Fine Arts - Faculty

For five years Bach sang with the Dale Warland Singers, a Minneapolis based professional choir, which has been acclaimed both nationally and internationally. Bach has also sung under prominent conductors such as Helmuth Rilling, Eric Erickson and Robert Shaw. Bach has traveled extensively throughout the United States as a church music clinician and guest conductor. Most recently, Bach as appeard as a guest conductor for a choral festival at Carnegie Hall.

In his twenty-five years at NCU, Bach as developed the Concert Chorale, Jazz Band and Worship Live. Bach currently conducts the university Chorale and teaches the conducting classes.

Education

• D.M.A. Choral Conducting in progress (University of Iowa)
• M.M. Choral Conducting (University of Minnesota, 1985)
• B.A. Vocal Performance (West Virginia Wesleyan College, 1976)

Professional Experience

• At NCU since 1981
• Music Pastor (5 years)
• Associate Conductor, Dale Warland Singers

Professional Activities and Memberships

• Lifetime member, American Choral Directors Association
• Music Director, Minnesota District of the Assemblies of God
• Frequent Guest Conductor for high school choral festivals and church workshops; recently conducted Minnesota All State Mixed Choir
• Recordings: Worship Live, "Worship Live"; Worship Live, "Come Now Your Kingdom"; Worship Live, "Move On Me"; Worship Live, "Make Me New"; Worship Live, "Reign In Me"; NCU Chorale, "Live Performance"
• Licensed minister of the Assemblies of God (1979)

David Collins

Students working with Dave Collins get more than just the benefit of someone who has studied music. They gain the knowledge of an alumnus of North Central who has spent 25 years working in church music ministry. Working both part-time and full time, he has been a part of the fine arts faculty at North Central for five years.

Dave is an alumnus of North Central, where he received his B.S. in Sacred Music. He was named Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities and received the Delta Epsilon Chi award from North Central.

Dave and his wife Linda went to Kenosha First Assembly of God upon graduation where Dave was musc pastor for 11 years. They moved back to Minnesota in 1990 to be the music pastors at Bloomington Assembly (now Cedar Valley Church) and were there for 13 years.

Dave directed the choirs, orchestras, worship and jazz bands and supervised the youth and children's music programs at the churches he served as well as directing holiday productions and coordinating the technical ministries. Dave has been on the Assemblies of God National Music Committee and remains active in the worship activities of the Minnesota District.

Dave comes to North Central to work primarily in the area of Worship Arts Music pastor where he hopes to impact the lives of those studying to be church music ministers. He has the heart of a pastor and places high priority on relationships, mentoring and spiritual leadership.

Societies, Committees and Ministries

• Youth Music Director – Wisconsin/N. Michigan District, 1983-90
• Worship Arts Committee of Minnesota, 1990-2003
• National Assemblies of God Music Committee – 1990s
• Minnesota Assemblies of God Music Pastors - present
• Worship Ministries Department, Cedar Valley Church - present

Herbert Johnson

Herb received his doctorate in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Prior to his arrival in the Twin Cities, he taught at King's College in Briarcliff Manor, New York and Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri. Herb is a professor of music and teacher Theory II and IV, Historical Foundations of Music in Worship, Music History II, Piano Accompany Techniques I and II and applied piano lessons for piano majors. He also coordinates the Piano Accompanying Program.

As a dynamic piano performer, Dr. Johnson performs in several recitals and numerous musical venues in the metropolitan area including chamber music recitals, worship services and sacred concerts. He has recorded three albums of hymns and worship choruses. He was a guest artists at Goshen Piano Teachers Workshop at Goshen College in Indiana and serves on the board of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association.

One summer ministry, Herb has traveled to the Ukraine with the Kairos Chamber Ensemble performing in churches and concert halls as well as teaching master classes in musical institutions.

Societies, Positions and Committees

• Minnesota Music Teachers Association (Vice President of Finance, Board of Directors)
• Music Teachers National Association

Book, Article and Research Titles

• Piano Music of William Grant Still

Joanne Kersten

Associate Professor, Fine Arts Phone: (612) 343-4706 Email: joanne.kersten@northcentral.edu Office: Fine Arts Building #101

As a church musician, professional accompanist and educator, Joanne brings her skills to the classroom teaching Fundamentals of Music, Theory I and II, Music Appreciation, Music History and applied piano. Joanne is currently working on her Doctorate at the University of Minnesota.

Joanne received her M.A. from the University of Minnesota and her B.S. from Evangel College and has studied in Germany. She has served as President of the Minneapolis Music Teachers forum and is active in the Minnesota Music Teachers Association.

Joanne has been a rehearsal pianist for the New York Metropolitan Opera, guest pianist for the Billy Graham Outreach and Director of the School of Music at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She currently directs the WOVEN program based out of North Central. WOVEN (With One Voice Energizing Neighborhoods), is an outreach to children and youth in the Elliot Park Neighborhood using music as its tool. Joanne has been instrumental in teaching and recruiting student teachers in order to provide one-on-one instruction to these children and youth.

Education

• Graduate studies in Music and Music Technology (University of Minnesota and Hamline University, ongoing)
• Critical Incident Stress Management Certification (2002)
• Piano Study (Tubingen Hochschule, 1994-1995)
• German Language Study (Tubingen Hochshule, 1993-1994)
• M.M. Music Education (University of Minnesota, 1980)
• B.S. Music (Evangel University, 1974)

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor at NCU since 1997
• Professional accompanist since 1974
• Professional organist, traditional pianist, and contemporary pianist in area churches through the present
• Participant in Pat Summerall TV Program filmed in 2004
• International speaker
• Accompanist for Minneapolis Billy Graham crusade, 1996
• Guest appearance on TBN
• Director of WOVEN in Minneapolis (since 2001)
• Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum President (2002-2004)
• Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum Vice President (1998-2002)
• Director, Wooddale School of Music in Eden Prairie, MN (1995-1997)
• Adjunct Professor, North Central University (1990-1993, 1995-1996)
• Music Pastor, First Baptist Church in Minneapolis (1991-1993)
• Adjunct Professor, Crown College (1991-1993)
• Music Pastor, Barrington Baptist Church in Rhode Island (1987-1989)
• Music Minister, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Riverside, RI (1985-1987)
• Chairperson of Music Department, North Central University (1980-1983)
• Assistant Professor, North Central University (1974-1983)

Professional Activities and Memberships

• National Teachers of Music Association
• Minnesota Music Teachers Association
• Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum
• Mu Phi Epsilon

Rebecca Norberg

Assistant Professor, Fine Arts Phone: (612) 343-4139 Email: rebecca.norberg@northcentral.edu Office: Fine Arts Building #105

Rebecca has been training singers for nearly 33 years. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in voice, opera and piano from Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she was a student of Richard Miller. While there, among other awards, she won first place in the Regional Metropolitan Opera competition. She studied German at the Goethe Institute Brannenburg and completed her graduate studies in Wagnerian Opera at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Germany. Rebecca teaches applied voice, Music History, Music Appreciation, Vocal Pedagogy and Voice and Diction.

Rebecca and her husband Kevin have toured the United States presenting drama/music productions for hundreds of churches, conferences and conventions. They have been guests on the CBN, PTL and TBN television networks and produced a weekly television program for CBN.

For the past 19 years in the Twin Cities, Rebecca has appeared in the North Heights Passion Play where she has been guest actress and soloist portraying Jesus' mother Mary. For 13 years in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she and her husband directed The Living Cross, a massive Easter production with a cast of nearly 350 and over 32,000 in annual attendance. They also presented The Gospel According to Scrooge for 18 years in many cities across the United States.

Education

As a Fulbright/D.A.A.D. (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Scholar:

• Specialist Master’s Degree, Wagnerian Opera (Hochschule für Musik—Munich, Germany, 1972)
• German language studies (Goethe Institute—Brannenburg, Germany, 1970)

As an undergraduate:

• Vocal Performance pedagogy classes (Oberlin Conservatory of Music—Otto B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Institute, 2004)
• B.M., Vocal Performance (Oberlin Conservatory of Music—student of Richard Miller, 1970)
• Special studies, Music Theater and Opera Studies (Oberlin Summer Music Theater, 1969)

Professional Experience

• At NCU since 2001
• Adjunct voice and music professor, North Central University (2001-03)
• College choir director/music professor, Liberty Bible College (1978-82)
• Vocal Instructor, Saint Paul Bible College (Crown College) (1974-75)
• German Instructor, Northwestern College (1974-75)

Professional Activities and Memberships

• Has portrayed Mary (mother of Jesus) and soloist in “The Passion Play” Easter production, North Heights Lutheran Church in Arden Hills, Minn. Annually 450+ in the cast, 125 animals, and over 20,000 in annual attendance. (1988-2007)
• Director of Dramatic Productions, Calvary Temple Worship Center—Ft. Wayne, IN (1988-2000)
• Assistant Drama and Music Director, Faith Bible Chapel—Arvada, CO (1984-88)
• Guest appearances on CBN, TBN, CBN (Family Channel)
• With her husband, Kevin, Rebecca has produced, directed, and performed in over 1500 professional television, radio, stage and multimedia productions in Florida, Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Minnesota
• Recording artists with numerous albums to their credit, having soloed and recorded with Ronn Huff and the London Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Bavarian Broadcasting Company
• Music/drama evangelists in over 450 churches internationally
• Guest artists for General Council of the Assemblies of God at Oklahoma City (1977)
• Regional Winner, Metropolitan Opera Contest
• Fulbright/D.A.A.D. Scholarship for study of Wagnerian Opera in Germany

Dave Pedde

Assistant Professor, Fine Arts Phone: (612) 343-4705 Email: dave.pedde@northcentral.edu Office: Fine Arts Building #100

Dave received is B.S. in Sacred Music from North Central University and has recently finished his master’s degree in Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Dave is a gifted musician, composer and songwriter and serves NCU as Composer-in-Residence. Along with directing One Accord, NCU’s full-time traveling group, and co-directing Worship Live along with artistic director Larry Bach, he also teaches classes in Songwriting, Performance Preparation, Worship Leading, Contemporary Christian Music Ministry Philosophy along with applied piano and guitar.