KU News Release

LAWRENCE — In the spirit of outreach, the University of Kansas School of Music has partnered with a fine arts patron to create student ensembles that will travel across Kansas, performing and teaching master classes.

The outreach programs are funded by the Zakoura Family Fund (a fund of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation), Reach Out Kansas Inc. and James P. Zakoura, who received undergraduate and law degrees from KU and has been a supporter of fine arts for years. Zakoura created the outreach ensembles to better provide youth the opportunity to experience fine arts, targeting rural communities and underserved and minority populations.

So far, five outreach ensembles have been implemented: a jazz combo, saxophone quartet, brass quintet, woodwind quintet and string quartet. Additionally, KU student Cory Hills will perform percussion. More groups are in development, including opera/voice and piano ensembles.

Zakoura wanted to achieve two goals with the outreach program: to provide music outreach to Kansas and do it at no cost to the audience. Zakoura, who hails from Osawatomie, knows many smaller communities love the fine arts but are underserved.

“These communities are entitled to the best, and our greatest ambassadors are our student musicians,” said Zakoura. “My hope is for our KU students to grow as musicians and to help make music the bridge between people of all areas of life, no matter their social or economic classes.”

The funding Zakoura provided will be used for the 2009-10 academic year, with the expectation of continuing as the program grows. The outreach events are in development, but a handful already have been scheduled at Abilene High School, McPherson High School and six middle schools in Kansas City, Kan.: Arrowhead Middle School, Coronado Middle School, Eisenhower Middle School, Rosedale Middle School, Stony Point Middle School and West Middle School.

Dina Pannabecker Evans, director of outreach and career services at KU’s School of Music, helped Zakoura coordinate these outreach efforts.

“Jim’s vision, coupled with his business sense and generous heart, has motivated all of us to make music in the most thoughtful way possible with a strong consideration of our audience,” she said. “We’re so pleased to bring this to fruition with the talents of our students and faculty, along with the guidance of Anissa Gardner Walz, the executive director of Reach Out Kansas Inc.”

Those interested in setting up outreach events with the KU School of Music should contact Evans at (785) 864-4466 or dpevans@ku.edu.

Faculty mentors are

• Steve Leisring, associate professor of trumpet, Brass Quintet
• Dan Gailey, director of jazz studies and professor of music, Jazz Combo 1
• Vince Gnojek, professor of saxophone, Saxophone Quartet 1
• Peter Chun, associate professor of viola, String Quartet
• Genaro Mendez, associate professor of voice, voice/opera
• Eric Stomberg, associate professor of bassoon, Woodwind Quintet

Students participating in the outreach are listed below by hometown, major, level in school, parents’ names, previous schools attended or degrees earned, ensemble name and instrument.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66044
Mary B. Huntimer, doctoral student in musical arts; master’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University; Saxophone Quartet 1.

From Lawrence 66047
Michael A. Austin, junior in voice, son of Michael Austin; Lawrence High School; voice/opera.

From Lawrence 66049
Kristee Michelle Haney, doctoral student in musical arts; master’s degree from KU, spring 2009; bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City; voice/opera.

Matthew Lee Haney, doctoral student in musical arts; master’s degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City; bachelor’s degree from John Brown University, Siloam Springs, Ark.; voice/opera.

Cory S. Hills, doctoral student in musical arts; master’s degree from Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.; percussion.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Lenexa 66215
Will Pro, senior in mechanical engineering, son of John and Marilyn Pro; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Jazz Combo 1 (piano).

From Lenexa 66219
Olivia M. Betzen, senior in voice, daughter of Fredrick and Michelle Betzen; Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park; voice/opera.

From Overland Park 66209
Emma Elizabeth Casey, junior in flute, daughter of Tim and Barbara Casey; Blue Valley North High School; Woodwind Quintet.

From Overland Park 66210
Matthew B. Mullender, senior in finance, son of Tom and Anne Mullender; Blue Valley Northwest High School; Jazz Combo 1 (percussion).

MCPHERSON COUNTY
From McPherson 67460
Joel David Wagoner, senior in music education, son of Bruce and Barbara Wagoner; McPherson High School; Saxophone Quartet 1.

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66502
Katie Ruth Bieber, senior in voice, daughter of Lester and Victoria Bieber; Manhattan High School; voice/opera.

RENO COUNTY
From Buhler 67522
Katie Marie Phillips, senior in music education, daughter of James and Joyce Phillips; Buhler High School; Woodwind Quintet (oboe).

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67210
Charles M. Martinez, doctoral student in musical arts; bachelor’s degree from Friends University; Wichita High School North; voice/opera.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66617
Ruth Marie Theresa Kuefler, junior in viola; daughter of John and Vicki Kuefler; Mother Of Divine Grace School, Ojai, Calif.; String Quartet (violin).

TREGO COUNTY
From Ogallah 67656
Callie Schlegel, senior in voice, daughter of Elmer and Myrna Schlegel; voice/opera.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Bonner Springs 66012
Michael Bret Cooper, sophomore in French horn and voice, son of Earl and Nikki Cooper; Bonner Springs High School; Brass Quintet (French horn).

FLORIDA
From Cantonment 32533
Lesley A. Williams, master’s student in music; bachelor’s degree from University of Southern Mississippi; Woodwind Quintet (clarinet).

IOWA
From Urbandale 50322
David Scott Ferneau, sophomore in piano, son of Ron and Kathy Ferneau; Urbandale High School; Jazz Combo 1 (trombone).

LOUISIANA
From West Monroe 71291
Charles W. Page, doctoral student in musical arts; bachelor’s degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City; bachelor’s degree from University of Southern Mississippi; Brass Quintet (tuba).

MINNESOTA
From Stillwater 55082
David Andrew Wasescha, junior in pre-pharmacy, son of Ann and Warren Wasescha; Stillwater Area Senior High School; Jazz Combo 1 (bass).

MISSOURI
From Chesterfield 63017
Andrew Michael Linn, senior in trumpet, son of Mark and Jennifer Linn; Parkway Central High School, Chesterfield, Mo.; Jazz Combo 1 (trumpet).

From Kansas City 64114
Ryan Max Heinlein, doctoral student in musical arts; master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Wichita State University; Jazz Combo 1 (trombone).

From Lee’s Summit 64082
Allison Marie Akins, senior in French horn, daughter of Richard and Beth Akins; Lee’s Summit West High School; Woodwind Quintet (French horn).

From Liberty 64068
Clarissa Beth Smith, senior in chemistry and music, daughter of Neal and Vanessa Smith; Liberty High School; Brass Quintet (trumpet).

NEW MEXICO
From Albuquerque 87110
Ryan Elisabeth Fessinger, senior in bassoon, daughter of Stuart and Rosemary Fessinger; Sandia High School; Woodwind Quintet (bassoon).

From Santa Cruz 87567
Nathan Paul Salazar, senior in piano and voice, son of Leonard and Carmen Salazar; voice/opera pianist.

TEXAS
From Katy 77450
Bryan Allen Cremer, senior in music education, son of David and Karen Cremer; James E. Taylor High School; Saxophone Quartet 1.

From Lexington 78947
Crystal D. Alexander, doctoral student in musical arts, daughter of Jan Alexander; master’s degree from KU, spring 2009; bachelor’s degree from Texas State University-San Marcos; Saxophone Quartet 1.

From Seguin 78155
Jaime Adan Zuniga, nondegree-seeking student in vocal studies, son of Olivia Mancinas; Seguin High School; voice/ppera.

From Terrell 75161
Jeremy Levi Dowden, master’s student in music; Brass Quintet (trombone).

VIRGINIA
From Falls Church 22042
Patrick Lawrence Hunninghake, senior in music education and trumpet, son of David and Patricia Hunninghake; Falls Church High School; Brass Quintet (trumpet).

POLAND
From Szczecin
Lukasz Cecylian Lagun-Kuzminski, doctoral student in musical arts; String Quartet (violin).

SOUTH KOREA
From Chungbuk
Jihyun Park, doctoral student in musical arts; String Quartet (cello).

From Seoul
Gaeun Kim, sophomore in violin, Seoul Arts High School; String Quartet (violin).