Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • WINTER 2016 • PAN PIPES 33 Pianist Victoria Griswold isaknown for her solo recitals, collaborative work with singers and instrumentalists, as well as chamber and symphonic performances. As featured pianist, she has recorded works by William Thomas McKinley with the Warsaw Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Victoria has been diligent about researching and performing piano literature of contemporary composers, especially featuring works by women composers of many style periods. In June 2015, she performed a piano recital entitled "A Forgotten Legacy: Women Composers of the Past" at her alma mater, Carleton College, in Northfield, MN. She has taught piano for 30 years at a private studio, as well as teaching at the Westminster Conservatory of Music in Princeton, NJ. She also served as coach-accompanist and taught piano classes at New Jersey City University. Griswold served as music director for professional musical theatre productions, as well as an early music ensemble, and she continues to hold the post of church organist. As the owner of the Plainfield Music Store since 1994, she provides resources and countless information to music teachers and performers. Over the years, she has performed piano recitals in Brazil, Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, Austria, and West Germany. In the summers of 2011 to 2014, she performed solo, chamber music and collaborative piano at the Assisi, Italy Performing Arts Festival. This April, Victoria performed as collaborative pianist and as piano soloist with the Sonata in G minor by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel. This performance was in Madison, NJ, and was presented by the Suburban Music Study Club where Victoria has been a performing member since 1994. M A R K H AY E S Mark Hayes was initiated as a National Arts Associate in July by the Midland Alumnae Chapter. A composer, pianist, and conductor, Hayes was raised in a creative musical environment, beginning piano lessons at age ten and developing his improvisational skills at an early age. He earned a Bachelors' in piano performance from Baylor University. During his college years his dream of becoming a composer and arranger was born and nurtured. Now an internationally known writer, conductor, and concert pianist, his career has blossomed into international tours to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa, and Canada. Hayes' music is found in the music libraries of churches and universities around the world. His compositions and arrangements are known for their unique American sound, drawing from such diverse musical styles such as gospel, jazz, pop, folk, and classical. Hayes' personal catalog, totaling over 1,000 published works, includes work for solo voice, solo piano, multiple pianos, orchestra, jazz combo, small instrumental ensembles, and choirs of all kinds. Hayes is regularly commissioned by churches, universities, children's choirs, and community choirs to write original choral works. Hayes is also sought aer as an orchestrator and music producer. He is a recurring recipient of the Standard Award from ASCAP, and his album, I've Just Seen Jesus, received the 1994 Dove Award for Praise and Worship Album, the equivalent to a Grammy in gospel music. In June 2010, Hayes released his first CD of original songs titled All Is Well, featuring Kansas City jazz artist Monique Danielle. In July 2013, Hayes launched his own music publishing company, Holmes Street Publishing. Hayes conducted the world premiere of his Requiem at Lincoln Center May 27, 2013, and in Rome in October of 2014 in Saint Ignatius Basilica as part of The Festival Pro Musica E Arte Sacra, only the third American conductor to be invited. D R . P H I L I P A U T R Y Dr. Philip Autry was initiated by the Mu Pi Chapter in November. He first became certified by Tennessee Music Teachers Association as a student member in 1987. He has also held state certification in Oklahoma and Texas. He has been nationally certified since 1989. He held offices in the Middle Tennessee Music Teachers Association (including President) and San Angelo Music Teachers Association (SAMTA). He regularly is a participant/panelist at national conferences. He holds a Bachelor's in Applied Music (piano), a Master's in piano from Lipscomb University, and a Doctorate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from The University of Oklahoma. He was a co- coordinator for the first annual Historically Black College/University Conductors Summit at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. D R . M I C H A E L T. B E N S O N Dr. Michael T. Benson was initiated by the Eta Sigma Chapter in October. Dr. Benson is the 13th President of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). roughout his twenty-year career in public higher education, Michael has devoted himself to students and their academic success. He is an accomplished communicator and Benson Autry Griswold DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS DISTINGUISHED continued on page 34 FRIEND OF THE ARTS a man or woman who is supportive of and actively involved in the arts at a local or regional level

• Cover