PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Weaver, Melony Ritter
(501) 760.6410 office
press@np.edu
September 26 , 2016
NEW START FOR CHOIR, ART PROGRAMS
Hot Springs, Arkansas – National Park College (NPC) choir and art programs have embraced a new start this semester with two new faculty members. Dr. Ferris Allen, Director of Music Programs, and Lana Taliaferro, Art Faculty, began teaching in August.
Taliaferro attended NPC before transferring to Henderson State University, where she
earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. She has a master’s of Fine Art from Vermont
College of Fine Art. She is a licensed art education teacher and has worked as an
instructor for Hot Springs School District, Benton School District and Henderson State
University. Her art has been featured in galleries and exhibits across the state.
Her most recent work has been shown at The Blue Rock Studio. Her accolades include
the G. Roy Levin/Jessica Lutz Merit Prize, Vermont College of Fine Arts Merit Scholarship,
and the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award, among others.
Pictured left, Art Instructor, Lana Taliaferro with art student, Shelby Orr.
Taliaferro believes, “Above all, art is a visual language. It is not enough to teach
students how to render what they see, students must go beyond technical abilities
and consider social, ethical, historical, and philosophical implications of art making. I
am interested in each student’s unique experiences and situations and how those experiences
can inform their work. Through research about issues connected to them, students can
develop the vocabulary needed to discuss their work while at the same time honing
and improving their abilities.”
Taliaferro plans to host a student art exhibition next spring and is looking forward to exploring other outlets for student work to be recognized.
Dr. Allen studied at Oberlin Conservatory where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music and the Juilliard School where he earned a master’s degree in music. He received the first Jacobs Fellowship at the newly renamed Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he graduated with a doctoral degree in music. He has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Opera in the Rock, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Teatro Colón, American Opera Theater, Aspen Opera Theater, BAM, and Apollo’s Fire. He has served on the faculties of Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, Wabash College and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
"I came to choral conducting from the solo-singing world, so what I value in a choir is its ability to help the students reach their true vocal potential and make meaningful musical accomplishments,” said Allen. “A good choral sound comes from helping each singer in the ensemble operate not as a cog in a wheel, but as part of a dynamic musical team."
Dr. Allen’s plans for the music program are focused on helping students realize their potential both individually and as an ensemble, and motivating the students with increasingly challenging music. The NPC Singers are working on a repertoire of folk songs arranged for choir from Scotland, England, Ireland and Canada, along with “Skye Boat Song,” which became the theme song for the television series, Outlander. They will perform a concert later this semester that will be themed, “A Wealth of Common Song.” Other events will include the annual Holiday in the Park concert and various community engagement events.
Pictured right, Music Instructor, Dr. Ferris Allen, pianist Lowella Cherry, and NPC
Choir students.
Thirteen students were awarded music scholarships for the semester, including: Jeana
Howard, Victoria Meyers, Ethen Lingo, Matthew Mattheson, Jon Rowe, Gerald Thomas,
Alexandria Anderson, Aaron Johnson, Nancy Salas, Jenna Hamilton, Ruth Suarez, Lidia
Camacho, and Kortney Rowland.
Communications and Arts Division Chair, Roger Fox said, “NPC has strong music and art programs, thanks to many years of work from dedicated faculty and staff members. We are confident that both Ms. Taliaferro and Dr. Allen will use their experience and credentials to sustain a quality of instruction and programs that NPC and the community will be proud to support. The Communications and Arts Department and the College as a whole extends to both of them a warm welcome."
