Professor, Musicology
Associate Director of the School of Music
Ph. D. Musicology Washington University in St. Louis, MM Piano Performance Southern Methodist University, B. M. summa cum laude Piano Performance and Pedagogy Eastern New Mexico University
A native of New Mexico, Mary Jean Speare earned degrees in Portales, New Mexico and Dallas, Texas before moving to St. Louis for her Ph.D. There she completed a dissertation on “The Transformation of Opéra Comique: 1850-1880.” Before coming to James Madison University, Dr. Speare held one-year positions at Baylor University and the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. She has given papers at international conferences in Prague, Belgium and Dublin, and at the national convention of the American Musicological Society. Her publications include articles on various aspects of nineteenth-century French opera. Currently, she is working on an article about the dramatic use of the organ in Busoni’s opera Doktor Faust. As the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Speare has served the School of Music since the Fall of 2005. In this capacity, she was tasked with launching the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in the Fall of 2007. She became the Associate Director of the School of Music in the Fall of 2011. In 2015 she received the College of Visual And Performing Arts award for Distinguished Service. At JMU she has taught seminars on Hector Berlioz, Benjamin Britten and French Grand Opera.
John Allemeier
Director of the School of Music
allemejm@jmu.edu
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Mary Jean Speare
Professor, Associate Director of the School of Music
spearemj@jmu.edu
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John Peterson
Assistant Director of the School of Music, Associate Professor
Composition/Theory Area Coordinator
peter2jr@jmu.edu
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Jeanette Zyko
Director of Undergraduate Music Admissions, Associate Professor
music_admit@jmu.edu
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William Dabback
Director of Graduate Studies and Admissions, Professor of Music Education
dabbacwm@jmu.edu
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Sarah Macomber
School of Music Operations Coordinator
macombse@jmu.edu
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Brian Junttila
Administrative Assistant
junttiba@jmu.edu
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Kimberley Jordania Velazquez
Administrative Assistant
velazqkr@jmu.edu
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Donna Wampler
Administrative Assistant
wampledk@jmu.edu
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Kirk Weaver
Administrative Assistant, Bands
weaverkr@jmu.edu
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Pedro Aponte
Associate Professor, Musicology Area Coordinator
apontepr@jmu.edu
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Mary Jean Speare
Professor, Associate Director of the School of Music
spearemj@jmu.edu
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Katherine Axtell
Instructor
axtellkl@jmu.edu
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