James
Douglas White, Director
James
Douglas White is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Institute for
Young Musicians (1975-present).
James is an accomplished
concert violinist, composer and conductor who began studying the violin at
age nine. He was fortunate to study with violin masters Jacob Krachmalnick,
Jean Pasquier, Yehudi Menuhin, Henryk Szeryng, Salvatore Accardo, Paul Makanowitsky
and Franco Guilli. James began composition studies as a teenager. Previous
teachers include Boris Sirpo (Finland’s National Composer) Andrew Imbrie
(San Francisco Conservatory), & Nadia Boulanger (Paris France).
James
moved to Owensboro in 1975 as professor of music at Brescia University & Concertmaster
of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. During his twelve seasons with the orchestra
he was guest soloist seven times. James has soloed with the Nashville Symphony,
the Twin Cities Symphony and the Missoula Civic Orchestra. He has given countless
recitals throughout the US, France and the Caribbean. He performed as solo
violinist with the National Youth Choirs at Carnegie Hall in 1999. Other
orchestral experience includes the Oakland Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony
and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. While teaching violin and conducting
the orchestra at the University of Montana, Robert Shaw enlisted James to
be Apprentice Conductor and first violinist in the Atlanta Symphony where
he also conducted the Atlanta Sinfonietta and the Atlanta Youth Orchestra.
Guest conducting appearances include the Memphis Symphony, the Nashville
Symphony, the Twin Cities Orchestra, the Missoula Civic Symphony, the Portland
Junior Symphony and members of the Louisville Orchestra. He is past conductor
of orchestras at Brevard Music Center, the Owensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra
and the Louisville Youth Orchestra. He has taught at the Kentucky Governor’s
School for the Arts and conducted All-State Orchestras.
In
1990, James received a formal invitation from the Soviet Composers Union
to conduct and perform in many republics of the
former Soviet Union. He was
commissioned by them to premier a new work, The Peace Symphony, which was
nationally televised and recorded for radio. In 1993, the Owensboro Symphony
gave the US premiere of this work. The Owensboro Symphony also performed
his Overture Before Summer at the ’83 Maple Mount Pops concert and
have since performed several other works at RiverPark Center on their subscription
concert season and Holiday Pops concerts.
James
has received many commendations during his tenure in Kentucky. In 1987
he was awarded the Outstanding Kentuckian award and
in 1995 he received
a special Citation for Excellence from the Governor. He is a Kentucky Colonel,
a Rotarian and an alumnus of Leadership Owensboro. The Alma-Alta Conservatory
conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music and Highest Professor
status during his concert tour in Kazakhstan. He has received the prestigious
25 year award for String Teaching Excellence from the Kentucky American
String Teachers Association and the 25 year service award from the Kentucky
Music
Educators. He received the Owensboro Mayor’s Award for Excellence
in 1996. Through his many activities and tireless devotion to the Institute
for Young Musicians, White continues his deep interest and leadership in
developing the musical talents of young musicians.
Julie
Ann White, Artistic Director
Julie
Ann White is the Fine Arts Coordinator for the Owensboro Public Schools
where she serves as curriculum specialist and consultant
for
their music, art, drama and dance programs and curriculum K-12. She graduated
with high honors from the University of Montana where she studied piano,
percussion and voice. She has also founded and directed treble choirs since
1972 which include the Knollwood Children’s Chorus (Atlanta, Georgia)
The Brescia Boy Choir, The Sutton Singers, The City Singers and the Owensboro
Center Chorus and the Kentucky Youth Chorale.
Mrs.
White’s choirs have performed with the Atlanta Symphony and
the Owensboro Symphony; they have performed for the Kentucky School Board
Association State Conventions, CMENC and numerous KMEA conventions. They
have sung with the Chattanooga Boy Choir and the Indianapolis Children’s
Choir. They performed in Carnegie Hall in 1999 as a nationally auditioned
chorus selected from over 200 applicants. They premiered on KET (In Performance
at the Governor’s Mansion), the only public school musical group
to do so to date. They have also sung for the opening session of the Kentucky
Legislature. In July, 2002, the Owensboro Center Chorus won a highly coveted
invitation to perform in the Pacific Rim International Children’s
Choral Festival in Hawaii. Nicholas Palmer, conductor of the Owensboro
Symphony has said, “I have worked with many children’s choirs
throughout the United States and this is one of the best I have ever
encountered. Much praise must go to their excellent conductor Julie White
who has remarkable
control over the choir and the ability to motivate them to the highest
standard of performance.”
Mrs.
White was selected the 1988 Owensboro Public School Teacher of the Year and
in 1993 she was honored
as the KMEA Elementary
Music Teacher of
the Year. She has received the Ashland Oil Teacher Achievement Award
and the Owensboro Mayor’s Award for Excellence. She has served on the
Kentucky Department of Education Task Force to revise and assess Kentucky’s
music curriculum and has also worked for the Kentucky Arts Council. She
currently serves on the Kentucky Arts Advisory Council. She is the 2008-7-2008
recipient of the highly coveted
Governor’s Award for the Arts in Education.
Mrs.
White conducts district choral festivals throughout Kentucky. She currently
directs the Kentucky Youth Chorale and is co-director of a two
week summer Arts camp in Owensboro, Summer Institute for Young Artists
(SIYA). For more information about these programs, please contact Julie
or James Douglas White, Artistic Director at 270-314-1474.
Kirk Kirkpatrick, President
Kirk was born in Owensboro, attended OHS and is a 1974
graduate of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. He worked
for ten years at Owensboro on the Air, Incorporated, first as a radio disc
jockey, then program director. Later he
held the position of Director of Marketing and Promotion for
the cable television system and the Director of Public Relations.
Kirk
joined Wax Works/Video Works in 1984 as Sales Manager for their video division.
He was named Vice President in 1988,
heading up a division that sold more than $100 million of
videocassettes and DVDs a year. Kirk then became President
and CEO of the RiverPark
Center Foundation in January 2001 and two years later returned to Wax Works
as
President. Mr. Kirkpatrick is celebrating his 32nd consecutive
year as Master of Ceremonies for the Chamber’s Rooster
Booster monthly meeting. The Chamber named him "Member
of the Year" in 1995, 2000
and again in 2005.
Kirk
has served on the board of directors for Junior Achievement,
RiverPark Center, Downtown Owensboro,
March of Dimes, WNIN-TV,
Kentucky Council for Economic Education, Cliff Hagan Boy's & Girl's
Club, ODCH Foundation, co-chairman of Owensboro Crime Commission
and headed up a $100,000 fund raising drive for the Wendell
Foster Center. He also earned a “STAR” Award in
volunteerism in 1995 and this year was selected to receive the “Mayor’s
Award for Excellence”,
the highest honor bestowed by the City of Owensboro, for community involvement.
County Judge Executive Reid Haire named Kirk an “Honorary Judge Executive” in
2002.
Mr.
Kirkpatrick is a former graduate and a current Day Chair for GOAL (formerly
Leadership Owensboro), an organization
that honored him with
their “Outstanding Community Involvement” award
in 2001. He is former President of the 4th of July Summer Festival,
charter board member of the Owensboro Dance Theatre, co-chair
of “Philanthropy Day” for the Association of Fundraising
Professional, chairman of the “Mayor’s Cable TV
Advisory Committee”, founder and chairman Owensboro’s “Friday
After 5” free concert series and was Grand Marshall
of the Owensboro Christmas Parade in 2006.
Kirk
is married to the former Dianne Dixon and has one daughter,
Kelsey, a 2002 graduate of the University
of Kentucky, earned
her Masters Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern’s
Medill School of Journalism, worked as a producer at MSNBC
and production assistant at Court TV and today is an anchor
at WHAS-TV,
the ABC affiliate in Louisville, KY.
Brenda Clayton, Vice President
Bio coming soon...
David Roberson, Treasurer
Bio coming soon...
Pam
Howell, Assistant
Pam
Howell is the music specialist at Highland Elementary School in the Daviess
County Public School System where she has taught for 17 years. She founded
and directs the Highland Choir and Percussion Ensemble which are featured in
the school's signature Renaissance Faire. She formerly taught in Owensboro
Public System and Warrick County School System.
Pam is also in her 23rd year as music director at Eaton Memorial Baptist
Church. She has directed adult, youth and children's choirs the church, as
well as, serves as worship planner. She is also serves as Vacation Bible
School Director, Sunday School Teacher, and Church Council Member.
Ms. Howell
graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a Bachelor in Music Education.
She completed her Masters in Music Education and Rank One in Elementary
Counseling from Western Kentucky University.
Pam was selected as the Kentucky
Music Educators' Elementary Music Teacher of the Year for District Two in
2001-2002 and again in 2003-2004. She also
received the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003.
She has also served as District Two Elementary Chairperson where she organized
the Elementary All-District Choral Festival. She has represented the DCPS
on the Riverpark Arts Advisory Board. She has also served as an Artist-in-Residence
of the Riverpark's Summer Arts Camp.
As an assistant for the Kentucky Youth
Chorale, Pam serves in many different capacities. From working with the students
on vocal technique to eartraining
and sight-singing, from organizational planning to co-directing, she is one
of many supporters for this extraordinary choir.