Faculty and staff at Austin Peay State University recently brought recognition to the University through their professional, scholarly and personal development activities.

Dr. Samuel Fung, professor of psychology, Dr. Robyn Hulsart, assistant professor of professional studies, and Dr. Robert Sirk, professor in the School of Agriculture and Geosciences, graduated May 12 from the Academy for Leadership and Development in Mesa, Ariz. The academy is a yearlong program designed to advance organizational leadership and provide succession planning for leaders in postsecondary institutions. Some of the topics covered are dimensions of leadership, strategic and scenario planning, behavioral work styles and valuing diversity and cultural competence.

Dr. Sergei Markov, associate professor of biology, is on the cover of the current Russian periodical, International Scientific Journal for Alternative Energy and Ecology. For this issue, he wrote an introductory article, titled Importance of algae for biofuel generation (production of hydrogen and biodiesel).

Dr. Sharon Mabry, professor of music, was the guest presenter for  “Singers at Spoleto,” the National Association of Teachers of Singing Summer Workshop held June 5-9 in Charleston, S.C. Her two lectures, titled “Singing Outside the Box” and “Vocal Explorations,” centered on contemporary vocal techniques, how they can be used for teaching, performing and keeping the voice fresh. She also performed a recital of new works with accompanist Patsy Wade of Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music. In addition, she coached six advanced singers in a vocal master class that dealt with contemporary repertoire and its performance. All of the sessions were videotaped for the NATS archives and for use by the membership.

Dr. Sherryl Byrd, associate vice president for student affairs and senior student affairs officer, graduated May 18 from Leadership Clarksville, representing Austin Peay State University. The nine-month program provides participants an intense look at the community and introduces them to various segments such as government, education, criminal justice and health care.

Dr. Thomas King, professor of voice, was a panelist for Vocal Audition Feedback at the Classical Singer Magazine Convention held May 30-31 in Chicago. He listened to “practice” auditions and subsequently instructed singers in ways to improve their image in auditions, appropriate repertoire to offer, resume and photo suggestions and even appropriate clothing for auditions. He also represented APSU in a recruiting booth at the convention.

Dr. Thomas O’Connor, program manager of criminal justice/homeland security, published a chapter, titled “Six Amendment Rights in the USA,” for a book, “Jury Trial: A Legal Concept” published by ICFAI Press in June 2009.  He also had a piece accepted for a STRATCOM/GISC white paper produced for policymakers called The Neurology of Crime and Violence, a meta-analysis of the influences of diet, climate and lifestyle on terrorist actors, supporters and sympathizers.  The full white paper is titled Protecting the Homeland from International and Domestic Terrorism Threats: Current Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Root Causes, The Role of Ideology, and Programs for Counter-radicalization and Disengagement.

Dr. Tim Winters, professor of classics, is co-directing the summer session at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece, as the Gertrude Smith Professor of Classics. The school, founded in 1881, is considered the finest research institute in the world for classical studies. Winters is teaching archaeology to educators, a few undergraduate students and graduate students from across Greece. In six weeks, the class will have visited about 100 sites and museums all over Greece.

Melony Shemberger, communication specialist in public relations and marketing, has had a paper proposal accepted for the 2009 Ohio Valley History Conference, to be held in October at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. She also won first in her age group (F 35-39) in the Get Fit 5-K race held June 20 in Calvert City, Ky., with a time of 29:32. The next day, June 21, she finished fourth in her age group (F 35-39) at the Music City Du Run Run duathlon (2-mile run, 10-mile bike, 2-mile run) in Nashville, with an overall time of 1:21:26. She placed third in her age group (35-39, female) in the Superman 4-Mile Road Race held June 11 in Metropolis, Ill., as part of the city’s annual Superman Festival celebration. She also participated in the event.s 35-mile Super Trek bicycle tour held June 13. She will compete July 4 in the Do 4 for Freedom four-mile race in Mayfield, Ky.

Steve Wilson, assistant director of Web design and multimedia in public relations and marketing, has been accepted into the 2009-10 Leadership Clarksville class.

Sharon Mabry

Sharon Mabry, mezzo-soprano and professor of music at Austin Peay State University, is a featured soloist on a new CD. The CD was published by Naxos, one of the leading classical music labels, and is distributed internationally.

Titled “Lincoln Portraits,” this CD—Mabry’s eighth thus far—has been issued by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in celebration of the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln.

The CD includes orchestral works by Charles Ives, Ernst Bacon, Elliot Gould, George McKay, Vincent Persichetti, Paul Turok and Roy Harris. Mabry is the soloist for the Roy Harris “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight,” with the subtitle “A Canticle of Lamentation.”

Mabry is known for her interpretation of contemporary music and music by female composers. Mabry’s CDs can be found on the Owl and Capstone labels.

To celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, the Nashville Symphony, Leonard Slatkin and Naxos have selected eight important works by leading American composers. These songs feature the words and the ideals of Lincoln.

For more information, contact the APSU Department of Music, (931) 221-7818.

The program features Paul Binkley on guitar playing music from his Christmas CD “Do You Hear What I Hear”. Paul is a former Austin Peay music student, spent five years performing with the Grammy Award winning band Alabama, and is currently president of Grand Vista Music, a Nashville-based recording company.

The concert will also showcase members of the APSU Music Department faculty including: singers Tom King, Sharon Mabry, and Gail Robinson-Oturu; pianists Anne Glass and Jeff Wood; violinist Emily Crane; woodwind players Lisa Vanarsdel and Jeanette Zyko; brass players Francis Massinon, Richard Steffen, and Chris Vivio; guitarist Stanley Yates; and percussionists Richard Frey and David Steinquest. Karen Sorenson and Ted Jones from Languages and Literature will provide narration.

Selections from Paul’s recording will include fresh arrangements of holiday favorites such as “O Holy Night”, “Little Drummer Boy”, “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming”, “I Wonder as I Wander”, “Ave Maria”, “Carol of the Bells”, “Silent Night”, and “Away in a Manger”. The program also includes James Taylor’s version of “Some Children See Him” and Michael McDonald’s song “Peace”, and instrumental settings of “Bring a Torch Jeannette, Isabella” and “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”.

Tickets are $5.00 General Admission (APSU students get in free with I.D.) and will be available Monday, December 1, 2008 in the Music Office (MMC 139). For information, contact Norma Jean Smith at 221-7818.

Guests enjoy the buffet table at the 2008 AHDC Lifetime Achievements Awards

The highlight of the Arts and Heritage Development Council’s annual membership drive was the Lifetime Achievement Awards presentations at Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center. The festive atmosphere of the gala event was well suited to the occasion. Splendid appetizers and refreshment accompanied by the soft chamber music played by APSU Music Dept. students graced the warm and cordial atmosphere of the evening as family, friends, co-workers and AHDC members greeted one another and mingled freely.

Friday evening, November 8th, the Arts and Heritage Development Council of Clarksville and Montgomery County bestowed its Arts and Heritage Lifetime Achievement Awards during the Annual Membership Drive at Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center. This event is held to raise money through memberships and to honor outstanding citizen’s who have made enormous contributions in the Arts and in Heritage.

Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Johnson and Mrs. Emma Canard

This year’s Arts Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Sharon and George Mabry. The Mabrys have excelled in individual music careers and endeavors that have earned each of them success and renown in the higher echelons of professional music performance circles. The Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Riley Darnell, Tennessee Secretary of State.

Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Johnson gave the biography of each Arts Lifetime Achievement honoree. Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers gave the biography for Heritage Lifetime Achievement honoree Riley Darnell. Howard Winn was especially expressive of appreciation for the support Secretary Darnell has shown in support of the Fort Defiance Historical Park initiative. AHDC Executive Director Dianne Batson-Smith presented each honoree with their award. The Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center proved the perfect setting for the enthusiastic and jovial gathering of honorees and an appreciative audience.

Reginald Lowe, Mary Nell Wooten and Howard Winn

Riley C. Darnell has been a central catalyst in preserving the heritage of Clarksville and Montgomery County. In his distinguished career, Secretary of State Darnell graduated from APSU (1962) with a degree in History. he holds a JD Degree from Vanderbilt University’s School of Law in 1965, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain and Judge Advocate General between 1966-1969.

After military service, Riley returned to Clarksville to practice law. In 1970, Darnell was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 67th District and served there for five two year terms. While in that position he worked hard to promote APSU, Clarksville and Montgomery County.

Riley was elected to the State Senate in 1980, where he rose to be Majority Leader of that legislative body. During his service in the Senate, he exerted tremendous influence in two heritage projects in Clarksville. The first was the campaign to prevent the demolition of Harned Hall, the most historic site on the APSU campus. As Majority Leader, he lent his considerable support and worked to obtain funds for adaptive reuse of the historic building as a high tech classroom and office building. This support was crucial in the preservation of Harned Hall.

Between 1980-1984 an effort was launched to establish a Clarksville-Montgomery County Historical Museum. Initiated during the administration of Mayor Ted Crozier, the project was to be supported by money generated by a tourist hotel tax. The tax gave 25 cents of each dollar collected by the City and County to finance the project. Additional financial support was to come from private fund raising and a major donation from the estate of Donald and Finley Gracey.

Darnell was a robust supporter of the Museum Project. When it was evident that success of the Museum warranted expansion, Darnell, as majority leader of the State Senate, was instrumental in obtaining funding.

A major blot on Clarksville’s political history occurred in 1992. Riley Darnell was defeated for re-election to the State Senate. Fortunately, his former colleagues in the House and Senate selected Darnell to the position of Secretary of State. A move greatly lauded by his many friends and the Darnell family in particular.

This post was most suited to Riley’s experience and abilities. It included the office of keeper of the state’s records, registry of corporate charters, and other state commercial records. Darnell is in charge of the State Election Commission and Election Finance. Further, the Secretary of State is the Chairman of the State Library and Archive Management Board. He is currently planning a new and expanded State Library and Archives which will undoubtedly be a major legacy of his service.

Secretary Darnell most recently was a major contributor to our communities efforts to obtain a $2.2 million TDOT Grant to finance the establishment of the Fort Defiance Historical Park. Thanks to the work of Secretary of State Riley Darnell and House Majority Leader Kim Mc Millan, Governor Phil Bredesen awarded the grant to the City of Clarksville. Construction of the Interpretive Center will begin at the end of October, 2008.

Riley Darnell has been instrumental in preserving the heritage of our community. He has done so quietly, and effectively. Riley has been a great public servant in the best sense of that concept. AHDC is honored to present the 2008 Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award to Riley C. Darnell.

Sharon Mabry, mezzo-soprano, began her teaching career at Austin Peay State University in 1970. She holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University, the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from George Peabody College (Vanderbilt University), and a Performance Certificate from the Franz-Schubert-Institut in Austria. Though she has taught a variety of courses within the music curriculum, her primary responsibilities have been to teach private voice and vocal pedagogy. She has been Director of Graduate Programs in Music since 1991. As Artistic Coordinator of the Dimensions New Music Series since its inception in 1980, she has brought more than 60 composers to the campus for lectures, performances, and master classes benefiting students and the community at large.

Mabry’s awards include a National Defense Education Act Fellowship for graduate study, the Richard M. Hawkins Award in Scholarship and Creative Activity and the 2003 Distinguished Professor Award at Austin Peay State University, and two major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts: a Solo Recitalist Fellowship and a Recording Grant. Her seven LP and CD recordings have received outstanding critical acclaim and have been aired on FM stations internationally.

Mabry has established a distinguished career as a recitalist, master teacher of vocal techniques, soloist with symphony orchestras, and has performed at international music festivals, premiering the works of over thirty composers. She has presented major performances in venues such as the National Public Radio Art of Song series, Merkin Concert Hall (New York City), Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), the International Congress on Women in Music (University of Alaska), the International Music Analysis Conference (London, England), The National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), and three national conventions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

During the 2004-05 season, Mabry sang the leading role of George Sand in the premiere of a new opera, George Sand and Chopin, written for her by nationally known composer Persis Vehar. Performances took place in Tennessee and New York. This past season, she was a guest soloist with the Alias Chamber Ensemble in performances at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville and conducted master classes and/or performed recitals in several venues including the University of Minnesota.

Since 1985, Mabry has been a featured writer for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing, contributing over 100 articles with her column, New Directions, which discusses trends in contemporary music. Additionally, she has written articles about women composers for Pan Pipes, the International Association of Women in Music Journal and the New Grove Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press published her book, Exploring Twentieth Century Vocal Music: A Practical Guide to Performance and Repertoire in 2002. Reviewers have called the book “elegantly written, persuasive, eminently readable, and informative.” It will be published by Oxford in a paper back edition in 2008.

The greatest tribute to her teaching career is the large number of former and current voice students who have been awarded major fellowships at prestigious universities and have won regional and national vocal competitions. Many are now professional singers and/or teachers at universities such as Ohio State University, University of Nebraska, Belmont University, Elon College, and the State University of New York at Fredonia.

During her years in Clarksville, she has performed on numerous occasions in recital, as soloist for choral and orchestral concerts and other events such as the annual Madrigal Feaste, Cabaret Night, and Center for Creative Arts Galas that took place throughout the 1980’s and 90’s at Austin Peay. In addition, she has entertained at many community functions for Clarksville area civic clubs and arts organizations.

Senator-Elect and Mrs. Tim Barnes with a guest