MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile’s Alabama School of the Arts awarded its first Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal performance degrees on May 8, 2021.
“The students in our inaugural class were excited to be a part of something that’s relevant in our business. In terms of teaching and singing, it’s important to be able to teach the classics, but also popular music of the 21st century,” said Dr. Maryann Kyle, chair of graduate programs and professor of music at the University of Mobile Alabama School of the Arts.
The Christian university’s new doctoral program in musical arts is one of a very few in the nation that features graduate courses in musical theatre, commercial music pedagogy and literature. The degree program allows students to learn not only classical music, but also modern music and the technology that goes with it.
The program is designed to prepare students for performance and teaching across multiple styles, including contemporary, musical theatre, opera and more. It allows students to develop their performance abilities while expanding their knowledge of music literature and vocal technique.
The Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal performance graduates and their dissertations are:
Dr. Grace Denton of Brentwood, Tennessee – Cabaret: A Venue, A Genre, A Community.
Dr. Jennifer Mouledous of Covington, Louisiana – A Pedagogical Guide to Alignment and Breathing for a Voice Student with Orthopedical Physical Trauma.
Dr. Julian Jones of West Monroe, Louisiana – Mexico’s Meritorious Musical Marvels: A Cultural Study of Mexico’s Contributions to Western Music Through Interpretive Analysis of the Solo Aria from Ignacio de Jerusalem’s “Matins for the Virgin Guadalupe.” Jones also received the area award in vocal performance during commencement on the university campus.
For more information on the Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal performance and the Alabama School of the Arts, please visit umobile.edu/asota.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For more information about the University of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Zac Douglas is the marketing communications specialist for the University of Mobile. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in integrated marketing and communications. As marketing communications specialist, Zac is responsible for writing and strategizing content about the university, assisting with media relations, and handling other marketing and communications projects. He is an active member at Cottage Hill Baptist Church and enjoys spending his time surfing, skating and climbing.