September 28, 2015
Contact:
Carol Best
Public Relations Manager
913-971-3586 office; 913-575-6309 cell
cbest@mnu.edu
MNU Fall Fine Arts Events: Choir and Band Concerts
Free and Open to the Public
OLATHE, KAN.,– MidAmerica Nazarene University’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts presents the MNU choirs in Music of the Church Sunday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m. in Bell Cultural Events Center, 2030 E. College Way, Olathe, Kansas.
Hear the MNU Choirs with brass and percussion as they sing inspirational hymns and anthems including “How Great Thou Art,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and “O God Our Help in Ages Past.” Heritage Choir, Concert Choir and Symphonic Choir are conducted by Carla Oliver, interim director of choral activities at MNU.
Also at Bell Center Oct. 20, MNU Concert Band Presents Dreams and Dances, a concert. The Concert Band’s season opener combines exciting repertoire with themes of dreams, sleep, and dances. Works by Jack Stamp, John Mackey, Eric Whitacre, Steven Bryant, Karl King, and John Zdechlik. The concert will be conducted by Dr. Luke Johnson, director of bands and music education.
Free tickets are available to both concerts at bellcenter.mnu.edu or by calling Bell Cultural Events Center’s Box Office at (913) 971-3636.
Conductor Bios
Carla Oliver
Carla Oliver served 26 years as director of choral activities and music department chair at Lee’s Summit High School. More recently she was the director of choral music at Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Music Education from Wichita State University and a Master of Arts in Music History and Literature from the University of Central Missouri.
Oliver has held office in many music education organizations including the Missouri Choral Directors Association, the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Missouri Choral Directors, the Missouri All State Honor Choir and the ACDA SW Division Convention. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Choral Director for the Kansas City Metro award, the Outstanding Missouri Music Educator Award, the Luther T. Spayde Award and the Distinguished Music Alumnus of the Year award from University of Central Missouri.
Oliver also serves as director of music at the Lee’s Summit Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and maintains a private voice studio. She is married to James Oliver, retired director of bands at Lee’s Summit High School. Together they share 7 children and 14 grandchildren.
Dr. Luke D. Johnson
Dr. Luke D. Johnson currently serves as the director of bands and music education and assistant professor of music at MidAmerica Nazarene University. A frequent guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Johnson is also a freelance trumpet player in the Kansas City area. He is a proponent of new music, having been involved in commissions of several new pieces by composers such as Jack Stamp, James Mobberly, Daniel McIntosh and Kevin Walczyk. Previously, Dr. Johnson taught for 10 years in the public schools of Kansas including Dodge City and Lansing. Past experience has also included adjunct professor of trumpet at Dodge City Community College, and a vibrant private trumpet studio in the Kansas City area. He completed his bachelor’s degree in music education at MidAmerica Nazarene University in 2003, a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in band conducting from Kansas State University in 2008, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from the University of Kansas in 2015 where he studied conducting with Dr. Paul W. Popiel. Dr. Johnson lives in Olathe with his wife Alyssa, and their two children Max and Abby.
ABOUT MNU
MidAmerica Nazarene University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university founded in 1966. Offering 40 plus traditional undergraduate majors, the university is also known for its accelerated professional and graduate programs, including undergraduate degrees in management and nursing and graduate degrees in business, education, nursing and counseling and postgraduate certificates. Online offerings include classes in education, nursing and associate’s-level studies. Study abroad as well as service-learning experiences are encouraged through MNU’s Go Global, MNU Europe and ServiceCorps programs. The campus is located on 105 acres in Olathe, Kansas., and operates a location in Liberty, Missouri., for professional and graduate programs. More information may be found at www.mnu.edu.
MNU facts:
- MNU enrolls more than 1850 students
- MNU is home to Bell Cultural Events Center, Olathe’s premier venue for the fine arts.
- The yearly economic impact of the University is more than $44 million annually in the state of Kansas.
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