Narrative - ScottMacLeodDMA

Narrative documents corresponding to 2018 and 2023 promotion packages. This is a full accounting of my teaching, service, and creative activities.

2023

Introduction

The materials in this dossier reflect five years of teaching, service, and creative activity as Associate Professor in the Department of Music at High Point University. I am grateful for many valuable opportunities at HPU and have attempted to serve in my position as Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Vocal Activities with distinction. I hope that the materials I have assembled will reflect a positive and appropriate justification for promotion to Professor of Music.

The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is the national accrediting agency for music and music-related disciplines. Although the HPU Department of Music is not accredited by NASM, their standards may be helpful to you in assessing the strength and merit of my application, especially if you are not familiar with music as an academic discipline. I have included two appendices that can assist in my tenure and promotion evaluation: “The Work of Arts Faculties in Higher Education” (Appendix H) and “Local Assessment of Evaluation and Reward Systems for Arts Faculties in Higher Education” (Appendix I).

Background

For context, I would like to briefly detail my teaching and performing activities prior to my promotion to Associate Professor with tenure. I have performed as a professional soloist since 1997 and hold degrees from Northwestern University (BM Vocal Performance, Musical Theatre Certificate, 2000, cum laude), Florida State University (MM Opera Production, 2004, graduate assistant and University Fellow), and University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance, Choral Conducting Cognate, 2012). I taught at University of West Florida (Intro to Acting, Artist-in-Residence), Catawba College (Voice Lessons and Musical Theatre), University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Voice Lessons), and Michigan State University (Integrated Arts and Humanities, Music and Society in the Modern World, study abroad in Bregenz, Austria). I also taught as an adjunct instructor at HPU for the two years prior to my tenure-track hire (Voice Lessons, Human Dimensions of Music, and Music Director for musical theatre productions). As a singer/soloist, I have performed in over 150 productions worldwide. I was appointed Chorus Master of North Carolina Opera in 2013 and have directed 24 productions to date.

I was hired as Assistant Professor of Music at High Point University in 2012. In 2013 I coproduced three fully staged performances of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with Greensboro Opera and included HPU students in the chorus (I also sang the role of Peter in this production). In 2014 I hosted award-winning composer Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye Bye Birdie) for a series of master classes and a public student performance of scenes from his musicals, along with a set of original works sung and played by the Strouse himself – the last solo performance of his career, onstage in HPU’s Pauline Theater! In 2016 I secured the rights for Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World and presented a student production of the musical theatre song cycle in its entirety, with full orchestration and staging. I also created five new courses, taught HPU courses abroad in Salzburg, Vienna, and Prague. I worked for two summers in China as a masterclass artist at Xian University, and an advisor and director at the opera institute at Shaoguan University, where I directed, conducted, and produced their first staged opera, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo.

Teaching philosophy

As a college level instructor, I desire to cultivate a classroom atmosphere that values hard work, curious inquiry, and ethical character. I aim to provide my students with opportunities to try new techniques and explore their talents. My students are rewarded for creating personal goals and encouraged to use their education as a springboard for innovation and discovery through mentored outside projects. I also wish to demonstrate the worth of kindness and tolerance in everyday life, and to promote a values system that teaches selflessness, charity, cooperation, and honesty.

As a studio teacher I work to uncover a vocal sound that is free and authentic; I use this sound as a basis for further discovery. From there, my students and I explore colors, characterizations, and techniques suited for various styles and genres. I teach with a bel canto influence, but I modify my teaching to meet the individual. I realize that students have wide ranges of strengths and challenges, and I attempt to assign repertoire that simultaneously supports and challenges their discovery process. My ultimate goal as a studio teacher is to foster independence and confidence in vocal technique and musical ideas, and to this end I advise students increasingly to choose their own repertoire and view applied voice training as a guided independent study.

I have a strong commitment to experiential learning, both on- and off-campus. I encourage my students to participate in independent learning environments such as summer music festivals and training programs, and I utilize my field connections to bolster acceptance into these programs. My students have participated in summer programs such as Songfest in L.A., American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, and Frost School of Music Studies in Salzburg. I also seek out opportunities for my students to perform in local and regional galas and productions, and help to facilitate internships with local opera companies and orchestras.

My classroom is a safe environment for exploration, and I encourage students to take risks with the understanding that not every venture will be entirely successful; growth is often uncomfortable, but my students have my complete support when their best efforts do not reach personal benchmarks. Within this context, however, I expect my students to demonstrate a high standard of discipline and effort. Just as I challenge my students to explore new concepts and move outside of their comfort zones, I challenge myself to further my own studies and performing career, and to learn from my students and colleagues. Teaching is my passion as well as my vocation, and I use my enthusiasm for the subject matter as motivation to improve the musical and ethical lives of each student I encounter.

Notable Teaching Projects and Models

In my current position, I taught the following classes:

MUS 1200/2200/3200/4200-01, Voice Lessons

MUS 1350-01, Opera Scenes

MUS 1360-01, Musical Theatre Scenes

MUS 1600-02, Human Dimensions of Music

HNR 1103-02, Working Class Protest Culture

MUS 1600-01, Human Dimensions of Music (study abroad in London)

Musical Director, Musical Theatre mainstage productions

MUS 1350-01 (Opera Scenes) meets one semester each year and culminates in a staged student production of opera scenes. My main objectives are a) creating an environment that introduces aspects of professional careers in the opera industry; b) exposing students to established professionals, varied repertoire, and numerous skill sets within the genre; c) helping students to develop a lifelong appreciation of the craft; and d) curating quality capstone showcases of opera scenes that can be performed in multiple environments. The fall 2018 semester was a particular achievement, resulting in three concert performances of Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus for HPU and community audiences. This production was in collaboration with colleagues Brad Lambert from the School of Communications (scenic design), JW Turner (cello) and Ben Blozan (piano) from the Department of Music, and two contracted string players. Portions of the concert were performed as headline entertainment at the Greensboro Symphony Guild annual fundraiser at the Proximity Hotel; this performance was so successful that it led to a repeat invitation the following year. Selected scenes were also performed at the Pennybyrn Retirement Home and the String and Splinter Club, where the chef paired a dinner menu to compliment the program (the champagne aria was accompanied by a round of champagne, the menu had a Viennese theme, etc.). In 2020, during the pandemic, HPU Astronomy Professor Brad Barlow and I commissioned a new opera, Galaxies In Her Eyes, which was the first opera ever conceived for a planetarium. Students enrolled in Opera Scenes workshopped the project in spring 2021, which led to a professional production (upon which I will elaborate in the research/scholarship/creative activity section). Other Opera Scenes themes included Italy’s Greatest Hits (2019), Remembering Sondheim (2022), and Scenes from Le Nozze di Figaro (2023). Students enrolled in MUS 1350-01 attended opera productions at North Carolina Opera, Piedmont Opera, and Greensboro Opera, and interacted with industry leaders including Dominick Amendum (Grammy Award-winning music director, supervisor, and conductor of Wicked worldwide and The Prince of Egypt), Arlene Shrut (coach/accompanist, The Julliard School), guest artists of Disney’s A Dream is a Wish, and the professional cast and production team of Galaxies In Her Eyes.

MUS 1360-01 (Musical Theatre Scenes) meets one semester each year and is set up with a model and objectives similar to MUS 1350-01. In 2019 I staged and directed a Rodgers and Hammerstein showcase, which included performances at HPU, Pennybyrn Retirement Home, and the String & Splinter Club, where the chef once again paired a clever menu, that complimented the selections (cowboy ribeye for Oklahoma, Polynesian dumplings for South Pacific, etc.). In 2020, Covid-19 forced me to pivot from a program called Rise Up!, which was a musical exploration of defiance and protest within the literature; the class spent the remainder of the semester synchronously viewing and discussing films of Broadway musicals. The 2021 class was loosely based on the Joseph Campbell archetypal “Hero’s Journey.” We briefly researched and discussed Campbell’s scholarship and created a program that explored different parts of the monomyth framework. The class was invited to provide featured entertainment at She ROCKS Triad Dinner & Silent Auction, hosted by WXII’s Lanie Pope. She ROCKS is a national organization that exists to bring awareness and attention to ovarian cancer through outreach, funding of groundbreaking research, and by helping patients who are undergoing treatment in our communities. The class also included cabaret performances at Pennybyrn Retirement Community, HPU’s first “Pride” Festival, Providence Place Assisted Living, and for the public at the HPU Caine Conservatory. They attended a performance of Dear Evan Hansen at the Greensboro Tanger Center, which was funded through a President’s Faculty-Student Engagement Grant. In 2022 the class theme was “bravery and honesty” – an exploration of relationships, communication, and vulnerability. We used Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfections” as a resource. Post-pandemic, it was clear that many students faced emotional struggles, and I sought to use this class as an environment of introspection and self-discovery through the arts. This theme seemed to resonate with the students, who created a well-executed program of scenes from musicals such as Next to Normal, The Last Five Years, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, and Les Mis. The students performed once again at Pennybyrn Retirement Community and in the Sechrest Art Gallery. I hosted several prominent guests in my classes, including Broadway veteran Manley Pope (Roger in RENT National Tour), Elizabeth Williams Taylor (Guinevere in Camelot National Tour with Richard Harris), and Lindsay Kesselman (new music specialist, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble).

I served the theatre department as music director for three mainstage musicals: Bright Star (2019), Godspell (2021, postponed due to Covid-19), and Working (2022), where I mentored my colleague Candice Burrows, who has transitioned into my role. As music director, I was responsible for musical preparation, performance, and administration of mainstage musical theater productions, including casting input, assembly and rehearsal of instrumental ensemble, and conducting of rehearsals and performances. This is a rigorous and lengthy service that usually requires in excess of 130 contact hours for each production, mostly in evenings and on weekends. I utilize HPU students and faculty for the pit orchestra whenever possible, but I am often required to hire outside area professionals. One special opportunity that arose from my musical direction was the hiring of Wayne Fugate to play Mandolin in Bright Star. Wayne performed in the original Broadway production and the first national tour. We were able to support his fee through a Cultural Enrichment Grant (Wayne stayed in my home during his residency). Wayne was generous with his time and interacted with students in class environments and departmental colloquia. He also gave a public performance of old time and bluegrass music with some of the other pit musicians. I worked with our administrative assistant to coordinate all logistical aspects of Wayne’s successful and inspiring residency. I also served as Music Director for the HPU film production of the Great Christmas Broadcast, within Covid-19 protocols. Responsibilities included selecting students to participate, rehearsing music, and overseeing professional studio recording.

I had a positive experience teaching a MUS 1600-02 (Human Dimensions of Music) in fall 2020 as part of my increased teaching load due to Covid-19. I adapted this course to represent music as an historical agent for social change – we discussed about the intersection of music, politics, and society from Plato and the 5th century Han Dynasty through present day, with classes on female Medieval composers, Mozart and Beethoven during the enlightenment and French Revolution, Verdi and Wagner alongside nationalism and shifting European borders, the composers of the Third Reich (and Entartete Musik) and under Stalin, the American civil rights movement, the 60s, British and American Punk, and musical responses to current events. I feel that I created a safe space for students to consider multiple viewpoints, maintained an appropriate rigor that challenged without overwhelming, and introduced musical concepts and compositions that promoted healthy inquiry and analysis. The course reviews for MUS 1600-02 were highly positive, with several students citing a newfound appreciation for the subject matter, thoughtful viewpoints on complex issues, and improved writing skills.

I co-taught HNR 1103 “Working Class Protest Culture” in fall 2022 with Professors Virginia Leclercq and Paul Ringel. This was my first experience teaching in the Honors curriculum. I used the musicals Urinetown and The Cradle Will Rock as vehicles to explore issues such as the international water crisis, police relationships with different socioeconomic communities, unionization, and modern-day economic protests. I also emphasized research techniques for responsibly vetting news sources, improving writing practices, and reflecting about concepts such as empathy, equity, and opportunity. Student evaluations indicated that students had an overall positive experience and grew as scholars. I was invited to continue to teach in the Honors curriculum, but I unfortunately cannot continue due to my full teaching load in the music department.

I created a study abroad version of MUS 1600 (Human Dimensions of Music) for London in summer of 2023. The class studied music and culture from the early 1960s to the 1980s and covered The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, “Mods” and “Rockers,” Punk, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, and New Wave. I created an itinerary that included multiple site visits, tours of the Royal Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Royal College of Music, several live performances, and weekend trips to Oxford, Bath, and Edinburgh. My class was taught alongside two other classes, and together with my colleagues I was responsible for 32 students.

As a studio voice instructor (MUS 1200/2200/3200/4200-02, Voice Lessons), I teach weekly voice lessons, evaluate student performances in divisional and departmental recitals, and mentor upperclassmen through junior and senior recitals. The one-on-one contact allows me to have a meaningful impact on my students’ training and subsequent careers. While 2/3 of all HPU music majors complete a second degree, reducing the number of students working exclusively toward artistic vocation, many of my students have embarked on diverse music careers and gained acceptance into master’s degrees and apprenticeships. Several of my students competed in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition, and two won their categories at the regional level and were invited to participate in the national round of auditions. My students have also won numerous department awards and recognitions. Voice lessons are a standard part of a university music curriculum and studio voice models follow the same format in virtually every university music department, with one lesson a week that meets for one hour and includes an accompanist in the latter half. I designed a model that alters that traditional format, with bi-weekly half-hour lessons and requirements to attend and observe lessons of their peers. My students have responded very positively to the changes, both in growth and in enthusiasm. My colleagues and I also host colloquia outside of normal class hours for student performances, guest presentations, and community building. It should be noted that the pandemic created enormous challenges for voice teachers. Teaching lessons online is much more difficult than a standard class; specific technology and practices are necessary for accurate sound production and immediately synchronous feedback. Singing is also one of the more dangerous activities due to the liberal spread of aerosols. Utilizing research and best practices demonstrated during the NATS 2020 summer conference, I crafted studio protocols and revised content delivery to minimize risk while allowing for meaningful and pedagogically sound learning opportunities. This included the addition of a series of guest artists representing numerous musical occupations and experiences. The roster included:

Jackie Bayne and Jason Gillman, Broadway veterans and founders of The Broadway Artists Intensive
Carly Jones, Senior Program Director of the North Carolina Arts Council
René Barbera, international opera singer (Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Tokyo Opera)
Chelsea Bonagura, assistant voice Instructor to soprano Diana Soviero (Metropolitan Opera, faculty at Mannes School of Music)
Michaela Kelly, New England Conservatory graduate student and researcher on effective practice strategies
Scott Sussman, M.S., CCC-SLP, voice doctor for Disney and Broadway artists
Demir Demirkan, international Rock and Roll musician/composer
Dr. Kyle Ferrill, Associate Professor at the University of Memphis and co-founder of the Mindful Singer Retreat
Dr. Candice Burrows, HPU Voice Instructor and veteran singer/performer
Rosemary Hyler Ritter, founder of Songfest in LA and one of the world’s most acclaimed living accompanists
Lindsay Kesselman, singer and new music entrepreneur, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble
Bruce Rand Berman, television producer and nominee of seven Emmy Awards

In fall 2021, while most music schools stayed online, I set up a tent outside the music building so I could continue to meet with students face-to-face. It was difficult, but we were able to establish a positive learning environment through patience, adaptability, and good humor.

Experiential learning is very important to me, and in addition to promoting class activities in the community, I work to facilitate student performing opportunities independent of curricular obligations. As Chorus Master for North Carolina Opera, I have autonomy over the hiring of the auditioned chorus. There is a great deal of demand for inclusion in the NCO chorus and I am proud to invite some of my most talented and deserving students to perform alongside internationally renowned talent in mainstage productions. I also field queries from various local organizations and I am always eager to pass those opportunities along to dependable students. In 2019 I directed and led four students and one adjunct faculty in a “Promising Artists of the 21^st Century” performance tour in Costa Rica, sponsored by Centro Cultural Costariccense/Norteamericano. During their time in Costa Rica, they performed musical theatre showcases, taught and participated in masterclasses, and engaged in cultural exchanges. “Promising Artists” is recognized by the U.S. State Department and targets students from top-tier institutions, including The Julliard School, New England Conservatory, and Berklee School of Music. I originally received the invitation based on contacts that I made while performing with the National Symphony of Costa Rica earlier in my career.

I am indebted to High Point University for awarding me with three Faculty Cultural Enrichment Grants. In 2019 I hosted a recital and series of masterclasses with mezzo-soprano Aleks Romano and pianist Kevin Miller. In 2020 I collaborated with student life and the office of diversity and inclusion to produce “Stars of Hamilton,” a virtual evening with some of the cast of Broadway’s Hamilton. HPU’s Doug Hall was the emcee. The event included a live, private performance for the HPU community, followed by a forum about the cultural importance of Hamilton and diversity challenges on Broadway, and concluded with questions from our student body. The guest artists also interacted with classes in the week following the production. The artists were:

Marc delaCruz, who was the first Asian-American to play Hamilton (cover) on Broadway
Joanna Jones, who played Peggy Schuyler
Deon’te Goodman, who is a cover and regularly performs the roles of Hamilton, George Washington, Hercules Mulligan, James Madison, and Aaron Burr

And in 2021/2022, a Cultural Enrichment Grant supported the commission and student workshop performance of Galaxies In Her Eyes, the first opera ever conceived for a planetarium. The University’s affirmation of my creative objectives and awarding of resources allows me to continue to embark on significant projects and bring high-profile artists to campus.

Faculty Performance Evaluations and 2023 Peer Teaching Evaluation

In my most recent Faculty Performance Evaluation (2022-2023), Department of Music chair Dr. Marc Foster wrote “It is the opinion of the chair that Dr. MacLeod has more than exceeded all the benchmarks necessary for promotion to professor.” The other chair comments, which are representative of the other available reports, are as follows:

Teaching

Dr. MacLeod is a tireless champion of his students and finds new and creative ways of inspiring and enlivening them to greater and greater levels of performance and excellence. His willingness to take on new courses is admirable and his course evaluations indicate that he is connecting with the students and providing engaging and meaningful insights into the course material. His creativity is often demonstrated as he leads and directs the Opera/Musical Theater Scenes classes. He never knows how many students he will have, but he always finds a way of making the courses successful.

Research, Scholarly, and Creative Work

Dr. MacLeod's research, scholarship, and creative activity are outstanding! He is one of, if not THE, most active faculty we have in terms of creative activity and brings national and international attention to our university. If there was a response that is higher than "exceeds expectation" then I would select it for Dr. MacLeod. Dr. MacLeod routinely exceeds the metrics on his annual plan and this year was no exception.

University Service

Dr. MacLeod goes way above and beyond what is expected of a faculty member with regards to university service.

Progress Toward Tenure/Promotion

It is the opinion of the chair that Dr. MacLeod is absolutely ready to apply for promotion to the rank of professor. He has exceeded every standard set forth in the faculty handbook.

Overall Evaluation

Dr. MacLeod is an outstanding colleague, professor, performer, and mentor to his students. We are lucky to have him at HPU and would be well served to do all we can to retain him.

As required, my chair also conducted a peer evaluation of my teaching in spring 2023. Here are a few representative quotes, the entire document is available in appendix L:

Dr. MacLeod began the class by setting up the space for the scene to be worked. He then said: “Let’s pick up where the last class ended” and proceeded to jump right into instruction. He scaffolded instruction by walking through the blocking of the scene without music first, refining movement issues, diction, blocking, etc. He then did the scene with music, but the students sang it in English (parenthetical: the scene is actually in Italian, but he has the students learn to sing it in English to reinforce their understanding of the roles). Once the movement, blocking, issues with music are adequately addressed, Dr. MacLeod finally had them do the entire scene in Italian. For the non-musician reviewer, this is a masterclass in instructional technique for opera performance! The pacing of instruction was energetic, with frequent stops to address errors, followed immediately by repeating the challenging section. Dr. MacLeod’s comments to correct errors were brief, to the point, and never more than one or two things to address before repeating the section. I must also point out that with each stop to correct an error, Dr. MacLeod was able to offer affirming words of praise even while addressing errors.

Dr. MacLeod created a robust learning environment that included significant student participation. His delivery of content by brief lecture, demonstrating vocal techniques, having students perform small sections/correcting/then repeating was simply outstanding! Dr. MacLeod gave historical insight into character development in Mozart operas so that students could better understand their roles within the scene. Dr. MacLeod rarely sat, and he moved all around the space, helping students with blocking, making suggestions for movement, etc. Dr. MacLeod appears to have boundless energy and enthusiasm, which appears contagious for his students. Towards the end of the lesson Dr. MacLeod fielded questions and suggestions from the students and immediately incorporated those suggestions into the instruction and scene development. The class then reran all the scenes worked on that day several more times, each time with immediate feedback that scaffolded into the next run through. Dr. MacLeod continually gave encouraging and helpful feedback on all pedagogical elements.

The ease and speed at which Dr. MacLeod was able to conduct the class indicated his command over the content. He made the material meaningful by frequently connecting it to what either he experienced as a professional or what students would experience in the future. For an opera scenes class, the material was made quite accessible. To the observer, it is abundantly clear that Dr. MacLeod is an expert in his field, and he brings to the students a wealth and lifetime of professional experiences, that enhances and engages their learning.

Student Evaluations

My student evaluations are consistently high, meeting or exceeding department and university means, and they reflect a positive student-teacher relationship. A representative sample can be found in my spring 2022 MUS-1360-01 “Musical Theatre Scenes” evaluations. The following is a complete list of comments from that report:

This class is awesome for anyone with an interest in studying or performing musical theater. Dr MacLeod does a great job encouraging students to put their best work forward, regardless of their level of experience. The environment he creates in the class is very inviting and allows us to explore different parts of both ourselves, and our characters. It is a unique experience unlike any other course I've taken here and I can't wait to take it again next year.
The strengths of this course would be that we learn to transform into our characters and the materials we learned from the textbook have taught us so much in our class discussions about shame, compassion, love, and authenticity. I love that we could also travel outside of the classroom to perform.
One of the strengths of this course is having Dr. MacLeod teach us with such passion and determination. He is very attentive and caring regarding how comfortable we feel performing. Another strength is having the freedom to choose our scenes and perform at different venues. For the past 2 semesters, this course has taught me to be more confident and have fun with performing.
In this class we learned how to work with others while also being independent in our music learning. We improved tremendously throughout this course.
How to balance learning music on your own, incorporate that into a group setting, and prepare a concert for your peers.
This professor understands how to work with students and push them in a good way. This was a course where all had mini scenes related to musical theatre. He made us improve greatly from the first day of class. Pushed us to do songs that we didn’t think we were capable of and had a great experience at the end of the semester.
Scott has been one of my biggest supporters throughout my college career. He not only gives me strong constructive feedback on my voice and how to improve but continues to build my confidence enough to reach out of my comfort zone. Scott knows exactly what I'm capable of while encouraging me to take on bigger songs to progress and learn from new experiences. Scott is one of the only professors I can go to and trust to not only give me his honest opinion but know that he cares for me enough as a student to also ensure that I'm growing and learning.
I have always admired Dr. MacLeod's enthusiasm for teaching. He is always there to be a helping hand in times of frustration or trouble. He is also great at creating scenes for the class and giving us performance dates ahead of time.
Dr Macleod's strengths are that he allows us to be honest with ourselves and channel our most deep emotions through our characters. We have had so many valuable life lessons in this class through the pieces we are given and material we have read.
Dr MacLeod is nothing short of a mentor to me. Throughout my time at High Point, he has consistently pushed me forward in a way that makes me feel loved, supported, and respected; and I've seen him do the same for many other students.
He's a great communicator and motivator.

The salient themes that I want to emphasize are encouragement, enthusiasm (both student and teacher), growth and improvement, generosity, creativity, and community. These themes are reflected throughout my course evaluations, compiled in Appendix E.

Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity

I maintained an active performing roster as a singer/soloist over the five-year review period, including virtual performances during the Covid-19 lockdowns. All my performances with professional symphonies and opera companies are the result of formal auditions, recommendations, or name recognition; they are the performing arts equivalents of peer reviews. These are competitive opportunities and are viewed as sizeable accomplishments in my field (similar to solo-authored publications in refereed journals). Additionally, many of my performances have been reviewed in formal publications. I have broken up my performing accomplishments into two sections on my CV: Regional/National distinction, and Local/State distinction. Companies with Regional/National distinction possess one or more of the following traits: collaboration with nationally recognized and celebrated artists, recognition in national publications or organizations, audiences that travel substantial distances to attend productions, and/or annual operating budgets that are $1,000,000 or more.

Following the successful 2021 student workshop performance of the newly commissioned opera Galaxies In Her Eyes, I oversaw a full production and hired a nationally recognized artistic team to collaborate on the score, digital design, direction, and performance in HPU’s Culp Planetarium. I managed a budget underwritten by the National Science Foundation, a Cultural Programs Grant, the HPU Department of Music, a private donation from an HPU parent, and the Winston-Salem Symphony, which provided the pit musicians, conductor, and audio support. I worked with our administrative assistant to coordinate transportation, housing, and scheduling for eight out of town guests, and hired a local costume/makeup designer, props designer, electrician team, and A/V technician. I also provided set pieces, logistical support, and errands for the production team. I invested over 100 hours of volunteer time in this project. While an enormous undertaking, it was overwhelmingly gratifying and met critical acclaim – Joseph Newsome of the Voix-des-Arts critical review resource called the piece “one of the finest I have seen in 25 years of attending operas.” In a personal note to me he wrote “This was a truly special show. Frankly, I have seen many performances by renowned opera companies that were far less accomplished, musically and theatrically. What you achieved with this production is remarkable.” The production was featured in articles in the High Point Enterprise, Yes! Weekly, and Triad City Beat. The score now includes a page in its acknowledgements that recognizes HPU’s role in bringing it from conception to production.

In 2022 I was awarded a federal grant (see Appendix J) through the U.S. Consulate in Marseille, France, to create an ocean conservation-themed concert and share in diplomatic outreach efforts. I assembled the performing team, commissioned a new work, developed the programming and narrations, and steered the grant through appropriate channels. I also enlisted HPU colleague Brad Lambert to create a video that we incorporated into the project. The concert was first performed at the Camargo Artist Foundation in Cassis and then hosted by Prince Albert II in Monaco. The itinerary also included workshops at two disadvantaged schools in Marseille and a masterclass for apprentice artists at the Nice Opera House. The tour was very successful and led to invitations for future collaborations – one of which was a public concert at the Washington National Gallery of Art for Earth Day, April 2023. I was also invited to return to the U.S. Consulate in Marseille in summer 2023 to perform with performers from the Dutch National Opera for French and American diplomatic leaders in their annual Independence Day party.

Additional notable performances of regional/national/international distinction include the workshop debut of a new opera (Sorrows of Frederick by Scott Wheeler) with the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City; soloist for J. Mark Scearce’s original composition Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which was professionally recorded at Manifold Studios and performed by Carolina Ballet for nine performances; and twelve solo performances with the North Carolina Symphony, which is recognized as the preeminent symphony in the state, with the largest operating budget, reputation of group and guest artists, audience size (the three-day 2022 and 2023 Independence Day Tours, for which I was the guest soloist, included overall audience totals of approximately 15,000 people), and scope of domestic and international travel. I was featured soloist with the Lansing Symphony, the Winston-Salem Symphony, The North Carolina Brass Band, North Carolina Opera, Piedmont Opera, and Greensboro Opera. I performed a 3-day recital and workshop residency at Randolph College in 2020 and provided masterclasses and lectures for La Colmena Musical Theatre Institute in Costa Rica, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke University, the Danville Choral Arts Society, the Chapel Hill Music Teachers Association, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, University of South Carolina (virtual, Serena Hill-Laroche studio), University of Delaware (virtual, Isai Jess Muñoz studio), and the Duke Voice Care Center (guest panelist with Duke Voice Care Center medical team in virtual seminar “Ask the Experts: Singing Voice Health During COVID and Beyond.”)

I am currently Chorus Master for North Carolina Opera (since February 2013), and I have received many accolades and positive press reviews in that role. As Chorus Master, I am responsible for auditioning and hiring chorus and accompanist personnel, leading rehearsals, participating in North Carolina Opera development events, overseeing logistical and administrative details, and conducting backstage choruses in productions when necessary. I have directed the chorus in 24 productions to date (11 within the evaluation period) and I am engaged for three productions in the coming season. My work as Chorus Master has garnered wide acclaim; Roy C. Dicks of Classical Voice of North Carolina (formerly the lead reviewer of Raleigh News & Observer) wrote "Chorus master Scott MacLeod has honed the company's men to near perfection, their precision and harmonizing most impressive." (Rigoletto, January 2018). Other critical reviews include the following: "Scott MacLeod's chorus also deserves great credit. Despite being seated behind the orchestra, they could be heard in the quietest moments and easily filled the hall in the booming Act III temple scene. The women were particularly impressive in the shimmering passages accompanying Dalila's Act I entrance." (Samson et Dalila, April 2018). " Scott MacLeod's opera chorus continues to impress with its precision, blend, and power." (Carmen, January 2019). " Scott MacLeod's chorus was, as usual, a major asset, with its concerted swelling of the "Te Deum" in the act one finale making it seem to be twice its actual number of participants." (Tosca, April 2019). “Scott MacLeod has been NCO's excellent chorusmaster since 2013. In this production the villagers who are big fans of traveling shows were played by members of the chorus. They welcomed the troupe to their little community enthusiastically. They were amused, they were shocked, they were off to Vespers at Church and were excellent throughout. They were trained actors and actresses in crowd scenes as well as outstanding choral singers.” (I Pagliacci, April 2020).

I am proud of my professional accomplishments and hope that I have demonstrated a rigorous and substantial commitment to my scholarly and creative pursuits. I feel that my professional output exceeds not only the Standards for Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at HPU, but also the standard for similar ranks and positions in peer and aspirant institutions. I work to maintain a performing and professional calendar that enhances the reputation of HPU and allows me to provide professional resources to my students. I continue to seek relationships and opportunities that give me the opportunity to grow as a performer and artist.

Service

My service to the University includes membership in the following committees: the Cultural Programs Committee (chair, appointed 2019), the Study Abroad Advisory Committee (2013-2022), two faculty search committees, the School of Arts and Design Tenure and Promotion Committee (2022), and the ad hoc University Awards Committee (2022 and 2023).

The Cultural Programs Committee, of which I am Chair, invites grant proposals from faculty, staff, and student groups (through faculty/staff advisors) that support the mission of HPU by providing rewarding experiences and educational opportunities for the University and the broader High Point community. The committee supports programming that engages diverse populations and demonstrates a commitment to meaningful learning opportunities. The committee seeks lively and innovative programming that emphasizes interdisciplinary connections, affirms and showcases research and creative work, and culminates in well-attended and enjoyable activities and events. We are particularly committed to supporting programming that makes space for inspiring discourse across multiple viewpoints and philosophies. I oversaw the approval of 27 Cultural Enrichment Series grants and worked with the committee to improve attendance, redesign the website, and encourage submissions that address important societal issues. We also sought to promote interdisciplinary collaborations, and instituted a requirement that submissions seeking funds over $2500 include a co-applicant from another department. Since my appointment as Chair, the Cultural Programs Committee approved and supported the following grants:

Phoenix Reading Series (Jacob Paul)
Is Soccer Art? (Adam Winkle)
Sound in Picture Series (Wei Jiao)
Aleks Romano/Kevin Miller Recital and Masterclasses (Scott MacLeod)
Phoenix Literary Festival (Michele Huffman)
Phoenix Scholar Talk (Nathan Hedman)
Wayne Fugate Old Time Jam (Ken Elston)
Matthew Sayre, Anthropology – Child Birth and Midwifery Practices in Different Cultures (Matthew Sayre)
Stars of Hamilton virtual concert and DEI discussion (Carolyn Rauch/Scott MacLeod)
Hostile Terrains (Emily Gerhold/Matthew Sayre)
Yoga4SocialJustice (Tanisha Watkins)
Stars In Her Eyes development of planetarium opera (Brad Barlow/Scott MacLeod)
Habitat Earth fulldome film and consequent discussions (Chris Fowler/Nikki Hughes/Christian George)
Disney @ HPU (Brian Meixner/Joseph Michaels)
Mathematical Series Colloquium (Dandrielle Lewis)
Galaxies In Her Eyes (Brad Barlow/Scott MacLeod)
Mahmoud Salimi “Not Me” film screening w/Q&A (Jeff Palis/Nahed Eltantawy)
Time, Like Water (Jay Putnam/Brad Barlow)
Okorie Johnson (Rodney Reynolds/Ken Elston
Seminar with author Mike Duncan (Philip Mulder)
Mathematical Series Colloquium (Dandrielle Lewis)
Understanding Trauma Through Literature: A Workshop (Rodney Reynolds/Beth Ann Way)
Dr. Matthew Murchison Guest Artist Residency (Brian Meixner)
Prominent Psychology Speaker Series: Dr. Charlotte Markey (Jana Spain/Leslie Cavendish/Rosie Tarara/Kimberly Reich)
Artifact [BOLD] and Kelli Anderson Residency (Emily Gerhold/Carrie Dyer)
Regency Ball (Amanda Allen)
John-Henry Pfifferling, PhD: Preventing the High Cost of Burnout (Ken Elston/Mary Jayne Kennedy)

The grant recipients above represent a robust cross section of disciplines and interests. The Cultural Programs Committee continues to explore strategies to increase grant applications and promote events, with the goal of providing substantial and meaningful contributions to the learning environment at HPU.

I serve as Director of Vocal Activities, an area coordinator position in the music department (I share a portion of this assignment with the other full-time voice instructor, Dr. Candice Burrows). My responsibilities include placement and scheduling of full-time and adjunct voice instructors, students, and accompanists; creation and implementation of division policies; coordination and documentation of new student auditions; correspondence with and recruitment of prospective students; and department representation in campus meetings and events. I oversee the distribution of voice students into faculty studios and work with the Chair of Music to outline department events and calendars. I meet individually with every prospective voice student that auditions for the music department, act as the point person for voice division inquiries, and represent the department at admissions events and activities fairs.

One of the most visible points of service is as a frequent performer in various capacities around campus. These events include gatherings of thought leaders under President Qubein, special ceremonies, faculty recitals, symphonic masterworks with HPU music ensembles, and roles in plays and workshops with the Department of Theatre and Dance. These events require both independent and ensemble rehearsal time, and I am often charged with lining up logistics and personnel. I appreciate that I am highly visible at these events, and I take great care to represent HPU to the best of my abilities.

I also perform extensive service to the community and profession. I am a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and serve as a judge in competitions at the local, regional, and national levels. In 2019 I served as site host and HPU music representative for the Guilford all-county chorus festival, a two-day event held over fall break with over 150 high school students participating. In 2021 I was invited by the coordinator of the Master’s in Performance/Pedagogy at Peabody University to participate in a pedagogy advisory committee for former HPU student Laura Carskadden, during which I evaluated four recorded lessons and a year-end portfolio. I give numerous solo performances and lectures for arts associations, community groups, religious institutions, and educational organizations. I am a board member at the High Point Arts Council, and I am currently assisting Piedmont Opera as they expand their operations into High Point (due to the temporary closure of their performance venue in Winston-Salem). I am committed to promoting the arts in my community and being a visible and vocal advocate for my craft.

Future Plans

As a Full Professor, I recognize that I will have additional obligations to university service and mentorship. I have spent a great deal of time developing my own career, and while I fully intend to continue to perform, attend conferences, and stay current in my pedagogical knowledge and techniques, I wish to carve out more time to support my junior colleagues and act as ambassador for HPU in the community. I am enthusiastic about cross-collaboration with other schools and departments and will continue to cultivate interdisciplinary programs, utilizing my role as Chair of the Cultural Programs Committee as a platform for university-wide initiatives. I am excited about recent discussions with the High Point Arts Council about community partnerships, which will both benefit the city and create meaningful internship and performing opportunities for students. I am proud to have an agreement with Greensboro Opera to co-produce a professional production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors in HPU’s Pauline Theater in December 2023. I am contracted as North Carolina Opera Chorus Master for three productions in the upcoming season and I am in discussion with members of the Dutch National Opera about a series of performances in Amsterdam.

2018

I maintained an active performing roster as a singer/soloist over the past six years. All performances with professional symphonies and opera companies are the result of formal auditions, recommendations, or name recognition; they are the performing arts equivalents of peer reviews. These are competitive opportunities and are viewed as sizeable accomplishments in my field (similar to solo-authored publications in refereed journals). Additionally, many of my performances have been reviewed in formal publications (see “Professional Reviews,” below). I have broken my performing accomplishments up into two sections on my CV: Regional/National distinction, and Local/State distinction. Companies with Regional/National distinction possess one or more of the following traits: collaboration with nationally recognized and celebrated artists, recognition in national publications or organizations, audiences that travel substantial distances to attend productions, or annual operating budgets that are $1,000,000 or more. These can be considered “significant public performances,” as outlined within the HPU Departmental Standards document (Appendix J). You can view a comprehensive list of these performances here. Due to contractual restrictions, I am not able to obtain or share recordings of professional performances. The artifacts of these performances are programs and professional reviews, when available.

Notable performances of regional/national distinction include the debut of a new opera (Kafka's Women by Czech composer Jiří Kadeřábek) with the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City, an international tour of Handel's Messiah with the National Symphony of Costa Rica, and the North Carolina premiere of Pulitzer-Prize winning composer Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain (based on the Charles Frazier novel). I sang eleven solo performances with the North Carolina Symphony, which is recognized as the preeminent symphony in the state, with the largest operating budget, reputation of group and guest artists, audience size (the three-day 2017 Independence Day Tour, for which I was the guest soloist, included an audience total of approximately 20,000 people) and scope of domestic and international travel. I also performed concerts with the North Carolina Master Chorale, the Winston-Salem Symphony, and Eastern Music Festival, and I performed roles with the North Carolina Opera, Piedmont Opera, and Greensboro Opera. Notable roles include Taddeo in L’Italiana in Algeri with Piedmont Opera, Le Dancaïre in Carmen with Greensboro Opera, the Toe Tapping Pops tour and Rob Kapilow’s The Polar Express with the North Carolina Symphony, the Fox 8/Old Dominion Holiday Triad Concert with the Winston-Salem Symphony, and the title role in North Carolina Opera’s production of Patrick Morganelli’s Hercules vs Vampires, for which I was a featured guest on NPR’s “The State of Things” with Frank Stasio. This is just a sampling of my solo roster; I logged over 50 professional performances since obtaining my position in 2012.

I am gaining experience as a stage director, and recently enjoyed my first professional hire as musical and stage director of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo at Shaoguan University in China (2017). This was the first production that had ever been mounted at Shaoguan University, and I was responsible for all production elements, including staging, conducting, chorus and orchestra preparation and re-orchestration, language coaching, technical training, costume and set design, and sound and lighting. While the production experienced challenges from a lack of existing infrastructure, the final product was largely successful and was even re-mounted the following summer. Another outside directing credit is a performance coach for the University Performing Arts Series’ “An Evening with Maya Angelou” at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2013.

One of my artistic priorities is the realization and performance of new works. To that end, I have established a relationship with Dr. J. Mark Scearce, faculty at North Carolina State University and one of North Carolina’s most recognized and performed composers. Scearce has written several compositions for me, including the song cycles Symmetries and Asymmetries and Keeping Things Whole. The NC Music Teacher’s Association commissioned Symmetries and Asymmetries in 2013, and I performed the premiere with piano colleague Dr. Robert Hallquist at the 2013 state convention at Mars Hill College. My 2015 Faculty-in-Residence semester in Prague resulted in an invitation to premiere Keeping Things Whole at the 2015 Prague Paper Session One conference, and the success of this performance led to an invitation to perform selected Scearce songs at the historic Municipal House (Obecní dům) for the 2017 inauguration of NC State European Center in Prague. The 2017 performance was attended by a delegation from NC State including Chancellor Dr. Randy Woodson and Dr. Mark Hoversten, Dean of the College of Design.

Though the bulk of my research and scholarship is in performance and creative arts, I continue to engage in professional development activities to expand my skill sets and knowledge base. I am involved with professional organizations such as NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and College Music Society, I partake in workshops with organizations like the Duke Voice Care Center, and I participate in voice lessons and coachings from renowned teachers and pianists when afforded the opportunity. I presented my first poster session at the regional NATS conference at Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA) in March 2018 (Suggested Adaptations to the University Voice Studio Model; you can view the poster here). I was quoted extensively as an industry expert in the December 2014 Choral Director Magazine article “Teaching Musical Theatre Vocalization.”

I am routinely called upon to represent the academy and profession as an adjudicator or master class technician at regional university events and professional clinics and competitions. Adjudications include Fiesta-Val/Musicale Choral Competitions in Williamsburg VA, serving middle and high schools throughout the southeast region, and the 2017 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Concerto Competition. Master classes conducted include international venues in China and Costa Rica. I was invited as a guest artist and master teacher at Shaoguan University in 2016, to teach master classes and serve as an advisor to their newly formed Opera Center. I was invited to return in 2017 to stage and music direct their first full opera production, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, for which I was presented with an honorary faculty post. I was also invited to administer a week of master classes at Xi’an Conservatory in 2017. In 2013, 2014 and 2016 I was invited to lead small student groups to Costa Rica to participate in the “Promising Artists of the 21^st Century” program. “Promising Artists” is recognized by the U.S. State Department and targets students from top-tier institutions including the Julliard School, New England Conservatory, and Berklee School of Music. I taught and/or mentored master classes for high school and college-aged Costa Rican students during each of these trips.

I am proud of my professional accomplishments since my 2012 hire and hope that I have demonstrated a rigorous and substantial commitment to my research and scholarly pursuits. I work to maintain a performing and professional calendar that reflects a significant value to the institution and profession, and continue to seek ways to grow as a performer and artist.