Music

Mr. Gregg Busch is an Assistant Professor of Music and Theatre at College of Ozarks, where he serves as the conductor of the Chapel Choir, as well as providing instruction in individual voice studies and theater. He holds a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from Missouri State University, and a degree in Music Ministry, Philosophy and Religion from College of the Ozarks.

Prior to joining the College, he served as the Director of Performing Arts International for Up with People, Associate Producer for the Walt Disney Special Events Company, and Production Coordinator with Buena Vista Pictures.He was the Director of the Branson Chorale, Director of the Denver Archdiocesan Chorale, Director of Music at Rockland Community Church in Evergreen, Co., and Associate Director of Music for the John Paul II Youth Choir.

As a professional performer and soloist, Mr. Busch is a veteran of the stage, with additional solo appearances throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the National Association for Music Education.

The music of composer and conductor Luke Carlson has been called “magical” and “otherworldly” (Philadelphia Inquirer); “personal and strong” (New York Times). He is the recipient of numerous honors including the Aspen Music Festival's Jacob Druckman Prize, a Copland House Fellowship, the grand prize in Symphony Number One’s Composer Competition, the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, and two first prizes in the MACRO Composers Competition.

His music has been performed internationally by artists including the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Daedalus String Quartet, Aether Eos, Network for New Music, Cortona Sessions for New Music, soundSCAPE, and the Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra.

He holds a BM, magna cum laude, from the University of Oregon, a MM from Rice University, and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He directs the music theory & composition program at C of O and lives in Hollister, MO, with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Lucy. www.LukeCarlsonMusic.com

Faculty CV 

Dr. Clara Christian is Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of the Piano Program at College of the Ozarks.  In addition to teaching applied piano, she teaches music history, piano pedagogy, piano literature, chamber music, and class piano. Before coming to College of the Ozarks, she was on the faculty at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Northwestern University's Music Academy (Evanston, IL).

An active performer, Dr. Christian has given solo recitals throughout North America as well as in St. Petersburg, Russia. She has performed in venues such as the Chicago Cultural Center, the “Jaani Kirik” Recital Series (St. Petersburg, Russia), and the Fourth Presbyterian “Fridays at Noon” Concert Series (Chicago, IL). She has served as rehearsal accompanist for the Chicago Master Singers where she was privileged to work with conductor Alan Heatherington, and she performs frequently as a collaborative artist. She is the pianist for “Fuse Trio,” with saxophonist Matthew Sintchak and clarinetist David Gould, and they will perform at the International SaxOpen Conference in Paris, France in July 2015.

Dr. Christian received her DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at  Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), and earned a M.M. from the Peabody Institute (Johns Hopkins University) in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the recipient of the Chicago Area Musician's Club of Women Elaine and Jerome Nerenburg Piano Scholarship, their top prize in piano. She was also a finalist in Northwestern University's Thaivu Isaak Piano competition, and a recipient of the Peabody Institute's Career Development Grant.

An active member of the Music Teacher's National Association, Dr. Christian presented at the 2012 National Conference and the 2013 Illinois State Conference. She is the advisor for the College of the Ozarks MTNA chapter, and coordinates a Fall Piano Festival on campus for area music teachers and their students.  Dr. Christian is also a member of the Federation of Music Clubs and the College Music Society.

Faculty CV 

Dr. Kevin Powers is an Assistant Professor of Music. He oversees all aspects of the instrumental program which includes conducting the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo, and Pep Band. Music ensembles under Dr. Powers’ direction have given numerous concerts both on and off campus, including a performance trip to Washington, D.C. Before coming to C of O, Dr. Powers taught fifth through eighth grade junior high band and general music in Harrisonville, MO. He was previously the orchestra director at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, and before this, Director of Bands at Central Baptist College in Conway, Arkansas. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music from Emporia State University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. Dr. Powers lives in the Branson area with his wife, Traci.