PowellFest Institute

The Powell Festival Institute (PFI) instructed aspiring musicians to reach their goal of becoming more well-rounded musicians. PFI iwas a week long music school in which students participated in several areas of study: voice, conducting, composing, instrumental performance, orchestra, and choral singing. To meet our goal of creating more complete musicians, each student participated in all subject areas, regardless of major instrument. All students were encouraged to try new things during their week of study, such as writing a song, conducting, and singing in a choir. Many students also had the opportunity to perform in the PFI faculty/student orchestra. All these experiences proved valuable to PFI alumni and returning students. These students hailed from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Georgia, New York and Tokyo, Japan, etc. They had the opportunity to improve on their principal instrument and work with experts in each field of study.

Classes and Faculty

PFI students participated in all of the classes each day. In order to reach the goal of more well-rounded musicians, PFI instructed all students in every class, regardless of major. The classes and their corresponding instructors are as follows:

Conducting: Dr. Kevin McMahon
artistic director of the Maud Powell Music Festival, Madison WIDavid Leibowitz

Dr. Michael Alexander

Professor David Becker

Choral Singing
and Voice:
Dr. Chris Sheppard
Montana State University, Billings, MTSara Williams

Carol Shamory

Elizabeth Waters

Strings: Robert McNally
professional violinist and private instructor, Jackson, MSKevin McMahon

Bennett Randman
professional cellist
principal, Mississippi Symphony,
Jackson, MS

Marie Pauls

Chia Chien Goh

Fung Chern Hwei

Brass/Winds/Percussion: TBD
Keyboard: Mary Schallhorn
piano teacher and professional accompanist, LaMoille ILLi-shan Hung

For more information write to:

Maud Powell Music Festival
Powell Festival Institute
P.O. Box 501
Peru, IL 61354