Music, Music Education, Music Performance, Commercial Music
Faculty

Jeanne Jordan Johnson
Music and Dance Department Chair
Phone: (903) 983-8121
jeannej@kilgore.edu

Jeanne Johnson was named to the faculty of Kilgore College in 1976.  During her tenure at KC she has taught private voice, voice class, music theory, fundamentals, and music appreciation.  Prior to her appointment here, she was a member of the faculty at East Texas Baptist University for four years.  Her educational experience began as she graduated from Kilgore College with an A. A. degree.  She then furthered her education as she graduated with B. M. ED. and M. M. degrees from Texas A&M University - Commerce; and then continued with additional post-masters study at the University of North Texas.  Mrs. Johnson was named during those years as: Who's Who in Music (KC), Honor Graduate (KC), Outstanding Music Student (A&M-Commerce), Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges (A&M-Commerce), and Honor Graduate (A&M-Commerce).  She has studied with Dr. Edward Baird, Scharmal Schrock, Carol Mayo, Melvin Marshall, Richard Rogers, and Sandra Craft.  Since leaving college she has been named to: Outstanding Young Women of America (1982 and 1985), Who's Who in American Women (1994), and Who's Who Among America's Teachers (1995 and 2004).  As a singer, she has performed with major symphony orchestras, college, community, church and civic choirs and choruses too numerous to mention.  She was a Metropolitan Opera Regional finalist as well as a National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional finalist.  She has performed at the national convention of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and for the premiere event honoring Van Cliburn of the East Texas Enrichment Series. She was named Outstanding Faculty Member at Kilgore College for 2001-2002, the first fine arts faculty member so named.

Janette Kavanaugh
Adjunct Instructor of Voice
Phone: (903) 988-7519
jkavanaugh@kilgore.edu

Janette Kavanaugh is in her first year at Kilgore College where she is teaching applied voice and Survey of American Music.  Dr. Kavanaugh holds a Doctorate in Philosophy in Music from the University of North Texas.  Other study includes Oberlin College, the University of Michigan, and the American Institute of American Studies.  She has performed extensively in Texas and other states as recitalist and soprano soloist with many choral groups.  Additionally, she has served as music director for operas and musicals.  Honors include being named Who's Who Among America's Teachers and an award for a paper commissioned by the Texas Music Educator's Association, read at the Symposium '75.  Janette was recently named Professor Emeritus by the Texas A & M Board of Regents for her thirty-two years of service at Tarleton State University.

Jim Taylor
Director of Choral Activities
Phone: (903) 983-8122
jtaylor@kilgore.edu

Jim Taylor is Director of Choral Activities at Kilgore College where he directs the Kilgore College Chorale, the Camerata Singers, the East Texas Community Chorus, the East Texas Youth Chorale, and teaches applied voice and music appreciation. He attended the University of North Texas, received a Masters degree from the University of Miami, and is completing a doctoral degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Alabama, where he was the Narramore Scholar from 2006-2008. He has studied further with Robert Shaw, John Rutter, Richard Miller, and as a conducting participant under Helmuth Rilling at the Oregon Bach Festival. From 1982 to 2006 Mr. Taylor served churches in full-time music ministry, during which time he founded the Jacksonville (FL) Children’s Chorus and directed the Jacksonville Masterworks Chorale. He has conducted the Kiev Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Ukraine on three occasions, performing the Mozart Mass in C Minor, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Britten’s Cantata misericordium, and other works. His choral and orchestral compositions are published by Oxford University Press, Hinshaw Music, Roger Dean Music, Choristers Guild, and other publishers, and have been performed in All-State and international choral festivals. He and his wife, Karen, have three grown children and two small but intellectually challenged dogs.

Kevin Ogilvie
Adjunct Instructor of Percussion, Associate Band Director
Phone: (903) 983-8272
kogilvie@kilgore.edu

Mr. Kevin Ogilvie is as Director of Percussion Studies and Associate Band Director at Kilgore College. He holds a masters of arts in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas at Tyler and a bachelor of music education from Baylor University. Prior to coming to Kilgore College, he thought public school for five years in the Waco area. In addition to his teaching duties at Kilgore College, Mr. Ogilvie is in demand around the area as a private lesson teacher and clinician.

Sandra Siler
Head of Piano Instruction
Phone: (903) 983-8120
ssiler@kilgore.edu

Sandra Siler is in her fourteenth year as head of piano instruction at Kilgore College. A native of East Texas, she studied music at Kilgore College under Anne Dean Turk. Where she was named Who's Who in Music. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Methodist University where she was named a Paul Van Katwijk piano scholarship recipient. She studied piano with Dr. Harris Crohn and pedagogy with Louise Bianchi and Dr. David Karp. She received her Master of Arts in piano performance from Stephen F. Austin State University where she studied with Dr. Andrew Parr. She is certified with the National Piano Teacher's Association, Kindermusik and the American College of Musicians. She is a member of Mu PHI Epsilon and Pi Kappa Lambda. While at Kilgore College, she has organized the annual David Karp Piano Festival and the Anne Dean Turk Concerto Completion, and has developed and electronic keyboard laboratory. Her Keyboard Orchestras have proformed at the National Piano Teacher's Institute, the Texas Music Teacher's Convention, the Music Teacher's National Convention, as well as service clubs and organizations. She most recently premiered Dr. Stephen Lias' Summer Diaries and Piano Sonata No. 1 in G minor for piano. In addition to her college work, she manages the Mattie Trammel Art Center, a music conservatory in Henderson. Mrs. Siler's college students have won scholarships to universities of their choice. She is a member of the Kilgore Area Music Teacher's Association, Longview Piano Teacher's Association, and the Greater Marshall Area Music Teacher's Association. Sandra is a published composer. She is in demand to conduct workshops and seminars as well as to perform as an adjudicator. She is the wife of Steve Siler, and the busy mother of two sons, Austin and Nickolas.

Wayne Smith
Director of Bands
Phone: (903) 983-8272
wsmith@kilgore.edu

A.F.A., Kilgore College; B.M., Stephen F. Austin State University
Mr. Smith holds an Associate of Fine Arts Degree from Kilgore College, Bachelor of Music from Stephen F. Austin University, and a Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting from Stephen F. Austin University. Prior to Kilgore College, Mr. Smith spent seventeen years as director of bands at White Oak I. S.D. where his bands received Statewide recognition for their outstanding performances, inclusive of fifteen UIL Sweepstakes awards and the ATSSB Outstanding Performance series for 3A. As director of bands at Kilgore College, Smith directs the marching Ranger Band , the Jazz Ensemble, the Wind Symphony, and various chamber ensembles. Smith holds active memberships in numerous professional organizations inclusive of the Texas Association of Small School Bands, Texas Music Educators' Association, Texas Music Adjucators' Association, Texas Bandmasters' Association, and the College Band Directors National Association.