Faculty and Staff
Faculty
Dr. David Abbott
Professor and Department Chair
Office: Goodrich Chapel T-5
Email: dabbott@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0483
Dr. Maureen Balke
Professor
Office: Goodrich Chapel T-6
Email: mbalke@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0481
Dr. Lia Jensen-Abbott
Professor
Office: Goodrich Chapel T-3
Email: ljensen@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0698
Dr. Clayton Parr
Professor - Director of Choral Activities, Choral Conducting, Choral Music Education
Office: Goodrich Chapel T-1
Email: cparr@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0251
Dr. Ji Hyun Kim
Visiting Assistant Professor - Violin/viola and Orchestra
Office: Goodrich Chapel
Email: jkim@albion.edu
Phone: 517/629-0481
Rufus Ferguson
Visiting Assistant Professor - Jazz and Popular Music
Office: Goodrich Chapel
Email: rferguson@albion.edu
Phone: 517/629-0481
David Valasek
Director of Bands
Office: Goodrich 115
Email: dvalasek@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0936
Toni Myers
Assistant Director of Bands
Office: Goodrich 116
Email: almyers@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0936
Staff
Hope Anderson
Department Secretary
Office: Goodrich Chapel
Email: hbanderson@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0481
Applied Music Faculty
Keyboard
Dr. David Abbott
Professor - Piano
D.M.A. Eastman School of Music
M.M. the Juilliard School
B.M. Eastman School of MusicEmail: dabbott@albion.edu
Dr. Lia Jensen-Abbott
Professor - Piano
D.M.A. (piano performance) University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Performer Diploma from Indiana University
M.M.and M.A. in (piano and music theory) Pennsylvania State University
B.M. (piano performance) University of Nebraska-LincolnEmail: ljensen@albion.edu
Nicholas Laban
Head Collaborative Pianist
M.M., 2013, Western Michigan University
B.A., 2011, Albion CollegeOffice: Goodrich T-4
Email: nlaban@albion.edu
Elena Solero
Collaborative Pianist
M.M. 1984, Bowling Green State University
B.M. 1982, DePauw UniversityEmail: esolero@albion.edu
Jackie Livesay
Applied Instructor - Organ
M.A. in Education, Spring Arbor University
M.M. University of Michigan
B.M. Westminster Choir CollegeEmail: jlivesay@albion.edu
Rufus Ferguson
Visiting Assistant Professor - Jazz and Popular Music
M.M. and B.M. (jazz piano) Western Michigan University
Email: rferguson@albion.edu
Strings
Ellen Grafius
Applied Instructor - Harp
B.M.E., 1970, Michigan State University
Email: egrafius@albion.edu
Mark Mathias
Applied Instructor - Double Bass
M.F.A. Eastern Michigan University
B.M. The University of MichiganEmail: mmathias@albion.edu
Daniel Palmer
Applied Instructor - Guitar, Guitar Ensemble
M.M. 2013, University of Toledo
B.A. in Music Performance, 2011, Albion CollegeEmail: dpalmer@albion.edu
Dr. Ji Hyun Kim
Visiting Assistant Professor - Violin/viola and Orchestra
D.M.A. (contemporary music performance and music therapy) Michigan State University
M.M. Michigan State University
B.M. (violin performance) Sydney Conservatorium of Music, AustraliaEmail: jkim@albion.edu
Winds and Percussion
Dr. Cynthia Duda
Applied Instructor - Bassoon
D.M.A. Bassoon Performance, Michigan State University
M.M. Music History/Literature, The University of Akron
M.M. Bassoon Performance, Western Michigan University
B.M.E. Music Education, Bowling Green State UniversityEmail: cduda@albion.edu
Dr. Matthew Kay
Applied Instructor - Trumpet
D.M.A. 2017 Michigan State University
M.M. 2009, Houghton College
Post Graduate Diploma in Music Performance, 2005, University of Salford
Post Graduate Certificate in Education, 1999, University of Leeds
B.M., 1996, University of HuddersfieldEmail: mkay@albion.edu
Nathan Salazar
Applied Instructor - Saxophone
M.M. in progress, Michigan State University
B.M. 2020, Arizona State University
Nick Schumacher
Applied Instructor - Clarinet
D.M.A. in progress, Michigan State University
M. M. Michigan State University
B.M. University of Northern Iowa
Dr. Emily Dierickx
Applied Instructor - Flute
D.M.A. 2020, University of Miami, Frost School of Music
M.M. 2017, The Ohio State University
B.M. 2015, Michigan State University
Nathan Wood
Applied Instructor - Euphonium
D.M.A. in progress, Michigan State University
M.M. 2018 University of Central Arkansas
B.M. 2015 Sam Houston State University
Voice
Dr. Maureen Balke
Professor
Office: Goodrich Chapel T-6
Email: mbalke@albion.edu
Phone: (517) 629-0481
Jenny Ribeiro
Adjunct Faculty - Voice
M.M. 2022, in Voice Performance, Michigan State University
B.M. 2006, in Voice Performance, Central Washington UniversityOffice: Goodrich Chapel T-7
Email: jribeiro@albion.edu
Robert Doyle
Applied Instructor - Voice
M.M. candidate in organ and church music, University of Michigan
M.M. 1992, University of Texas, Austin
B.M. 1985, Michigan State University
Certified at Level 3 in Somatic Voicework(sm) – The LoVetri MethodEmail: rdoyle@albion.edu
Music Education
Robert Livingston
Brass Teaching and Techniques
Brass Teaching and Techniques
M.M. in Wind Conducting 1998, Michigan State University
B.M. 1979, Northern Michigan UniversityEmail: rlivingston@albion.edu
Dr. Clayton Parr
Secondary Choral Music Education
D.M.A. in Choral Conducting, 1990, Michigan State University
M.M. in Voice Performance, 1989, Michigan State University
M.M. in Choral Conducting, 1987, Michigan State University
B.A. 1980, Albion CollegeEmail: cparr@albion.edu
Stacey Root
Elementary Music Education
M.A. in Music Education, 2010, Michigan State University
B.A. in Music Education, 2002, Michigan State UniversityEmail: sroot2@marshall.k12.mi.us