From: Burns, Kelly
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 12:46 PM
To: Vanderburg, Kyle ; Moe, Charlette ; Iverson, Jacoba ; Wottrich, Tyler ; Law, William
Subject: Re: Summary for 07/21/2025 Meting

Hi everyone,

I wasn’t sure exactly what Catherine’s experience has been other than I know that her classroom teaching has been significant and successful. I asked her to send me her CV and I have attached it for you all to look at.

According to her CV, she has taught both first- and second-year music theory and ear training several times, both at NDSU and at SDSU. She’s also taught numerous undergraduate- and graduate-level seminars at NDSU in voice related courses such as pedagogy, opera literature, and diction. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher in 2018. 

Her dissertation was focused on a song cycle written by Libby Larsen, which featured some analysis in it as the whole document is intended to be a performer’s guide. And she has also had quite a few regional and national presentations at various conferences, notably her presentation titled “Dominick Argento's Use of Motives and Twelve-tone Techniques in 'From the Diary of Virginia Woolf' that was presented at a regional CMS conference in 2016. 

In regards to having a formal credential such as the MM in Theory Pedagogy, she was advised not to pursue that degree at NDSU by John Miller who apparently told her that she did not need to that credential since her teaching experience would be viewed as an “equivalent.” I have no way of verifying this information - it’s just what Catherine has told me on a number of occasions in casual conversations, but perhaps if John doesn’t want to do the graduate course, he might be willing to vouch for Catherine’s ability to teach it - or you could move some people around - perhaps Cassie or Will would teach the graduate course and Catherine could teach one of the undergraduate courses.

Either way, it does concern me that there seems to be one set of “requirements” for who will teach the graduate theory courses but another set of requirements for who would teach the history. It’s not my intent to talk anyone out of a job, because I believe both Catherine and Mara would be excellent in these respective roles. However, I think it’s worth noting that while Mara had a strong dissertation and has some research activity in the realm of musicology/music history, the same could be argued for Catherine in theory. Additionally, Mara has never taught any course - undergraduate or graduate - in the classroom, whereas Catherine has many years of teaching different courses at both levels (and has won awards that I assume were supported/nominated from our own School). My opinion is that we need to hold the staffing options for both to the same standard. 

Thanks,

Kelly

________________________

KELLY W. BURNS, DMA

Associate Professor of Voice

Director of NDSU Opera

Challey School of Music

NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

Pronouns: he, him, his