Welcome to the SAU Music Department!
SAU Music Department Welcomes New Conductor to Lead the SAU-Community Symphony Orchestra
Christopher Fashun holds a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, MN and received his Masters of Music degree in percussion performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied with Dr. Anthony DiSanza. Having been an educator for more than 10 years, he has served as Director of Orchestras at Nicolet High School in Milwaukee and Director of Bands at Oostburg High School. Currently, he is the Director of Percussion Ensembles at West High School in Iowa City. Mr. Fashun served as a percussion and jazz instructor at UW-Madison’s Summer Music Clinic and Lakeland College Music Camp, a percussion and viola coach for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, and has taught violin, viola, and percussion. In addition, he is an active clinician with middle and high school orchestras, percussionists, jazz ensembles. The winner of three concerto competitions on viola and marimba, he has toured nationally and abroad as a jazz vibraphonist and has recorded albums with the Wisconsin Brass Quintet and the Jason Harms Quartet, a Minneapolis based jazz group. Mr. Fashun is a D.M.A. candidate in orchestral conducting at the University of Iowa and is student of Dr. William LaRue Jones.
At St. Ambrose, you will receive high-quality experiences in music within the context of a broad-based liberal
arts education. Class sizes are small, which means you will receive personal
instruction customized to your particular needs and interests.
All students are encouraged to participate in SAU performance ensembles. All bands, choirs and orchestras are comprised of students from a wide variety of majors from across campus in addition to music majors.
A number of ensembles are active at St. Ambrose, and they are open to all students regardless of major. These groups perform at formal and informal events on campus and throughout the community, giving students performance experience before large, diverse audiences.
Scholarship and financial aid opportunities are available to ALL SAU students, regardless of major. Please visit our "Scholarship Auditions" page for more details.
For more information on St. Ambrose's music program,
please click HERE or contact Dr. Gene Bechen, department chair, at 563/333-6149 or email BechenEugeneF@sau.edu