Degrees
The School of Music offers both liberal arts degrees and performance degrees in keyboard (piano and organ).
Students may pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in music while studying keyboard as their primary instrument. The Bachelor of Arts degree offers broad-based interdisciplinary study for students wishing to major in music while actively engaging in a minor area of study outside music.
The Bachelor of Music in Music Education or Church Music provides students with specialized training toward teaching in public school music programs or toward a career in music ministry. Students may have keyboard as their primary instrument within either of these specialties.
The Bachelor of Music in Performance is a specialized degree program preparing students for a career as a professional musician. In addition to thorough grounding in the theoretical and historical background of music, performance majors will receive additional focused training from Wayland faculty in applied lessons and studio masterclasses.
Courses
In addition to the general education core and foundational studies in music, keyboard students complete a variety of specialized courses:
Accompanying Seminar:
This class focuses on developing practical skills and experience within a variety of collaborative contexts, rotating topics each semester among classical vocal music, choral music, instrumental music, and contemporary/musical theatre music. Students will work
with vocalists and/or instrumentalists as a practicum concurrently with enrollment.
Piano Literature:
A survey of classical piano literature from the 16th century to the present, including discussion of the origins and development of the piano.
Piano Pedagogy:
An introduction to private piano teaching as career and business, and to theories of learning and teaching piano. Students also gain teaching experience through Wayland’s Academy of Fine Arts, involving beginning and intermediate students from the Plainview community.
Elementary Piano Literature:
A survey of literature and teaching techniques for the beginning piano student, including a comprehensive overview of current piano methods. Students will develop familiarity with and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of methods and collections of repertoire.
Performance
- Keyboard students may develop their performance skills through solos in recital and masterclass settings; collaborative work with vocalists, instrumentalists and ensembles; and with choral and instrumental ensembles.
- Keyboard students also have multiple opportunities to be involved in music ministry in area churches and students are frequently requested to assist in worship.
- Scholarship funds are also available to students interested in working with particular churches; contact Dr. Ann Stutes, Dean of the School of Music at stutesa@wbu.edu or (806) 291-1065 for more information.
Music Teachers National Association
Wayland sponsors a student chapter of the Music Teachers National Association, open to all students interested in developing their teaching skills, networking with area teachers and taking part in local festivals as well as state and national conferences. This group meets twice each semester to discuss a wide variety of topics related to teaching private music students. While primarily a group for pianists, any music student is encouraged to take part.
Scholarships
In addition to a wide variety of academic scholarships, the Wayland School of Music offers scholarships specifically for keyboard students through an audition process.
About the Faculty
Dr. Richard Fountain is Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano at Wayland Baptist University and teaches applied piano and accompanying as well as collaborating with choral ensembles and student and faculty soloists. Fountain received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying with internationally celebrated pianist Paul Barnes. He has been a soloist with the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra, the UNL Symphony Orchestra and performed Liszt’s Totentanz with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra in Lincoln, NE during the 2008-2009 season. Dr. Fountain holds the Principal Keyboard position in both the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra.
An accomplished collaborative pianist, Dr. Fountain has worked with a wide variety of vocal and instrumental soloists, as well as several large choral ensembles. He was the principal rehearsal and performance pianist for the world premiere of the musical Broadcast, by Scott Murphy and Nathan Christensen. Dr. Fountain has recently developed an interest in early pianos, and has studied fortepiano with Dr. Ann Chang-Barnes at UNL and with Malcolm Bilson at Cornell University. He remains an ardent student of historical performance practice on both period and modern instruments.
Additional Faculty
Dr. Gary Belshaw – accompanying, applied piano
Mrs. Debra Buford – accompanying, piano proficiency exam
Dr. Melody Fried – class piano
Mr. Christopher Betts - organ
Contact Information
Dr. Richard Fountain, Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano
1900 W. 7th Street, CMB 398, Plainview, Texas 79072
(806) 291-1068 fountainr@wbu.edu
Dr. Gary Belshaw, Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy
1900 W. 7th Street, CMB 502, Plainview, Texas 79072
(806) 291-1064 belshawg@wbu.edu
The School of Music at Wayland Baptist University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music