Here at Northwestern State University we have an advantage over other institutions our size with regards to music scholarships for string players. Thanks to the hard work of the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society made up of members of the community who raise money, not to hire professional musicians, but to offer scholarships to attract quality string students to NSU so that the Natchitoches-Northwestern community can have classical music. In fact, several string students in the orchestra currently have their tuition fully paid, and in combination with state or other university scholarships, some students even have living expenses covered. And here at NSU you do not have to be a music major to receive a music scholarship!

Concerts include four classical concerts per year of standard orchestral repertoire, one “pops” concert where Symphony Society members have food and beverages while we perform, and several “Christmas Gala” concerts in December to kick-off the annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival. In addition we perform chamber music recitals for the Symphony Society on and off campus. Thus being a member of the Natchitoches-Northwestern symphony is like being in a professional orchestra. In addition, the experience you receive here will be enhanced by private lessons with our outstanding faculty, and performances in our acoustically warm and beautiful Magale Recital Hall.

Scholarship auditions are by appointment, or you may wish to come to the campus during one of our recruiting events to experience the full vibrancy of NSU and the historic City of Natchitoches. Below is biographical information about myself and our string faculty. Please email or call me or a member of the string faculty if you have any questions or would like to schedule a scholarship audition. I look forward to meeting you!

Douglas Bakenhus is the newly appointed music director and conductor of the Natchitoches-Northwestern State University Symphony. In addition, Mr. Bakenhus is the music director and conductor of the Northeast Texas Symphony in Sulphur Springs and Terrell, Texas, which is a collection of Dallas area professional musicians. He also teaches in the areas of applied bassoon, music theory, and conducting. He holds music degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (B.Music Ed. ‘83), Texas A&M University-Commerce (M.M. conducting ‘85) and worked towards a Doctorate in bassoon and conducting at the University of Michigan and is currently finishing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in bassoon performance at UT Austin. Other teaching experiences of Mr. Bakenhus include the University of Mississippi and at Texas Lutheran University as a band director and bassoon instructor. He recently served as music director and conductor of the Austin Philharmonic and was a public school orchestra director at Crockett High School in Austin and at Langham Creek High School in Houston. Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Bakenhus has remained active as a guest conductor, clinician, and bassoonist, performing with such musical groups as the Austin Chamber Ensemble, the Austin Symphony, the Austin Mozart Festival Orchestra, the Nexus Chamber Orchestra, the San Antonio Symphony, the Corpus Christi Symphony, the Texas Bach Collegium, the Mid-Texas Symphony, the Brazos Valley Symphony, and the Richardson Symphony. Mr. Bakenhus is frequently called upon to adjudicate orchestra festivals, band festivals and solo/ensemble festivals throughout the United States

ANDREJ KURTI, D.M.A., Violin and Viola: A Native of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Andrej Kurti finished elementary and high school music education in the studio of professor Djula Tesenji where he was a recipient of several first prizes in National violin competitions. He was also a frequent guest on National Radio and Television as a featured violinist.

From 1988-1994 he completed a B.M. degree and then a M.M. degree at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory in the studio of professor Levon Ambartsumian and Zorya Shikmurzaeva. During that time Dr. Kurti toured several European countries as principal second and soloist with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra. In 1993 he was a soloist and Artistic Director of the Corfu Chamber Orchestra in Greece.

From 1995-2003 prof. Kurti completed an additional M.M. degree and then a DMA degree at the University of Georgia in the studio of Levon Ambartsumian and Michael Heald. During that time he became a National Finalist at the MTNA competition, as well as the winner of a couple of University competitions. In addition, he served as principal second and principal viola in the ARCO Chamber Orchestra as well as concertmaster of the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra.

In 2001 he became a recording artist for Blue Griffin Records, based in Lansing, Michigan, with the debut release of “The Entertainers” album, and is expected to release another CD, “Six Sonatas for Solo Violin” op.27 by Eugene Ysaye, in the middle of 2005. (for more info contact: www.bluegriffin.com)

In the past five years Dr. Kurti has also collaborated with over 30 musical ensembles in non-classical music styles in Athens, Georgia (for more info, visit www.google,com and type in Andrej Kurti). He has also performed with such ensembles as the Charleston Symphony, the Savannah Symphony, the Augusta Symphony, the Jackson Symphony, the Greenville Symphony, and the Macon Symphony.

Dr. Kurti has recently performed as soloist with such ensembles as the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony, Rapides Symphony, and the Northeast Texas Symphony.

Paul Christopher, Lower Strings: received his Bachelor of Music Education from the New England Conservatory of Music and his Master of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Memphis.

From 1981 to 1984 Mr. Christopher was employed as a string teacher in the School District of Greenville County (South Carolina) public schools. In 1989 he became Principal Cello of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and of the Shreveport Opera, and a member of the Premier String Quartet, all positions which he held for the past fifteen years. Prior to this appointment Mr. Christopher was a member of the Memphis and Charlotte symphony orchestras. The latter included a summer tour of Poland, East Germany and the Netherlands. From 1993 to 1999 he served as Adjunct Instructor of Low Strings at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Currently Mr. Christopher is Principal Cello of the Longview Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Sylvan Chamber Ensemble, which is on the Texas Commission of the Arts touring roster. In the summers he performs as Assistant Principal Cello with the Peter Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, Oregon. Mr. Christopher has appeared as soloist with orchestras in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

Mr. Christopher has appeared on numerous recordings as a member of the Nashville String Machine with artists such as Faith Hill, Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Springsteen and George Strait. He is currently working on recording the cello duos of Jacques Offenbach on the Human Metronome label, with a second CD in this series scheduled to be released in the fall of 2005.For information on the first CD and musical samples, visit www.cdbaby.com and type in “Paul Christopher.”