School of Music

Welcome to our New Faculty

Jacob Hardy joins the School of Music as Instructor of Trombone.  He is currently pursuing his Doctoral of Music degree at Indiana University, with specializations in tenor and bass trombone, music theory, and arts administration. He is also a member of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra and Jackson Symphony as bass trombone. Before beginning his doctoral studies, Jacob worked as a freelance musician in Florida, where he taught at the Community Music Conservatory for the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala, FL, performed as a member of the Ocala Symphony and Gainesville Orchestra, maintained a private studio of middle and high school students, and performed as a guest trombonist with many professional orchestras such as the Florida Orchestra and Naples Philharmonic. Internationally, Jacob performed in recital at the 2023 Trombonanza in Santa Fe, Argentina and in concert at the 2019 Fête de la musique at la Êglise de la Madeleine, Paris, France, and Les Anches d'Azur Music Festival, La Croix- Valmer, France.

Composer, keyboardist, and educator Huijuan Ling joins the School of Music this fall to teach theory and composition courses.  She likes to draw her inspiration outside the boundaries of the wobbly concept of Western art music and enjoys the process of discovering and negotiating a sound world that feels authentic both to her and her collaborators. Her music has been performed by ensembles and musicians such as the Utari Duo, Cracow Golden Quintet, Ciompi Quartet, Yarn/Wire, Imani Winds, JACK Quartet, Line Upon Line Percussion, Patchwork Duo, cellist Ashley Walters, pianist Gloria Cheng, Kris Rucinski, and others at music festivals and conferences such as Chopin and Friends Festival, RED NOTE New Music Festival, Yarn/Wire International Institute, Weekend of Chamber Music, Nief-Norf Summer Festival, Line Upon Line Winter Composer Festival, and more. Huijuan holds degrees from Duke University (Ph.D. and A.M.), supported in part by a Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; as well as from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (M.M.), and Shanghai Conservatory of Music (B.M.). Before coming to Indiana State University she taught courses and lessons at Duke University, Elon University, and Line Upon Line High School Composition Workshop. 

Sean Phelan joins Indiana State University this fall as Visiting Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands. A native of Waukesha, WI, he holds a master's degree in conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as well as a bachelor's in music education and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Previously, Phelan was the Assistant Director of Athletic Bands and Spirit Groups at the University of Houston and the Associate Director of Bands/Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Minnesota Duluth, overseeing or assisting with marching, pep, and concert bands and courses in conducting, arranging, and music education. Prior to that, he taught at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville, TX where he led the Hawk Band to appearances in the finals of the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Championship and in the Texas UIL State Marching Contest, and also served as Director of Orchestras and Associate Director of Bands at Oconomowoc High School in Wisconsin.