History
SHE began in 2019 as a celebration of the contributions and artistry of women in music. The festival is presented in March each year in conjunction with Women’s History Month.
SHE includes performances, lectures, and masterclasses featuring the music of people who identify as non-cis-male. The festival has brought over a dozen guest artists and lecturers to campus and featured both faculty and student performers.
SHE Committee Members
Theresa Delaplain
Theresa Delaplain is an esteemed oboist and pedagogue. She has performed as soloist with the Fort Smith Symphony, the North Arkansas Symphony, the Arkansas Philharmonic, the Thai National Orchestra, and the University of Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Delaplain is an avid chamber musician, and she is oboist with the Lyrique Quintette. She currently serves as Principal Oboist for the Fort Smith Symphony, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, the Arkansas Philharmonic. Dr. Delaplain plays on Lorée oboes and is a Lorée Artist.
Moon-Sook Park
Dr. Moon-Sook Park, Associate Professor of Music/Voice at the University of Arkansas, has been chairing the annual SHE Festival since 2019. A native Korean soprano, she pursued post-graduate studies in Germany at Freiburg, Stuttgart, and Saarland conservatories after her B.M. from Seoul National University. Over a decade, Park refined her Bel Canto technique under Maestra F. Cavalli in Milan, Italy, culminating in a D.M.A. in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Her career highlights include the Bayreuth Wagner Stipend Award in Germany and a milestone U.S. debut at Carnegie Hall in 2001, solidifying the United States as her second home. Renowned in vocal music, Dr. Park globally excels as both a performer and educator. Her extensive repertoire encompasses classical masterworks and world premieres in avant-garde music. Her performances have been broadcast on German radio and included in an archival CD project featuring the world premiere of Rossini’s newly found works. Through her mentorship, students have achieved international recognition, won prestigious vocal competitions, and secured critical academic positions. Since 2017, Dr. Park has been an artist-faculty member at the Brancaleoni International Music Festival in Italy. Additionally, she currently serves as the Chairperson of the S.N.M. (Search New Music) for the International Alliance for Women in Music.
Katey J. Halbert
Hornist Katey J. Halbert’s vibrant personality and passion for music inspire both as a teacher and performer. Residing in Northwest Arkansas, she is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. At home on the concert stage, she has performed as a soloist, orchestral musician, and chamber musician throughout the world. In the past year she has performed in Bangkok, Thailand with the Lyrique Quintette, as principal horn in the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and as a soloist for the International Women’s Brass Conference. As a chamber musician, she is currently the horn player and Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Wild Prairie Winds, which was internationally recognized in 2020 when awarded the top prize in the Gates of Hope Chamber Competition based in Israel. An advocate for female equality in the music community, Dr. Halbert is the Treasurer for the International Alliance for Women in Music, and has been a professional mentor for the International Women in Brass. Dr. Halbert received her Doctorate in Musical Arts in Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa under the direction of Jeffrey Agrell. Her previous schools include Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, and the University of Michigan.
Catalina Ortega
A native of Colombia, Catalina Ortega is a Flute instructor at the University of Arkansas, the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas Community Music School. She plays with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Ozark Family Opera Company and Fayetteville Opera. In addition to teaching, Ms. Ortega has performed in some of the major auditoriums in Colombia as a soloist and touring with chamber music ensembles. She has served Flute/ Piccolo player for the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Flute player of the Medellin Philharmonic Orchestra (Colombia) for several years. She has appeared as a soloist with the University of Arkansas Campus Band. The University of Arkansas Provost’s office and the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards recognized Ms. Ortega during the 2017 Annual State and National Awards as an Outstanding Mentor. She holds a Master Degree in Music Performance and a Certificate in Advanced Instrumental Performance in Flute from the University of Arkansas, as well as a B.A in Flute Music Performance from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia. She is also a member of the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda by the Epsilon Sigma Chapter.
Sarah Hetrick
Dr. Sarah Hetrick (she/her) is a saxophonist and educator based in Northwest Arkansas. Sarah currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Arkansas where she teaches applied saxophone and chamber music. Sarah enjoys maintaining an active performing career as a solo and chamber musician and has been invited to teach and perform at schools and universities throughout the United States, including the University of Iowa, Duquesne University, Colorado State University, Youngstown State University, The University of Texas San Antonio, and others. Sarah performs frequently with her duo partner Dr. Jooyeon Chang, and the award-winning Khroma Quartet. Sarah is a regular performer and presenter at both national and international conferences, including the Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, the National Association for College Wind and Percussion Instructors Conference, the North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences, and more.
Amanda Lenora Green-Turner
Lenora Green-Turner joins the department’s faculty as teaching assistant professor of music. An American Soprano, Green-Turner, a native of Macon, Georgia has been hailed by Opera News as an impressive vocalist and the New York Times as a most expressive singer.
She has sung such roles as Mimi (La Boheme); Mary (Highway 1, U. S. A.); Countess Susanna (Il Segreto di Susanna); First Lady (The Magic Flute), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), title role Suor Angelica, Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), High Priestess (Aida), Antonia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann). Green-Turner also holds many awards, namely the Jane Willson Emerging Artist award, Leo Rogers Scholarship/Sarasota Opera Guild; MONC Encouragement Award, regional NATS, William Knight Competition, MTNA Young Artist Program, Former Artist-In-Residence for Stax Music Academy, LeMoyne-Owen College, and Opera Memphis (2013-2017). Green-Turner earned her D.M.A. and M.M. from University of Michigan and her Performance Diploma from Indiana University.
Rachel Frederiksen is an in-demand bassoonist and educator who is based in Fayetteville. Arkansas. As a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player, she performs across the United States and abroad. As a teacher and pedagogue, she has educated many bassoonists in university masterclasses, conferences, and lessons, and previously held positions at the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at San Antonio as Lecturer of Bassoon. Her current position is Teaching Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the University of Arkansas.