born saxophonist, composer and educator who lives in Heredia, Costa Rica where he is professor of saxophone at the National University of Costa Rica (La Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica). He holds a doctor of musical arts degree in jazz studies from the University of Colorado. He is also a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (BM) and DePaul University (MMA). Learn more.

Master Class: Saturday, September 21 from 2-4 p.m. | Music Instruction Building, room 152 (Band Room)
Recital: Saturday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. | Hahn Hall

Questions?

Contact Nathan Bogert

Joseph Alessi, Guest Artist

Joseph Alessi was appointed principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic in the spring of 1985. He began musical studies in his native California with his father, Joseph Alessi, Sr. As a high school student in San Rafael, California, he was a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony before continuing his musical training at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Prior to joining the Philharmonic, Mr. Alessi was second trombone of The Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons, and principal trombone of The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal for one season. In addition, he has performed as guest principal trombonist with the London Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall led by Pierre Boulez. Learn more.

Date

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Time

TBA

Location

Sursa Hall

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Chris Van Hof 

Matthew Ernst, Guest Artist

Matthew Ernst currently serves as Principal Trumpet of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, appointed by Edo de Waart in 2016. He was previously the Principal Trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops, where he performed on numerous recordings and appeared as a soloist. Matthew was also a member of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and acted as Principal Trumpet for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Learn More.

Dates

Sunday, October 13, 2019 

Times

All-Day 

Location

Music Instruction Building

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Stephen Campbell

Julia Bullard, Guest Artist

Julia Bullard teaches viola, string pedagogy, and string methods at the University of Northern Iowa. She is an active solo, chamber, and orchestral performer both in the U.S. and abroad including France, Russia, Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica. She is also a frequent clinician and adjudicator at various string festivals and competitions in Iowa and throughout the Midwest. Learn More.

Dates

Saturday, September 21, 2019 

Location

Music Instruction Building

Schedule of Events

TBA

Questions?

Contact Zoran Jakovcic