Kristin K. Yost
Executive Director
Ms. Yost began studying piano at age six and when in high school decided to pursue music as a career. While an undergraduate student at Augustana College and the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Ms. Yost studied with pianists Dr. Rick Andrews, Dr. Donald Patterson and Mrs. Penelope Ceccini. In 2004 she completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. Yost then moved to Dallas for the opportunity to study with Dr. Sam Holland and Mr. Alfred Mouledous at Southern Methodist University. In 2006 Ms. Yost graduated with a Master's Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy.
Professional highlights include competition wins, awards, numerous scholarships, academic and performance honors, has been published nationally and speaking at state and national levels. In 2001 Kristin won the South Dakota Music Teachers Association Collegiate Piano Division and in 2004 she won the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Concerto Competition. In addition she has played with professional musicians at major performance venues around the country and abroad and with artists such as John Rojak, William Omar Butler, Bob Platt of the Berlin Philharmonic, Dr. Jeffrey Crowell, Mr. Robert Baca and many others. Awards Ms. Yost has received include the Ada Bors Service Award, Sigma Alpha Iota local and regional awards, Outstanding Senior in Music Award from UW-Eau Claire, Sempre Fidelis Award from the United States Marines and numerous academic and performance-based scholarships throughout her career. Recently Ms. Yost's article, "Music Teaching as a Form of Cultural Preservation in Contemporary Society" was published in the summer 2008 issue of Keyboard Companion, the country's leading periodical for piano teaching.
In addition to her performance and teaching abilities, Ms. Yost has served in leadership positions such as president of Sigma Alpha Iota (UWEC), the Meadows Graduate Council (SMU), and president of the Frisco Music Teachers Association.
Laura Goepper
Private Instructor - Teaching Artist
Laura Goepper, a recent graduate of University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Music in piano performance, teaches piano with passion, precision, and patience. She has studied piano with Dr. Irina Vorobieva, Sergei Polusmiak, and Dr. Rachel Taylor. Laura has received many scholarships to study and perform at college and abroad. In the fall of 2007, she won first prize in the KMTA Bluegrass Young Artist Division and first prize in the KMTA Bluegrass College Piano Ensemble Competition. Laura was also asked to adjudicate a piano festival for the National Federated Music Club in 2009. She has experience teaching privately, at the Central Music Academy in Lexington, at the Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, the Northern Kentucky Music Preparatory Department, and most recently with Centre for Musical Minds in Frisco. In addition, Laura enjoys reading pedagogical books on training students in the most natural way. Furthermore, she is interested in personality types and believes every student should be treated uniquely.
Josh Binkley
Private Instructor - Teaching Artist
Josh has played the piano for 17 years. He has been trained extensively in classical music and theory, studying under Eastman graduate John Herrmann for 7 years before receiving training from Dr. George Kiorpes at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a fully certified pipe organist as well as a classical pianist and has experience ranging from performing solo repertoire at various venues to accompanying symphony bands, wind ensembles, staged productions including four musicals, choruses with and without orchestral accompaniment, soloists of various instruments, and various mixed ensembles throughout his home state of North Carolina and in Texas.
In the course of his career, he has served as the pianist for the Triangle Wind Ensemble of North Carolina, been invited to play concerts with the UNC Wind Ensemble, and shortly before moving to Texas, performed selections of music at the UNC Fall Festival at which he had the opportunity to play for a crowd of well over 10,000 spectators . Outside of performing classical music, he has toured throughout his home state of North Carolina and surrounding states for 5 years with recording artist Ryan Vansickle and been asked to play sets with such distinguished artists as Will McFarlane, guitarist for Bonnie Raitt, and the Grammy Award nominated Christian-rock band SonicFlood. His experience as a pianist has also encompassed various other genres of music including jazz, blues, gospel, and also prog-rock and electronic music of various sub genres, and composition of both classical and popular music. He also enjoys a continuing career in sacred music, both on the pipe organ, and the piano, in traditional and contemporary settings and he currently serves as the contemporary pianist for First United Methodist Church of Frisco.
Ray Tamez
Private Instructor - Teaching Artist
Ray has been playing guitar for twenty-four years and has enjoyed a career as
a freelance musician, performing in a wide variety of genres and venues across the
United States. He regularly performs solo repertoire for special events throughout
Texas and is currently performing with Dallas singer/songwriter Rahim Quazi. In
2006, he collaborated with author John Phillip Santos is support of San Antonio
Public Library's community reading program "1 Book. 1 San Antonio." He has
performed in master classes for William Kanengiser, Judicael Perroy, Jason Vieaux,
and David Mosqueda. His solo classical repertoire includes works by Agustin
Barrios, Manuel Ponce, and Heitor Villa-Lobos, among others. He recently
completed a Master of Music degree in guitar performance at SMU Meadows School
of the Arts.
Neeki Bey
Voice Coach & Community Outreach
Neeki Bey is a performer, composer and educator. He has served in music ministry for churches in Pennsylvania and Texas. He has also worked in primary and secondary music education programs in Houston, Dallas, and Wilmington, Delaware. Neeki's education includes studies at the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Morehouse College(BA Music), Institute for European Studies - Vienna(Voice, Piano, German), and Southern Methodist University(MME). A Sesac affiliated composer, Bey writes and arranges global music (hymns, anthems, jazz, etc.), with ongoing research into the fusion of traditional African music and Western forms enhanced by partnerships with leading indigenous musicians in Ghana and Senegal. He maintains an active schedule as a worship leader, jazz pianist and conductor serving as music director for the Men of the Houston Boychoir and the Perkins Youth School of Theology of Southern Methodist University. Neeki has performed on stages with many celebrated artists including Celine Dion and Jason Mraz. Bey's most recent production work includes songs on BabyJamz, a contemporary kids music project by Music World featuring artists Trinitee-5-7 and Beyonce Knowles amongst others. His community efforts include working as an advisor for Dallas-based artist community La Reunion TX , Pre-GED school, an organization helping immigrants integrate through English instruction and life skills and annual participation with the NAACP Act-so competition as a lecturer and adjudicator.
Mary Dawson
Songwriting Faculty
Mary Dawson is a published, professional songwriter and president of CQK Music Group, an umbrella organization comprising three music publishing companies, and many other products and services for songwriters, artists and music fans. A lifetime songwriter herself, Mary's own songs have been recorded by artists such as country music sensation, LeAnn Rimes; Island Records' Mikaila; Grammy Award winning Gospel singer, Cynthia Clawson; Dove Award winner, Babbie Mason, and many others.
Mary's critically acclaimed book, How to Get Somewhere in the Music Business from Nowhere with Nothing, answers the literally thousands of questions about the "business of music" that she has received from aspiring writers and artists during her 25-year career. For several years she has been an instructor in Southern Methodist University's Continuing Arts Education Department where she has taught a course of the same title as her book, as well as another course called Build-A-Song, on the creative aspects of songwriting. She is a frequent seminar speaker and her articles on songwriting appear in both Internet and print periodicals around the world. (See the Internet Writing Journal at www.writerswrite.com and her column and forum at www.musesmuse.com).
Mary is the creator and host of the radio talk show, I Write the Songs-an on-the-air songwriting workshop especially designed for "the songwriter in all of us." The show, which includes instruction and critiques of original songs submitted by listeners, is also available through the Internet at www.iwritethesongs.com. Interview guests on I Write the Songs have included: Willie Nelson, Janis Ian, Paul Williams, Richard Carpenter, Jimmy Webb, Mathew Knowles, Andrew Gold, Sheila Davis, Jim Brickman, Michael McDonald and others.
Mary is married to Dave Dawson, director of Equipping the Saints Ministries, and resides in the Dallas area. They are the parents of four grown children and five fabulous grandchildren.
Alfred Mouledous
Master Teacher
ALFRED MOULEDOUS is Professor of Piano at Southern Methodist University, Meadows School of the Arts. One of the world's most sought after teachers, Mr. Mouledous has coached and taught students who have won top prizes on the local and international levels.
Mouledous began studying piano when he was 3.5, under Evelyn Mae Durmeyer who was a Pedagogy student at Loyola Conservatory in New Orleans. At age 16 he was accepted to the Eastman School of Music, where he was a student of Cecile Genhart. After eight years of study, Mouledous earned a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Performer's Certificate and Artist Diploma before moving to Paris as a Fulbright Scholar to study at the Ecole de Musikque under the 20th century piano heavyweight, Walter Gieseking. While in Paris, Mouledous was invited to perform for the esteemed Alfred Cortot.
In 1953 Mouledous introduced "The Recital Hall" series for NBC television and performed on the Arthur Godfrey show on television and radio before joining SMU's faculty in 1953. Mouledous has been a soloist with major orchestras more than 100 times and has played over 300 recitals in this country and Europe.
For more information about auditioning to be a student of Alfred Mouledous, please email our executive director at exdir@centremm.org
WT Greer
Vocal Coach to Rising Stars
Vocalist/songwriter/pianist extraordinaire WT Greer is the modern voice of romance and rhythm. He is known around the world as "The King of Hearts" or to those more romantically inclined, "The Bedroom Voice". WT sings new and old familiar favorites that appeals to even the most un-inclined ear. His voice is disarming and smooth as the calmest blue sea but with the same magnificence and power you would expect from an emotional delivery so vast and deep, like an ocean. This year WT has taken his sound around the world from Germany to NY, Miami, Costa Rica, LA, San Francisco, Hawaii, Italy, and then to Greece. WT will perform at the World ATA tournament in Little Rock Arkansas and In the Fall WT will complete His journey around the Ring of Fire by touring Hawaii, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and finally ending the year in the Caribbean.
His beginning at The Melrose Hotel in Dallas launched WT Greer into the national and international show business arena and now he is bringing his magic to the adult contemporary recording industry. His new CD, WT Greer - Not In A Hurry, is the first installment of a double CD of inspiring standards closely followed by a much anticipated original Project Entitled "Undefeatable Love".
Thousands of people a month made the pilgrimage to The Library at The Melrose Hotel to catch WT Greer serenading to standing-room-only crowds. Proclaimed the "Ivory Power" and "The King of Hearts" by D Magazine in six of their "Best of Dallas" issues. Each night Greer performed, The Library was the place to be and became a frequent destination of many a celebrity, media personality or record executive. Cathy Bates, Presidents, Senators, Governors, high ranking officials, John Schneider, Dale Hansen, Jerry Jones, Chuck Norris, Paloma Picasso, Alabama, Bruce Hornsby, Sheree Wilson, Emmitt Smith, Presidents, and first ladies, all have asked for "their table" for WT Greer's performances.
"Seldom does a voice bring the multidimensional sound from the past to the present with the same eloquence as the vibrant voice of WT Greer. His ability to cross styles and periods in music is unsurpassed by mainstream contemporary vocalists," ESI Entertainment's Mark Smith said. The Dallas Observer called WT "The Bedroom Voice" and awarded him the 'Best of Dallas' for seven years in a row. The Royal title; "King Of Hearts" was given by the lead editor of D magazine. A fan once remarked, WT's vocals are so rich and resonating that it is moving even without any accompaniment."
His delivery is filled with such emotional depth that it will leave you with chills and a swell of tears. Vic Damone said, "You gave me chills, even on my face. How can I help you?" Whether he is singing stylized covers of Broadway, pop, rock, rhythm and blues, country, swing, jazz or original tunes, the strength of WT's music lies in its purpose, message and the effect it has on the listener.
Greer has been the singing voice for national commercial jingles for Cadillac, 7-Eleven, McDonald's and many other media campaigns. He has also done a host of radio and television ID's that send his voice daily into every major media market. Here in the US, he is the voice of the "Jammin" Oldies" campaign, "Slow Jams", Smooth Jazz for "The Oasis", and "The Wave" stations. He is a popular national radio and talk show guest because of his reputation, strength of delivery and original songs. He has appeared on TNN's Prime Time Country, Crook and Chase, Music City Tonight and Good Morning Texas.
Over the past five years, Greer has produced and written original music for his own recordings and others, traveled to many countries, performed for private, corporate and humanitarian events and developed five one-man shows for charity at The Morton Meyerson Symphony Center. Greer has over the last few years performed for all of our nations' living First Ladies and Presidents.
Last year, Greer was the featured entertainment singing a tribute to "Moulin Rouge" with the Cathedral of Hope Orchestra at DIFFA, hosted by Leeza Gibbons and performed his original song "Embrace the Dream" for the Children's Cancer Fund Luncheon. He also sang "The National Anthem" honoring Mrs. Lynne Cheney during her official White House visit to Dallas and "Let There Be Peace on Earth" for the inaugural Spirit of World Thanksgiving Awards Ceremony honoring Dr. Kenneth Cooper. In November, he will perform a musical tribute to restauranteur Norman Brinker at the same event. This fall, WT Greer and his band have helped unveil the new Trammell Crow Visitor Education Pavilion at The Dallas Arboretum and entertained a capacity crowd at the Texas Stadium Club for Tex Schramm's Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor Tribute. He wrote and produced "Embrace The Dream," the theme song for the National Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and performed it live before a FOX national television audience with Mary Wilson at Texas Stadium. Greer has either toured, performed with, or opened for Alabama, Bill Cosby, Faith Hill, Gary Morris, The Temptations, Vince Gill, Steve Holy, Wynonna, Tom Wopat, Charley Pride, Paloma Picasso, Collin Raye, Burt Bacharach, Lou Rawls, Trisha Yearwood, Neil Goldberg's Cirque, and many more. Many charity events take him on the road like this year's Terminix/Steve Cropper Celebrity Golf Tournament in Memphis.
Greer has released the new CD "Still Not In A Hurry", the first solo studio album of adult contemporary tunes and classic American standards and is working in the studio on his long anticipated original project; "Undefeatable Love".
Karla Dunning
Musikgarten Instructor
One of Karla's earliest memories is dancing around the living room to music playing on her little Fisher Price record player. Always singing and dancing, Karla was blessed to have parents who nurtured that love of music. Starting with dance classes at the age of 4 and piano at 8, Karla settled into the school band program playing clarinet in 6th grade. By 8th grade she had decided that band was life and began making plans to become a great band director someday.
After graduating from Sherman High School, Karla headed straight to the University of North Texas to pursue a degree in music education. While there, she performed with various ensembles in the College of Music, in addition to working with the New Horizons Band and the early childhood music program. Karla's passion and focus shifted to younger musicians, and the impact music can have on EVERY child. After completing her bachelor's degree at UNT, Karla spent several summers earning all 3 levels of her Kodaly certification and completed teacher training and certification through Musikgarten.
Karla spent 7 years teaching elementary music in Little Elm ISD. As the district and her campus changed, one of her greatest joys was watching the children grow each year, both in height and musicianship! In 2008, Karla left public school to teach music to preschoolers. She has taught family music classes in various locations across Denton county, in addition to working in preschools with Miss Jane's MusicPlay in Keller, Westlake and Bartonville. Karla and her husband Chris live in Denton with their 2 dogs. They enjoy active membership at Lifegate Church where they co-facilitate monthly family events, Chris serves on the worship team and Karla works with the early children's ministry.