OBU Professor to Perform Holy Songs

March 19, 2002

Tenor Jon Gruett, OBU associate professor of music, will perform a collection of songs based on the book of Psalms this week in a university sponsored faculty recital.

Dr. Gruett will perform Monday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the university's Yarborough Auditorium.

He will be assisted by Dr. Ron Davis, OBU associate professor of organ, on harpsichord and piano and by Dr. Kristin Todd, assistant professor of humanities, as the narrator. OBU senior music majors Jennifer Peck, flutist, and Elizabeth Wetherbee, French horn player, also will accompany him.

Gruett's wife, Kate Butler, mezzo-soprano, will appear on the program.

The program will include musical selections by Vivaldi, Schuetz, Bach and Dvorak. Gruett also will perform sets of holy songs by Michael Head, Ned Rorem and Craig Courtney.

Gruett joined the OBU faculty from the University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif., where he served as assistant professor of voice, voice area chair, director of music theatre, and supervisor of dance.

He earned a bachelor of music education degree from the University of Nebraska, a master's degree in stage direction for opera from Indiana University, and a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Washington.

The concert is free and open to the public.