March 16, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ga. - As the departments of art and theatre prepare to move into the new facilities of Columbus State Universitys RiverPark campus, they will join forces with the Schwob School of Music and be unified under the direction of new Associate Dean for the Fine and Performing Arts Earl Coleman.

Were excited about this new position and believe that it will strongly benefit all three programs, said Bill Chappell, CSUs dean of College of Arts and Letters. Professor Coleman is not only a very talented performer but is an experienced administrator who will offer the guidance and leadership Columbus State needs as theatre and art join the Schwob School of Music and move into the high-powered dynamics that surround our downtown campus. Were very fortunate to have someone of Professor Colemans character and experience take on the daunting logistical task of relocating these programs while simultaneously providing the professional oversight both faculty and students need.

Coleman, who will assume the new post July 1, said he sees his new role as moving beyond administrative duties and into one of an advocate for students and faculty who will help develop a stronger, student-centered, liberal arts education.

Im thrilled at the thought of taking on the challenges of this new position and about what the future holds for art, theatre and music here at CSU. I look forward to seeing these programs breathe new artistic life into our students, our campus and our community, Coleman said. The atmosphere of excitement that surrounds our upcoming move is contagious, and I believe our efforts will provide a model of academic excellence and interdepartmental collaboration that will be recognized across the country.

Coleman has taught at Stephens College, Columbia College, the University of Missouri-Columbia, Bemidji State University, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, The University of Memphis and The University of Michigan, where he also served as a dean in the School of Music.

In Europe and in the United States, Coleman is active as a performer in opera, oratorio and musical theatre. A winner of the St. Louis Symphonys Young Artist Competition, he has been a regional and district finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, a national finalist in the WGN-Chicago Lyric Opera Auditions and a regional finalist in the singing competitions of the Music Teachers National Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In February 2004, Coleman was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Arts and Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He has performed as soloist under noted maestros Leonard Bernstein, George Solti, Robert Shaw, Gustav Meier, Boris Goldovsky, Margaret Hillis, John Rutter, Gregg Smith, Mitch Miller, Edward Murphy, Bruce Hagan and Carl Topilow. Currently some of his former students can be heard at the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala and in several Broadway musicals. His former students have been nominated for the Oscar, Emmy and Tony Awards.

We want to provide the very best education and learning environment possible for our art, music, and theatre majors, but the arts are important for all of us, and a portion of my vision is to see students who are not majoring in the arts engaged and involved with the productions, the music and the art that is such an important element of this university, Coleman said. I want to see the excitement and anticipation of where we are going, and what we are building, spill over into other disciplines and flood even further into our community and beyond.