Administration

Communications

Text: Carolee Curtright Honorary Doctorate
Saturday, May 09, 2009

The DOCTOR of MUSIC DEGREE, Honoris Causa
Presented at the 153rd Commencement Exercises of Culver-Stockton College
9 May 2009

In recognition of her lifelong commitment to excellence in music and music education, Culver-Stockton College honors Carolee R. Curtright with the degree, Doctor of Music.

After earning her degree in sacred music at Culver-Stockton College, she has dedicated more than 50 years to directing, composing and arranging choral music. In conveying her love of music to choirs of all ages, she inspires performances that have earned the appreciation of audiences and the respect of her colleagues and the choral music community. Her choirs were invited to be choirs-in-residence at the North Carolina Summer Institute for the Choral Art; and she served as the North Central Division Repertoire and Standards Chair for Children’s Choirs and on the National Committee of Repertoire and Standards Chairs.

Ms. Curtright is a widely published composer and arranger of choral music and wrote a commissioned piece for the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Summer Institute for the Choral Art. She is founder and artistic director of the Pueri Cantores Organization of Choirs for Young Voices and founder of the community women’s choir, Cantabile. A member of the faculty of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music, she is professor emeritus of Music Education and Choral Activities. In addition to teaching, she conducted the Freshman Chorale and The University Chorale. The university recognized her with the Distinguished Teacher Award from its College of Fine and Performing Arts.

Ms. Curtright continues to share her commitment to musical excellence that began with directing nine children’s choirs and two handbell choirs at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri. She conducts the Matin Singers at First-Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Lincoln City, Nebraska, and works with music festivals, honors choirs and choir directors to share her devotion to the beauty of well-performed choral music.

It is in tribute to her influence on the teaching and performing of fine music, that we take great pleasure in conferring upon Carolee R. Curtright the degree Doctor of Music (honoris causa) on this 9th day of May 2009.