FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS -

ART

Ms. Rhea Edge

Rhea Edge is Chair of Fine and Performing Arts at Eureka College, a Professor in the Art Department and President of the John Wesley Powell Audubon Society, a local chapter of the National Audubon Society. As a practicing artist, Professor Edge maintains the Beluga Press Art Studio in downtown Bloomington and supervises the Burgess Hall Art Gallery and both the Pritchard and Burgess Art Studios here on campus. Her environmental prints and paintings have been exhibited widely, both throughout the midwest and internationally. email

Ms. Therese O'Halloran

Instructor in Art (Ceramics and Sculpture), BFA in Ceramic Design from Limerick College of Art and Design, Limerick, Ireland. MFA in ceramics and sculpture from Illinois State University. email

Ms. Meda Rives

Lecturer in Art, adjunct faculty member at Eureka College since Spring of 2003. Teaching assignments include Art History courses, Art Studio courses, and Western Civilization and Culture II. Ms. Rives is also an adjunct Art faculty member at Heartland Community College in Normal, IL. Co-founder of Mirror Image Press, she maintains an active studio, concentrating in papermaking and printmaking. Her artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally. As an accomplished lithographer, Rives consults at Normal Editions Workshop, the print research facility in the School of Art, College of Fine Arts, ISU. Ms. Rives earned her AA in Art from Lincoln Land Community College, BFA in Printmaking and Painting from Illinois Wesleyan University, MA in Printmaking from Illinois State University, and MFA in Fibers from Illinois State University.

THEATRE

Mr. Marty Lynch

Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts & Drama, teaching design, technical theatre, theatre history, and dramatic literature at Eureka College while working as a designer for regional theatre. He travels as a respondent for the Kennedy Center of the Arts Festival region IV and III. He has presented at a number of regional theatre conferences for several years. Marty is co-founder of the Avastama Play Festival, a producing body for unpublished ten minute plays in conjunction with the Theatre Guild Valdosta and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Tech/Design from West Virginia University, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Tennessee. email

Ms. Holly Rocke

Associate Professor of Theatre Arts and Drama, teaches the performing courses here at Eureka College. She is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, and served as the West Central editor for the Voice and Speech Review. Holly is interested in combining acting techniques with other disciplines toward the goal of expanding the definition and application of theatre. She is the creator of the Central Illinois Stage Combat Workshop now in its sixth year. She served as co-host and workshop coordinator of the region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for multiple years. She has worked with theatres in London, New York, and Los Angeles and has earned the following: a B.S. in Theatre and Mathematics, Eureka College; an M.F.A, in Acting, Illinois State University. email

MUSIC

Ms. Pam Bates

Assistant Professor of Music in Piano Studies and Music Theory, also teaches courses in music history and music methods and serves as the staff pianist/accompanist. She received a B.M.E., B.M. and M.M. in Music Education and Piano Performance from Bradley University. Mrs. Bates' teaching experience includes 15 years of public school music, 2 years at Illinois Central College, 15 years at Bradley University and over 20 years of private studio teaching. Other professional experiences include 18 years as a church musician, choral director and accompanist for the Peoria Civic Opera, Eastlight Theater accompanist, Peoria Symphony Concerto Competition accompanist, Bradley Community Chorus accompanist, and accompanist for student recitals and concert performances at both Eureka College and Bradley University. In 2008 Mrs. Bates created the annual Pre-Season Piano Workshop for area high school pianists and in 2009 established the annual Cynthia Atterbury Piano Duet Recital featuring Eureka College students, faculty and alumni. She is a member of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association and the Music Educators National Conference, has served as an adjudicator for IHSA, IGHSMA and PAMTA music competitions and has also served as a clinician for the Peoria Area Music Teachers Association. email

Dr. Joseph Henry

Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and the Coordinator of the Music Education program, Dr. Henry joined the Eureka College Faculty in 1991. He is also the conductor and artistic director of the highly acclaimed Peoria Area Civic Chorale. Dr. Henry has degrees in music education/choral conducting from the University of Southern Maine, University of Maine, and the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri – Kansas City where he studied conducting with Gerard Chamberland, Dennis K. Cox, Larry Rachleff, Gary Hill, and Eph Ehly. He taught public school music for ten years in Maine and served as the President of Maine Music Educators Association 1982-1984. In 2006 he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted into the Peoria Symphony Orchestra’s Hall of Fame. In 2008 Dr. Henry was the recipient of the Helen Cleaver Award for Excellence in Teaching at Eureka College. He has served as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician at choral festivals, clinics, and music conventions throughout the United States. Under his direction, choirs have sung for festivals sponsored by the Music Educators National Conference, the America Choral Director’s Association and the National-General Assembly of Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ). In addition, Dr. Henry’s choral ensembles have presented concert tours in Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, and Italy. email

Ms. Gina Wright

Lecturer in Applied Voice. email