Welcome new faculty

WELCOMES NEW FACULTY School of Music

The KU School of Music is pleased to announce eight new faculty appointments for the 2022-2023 school year. Included in the esteemed group are Eduardo GarcíaNovelli, Yi-Yang Chen, Stella Markou, Emily Rossin, CharCarol Fisher, McKenna Stenson, Gulli Björnsson, and Geoffrey Landman. “We are so excited to have such a large and highly qualified group of new faculty joining the School of Music this year,” says Dean Robert Walzel. “I know they will be wonderful additions to our faculty team.”

The new faculty appointments include:

Eduardo García-Novelli, Director of Choral Studies

Eduardo García-Novelli is the newly appointed Director of Choral Studies at the University of Kansas, where he directs the graduate program in choral conducting and guides the university choral program. He comes to KU from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, where he served as Director of Choral Activities and as Chair of the Music Department. During his tenure at Carthage, he led Carthage Choir to perform in five state conventions (WMEA and WCDA), three national tours, four European tours (concertizing in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, the Vatican, Spain, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland), a solo debut concert at Carnegie Hall, and multiple concerts at Chicago Orchestra Hall. In July of 2019, Dr. GarcíaNovelli led Carthage Choir to a coveted international recognition, winning both categories at the prestigious Spittal International Choir Competition in Spittal, Austria. In addition, he served for 10 years as Artistic Director of the Master Singers of Milwaukee.

Yi-Yang Chen,

Assistant Professor of Piano

Praised for his ‘flair for the unusual and his technical and artistic capacity to deliver” in addition to his “musical and emotional intelligence, dexterity and virtuosity” (The Worthing Herald, UK), Dr. Yi-Yang Chen shot onto the international stage with back-to-back victories in the 2018 Sussex International Piano Competition and in 2017 at the Washington International and the Waring International Piano Competitions, in addition to first prize awards at the Pacific International Piano Competition and the MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition.

Stella Markou,

Associate Professor of Voice (tenure-track)

Hailed as ‘exquisite’ by Gramophone, Greek-American soprano Stella Markou has performed internationally as a soloist in oratorio, opera, and on the concert stage. She has been a featured guest artist with the Edinburgh Contemporary Musical Ensemble, The Consulate General of Greece, Union Avenue Opera, Masterworks Chorale, Nassau Music Society, Dance New Amsterdam Company, American Chamber Chorale, University of Nevada Las Vegas Concert Series, Ambassadors of Harmony, and the Nashville Ballet.

Emily Rossin,

Associate Professor of the Practice (Music Education)

A proud Jayhawk, Emily Rossin received her doctorate., Master of Music Education, and Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Emily was a music teacher in the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas. There she taught elementary, middle, and high school band, as well as elementary orchestra. She has taught undergraduate courses in elementary and secondary instrumental methods, conducting and rehearsal techniques, and human learning and development.

CharCarol Fisher,

Associate Professor of the Practice (Music Therapy)

CharCarol Fisher, MA, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist with 14 years of experience as a clinician in the Kansas City metropolitan area. She received her Master of Music Therapy from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a Bachelor of Music (saxophone performance) from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.

McKenna Stenson,

Associate Professor of the Practice (Associate Director of Choral Activities)

As an innovative conductor, teacher, and vocalist, McKenna Stenson has built a career inspiring students to sing with confidence and motivating communities to create lasting change through song. Her energetic demeanor permeates positivity throughout the ensemble, creating a community of compassion, trust, and resilience.

Gulli Björnsson,

Associate Professor of the Practice (Electronic Composition)

Gulli Björnsson is a guitarist, composer, and programmer from Iceland whose music typically ties electronics, live instruments and visuals to experiences in nature. Gulli´s music has been described as “hypnotic” (Illinois News Gazette) “a knockout – wondrously inventive” (Soundboard Magazine) and “Virtuosic, modern, occasionally discordant, but still accessible” (Classical Guitar Magazine).

Geoffrey Landman,

Associate Professor of the Practice (Saxophone)

Geoffrey Landman is a performer, teacher, and advocate of the saxophone and new music. He has performed across North America, Europe, Singapore, Thailand, and in New York City’s most well-known, including Carnegie Hall, Miller Theatre at Columbia University, The United Nations, Trinity Wall Street, The Morgan Library, and John Zorn’s The Stone. Dr. Landman is the Associate Professor of the Practice in Saxophone at the University of Kansas, and previously served on the faculty of the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA.

For more information and full bios on the new faculty appointments, please visit music.ku.edu.