Louisiana Tech University
The School of the Performing Arts
Department of Music
TECH SUMMER MUSIC CAMP
July 12-17, 2009

Tech Music Camp is an intensive week of piano, voice, and guitar study with professional faculty. The camp is filled on a first-come, first served basis. Students receive much personal attention in a positive fun environment. The camp features exciting nightly events and a variety of music classes, such as ensembles, music technology, and music history.

Louisiana Tech University faculty will teach most private lessons. Dr. Cain Budds, Assistant Professor, will teach guitar. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in classical guitar performance at Arizona State University where he was a student of Frank Koonce. He has performed numerous recitals in the U.S. and Central Mexico. He has participated in Master Classes with outstanding performers including Eliot Fisk and Pepe Romero. Currently, Dr. Budds lives in Ruston, LA with his wife Monique, their four children.

Lawrence Gibbs joined the Tech Faculty in 1989. He directs the La Tech Jazz Ensemble, the Symphonic Band and assists with the Marching Band of Pride along with his maintaining a private clarinet and saxophone studio. Mr. Gibbs has studied with Eugene Zoro, James Gillespie and Alan Keating. An active performer, Mr. Gibbs frequently appears as a soloist and chamber musician and has performed with the Monroe, Shreveport and South Arkansas Symphonies. He is the founder and Director of “The Lawrence Gibbs Orchestra”, a swing era jazz band, along with founding the “Russ-Town Band”, a select community band based in Ruston, LA. Mr. Gibbs is on the audio review board of “The Clarinet”, an international journal for clarinetists. He has performed at the International Clarinet-Fest in New Orleans and the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium in Norman, OK. Mr. Gibbs serves as an Artist/Clinician for the Selmer Instrument Corporation and Ridenour Clarinet Products. Mr. Gibbs’ past professional experience includes a five year stint in Las Vegas with Louisiana entertainer Billy Ledbetter. In addition, he has performed with Bob Hope, Liberace, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Connie Francis, Susan Anton and the gospel group “The Martins”, among others.

Dr. Daniel Immel is Assistant Professor of Music and Head of Piano Studies and Music History at Louisiana Tech University. His primary teachers have included Madeleine Forte, James Cook, Luba Edlina-Dubinsky and Gregory Allen. He has coached in masterclasses with several artists, including Martin Canin, Nelita True, Jay Gottlieb, Philippe Entremont, Philippe Bianconi and Frederic Augessy. His solo and collaborative performances have led him to perform in the United States, Europe, Canada and Russia. He was a finalist in the 16th annual Vienna International Music Competition, and was a second prize winner in the 2007 Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York.  He recently collaborated with saxophonist Todd Oxford at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. The New York Concert Review praised his ability to “successfully transform himself from empathetic collaborator to independent soloist several times and rightly received equal billing.”  They recently collaborated on Oxford's second solo CD, to be released in the Summer of 2009.

Our voice teacher this summer is Dr. Lisa Maxedon. She is Assistant Professor of Music and Head of Vocal Studies and Opera Theatre at Louisiana Tech University.  She teaches Applied Voice, Voice Class, Opera Workshop, Vocal Diction, and Music Appreciation.    Dr. Maxedon was selected as Runner-Up in the Mississippi N.A.T.S.A.A. Artist Awards Competition in 2004.  She has performed leading operatic roles in Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alaska.  She has also been featured as a guest artist with orchestras throughout the Midwest and South.

Kristin Polk teaches oboe, bassoon and flute lessons in addition to music appreciation, music theory, and music technology. She also plays oboe and English horn with the Rapides Symphony. Before arriving at Louisiana Tech University, Dr. Polk served as the oboe Teaching Fellow for two years at the University of North Texas. She was a featured soloist with the North Texas Wind Symphony in April, 2007. Dr. Polk's primary teachers include Dr. Charles Veazey, Ms. Kathleen Reynolds, Ms. Terri Sundberg, Mr. John Snow, and Dr. Michele Kirkdorffer. She was an original member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and has performed with the Shreveport Symphony, the San Angelo Symphony Orchestra, the Monroe Symphony, and the South Arkansas Symphony. She can be heard with the North Texas Wind Symphony on several Klavier and GIA recordings and on the demonstration CD for Festival Solos by Pearson/Ellege, published by Kjos Music Company.

Tuition covers at least three private lessons and all additional courses. Campers will be supervised in the dorm and have at least one roommate. An official camp T-shirt is included in the camp fee. On Friday, the campers will give a recital that is open to the public.