This fall, the ºÚÁÏÍø Glauser School of Music welcomes several new faculty and staff members to the Kent Campus. In addition to the previously announced appointments for athletic bands and saxophone, additional new faculty include artist-teachers of cello, choral conducting, trumpet, violin and viola, and music education as well as music office staff.
Si-Yan Darren Li joins the Glauser School faculty as a cello instructor and chamber music coach. Li made his professional debut at nine years old, launching an international career as a recitalist, chamber musician and teacher.
Previously, he taught at Indiana University and Central Florida before joining the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His chamber music experience is extensive, including several years as cellist in the Euclid String Quartet which also includes founding member and ºÚÁÏÍø alumnus violinist Jameson Cooper. Li holds degrees and diplomas from The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory.
Jesse Reed is a spring 2020 graduate of Glauser School, returning this fall as the conductor of Cantique—ºÚÁÏÍø’s treble/alto choir. He earned dual master’s degrees in conducting and voice performance from ºÚÁÏÍø, where he spent the 2019-20 academic year leading the Cantique as a graduate assistant. Throughout his studies at ºÚÁÏÍø, Reed conducted and performed extensively, working with the ºÚÁÏÍø Chorale and ºÚÁÏÍø Opera Theatre. He also coordinated the 2018 and 2019 editions of the All-Star Choir Festival. He holds a bachelor’s of music in music education from the University of Mount Union.
Amanda Bekeny, D.M.A., is a new trumpet instructor, joining now-retired, continuing part-time faculty member Michael Chunn as a member of the brass area faculty. Bekeny has led an active teaching and performance career since earning her doctorate from The Ohio State University School of Music. Since 2008, she has taught trumpet and chamber music at The College of Wooster. She also spent two years leading the OSU trumpet studio from 2010 to 2012. In performance, she can be heard as a member of CityMusic Cleveland, Inc, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Diamond Brass and Olympic Brass Quintet. Bekeny also regularly performs with the Akron Symphony Orchestra.
Eunho Kim, D.M.A., joins the Glauser School of Music as an instructor of violin and viola. Previously, Kim served on the string faculty at the University of South Dakota Department of Music teaching violin and viola, leading the chamber orchestra and performing in the acclaimed Rawlins Piano Trio. After moving to Kent in 2017, she quickly established herself as an in-demand musician, joining the Akron Symphony, CityMusic Cleveland and the Crea Chamber Ensemble. Kim holds her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She is married to KSU’s Director of Orchestra, Jungho Kim.
In music education, 2013 alumna Kristin Coen-Mishlan, A.B.D., returns as an instructor after serving in a visiting professor position in Texas this past academic year. Before embarking on a career in higher education, Coen-Mishlan taught band for eight years Huntington Local Schools located in rural southeastern Ohio. Her research interests include feminist and socio-cultural issues in music education. Coen-Mishlan previously served as a visiting assistant professor in music education from 2017 to 2019.
Joining the staff in the music office is 2020 Glauser School music education graduate Kaitlin Mabrey. A saxophonist, Mabrey was an active member of ºÚÁÏÍø’s chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary service and leadership organization for band students that engage in service projects, social events, fundraisers and other activities that serve to increase the well-being of students in the program. Megan Denman also joins as a staff collaborative pianist.