New Faculty Announcements Fall 2025
Here are our announcements for new faculty and new positions for fall of 2025.
Oboe: Dr. Kathleen Carter Bell is a performer and educator based in Amarillo, TX. She holds key oboe positions with the Lubbock, West Texas, and Amarillo symphonies and teaches at Interlochen Arts Camp and Indiana University’s Summer Music Clinic. A founding member of Elicio Winds, she has toured internationally, released the CD Convergence, and champions new music.
Bell created the “Double Talk Workshop,” writes on pedagogy, and serves as Review Editor for the IAWM Journal and Secretary for the IDRS Midsouth Chapter. She earned DM, MM, and PD degrees from Indiana University and a BM degree from Baldwin Wallace.
Viola: Dr. Brenton Caldwell has accepted the viola position. Praised by critics for his “attractive and memorable sound” he has toured five continents as a recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and pedagogue. Brenton has performed in the viola sections of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic.
Therapy: Dr. Christopher Beach is a board-certified and licensed music therapist with specialized training in trauma-informed care. He holds a Ph.D. in Music Education with a Music Therapy emphasis from Florida State University, where he also earned an M.M. in Music Therapy. His research has focused on trauma-informed music therapy practices, particularly with survivors of trauma and clients with substance use and eating disorders.
He is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and NICU-MT Fellow, with multiple certifications in trauma and resilience. Dr. Beach currently serves as a Creative Arts Therapist with Charlie Health and as CAFE Faculty Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. His prior experience includes teaching and clinical roles at Florida State University, Tallahassee Memorial Behavioral Health Center, and the California Department of State Hospitals.
Trombone: Ben Hahn is a trombonist specializing in alto, tenor, and bass trombone. With a DMA in Trombone Performance at the University of North Texas, where he also studied music entrepreneurship. He holds a Master of Arts in Trombone Performance from the University of Iowa and dual bachelor's degrees in Trombone Performance and Electrical Engineering from Western Michigan University.
A dedicated performer, Hahn has been recognized in several national and international competitions, including being a finalist in the 2024 International Trombone Association’s Frank Smith Solo Competition and the New Orleans Chamber Music Fest’s Emerging Ensemble Division. He won the 2024 William Gammon Henry Concerto Competition at UNT and has earned honors with his ensemble, Center Brass, in multiple chamber music competitions across the country.