Dawn brings a great deal of vocal and choral experience to Bismarck State College. She has a Master of Music degree from Northern Arizona University where she was a graduate assistant in opera, and a music instructor for six years. She was the chair of the vocal department of the Northern Arizona University Preparatory School of Music where she was a voice instructor and children’s choir director. She was also the choral director of Flagstaff Middle School and the Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy high school. Dawn conducted the ensembles of the Academy at the Grand Canyon for President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore.

Before moving to Arizona, Dawn was in Moscow, Idaho where she attended the University of Idaho and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Dawn was a featured soloist with several choruses and orchestras of Washington and Idaho. She also directed the children’s choir at Emmanuel Lutheran church in Moscow. Prior to returning to her hometown, Dawn was in Dickinson for a year where she was an adjunct professor of music for Dickinson State University. She was also the children’s choir director at St. John Lutheran Church and the director of the Badlander’s Barbershop Chorus.
Dawn has been a member and soloist with the Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus since 2000 and has been a professional chorister and soloist with Dakota Pro Musica, the Dakota Chamber Chorale and Inspirare. Dawn has played leading roles in many operas, including her favorite, the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute by Mozart with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra. Dawn was a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with orchestras in Arizona, Dickinson and Bismarck. In the summer of 2005, Dawn was the soprano soloist in Rutter’s Requiem with the Frankfurt Philharmonic in Rothenburg, Germany. In May of this year, Dawn had her solo debut at Carnegie Hall in NY as a soprano soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the New York City Orchestra and festival chorus.

Dawn also keeps busy presenting vocal master classes, directing festival choruses, and adjudicating festivals and competitions. She has directed the North Dakota ACDA Surround the State in Song, the Northern Plains Music Festival, the South Dakota Elementary Choral Festival, and the Bismarck All-City Middle School Choral Festival. Dawn is an active member of the American Choral Director’s Association and is past president of the ND National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Dawn has been the director of the Jubilate Choir of Central Dakota Children’s Choir since its inception in 2001. Dawn has been teaching music at Bismarck State College since 2000 and is currently an associate professor of music at BSC where she teaches music appreciation, applied voice, and directs the BSC Concert Choir, Men’s Ensemble, and Mystic Chorale. She has twice been the recipient of a faculty award for excellence. She also received the 2020 Crystal Apple Higher Education Teacher of the Year award.

Although Dawn loves to perform music, her true passion lies in teaching music. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of singing with singers of all ages. She believes singing gives us the ability to connect to people at a deeper level that transcends ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. We can be a member of a chorus and become part of something that is unified and much larger than us. Singing is something we can share with others and enjoy our entire lives.
 

Kennedy Cowart is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Instrumental Music at Bismarck State College. She began her professional career at BSC in 2023, serving as both an Admissions Recruiter and Adjunct Music Faculty, directing the concert band and teaching applied high brass. 

She is a graduate of Houston's renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), where she began developing her passion for music. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Trumpet Performance from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a Master of Arts in Music with an emphasis in trumpet performance and conducting from the University of Mary. In addition to her academic achievements, Kennedy was a standout student athlete in softball at both institutions, earning numerous All-Conference and All-Region recognitions. While pursuing her graduate degree, she also served as an assistant coach for the University of Mary softball program.

Kennedy is an active performer in the Bismarck-Mandan community and across North Dakota, appearing with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra as well as in chamber ensembles, solo recitals, and community events. In addition, she teaches trumpet lessons within the Bismarck-Mandan community, sharing her expertise with developing musicians of all ages. Her primary areas of specialization include orchestral trumpet performance and conducting, complemented by strengths in applied trumpet instruction, ensemble leadership, and student mentorship. She is passionate about fostering growth in both individual musicians and ensembles. Kennedy believes that music is for everyone and that it can play a meaningful role in anyone's life, regardless of background or experience. She is committed to creating inclusive and welcoming spaces where students and community members alike can discover the joy of making music. 

Outside of music, Kennedy enjoys an active and creative lifestyle. She is a proud dog mom, an avid gym goer, and a lifelong fan of building with Legos. She also finds balance through reading and spending time with family and friends. 
 

Clyde Bauman – Voice
Rhonda Gowen - Clarinet
Darren King – Double Bass, Bass Guitar, Improvisation
Douglas Klein – Guitar, Bass Guitar
Nicholas Mortenson: Low Brass
Dr. Maureen Murchie – Violin, Viola
Laura Prokopyk – Violin, Viola
David Sorenson – Piano, Percussion, Composition
Elizabeth Weiss - Piano
 

Performing ensemble offerings include:

Concert Band - Open to all students, this is a performing ensemble for those students who enjoy expression through instrumental playing. It is a non-audition group and performs a wide variety of band literature.

Pep Band – The Mystics Pep Band is a lively and fun ensemble that performs at sporting events and other school functions to boost school spirit and energize the crowd.

Jazz Ensemble - Open to all students. Jazz literature is performed from all 20th century styles, improvisation, concerts throughout the year at BSC in around the community.

String Ensemble - Open to all students with a background in stringed instruments. The string ensemble performs classical music, modern arrangements, and popular songs throughout the year.

Concert Choir – Open to all BSC students. This ensemble provides an opportunity for students who love to sing and want to do it in a group setting. Concert Choir performs a wide variety of choral repertoire from the Middle Ages through the 21st Century.

Women's Ensemble - Women’s Ensemble is a non-auditioned vocal ensemble open to students from across the campus. Repertoire ranges from classical and sacred works to folk songs, pop arrangements, and traditional women’s chorus literature.

Men's Ensemble - Men’s Ensemble is a non-auditioned vocal ensemble open to students from across the campus. Repertoire ranges from classical and sacred works to folk songs, pop arrangements, and traditional men’s chorus literature.
Applied instrumental lessons offered include high brass, low brass, woodwinds, piano, voice, high strings, low strings, percussion, guitar, and bass guitar.