Emmons leaves for graduate school; Angstadt to retire

By Kelly Morgan (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Music professor Jonathan Emmons and Sociology professor Peter Angstadt are leaving Wesley College in May.

“In the fall, I’m starting a D.M.A.,” Emmons said. “[It’s] a doctor of musical arts in choral conducting at the University of Maryland, College Park.”

Emmons, 26, predicts it will take him three years to earn his degree.

While at the University of Maryland, Emmons will focus on “voice.”

“I know where my gaps are and where I want to keep learning,” he said.

After earning his degree, Emmons said he’s not sure if he’ll return to Wesley College.

“Eventually, I see myself at a college or university with a big music program,” he said. “I see myself looking for jobs, jobs at schools with music majors. Who knows, maybe Wesley will have one of those by then.”

During his three years at Wesley College, Emmons has conducted two choirs, taught voice lesson courses and music theory, world music and music appreciation.

“Without a doubt,” conducting the two choirs, College Choir and Chamber Choir has been Emmons’ favorite thing to do at Wesley.

“That’s where I see myself being forever,” he said. “In front of the choir is where I’m at home.”

Emmons wants to teach more “topic specific” courses once he earns his degree.

“I see myself teaching classes that are more [specific to my field and] related to my soon-to-be degrees in choral literature, conducting and voice methods,” he said. “I eventually want to be teaching while doing more conducting than class room stuff.”

Freshman Megan Edwards sings in Emmons’ College Choir.

“He gave me a new appreciation for the songs we sing by interpreting them,” she said. “He picks apart pieces of the song and describes how to sing each one.”

Until Wesley College hires another full-time music professor in the spring, David Laganella will be the only music professor.

Laganella thinks Emmons has contributed to the growth the music department.

“His greatest contribution is bringing new life into the choral program,” he said. “He has built it back up to respectable size and the quality of the programs kept improving with every performance.”

Angstadt, 67, has taught at Wesley College for nearly two-thirds of his life – 43 years.

Angstadt and his wife, Patricia, want to spend more time with their six grandchildren.

“My wife and I have six grandchildren and they’re relatively young,” he said. “We want to spend more time with our family.”

It is difficult for Angstadt to visit his three children and their families while he works full-time at Wesley College.

“If you’re teaching here, you’re here for your classes and you really can’t get away very easily,” he said.

His wife recently retired from a 30-year career in public education in the gifted and talented program in the Capitol school district

“Since she’s newly retired, another motivation is to spend more time together and do a trip,” he said. “We don’t want to have any specific plans.”

Chris Agar, sophomore, is in the process of completing his third course taught by Angstadt.

“[Angstadt] always says, ‘you need a little levity at eight in the morning,’ because we all look like zombies that early,” Agar said. “He tries to liven us up a bit.”

Angstadt helped re-establish and transition Wesley’s golf team from a junior college to a Division Three contender.

“I was the director and coach of the golf program from 1986-1994,” he said. “I saw a total of 16 students graduate with degrees from Wesley College who were members of the golf team and most of whom I had recruited.”

In 1986, the golf team won first place in the Region 19 conference and the regional championship. This earned the team a spot to compete in the National Junior College Championship in Houston, Tex. The team placed twelfth in the country.

“This was a big boost for the college,” Angstadt said. “We were able to recruit more players because of our success.”