Familiar Face Joins Music Faculty

Douglas Boultinghouse
Arts and Entertainment Editor

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

Lessons - Visiting Assistant Professor James Woolly (right) gives a lesson to Cody Pierce (left).

   With a shifting of positions in the University of Arkansas-Monticello Division of Music, a new, but familiar face joins the department.

   As Instructor of Music John Webb moved up to Assistant to the Dean, James Woolly arrived as a visiting assistant professor.

   When Annette Hall, chair of the Division of Music, died before the semester began, Mark Spencer, Dean of Arts and Humanities, said he thought the music faculty would carry a large load.

   “I felt we (UAM) needed help offering courses to students,” Spencer said.

   Woolly, who taught at summer band camps help at UAM, received praise from the faculty.

   “He was highly recommended by other faculty members,” Spencer added.

   With the addition, Spencer said he hoped to continue the work Hall did for 25 years.

Woolly Joins Faculty

   Webb suggested Woolly because of his musicianship.

   The two play together in the brass quintet known as The Arkansas Brass. 

   Webb said he has played with Woolly for almost 20 years and noted Woolly as one of the founding members of the quintet.

   Aside from the band experience, Woolly taught several of Webb’s students at Benton High School. Through private lessons with him, Webb said, “They were very successful.”

   “He’s a tough teacher, but only because he is concerned about the kids and their results,” he said. “I feel students will definitely learn a lot this year.”

   Woolly said he enjoys being a UAM.

   “This music school is going to do nothing but get better and better,” he said.

   He said he appreciates the support of the faculty.

   “It’s been great to be received so well,” he said. “They came after me to teach. It’s nice to be appreciated like that.”

   Woolly earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and received his Ph. D. from the University of Southern Mississippi.

   Woolly said he taught at schools ranging from elementary to college and at places such as Henderson State University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

   According to him, his entire family plays music.

  “We’re all heavily into music,” he said, adding that everyone either performs or teaches.

Staying at UAM

   Though he teaches at UAM as a visiting assistant professor, he said he would absolutely consider applying for a permanent position when Spencer searches for a professor to begin fall 2010.

   “We’ll see what happens in a year,” Woolly said.

   Spencer said he would begin a national search for a professor and would accept references from the music faculty, as the division would determine the experience and credentials for the applicants.

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