The Lee University School of Music is
dedicated to music education and
performance, be it on the church
platform or the concert stage. Under the
leadership of Dr. Stephen Plate, Dean of
the School of Music, that dedication is
easily seen in the rapid growth and
national prominence of both its programs
and its faculty. The university
population is circa 4000 students, with
250+ music majors and nearly 600+
students involved in some venue of music
performance.
Long known for its dedication to
Christian Music, Lee has graduated a
number of young people who have gone on
to successful recording and ministry
careers. The Lee Festival Choir can be
heard on the CD entitled “Best Choirs in
America” and both Lee Singers and Campus
Choir have made appearances on the
Inspiration Network and with various
artists, including Alvin Slaughter, Ron
Kenoly, and Bill Gaither.
Equally important is the Lee vocal
commitment to the concert arts. The
Choral Union, under the direction of Dr.
William Green, presents yearly
performances of major oratorio works.
The Chorale, a 40+ voice selected
ensemble, also under the direction of
Green, presents four concerts a year
featuring vocal works spanning five
centuries. Recent performances by this
ensemble have been at the Tennessee
Music Educators Conference and Carnage
Hall in New York City.
Opera is also a vital part of the vocal
curriculum, and Lee boasts a number of
its graduates beginning to fill major
concert and opera roles in distinguished
companies across the nation. The
Department of Vocal Music boasts of
eight full time faculty members
dedicated to individual study in voice.
There are five other vocal faculty
members whose main responsibility is the
various choirs of the department.
In addition to degrees in performance
and church music, the Lee School of
Music is also highly motivated to
teacher education. Lee’s Music Education
department is headed by Dr. Linda
Thompson, literally one of the nations
leading and published experts in her
field. Currently Dr. Thompson serves as
the chair of the Music Education Special
Interest Group of AERA as well as
serving on the executive board of the
Society of Music Teacher Education.
The Department of Instrumental Music
hosts a vast array of ensembles and
performing artist teachers. Among the
nine members of the piano faculty are
international stars, Ning An and his
wife, Gloria Chien. Among Artist in
Residence Ning An’s many competition
wins are the National Chopin Piano
Competition and the 2006 Tivoli
International Piano Competition held in
Copenhagen. Chein, also recorded in
several chamber work CD’s, has won
competitions at the New England
Conservatory, Boston Symphony, and
Oberlin. Both are students of
world-renowned teacher, Russell Sherman.
In addition to full-time studio faculty
in winds, percussion and strings, our
students also have an opportunity to
study with the principals of the
Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra. Embraced
in the realm of the Instrumental
department is a symphony orchestra, two
concert bands, jazz ensemble, percussion
ensemble and a host of chamber
opportunities, all directed by
outstanding conductors and teachers. The
Jazz program yearly brings home awards
for distinction and both the Wind
Ensemble and the Chamber Strings were
invited to present concerts at the
Tennessee Music Educators conference in
recent years.
The Symphonic Band, under the direction
of senior faculty member, Dr. Mark
Bailey, travels literally around the
world as a ministry arm of the
instrumental department. Conducted by
American composer/conductor, David R.
Holsinger, the Lee Wind Ensemble, a
concert group whose repertoire consists
of modern wind and percussion works,
primarily of the 20th century, has
performed at the Tennessee Music
Educators Convention and was recently
invited to present a concert at the
Southern Division of CBDNA.
In addition to preparing students for
professional life after college
graduation, the School of Music also
finds value in preparing its students
for graduate degrees in music, whether
at Lee, or at other distinguished and
prestigious schools of music across the
nation.
A Christian environment and teams of
personally committed professionals are
the hallmarks that encompass all
programs in Lee’s graduate studies. Lee
University’s graduate programs provide
an educational experience that meets the
most important requirement - a
profitable engagement of the student’s
time, purpose and personal resources.
Three of the fifteen graduate degree
programs at Lee reside in the School of
Music: The Master of Church Music, the
Master of Music - Music Education, and
the Master of Music - Music Performance.
The Lee University School of Music is an
exciting, energetic, imaginative,
diverse environment, where the praise
and worship guitarists, the opera
singers, the trumpet soloists, the trap
set drummers, the music business major,
and the young conductor all thrive under
the same banner - that Jesus Christ is
LORD OF ALL and in His kingdom, a call
for excellence knows no boundaries or
limitations in our student’s musical
pursuits.
Music at Lee
