Campus Activities and Community Involvement
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A short description of the “Division of Fine Arts” in the 1955-1956 bulletin includes this statement: “All courses in this division are designed to give culture, appreciation, and adequate ability to become skilled players or artists, competent teachers, and artistic church soloists and musicians. It also seeks to provide an outlet for students with less ability or interest in campus activities. The division concerns itself with the quality of music appreciation on the campus” [emphasis mine].
A perusal of college yearbooks reveals a campus-wide visibility of music from the first year onward. It is apparent that music always has been a pervasive element in Evangel campus life. On campus, even during the first four or five years of the school’s existence, students wanted to be involved with music. Programs grew rapidly. Students sought after classes, enrolled in applied music lessons, joined choir, band, and small music ensembles. The 1958 yearbook includes photos of the College Band (45 student musicians), the Concert Band (26 students all in band uniforms), College Chorus (numbering 67), and the Concert Choir (20 students in choir robes).
During the 1958-59 school year, an operetta, Maid of Samaria, was presented. The entire opus (lyrics and music) was written by E. Lesley Stubbs (Chairman of the Fine Arts Department) and was presented with full staging and costumes. In addition to formal concerts and recitals (and informal events such as the annual band lawn concerts), Evangel faculty and student musicians have consistently provided leadership and support for Chapel services, for ground breaking and building dedication ceremonies, commencement and baccalaureate programs, school assemblies, Campus Classics, and formal concerts and recitals. The sound of music has blended readily with activities from large campus-wide gatherings to small group dorm devotions. Pep bands have played a substantial role for sporting activities and rallies. Artist Series programs have contributed significantly to campus and community cultural opportunities and provided exposure to some of the finest music, art, and theater to be found anywhere. Examples of this are programs (played on the Evangel campus) by the St. Louis and Kansas City Symphonic Orchestras, the Canadian Brass, the KC Lyric Opera, and the Springfield Symphony (1). World-renowned soloists and ensembles (vocal, string, brass, and woodwind, and keyboard artists), have frequently graced the Evangel campus.
Evangel’s music influence has always extended into the surrounding community–city, region, and across the state of Missouri. In the early 1960’s, Evangel and Central Bible College collaborated with the Assemblies of God music leadership to bring outstanding nationally-known Christian musicians to Springfield for music seminars. These were attended by musicians and ministers of music from all over the United States. (see photo in the 1962 yearbook, p.99). In addition, joint programs have been conducted with Drury College (now Drury University) (2) and Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) (3). Evangel music personnel have contributed to, and offered leadership for, the Springfield Symphony (4), the Springfield Regional Opera, Mid-America Singers (5), the Springfield Brass Quintet (6), the Community Concerts Association, Ozark Handbell Workshop and Festival (7), the Missouri Music Educator’s Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)—at all levels—local, state, and national, Music Educators’ National Conference (MENC), Music Teachers Association, Springfield Piano Teachers Forum, the American Choral Directors’ Association (8), The Messiah Project (9), Christian Instrumental Directors Association (CIDA) (10), Missouri Association of Departments and Schools of Music (MADSM), Goals for Springfield, and other community organizations.Since the early 1960’s, Evangel has continuously had performers in key positions as players in the Springfield Symphony. The Missouri All-Collegiate Choirs, Bands, and Orchestras have included Evangel student musicians every year. The annual “Celebration of Christmas” concert has become one of Springfield’s most notable events. Starting in December 1984 and often numbering more than 250 student and faculty musicians, it has been a fund-raising feature of the Northside Springfield Betterment Association and the Ozarks Food Harvest. Admission cost: a donation of non-perishable food. Over the years, untold hundreds of pounds of food have been received for community distribution. In 2007, Evangel University hosted the Assemblies of God Music and Worship Conference.
In a letter written to me on August 12, 2007, Adena Holsinger, a member and past officer in the National Federation of Music Clubs, reminded me that for many years the Evangel Music Department has been an Institutional Member of this organization. The National Federation of Music Clubs is one of “the largest music associations in the World – with over 150,000 members. It was founded in 1898, chartered by the U.S. Congress and is the only musical organization that holds membership in the United Nations (11).” Evangel music personnel have regularly participated and shown strong leadership in this organization. EU music students have often been music scholarship recipients. Professor Edna Freeman Baker served as President from 1968-1970 (12).
Evangel faculty members have also been active in the Springfield Piano Teachers Forum which “provides opportunities for learning special techniques and insights for teaching. Evangel faculty also have regularly taught workshops and seminars involving their specialties (13).” Active members of the Springfield Area Music Teachers Association have included Evangel faculty; some have served as officers and the Evangel Music Department “has sponsored recitals of this organization (14).
Evangel faculty and students have also served significant music ministry roles by participating in local churches, community events, and music performances with other college and community groups.
For many years, the Springfield Symphony met in the auditorium of Central High School for rehearsals and for most of its concerts. After Evangel’s chapel was built in 1981, I was contacted by Charles Bontrager, Conductor of the Springfield Symphony. His vision was for the Symphony to be allowed use of Evangel’s “chapel-auditorium” (as it was called) for its rehearsals and concerts. Seating capacity and outstanding acoustics made this change from the old Central High School an attractive alternative. The request was approved by the Evangel administration. The result was that for almost eleven years, Evangel was host to Symphony personnel for weekly rehearsals and for almost every concert presented by the Springfield Symphony (with a number of “free” tickets available to students and faculty). This continued until the Juanita K. Hammons Performing Arts Center was built. The symphony moved there from the Evangel location in 1992 (15).
Summer Music Camps were exciting and attractive activities for young musicians in grades 7-12. Michael Kolstad, Director, began the programs in the summer of 1992. With the press of other duties and space challenges when the new Barnett Fine Arts building was under construction, the camp program was allowed to lapse after the summer of 2001.
Somewhat like the Summer Music Camps, was a two-year experimental program that involved all the departments on campus. These two-week summer events, founded and directed by Dr. Kolstad were conducted in 2003 and 2004. Targeting high school juniors and seniors, the activity billed as “part school, all cool,” was designed to give students a head start on their college careers through academically challenging experiences leading to the opportunity to earn four hours of college credit if they chose to enroll at Evangel after high school. In addition to classes in music, art, drama, science, biblical studies, business, and journalism, the students enjoyed picnics, athletic events, canoe trips, a day at Silver Dollar City, an evening at the Dixie Stampede, and daily devotions for spiritual growth. Most aspects of the program were viewed as highly successful; but when Dr. Kolstad stepped out of the leadership, the University failed to continue it (16).