DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS, 1985     EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York

• Major studies: Vocal Performance, Music Literature
• Major Professor: John Maloy

• Major studies: Voice, Music Theater
• Major Professor: John Gillas

1996-         School of Music, Houghton College, Houghton, New York

Professor of Voice
Director & Associate Dean for Music (2001- )

Courses:

Studio Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, Intro. to Music & Listening, Music in Christian Perspective, Opera Workshop, Music History 1450-1750, Independent Undergraduate Research

Elderhostel Courses: 'Opera: Why??? Why Not!?!', 'Opera From The Other Side of The Footlights,' 'American Musical Theatre? A Patchwork Heritage'

Service:

ex-officio:	Graduate Steering Committee-chair; Dean's Vouncil of Department Chairs; Academic Advisor
standing:	Academic Policies Council; Integrated Studies Collegium; Faculty Development Committee
ad hoc:	Houghton Higher Ground Oversight Committee; Building Project Task Force, Arts in the Center Steering Committee, Search Committee-VP for Institutional Advancement, Carnegie Teaching Academy co-chair; Chapel Sound System-chair.
professional:	Nastional Association of Schools of Music—Committee on Ethics, Visiting Evaluator, Consultant; New York State Association of College Music Programs, Vice President; Central New York/Finger Lakes Chapter, National Association of Teachers of Singing—president; Auditions Co-Chair of CNY/FL chapter, NATS; Society of Pi Kappa Lambda—Assoc. Regent
church & civic:	Houghton Wesleyan Church-Church Choir & Soloist; Houghton Community Association-Board President; Rotary Club of Fillmore, NY-Past President, Dir. for International Service, club representative to Ryazan, Russia (1998).

Performance:
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, soloist
Masterworks Festival orchestra & Choir, soloist
Masterworks Opera— Gianni Schicchi (Schicchi)
Regular solo faculty recitals & appearances with college ensembles

Principal Projects:
Oversight of preparation and implementation of new graduate curriculum in music
Expansion of faculty from ten to thirteen full-time

1992-96     Department of Music, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas

Professor (1992-96) & Chair (1992-95)

Courses:

Studio Voice, Song Literature, Science & Art of Singing, Singer's Diction, Graduate Research Techniques, Music Appreciation

Service:

ex officio:	Dean's Council, College of Arts & Sciences; Graduate Council, College of Arts & Sciences; Chair, Music Faculty, Music Scholarship Committee; University Convocations Committee
standing:	University Information Resources Committee; College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum Committee; University Curriculum Committee
ad hoc:	Music Coordinator/Liaison, Sam Houston Bi-Centennial; Music Theater Curriculum development, COAS Part-time Faculty Study Committee
professional:	Society of Pi Kappa Lambda, Associate Regent
church & civic:	Huntsville Community Choral Society-President, Secretary-Treas.;  Huntsville Church of Christ-Bible teacher/Worship Leader; Rotary Club of Huntsville-Director for International Service; Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, Huntsville Community Men's Chorus

Performance:
SHSU Symphony, SHSU Opera Players, Annual Faculty Gala concert, Huntsville/SHSU Symphonic Chorale, area churches-Guest Soloist

Principal Projects:
Overhaul of building security; Development & implementation of long-range financial plan for department; Revised office procedures and assembled first-class office support staff for faculty; Development & implementation of interdisciplinary Musical Theater degree program; Acquisition of $30K memorial scholarship endowment; Growth in Friends of Music community support organization from c. 120 ('92-93) to 300+ ('94-95); Revision of accompanying and ensemble policies.

1980-92     School of Music, Houghton College, Houghton, New York

1986-92: Chair, Division of Fine Arts & Director, School of Music          1992:  Promotion to Full Professor

1986-92:  Associate Professor of Voice, Director of Opera Workshop          1985-86:  Head, Voice Department

1980-86:  Assistant Professor of Voice, Director of Opera Workshop          1985: Tenure Granted

Courses:

Studio Voice, Language Diction, Vocal Pedagogy, Intro. to Music & Listening, Music History 1850-Present

Independent Studies & Special Topics: German Lieder, Music Study Abroad, Music Industry Seminar/Internship in Nashville, TN

Elderhostel Courses: 'Opera: Why??? Why Not!?!', 'Opera From The Other Side of The Footlights'

Service:

ex officio:	Academic Affairs Council; External Affairs Council; Academic Cabinet; Cultural Affairs Committee-chair; Board of Trustees Building Committee; Division Chairs Advisory Council; Academic Advisor; Academic Program Review/Revision; Faculty Evaluation and Development
standing:	Board of Trustees-Academic Affairs Comm.; President's Advisory Board; Calendar and Petitions; Faculty Programs-chair; Music Faculty Secretary; Music Recruitment Coordinator
ad hoc:	Foreign Language Requirement Study Group; Chapel Program Task Force; Academic Administrators' Evaluation Study; President's Strategic Planning Task Force; Bach-Handel Bicentennial Fine Arts Festival- director; Mozart Bicentennial Memorial Festival- co-director
searches:	VP for Development, VP & Dean of College, All music searches

Performance:
New Orleans Opera, Western New York Opera, Eastman Opera Theater, Annual solo faculty recitals & appearances with college ensembles, Guest recitals, area churches; Guest Lecturer/Recitalist, Chautauqua Institution

Other Projects:
Authored building program for proposed new fine arts facility; NASM Self-Study and Decennial Review; Assisted Development Office in collegiate fund-raising activities;Acquired doctorate

1983-84     Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York

Teaching Assistant

Courses:

Upper-level vocal method classes (instrumental majors), studio voice (secondary emphasis students, including graduates)

1976-80     Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Instructor of Voice, Director of Music Theater

Courses:

Studio Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, Vocal Literature, Medieval-Renaissance Music History and Literature

Service:

ex officio:	Producer/Director, Parade (Annual Scholarship Benefit)
ad hoc:	Applied Voice Curriculum Revision-chair; Music Department Chair Search Committee
church & civic:	Thibodaux Community Theater, Board of Directors; Church Worship Leader, Bible Class Teacher

Performance:
New Orleans Opera, Gulf Coast Opera, Louisiana Opera Theater, New Orleans Summer Pops,
University of New Orleans Chorale guest soloist; Annual Solo Faculty Recitals & appearances with university ensembles

1975-76     Private Studio, Pasadena, Texas

Self-employed private voice teacher,
in conjunction with choral directors of Pasadena schools. Studio average: forty students per week

Houston Grand Opera, Houston, Texas
Season contract: chorister, bit roles

Houston Community College, Houston, Texas
Part-time instructor
Courses:
Basic Chorus, Intro. to Music Theory.

Roles performed with regional opera companies:

Carmen	Dancairo (New Orleans)
La Bohème	Schaunard (Louisiana Opera Theater)
Madame Butterfly	Bonze, Yamadori (Gulf Coast Opera)
La Traviata	Germont (maj. scenes) (WNY Opera)
Pirates of Penzance	Maj. Gen. Stanley (maj. scenes) (WNY Opera)
Gianni Schicchi	Gianni Schicchi (MasterWorks Festival Opera)
Otello , Don Giovanni,Faust , Fanciulla del West , Amahl, Bilby s Doll (Floyd	Chorus, Bit roles (Houston Opera)

Roles performed with college ensembles:

Marriage of Figaro	Almaviva
The Magic Flute	Papageno
Don Giovanni	Masetto
Gianni Schicchi	Schicchi (student and faculty)
Madame Butterfly	Sharpless
The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (Foss)	Henry
Rigoletto	Rigoletto (major scenes)
Young John Wesley (Allen)	Peter the Moravian (world premier)
H.M.S. Pinafore	Sir Joseph Porter
Amahl & the Night Visitors	Melchior, Kaspar
La Serva Padrona	Uberto
Play of Daniel	Darius
The Telephone	Ben
Rape of Lucretia	Male Chorus
La Traviata	Germont (understudy)

Oratorio and Choral, Baritone Soloist:

Handel, Messiah	Brahms, Ein Deutsches Requiem
Vaughan Williams, Five Mystical Songs	Mozart, Vesperae Solennes de Confessore
Bach, Christmas Oratorio	Haydn, The Creation
Finzi, Et in Terra Pax	Saint-Saëns, Seven Last Words of Christ
Orff, Carmina Burana	Mozart, Coronation Mass, Requiem

Musical Comedy:

Carousel	Billy Bigelow
Carnival	Schlegel
Once Upon a Mattress	Sir Harry
Fiddler on the Roof	Tevye
The Most Happy Fella	Tony Esposito

 

Technical & Production Credits

Producer/Director:
Amahl and the Night Visitors	Little Red Riding Hood
La Serva Padrona	Parade (Variety Revue)
Coffee Cantata	Così fan Tutte (many scenes)
Marriage of Figaro	Gallantry
The Telephone	TheMikado
Music Director/Conductor:
Fiddler on the Roof	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Coffee Cantata	Gallantry
Assistant Producer-Director:
La Traviata	Carousel
Stage Manager:
La Traviata	The Telephone
Carousel	Old Maid and the Thief
The Devil and Daniel Webster	Gallantry

Principal recital repertoire:

Schütz	Three Sacred Cantatas
Bach	various arias
Beethoven	An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98
Schubert	Winterreise Op. 89; Schwanengesang, Op. Post.; Die Schöne Müllerin Op. 25; numerous songs
Schumann	Liederkreis Op. 39; Dichterliebe Op. 48
Brahms	Zigeunerlieder' Op. 103;Magelonelieder' Op. 33
Mahler	selections from "Rückert Lieder," "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,"Wunderhorn Lieder"
Fauré	L'Horizon Chimerique; numerous songs
Ravel	Don Quichotte a Dulcinée; 5 Greek Folk Songs; 2 Epigrammes de Clement Marot; 2 Chansons Hebraïques
Vaughan Williams	Songs of Travel; Seven Songs from "The Pilgrims Progress";The House of Life
Finzi	Before and After Summer; Earth and Air and Rain;numerous songs
Poulenc	Chansons Gailliardes; Chansons Villageoises
Quilter	Five Shakespeare Songs; numerous songs
Ives	General William Booth Enters Into Heaven
Thomson	various songs
Copland	Old American Songs
Barber	Mélodies Passagères Op. 27; various songs
Hovaness	Three Odes of Solomon

ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL HONORS, AWARDS, GRANTS

2002	Faulty Development Grant, CMS Music Technology Institute
2000	Faculty Development Grant for Alumni Tour Development, Eastern Germany
1999	Faculty Development Grant, CMS Music Technology Institute
1994-95	Huntsville Arts Comm. grant, Huntsville Community Choral Society
1993-94	Huntsville Arts Comm. grant, Huntsville Community Choral Society Elected Regent of Pi Kappa Lambda, national music honor society
1992-93	Huntsville Arts Comm. grant, Huntsville Community Choral Society
1991	Finalist, ACE Fellowship Competition, American Council on Education NYSCA grant to implement summer keyboard program for Houghton
1990	Finalist, ACE Fellowship Competition, American Council on Education
1989	Houghton Student Senate outstanding faculty member award, 1988-89 NEH/CCC Seminar Grant, "Music in Christian Context," Whitworth College
1988	Pi Kappa Lambda: Charter Member, Zeta Omicron
1987	Grants from Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst and Houghton College to attend Goethe Institut and to develop European Semester for music students at Houghton College
1986	Faculty development grant in preparation for assuming duties as Chair, Fine Arts Division, HC
1983-84	Teaching Assistant's Prize in Voice, Eastman School of Music
1983	Full-tuition scholarship, Académie Internationale Maurice Ravel, St. Jean de Luz, France; Studiesw/Gerard Souzay
1980	NEH Summer Seminar, Verdi Studies, New York University Personalitiesof the South-- biographical listing
1979	Outstanding Young Men of America-- biographical listing
1977-80	Boris Goldovsky and Arthur Schoep-- scholarship study, Southwest Opera Institute
1973-74	Teaching Assistantship, Texas Tech University
1972-73	President, Tech Music Theater; Moss Scholar, Outstanding Senior Voice Major, TTU
1969-70	Who's Who in American Junior Colleges, Lubbock Christian College; Soloist, All-Student Chorus, USA, European Concert Tour
1968	Valedictorian, Who's Who, Texas All-State Choir—Lockney High School, Lockney, Texas

 

"Why I Talk so Loud," Houghton College Faculty Forum, Fall 2001
Master Class & Lecture-Demonstration, Paynter Music Studios, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, May 1998
"Money, Sex, & Power: Figaro & the End of an Age," Houghton College Faculty Forum, March 1998
"The Compleat Messiah: Can You Handel It?" Rotary Club of Huntsville, Huntsville, Texas, November 1995
"Research into the Twenty-first Century," Texas Association of Music Schools Annual Convention, Austin, Texas March 1995
"Transfer issues for Senior Institutions: A Survey," Texas Association of Music Schools Regional Meeting, Houston, Texas October 1994
"Futures Issues for Music Units: Recent Researches," Texas Association of Music Schools Annual Convention, Austin, Texas March 1994
"In Defense of Curriculum-based Private Instruction," Texas State Board of Education, September 1992
"Johann Sebastian Bach, Servant Through Music." Lecture, Houghton College Chapel, March 1991
"On the Road to the Dichterliebe." Lecture-recital, Chautauqua Institution, June 1990
"God's Creation and Human Creativity: Marriage of Matter and Spirit." Chapel Series: Integration of Faith & Learning, Houghton College, October1989
"The Impact of Popular Culture on Church Music." Panel, National Association of School of Music, 65th Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, November 1989
Adjudicator, National Association of Teachers of Singing Competitions, District & Regional Conventions, NATS Artist Award Competitions, 1976-99
 
 

King, Ben R. "Program Notes," Houghton College Artist Series, 1997-2001
King, Ben R. The Marriage of Figaro: A New Singing Translation. Houghton, 1998
Carlson, William & Ben R. King. "Visiting Evaluators Report, Samford University." NASM, 1995
Hause, James & Ben R. King. "Visiting Evaluators Report, Eastern New Mexico University." NASM, 1994
King, Ben, et al. "Futures Issues for Music Units: Current Researches" TAMS, 1994
Domb, Joanne & Ben R. King. "Visiting Evaluators Report, University of St. Thomas." NASM, 1994
Carlson, William & Ben R. King. "Visiting Evaluators Report, University of Wisconsin, Superior." NASM, 1994
King, Ben R. Gianni Schicchi: A New Singing Translation, SHSU, 1994
King, Ben R. "The Music Scene/ArtsAlive!" Weekly music column, Huntsville Item, 1992-95
King, Ben R. et al. NASM Decennial Self-Study, Houghton College School of Music. NASM, 1991-92
King, Ben R. "In response to Elmwood Zimmerman, 'Why American Men Don't Sing Anymore,'? An Appreciation." Houghton Milieu, November 1989
Bi-monthly arts column, Allegany Art Council News, 1990-92
"Pi Kappa Lambda in the 21st Century." Report for Proceedings, Pi Kappa Lambda National Convention, Houston, Texas, October, 20-21, 1989
"The Preparation of College Music Teachers: A Response." College Music Society Study, March 1987
"Content of the Undergraduate Music Curriculum: A Response." College Music Society Study, March 1987
"Confessions of A TNT Judge." Audition Guidelines for Youth Talent Competition, Office of Secretary for Youth, Wesleyan Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
 
 
 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS