Faculty

Karen De Young

Auxiliary Faculty

Email: kdeyoung@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Karen is an avid teacher and pianist who has performed for over 30 years in a wide variety of settings. In addition to solo performing, she has performed extensively as accompanist for numerous soloists and ensembles throughout the Sacramento region. Currently at William Jessup University, Karen directs the piano program, helps produce university recordings, directs Crossroads and serves as accompanist for William Jessup's University Choir.

Derek Keller

Adjunct Faculty

Email: dkeller@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Derek Keller is an award-winning composer and guitarist. Keller is co-founder of Guitar Expressions Music Series
(GEMS), an exciting new collection of concerts featuring the music of the Sacramento region’s most inspired guitarists. Keller is also the curator for the St. Paul's Episcopal Church Music Series, focusing on highlighting original avant-garde and improvisational music in Sacramento.  Keller has received commissions from Empyrean Ensemble, Fondation Royaumont,
RedFishBlueFish, NOISE, Cantoria Choir at Truman State University, Cappella Gloriana, Athens Master Chorale and Mark Menzies. Keller has performed in master classes with Christopher Parkening. His music has been performed in the U.S.,
Mexico, France, Germany and Brazil.  He studied under the direction of Roger Reynolds at the University of Caifornia at San Diego, where he earned a Ph.D. in 2004. He has also studied composition with Anthony Davis, Chaya Czernowin, Rand Steiger, George Crumb, Jean-Luc Hervé, Brian Ferneyhough, David Lang, and Charles Wuorinen. Keller’s guitar mentor is John Sutherland of Atlanta.

Kevin Neuner

Adjunct Professor/Lecturer

Email: kneuner@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Guitar
Music & Worship
Seminar in Worship Leading
Introduction to Media Technologies
Worship in Contemporary Culture

Qualifications

Kevin has been in ministry for 20 years in the areas of Worship, Youth, Pastoring, Leadership, and Teaching at various congregations throughout Bay Area. He is currently the Spiritual Life Director at the King's Academy, a Junior & Senior High School in Sunnyvale, CA. Prior to that he was an Associate Pastor overseeing Student Ministries at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Mountain View, CA. An accomplished guitarist and pianist, Kevin leads worship for youth and adults as well as speaks and consults for other ministry organizations. In addition, Kevin co-leads trips to Israel with his wife Danielle Parish through That The World May Know Ministries, and is an Advisory Board member of the Biblical Language Center in Jerusalem, Israel.

Van B. Crane

Adjunct Instructor

Email: vcrane@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Van Crane has taught music from Junior High School through College levels for many years. He has also conducted orchestras, bands and choirs in community, church and school settings for over thirty years. He was conductor of the North Bay Wind Ensemble, a community band located in the Napa Valley, for a number of years before moving to Placer County where he currently serves as Instrumental Music Instructor at William Jessup University and conducts the University Community Wind Ensemble.

Brandon Yip

Applied Instructor, Guitar

Email: byip@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Brandon Yip has been performing professionally since 1985. His current work is described as Ethno-Classic Music; a fusion of ethnic and classical styles that explores music from around the world. In 2007, Mr. Yip premiered a concerto written for him by Gang Situ. The work was commissioned by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their Gold Mountain Project, which celebrated the contributions of Chinese Americans to the history of California. Edward Ortiz of the Sacramento Bee wrote, “Yip handled the concerto with poise and sophistication… a guitarist capable of great clarity and artistic flair.” Mr. Yip's awards include finalist in the 1999 Carmel Music Society Music Competition, silver medalist in the 1993 and 1994 Portland International Guitar Competitions and more. Mr. Yip's studies include masterclasses with the world's top artists as well as attending the class of Maestro Oscar Ghiglia at the Accademia Chigiana in Sienna, Italy. Mr. Yip studied formally at CSU Sacramento and at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied with David Tanenbaum. His CDs, Global Impressions, Dedicatoria and Magnificat have drawn rave reviews from the industry's most respected artists. He has recently released his fourth recording Agua y Vino, which features music from South America. Mr. Yip has served on the faculties of CSU Sacramento and American River College. He is currently the guitar professor at William Jessup University. Mr. Yip is also a worship pastor at Bayside Church in Granite Bay with Lincoln Brewster. Before that he served as a worship leader at Bayside of West Roseville. www.brandonyip.com

Joyce Scolnick

Adjunct Faculty

Email: jscolnick@jessup.edu

Education

A.A., Liberal Arts,
Santa Rosa Jr. College, 1980

B.A., Liberal Studies,
CSU, Sacramento, 1988

Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, Supplemental Music Credential, Language Development
Specialist Certificate

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Joyce Scolnick has enjoyed teaching and performing throughout the Sacramento region for over 30 years.As
a soprano soloist, Joyce’s most treasured performances include Te Deum by Dvorak with the CSUS
University Chorus, J.S. Bach’s Magnificat and The Messiah by Handel with the Sacramento Symphony, West Side Story by Leonard
Bernstein with the Sacramento Philharmonic, and Feel the Spirit by John Rutter with the Sacramento Choral Society
and Orchestra, which included the SCSO Canadian tour, and an encore performance with the Placer Pops Chorale. A
life-long choral singer, Joyce has sung with the CSUS University Chorus, the Sacramento Opera Chorus, performed the Verdi
Requiem at Carnegie Hall with the Sacramento Symphony Chorus, the Sierra Community Chorus, the Placer Pops Chorale, and the Sacramento Choral Society
and Orchestra.  She is currently focusing on Folsom Gold, a vocal jazz ensemble created with her husband, Bob Nathan. Joyce has appeared in over 25 musical theater and opera productions.  Her favorite roles include Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, and The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors. From a young age, Joyce has served in music ministry as a chorister, soloist,
cantor, piano accompanist, praise band member, worship team leader and children’s choir director.  She currently serves at several Lutheran churches throughout the Sacramento region. As an elementary classroom teacher for over 20 years, Joyce specialized in integrating music across the curriculum, directed musical productions and formed after-school choir clubs.  Since 2001, Joyce has played in the pit orchestra for the annual musical theater production at Folsom High School. Joyce teaches voice and piano privately in Folsom.  She and her husband recently celebrated their 32^nd wedding anniversary.  They have one daughter, Rebecca, studying Theater at New York University.

Lorin Miller

Adjunct Faculty

Email: miller@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

For the past 25 years Lorin Miller has enjoyed performing nationally and internationally in Japan, China, Europe and the Philippines in a variety of styles ranging from Bach to Broadway. Lorin, a California native, grew up in Grass Valley. His undergraduate degree is from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he studied Music/Voice and Biblical Studies. After graduation, he produced, recorded and toured with a solo album before moving to Los Angeles to attend U.C.L.A. to pursue film scoring. After establishing a successful career in Hollywood television production, Lorin made the transition back into the music arena. Currently, he is finishing a Music Humanities Masters at California State University, Dominquez Hills.

As a conductor, Lorin is currently Artistic/Musical Director for the Placer Pops Chorale ( formerly the Sierra Community Chorus) in Rocklin, California, Worship Pastor at Auburn Grace Community Church and Executive Musical Director and founder of the performing arts organization, A Gift of the Heart.

As a tenor soloist, Lorin is featured frequently by the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, where he performed the role of Charlie Dalrymple from Brigadoon in their recent Lerner and Loewe production. He was a featured soloist in SCSO’s performances of the Haydn Mass, Harmoniemesse, Mass No. 12 in B-Flat and Symphony No. 2, Op 52, Lobgesang, by Mendelssohn at the Sacramento Community Center and Mondavi Center. He was also on stage in Prague’s prestigious Smetana Hall; Budapest’s famed Liszt Academy of Music and Vienna’s iconic cathedral, Stephansdome, as the tenor soloist with the SCSO’s European tour. With Gift of the Heart, Lorin has recently produced, directly and soloed in 2009’s Songs of Enchantment which performed throughout Slovenia and Northern California, and in the 2010 summer production of Homeland, a patriotic salute to America.

Lori True

Applied Instructor, voice

Email: ltrue@jessup.edu

Education

Courses Taught

Applied Voice

Qualifications

At a young age, Lori True developed her passion for making music by becoming classically trained in both piano and voice. After attending Stanford University, where she was named “Vocalist of the Year,” she discovered her passion for making music through worship and transferred to Azusa Pacific University, where she studied under the tutelage of Dr. Gary Bonner, obtaining her Bachelor’s of Music in Education. Following her studies, Lori went on to become a noted songwriter, arranger and studio musician recording with such artists as Twila Paris and featured artist on a nationally-released cd in collaboration with Kay Arthur, and has recorded several worship cds. She recently completed her Masters of Music at CSUS, studying with renowned conductor, Don Kendrick. Lori served as Pastor of Worship Arts at Adventure Christian Church in Roseville from 1994-2004 as the church and worship ministry grew from a congregation of 150 to 5000 regular attenders. She draws from her extensive experience in the church music field as she’s been active in producing large-scale musical productions, conducting professional orchestras & choirs and overseeing all aspects of a large music and arts ministry. Lori served as Worship Pastor at Grace Church in Rocklin before moving to San Francisco, where she serves as Worship Pastor for Bethel Christian Church.

Diana Murray-Tudsbury 

Applied Instructor, piano

Email: dmt@calwisp.net

Education

Courses Taught

Applied Piano
Piano Accompaniment

Qualifications

Having taught piano, band, choir and general music to both elementary and secondary level students, Diana Murray-Tudsbury chose to add to her repertoire by teaching piano classes at Azusa Pacific University, CSU Sacramento and American River College. As a solo pianist and classical music advocate, Diana also offers lecture recitals to educate and promote classical works by compelling, well-loved composers.  A California native, Diana received her undergraduate degree in music (piano performance) from Azusa Pacific University before earning her M.A. from California State University, Sacramento, where she was awarded the President’s Citation for the Best Project in the Field in Humanities for her master’s thesis. Her primary teacher-mentors have been Dorothy Hwang and Dr. Gene Savage. Ever the student of the musical arts, Diana continues her studies with University of the Pacific’s Resident Artist Frank Wiens. 

Diana’s accomplishments include:

• Accompanist for CSUS Concert Choir and Master’s Chorus under the direction of Dr. Donald Kendrick
• Accompanist for Sacramento Master Singers and American River College Choirunder the direction of Dr. Ralph Hughes
• Accompanist for Sacramento Youth Chorus and Sierra College Concert Choirunder the direction of Dorla Menmuir
• Performed with CSUS voice professor Claudia Kitka for Dr. Daniel Kingman’s A Program of Compositions in Nevada City, CA
• Accompanied California state winners at the annual Music Teachers Association (MTAC) Concerto Competition
• Performed with the Sacramento Opera Association’s production of Hansel and Gretel
• Guest pianist for Sierra Nevada Winds directed by Bill Hill
• Appeared at Festival for New American Music as a student scholarship winner on two occasions
• Appearances at the Sacramento Community Center and the Mondavi Center as principal orchestral pianist for Sacramento Choral Society
• Accompanied the Sierra Community Chorus (renamed Placer Pops Chorale) directed by Fred Weber, Dorla Menmuir and Lorin Miller at both Sierra College’s Dietrich Theater and the new Three Stages Performing Arts Center in Folsom.

Recent concerts include showcasing Diana’s favorite Frederic Chopin works at Simply Chopin, A Musical Journey where she explored keyboard works from J.S. Bach through Lowell Liebermann, as well as an MTAC Placer’s fundraiser performance of Contemporary Music From Around the World to benefit the Jean Dunning Memorial Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to deserving high school graduates. Diana operates a private piano studio where students prepare to participate in the yearly MTAC Certificate of Merit evaluation process. She also teaches piano majors at William Jessup University.

Brandy Ruscica

Adjunct Faculty

Email: ruscicamusic@yahoo.com

Education

Courses Taught

Qualifications

Brandy, a graduate from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, served as district music teacher for Byron Union School District from 1998-2003.  Earning “Teacher of the Year” for both 2000 & 2003, Brandy was featured in California Educator Magazine with a cover story on her practices and methods for music education.  Brandy is now a private music teacher specializing in string instruments, piano & choir. She is a member of MTAC (Music Teacher’s Association of California), and Certificate of Merit instructor in cello and piano as well as an adjunct instructor at William Jessup University.