Sigma Alpha Iota

Fall 2019 58 PAN PIPES Her scholarship includes writings and presentations on the improvisation of musical theatre and choral music. She has presented on this topic at the ASMTA conference in Phoenix, AZ and was selected to present at the annual MTNA convention. Andrew Robinson Andrew Robinson was initiated as Friend of the Arts by the Lake County Alumnae Chapter in May. Robinson has been an active vocal music educator in Ohio and Indiana since 2011. Mr. Robinson received his Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in vocal performance with a minor in theater from Valparaiso University and his Master of Music Teaching degree, emphasizing in choral/ vocal music education, from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. During his time as the Choir Director at Munster High School he has shown a true passion for community involvement through music, leading four curricular choirs two extracurricular choirs, teaching class piano, and is Music Director/Pit Orchestra Conductor the Munster Theatre Company. This involvement also includes: running a host site for various ISSMA competitions, active membership in the IMEA All-State Handbell Choir Committee, and directing musicals through the Muster Theatre Company. This past fall Andrew was the choir coordinator for the world premiere performance of Johan de Meij's 5th Symphony at Valparaiso University. Due to Andrew's success as a local choir director and his leadership in the state of Indiana, the Munster High School Choir was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of The Music of Eric Whitacre, under the direction of Eric Whitacre. Mr. Robinson maintains an active role as a conductor, composer, and performer. Recently, he was Abel Frake in State Fair and the bass soloist in George F. Handel's Messiah, Part I. Mr. Robinson's compositions and arrangements have been performed by numerous school, church, and community choirs, and they have been featured at four state music conferences. He has received commissions from several organizations throughout the Midwest. His setting of "Psalm 141" was selected as First Prize winner of the 2016 Suspicious Cheese Lords Composition Contest in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jennifer Shafer Dr. Jennifer Shafer was initiated as a Friend of the Arts by the Eta Rho Chapter at the University of Delaware in May. Dr. Jennifer Shafer currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Music eory at the University of Delaware. Dr. Shafer earned a BM in piano performance at East Texas Baptist University and stays active as a pianist, playing and teaching studio lessons. She holds an MA in music theory from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. from Ohio State. Combining her interests in music and mathematics, Dr. Shafer has presented at regional and national conferences of the College Music Society, the 2014 EuroMAC conference, and the 2017 Pedagogy into Practice conference. She co-authored a publication in the proceedings of the 2015 Mathematics and Computation in Music conference and recently published an article in Engaging Students: Essays in Music eory Pedagogy. Elizabeth Truitt Elizabeth Truitt was initiated as a Friend of the Arts by the Iota Chi Chapter at Ball State University in April. Ms. Truitt serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Ball State University. She is involved in both the School of Theatre and Dance and the School of Music at Ball State University, teaching private lessons to vocal students. Elizabeth is internationally recognized as a fine vocalist, who has proven to be passionate about her work. Truitt, a soprano, has performed with opera companies across the United States in such roles as Alice Ford in Falstaff, Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, the Countess in le nozze di Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Lady Billows in Albert Herring, Mimi and Musetta in La Bohème, Mother in Hänsel und Gretel and other roles in the spinto soprano repertoire. Ms. Truitt received both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Baylor University, where she studied under internationally recognized pedagogue John Van Cura. She has previously served on the faculty of the University of Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana, Southeastern Louisiana University, and the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. Her students have gone on to such prestigious graduate programs as Yale, Harvard, NYU, Brown, ACT, UCSD, Rutgers, UC Irvine and have worked in Regional Theatres, National Tours, on Broadway, in Film, and on Television. A sought-after master clinician, Ms. Truitt has presented classes on singing both the traditional and musical theatre repertoire and has worked with several Young Artists Programs including directing Asheville Lyric Opera's Young Artist Program with her husband, Dr. Jon Truitt since 2013. James S. Werner The New York Alumnae Chapter initiated James S. Werner as a Friend of the Arts in June. James Werner has been working in the information technology field for more than a decade. He currently works as a Professional Assistant at Suffolk County Community College using his degrees in informational technology and technical communications (and robust set of software, programming, operating and hardware skills). Outside of work, James supports the museum community as a dedicated volunteer at the Railroad Museum of Long Island where he gives tours and maintains records as both the Executive Secretary and a Tour Guide. In his community, James supports a local church choir in which his wife sings. He has attended multiple musical events as well as helped set up and tear down for concerts. He has also long supported Sigma Alpha Iota through regular attendance of New York Alumnae Chapter and Province- wide events in Phi B. Not only has James supported the local and regional chapters through his attendance and patronage of music and arts, but he also aids the chapter in the form of rides to and from SAI events. This past province day alone, James drove five sisters to New Jersey and went out of his way to stay in the area for the day to drive us back to New York. It is because of his generosity and willingness to help the chapter and the fraternity that the New York Alumnae Chapter is so pleased to have him as a Friend of the Arts. DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS Robinson Shafer Truitt Werner

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