Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University vocal faculty Dr. Glenda Secrest, soprano, and Dr. Jon Secrest, tenor, will present a recital at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, as the semester begins. Phyllis Walker will join the Secrests on piano for the free recital, which will be held in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus.

The Secrests, both of whom serve as professors of music, will open the recital with Jules Massenet’s “Rêvons, c’est l’heure!” Dr. Glenda Secrest will continue with a solo performance of Joseph Canteloube’s “Chants d’ Auvergne,” and Dr. Jon Secrest will follow with Ottorino Respighi’s “Il tramonto.”

The pair will continue with three selections from Jeanine Tesori’s Thoroughly Modern Millie: “What Do I Need With Love?” performed by Dr. Jon Secrest, “I Turned the Corner” performed as a duet and “Gimme Gimme” performed by Dr. Glenda Secrest. The duet “We Love the Opera” by Ben Moore will serve as the recital’s finale. A reception will immediately follow the recital in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s Hammonds Gallery.

Dr. Glenda Secrest serves as co-director for the OBU Opera Theatre as well as a teacher of applied voice and vocal diction. She holds performance degrees from Arizona State University and the University of Memphis. Secrest has performed lead roles in a number of opera productions, including nationally televised performances of The Magic Flute and The Marriage of Figaro, and has appeared with several orchestras and symphonies. She has research published in the Journal of Singing, the journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and is past president of Arkansas NATS.

Dr. Jon Secrest serves as chair of OBU’s applied music department, coordinator of its vocal studies program and co-director of OBU’s Opera Theatre and musical theatre productions. He holds performance degrees from Friends University, Kansas State University and Arizona State University. He has appeared in leading roles in a number of opera productions and with several symphonies and orchestras. Secrest is past Arkansas governor for the Southern Region of NATS and current treasurer for Arkansas NATS.

Phyllis Walker serves as coordinator of staff accompanying at OBU and has served as a staff accompanist for 11 years. She holds a bachelor of music degree in piano pedagogy from Loyola University. In addition to accompanying Ouachita faculty and students on campus, she has earned the James Ronald Brothers Distinguished Achievement in Accompanying Award from the Southern Region of NATS.

For more information, contact Dr. Jon Secrest at [email protected] or (870) 245-5134.

By Brooke Zimny