News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 3/24/04   FACULTY CHAMBER CONCERT HONORS SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNUS       HAMMOND -- “Appalachian Spring,” a Southeastern Louisiana University chamber recital on March 31, will honor a generous music alumnus.       Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Pottle Music Building Auditorium, the recital will feature pianist David Evenson, head of the music and dramatic arts department, and three Southeastern ensembles. The evening will be dedicated to 1957 graduate William Baker, Professor Emeritus of Oboe at Ohio State University. Last spring, Baker and his wife Vivian donated the William and Vivian Baker Woodwind Library, which includes more than 800 musical scores, to the woodwind section of the music and dramatic arts department.       The Southeastern Wind Quintet will perform one of the donated works, Poulenc’s “Sextet for Winds and Piano.” Also on the program is Josef Alexander’s “Festivities,” which will be performed by Evenson and the Southeastern Brass. Under the direction of Glen Hemberger, Southeastern music faculty and students will also perform Aaron Copland's famous suite of music from his ballet “Appalachian Spring.”       Baker graduated from Southeastern with a degree in music education. After two years as a middle school band teacher in Jonesboro, Ark., he returned to Louisiana for graduate work at Louisiana State University. At Southeastern, Baker studied with Walter Barznick, now Professor Emeritus of Music, and with the celebrated oboist John Mack in New Orleans. He also performed with the Baton Rouge Symphony.        Baker’s collegiate teaching career began in 1960 at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth, Texas. He taught for a year at Southern Illinois University before joining Ohio State University, where he was professor of oboe and chamber music for 26 years. Baker was a long time principal oboe for the Columbus Symphony and the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus.         In 1972, Baker was awarded a research grant to study in Vienna, Austria. with Jurg Scheftlein, principal oboist of the Vienna Symphony. Upon his retirement  from Ohio State in 1987, he was proclaimed “One of Ohio’s Finest Citizens” by the Ohio House of Representatives.        Baker recently retired to Newark, Ohio, after teaching as an adjunct professor for a decade at Capital University in Columbus. He continues to serve as conductor and artistic director of the Land of Legend Philharmonic in Newark, Ohio.        Members of the music faculty in the Southeastern Wind Quintet members are Chih-hsien Chien, flute; Mary Kay Young, oboe; Deborah Andrus, clarinet; Janiece Luedeke, horn; and Jerry Voorhees, bassoon. Southeastern Brass members are Luedeke; Bryan W. DePoy, trumpet; graduate student Nick Volz, trumpet; David Johansen, trombone; and Jake Miesner, tuba.       For additional information about the concert, contact the music and dramatic arts department, 985-549-2184.