Dr. Jeff Bright, head of the Arkansas Tech University Department of Music and associate dean of the ATU College of Arts and Humanities, has announced the hiring of three full-time music faculty members for the 2024-25 academic year.
Dr. Cory Fica will serve as instructor of music and teach applied percussion lessons.
Evan Mino, an adjunct faculty member in the ATU Department of Music for the past eight years, will move into a full-time role as instructor of music. He will also teach applied French horn lessons.
Dr. Katie Rohwer will join ATU as assistant professor of music and director of choral activities.
Fica holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami.
He taught at Round Rock High School (Texas) from 2017-2021 and has a wide variety of performing experience ranging from orchestral and contemporary chamber music to pop and rock. He is a member of the Epoch Percussion Quartet and has served as principal timpanist for the Central Texas Philharmonic. Fica’s time in Miami afforded him the opportunity to perform with Nu Deco Ensemble, the New World Symphony and Miamibloco.
Mino earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and his master’s degree in horn performance from Southern Methodist University. Mino is nearing completion of his doctorate from the University of Memphis.
His leadership of the ATU Horn Ensemble has allowed the group to become a two-time featured peformance ensemble at the Midsouth Horn Workshop. Mino’s playing experience has included positions with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Smith Symphony and Texarkana Symphony Orchestra as well as appearances with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Arkansas Philharmonic, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Rohwer received her Bachelor of Music degree in choral music education and vocal performance from Western Michigan University. She continued her education with a Master of Music degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, both from the University of Michigan and both with an emphasis in choral conducting.
An alumna of the World Youth Choir Project, Rohwer was associate director of choirs at Eastern Michigan University before accepting her appointment at ATU. She previously taught choral music at Lakeshore High School in Stevensville, Mich., for 10 years. Under her direction, the Lakeshore ensembles were invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association State Conference and the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. Rohwer is a former performer with and has served as the cover conductor for two-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble The Washington Chorus.
Learn more about the ATU Department of Music at www.atu.edu/music.
