Sandra Starr, Assistant Professor of Music
BA, St. Olaf College; MME, University of North Dakota
Phone: (701)858-3837
E-mail: sandra.starr@minotstateu.edu

Sandra Starr, Chair of the Division of Music and Assistant Professor of Music, holds her BA degree from St. Olaf College, where she was a member of St. Olaf Choir, and her MME from UND. She has done additional graduate study at Eastman, Hamline, UND, and holds her Kodaly Mastery Certificate from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. At Minot State, she teaches Music Education courses to both music and elementary ed majors, Beginner Class Guitar, and supervises music student teachers. She adjudicates numerous elementary and secondary music festivals and contests in the region, has been guest conductor for ND ACDA groups, and has presented workshops and seminars on various music education topics at NDEA and NDMEA Conferences, at MSU, for ND Council on the Arts, for various churches and other organizations.

Mrs. Starr is founder and current Musical Director of Western Plains Children’s Choir. In 1996-97 the choir was the official Governor’s Chorus. They sing at numerous events in the region. She has been chorus master and children’s chorus master for Western Plains Opera Company productions. She directed Minot Chamber Chorale from 1989-1995, and was Director of Music and the adult choir at First Lutheran Church in Minot from 1972-2003.

Mrs. Starr is an honorary life member of ND PTA, hold a life membership in ACDA, and is an active member of MENC and NDMEA, Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary Society for Women Educators, College Music Society, and the Organization of American Kodaly Educators. She is a life member of Sigma Alpha Iota and has been Province Governor. She has served on boards of directors for North Dakota Music Educators, Western Plains Opera Company, ND American Choral Directors Association, Minot Chamber Chorale, and the Minot Area Council for the Arts. She was awarded the MSU Faculty Achievement Award in 1997-98, was awarded a Bush Grant in 2002, a ND Council on the Arts Grant in 2003, and is listed in Who’s Who in American Women in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007.