Southwestern College will host the Cole Family Summer Music Festival June 8-13 on the SC campus.  The festival will feature two new clinicians as well as a new artist-in-residence.

The festival is for students ages 14-20.  Campers will choose from tracks in band, choir, orchestra, and piano.  The daily schedule will include ensemble rehearsals, practice time, electives, recreation time, and much more. 

The tracks are led by award-winning conductors, performers, and teachers.  Two new faculty clinicians will join the festival this year—Dr. Brian Winnie, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Southwestern College, and Dr. Amber Peterson, conductor, assistant professor of music at Southwestern College  and the Maize Barnett Kilmer Chair for String Education.  Joining Winnie and Peterson will be festival veterans Jeremy Kirk, band; Steven Butler, piano; and festival dean Tim Shook. 

“We are excited to offer a re-designed elective program that provides students the opportunity to explore new topics and develop skills with a secondary instrument,” says Shook.  “Electives include bluegrass, conducting, music technology, beginning keyboard, voice, strings, and African drum and dance.”

Through generous support from the Cole Family, the all-inclusive cost for the week-long festival is $375.  

This year the festival will be highlighted by a new artist-in-residence, Karissa Shimanek.  She will assist with the vocal track and showcase her talents as an artist.  

Shimanek grew up in Arkansas City and is the daughter of Mike and Judith Shimanek.  She began singing at an early age, and was entertaining audiences by age 11. Her favorite childhood performances include the Prairie Fest Arts Festival competition in her hometown, in which she placed first, and when she was a featured performer at the Kolache Festival in Prague, Okla., for two years. Her high school career provided her with many performance opportunities in the choral and theatre departments, and allowed her to develop singing and acting skills outside of popular music.

Following high school, Shimanek pursued a degree in music with a focus in musical theatre at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) in Edmond, Okla., where she received vocal training from the esteemed Dr. Marilyn Govich. She also acquired dance training in jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop, and tap while at UCO. During her undergraduate studies, she performed in many productions including Discoveryland’s production of “Oklahoma!” in Sapulpa, Okla. Shimanek has also had several lead roles at Mitchell Hall’s main stage and Jazz Lab productions in Edmond; some of her favorites are Betty Schaefer in “Sunset Boulevard,” Erzulie in “Once on this Island,” and as a featured soloist in several Jazz Lab shows. She also performed with Jodi Benson, the voice of “The Little Mermaid.” 

After the completion of her undergraduate degree, Shimanek pursued her master of music degree, also from UCO.  She was able to work as a graduate assistant for the musical theatre department and Broadway Tonight! office, and directed several shows at the Jazz Lab. 

Shimanek is currently pursuing her master of arts in teaching degree with a focus in choral directing. 

For more information about the Cole Family Summer Music Festival at Southwestern College or to register, contact Jessica Falk, director of camps and conferences at Southwestern at (620)-229-6141, email dir.campconf@sckans.edu, or visit the website at www.sckans.edu/musicfestival.