COA Woodwind Faculty

Alex Carpenter is adjunct professor of flute and music theory at Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University, and Abilene Christian University. She received her Bachelor of Music in flute performance and music theory/composition from Hardin-Simmons University in 2014, and her Master of Music in the same concentrations from Southern Illinois University in 2019. She's studied flute with Dr. Douglas Worthen and Dr. Karla Ordoñez, and music theory/composition with Dr. Chris Walczak and Dr. Bernard Scherr. Her theory thesis, titled The Craft of Musical Imagery in Augusta Read Thomas’ ‘Carillon Sky’, explores the various post-tonal composition techniques Thomas used to paint her musical visions.

Mrs. Carpenter has been teaching privately since 2011 and is an active performer. Her private high school flute students have participated in TMEA and ILMEA competitions, winning chairs in the region/district band, and in UIL solo and ensemble, receiving exemplary ratings for their performances. She has also been a flute/woodwind clinician at several public schools in southern Illinois and west Texas areas. She also enjoys teaching beginner to intermediate piano with her current studio ranging in ages from 6 to 11.

Mrs. Carpenter founded the Big Country Flute Club and its associated flute choir in 2021. The organization aims to spread the education and playing of flute to the community. She is also writing music regularly for the flute choir and other university ensembles, using a rational reconstruction of the tonal system. She also enjoys writing theory papers and working on research projects with fellow musicians.

Susetta Rockett holds the second oboe/English horn Janeen Holmes Gilliam Chair with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. She is currently oboe faculty at Abilene Christian, Hardin- Simmons, and McMurry Universities in Abilene, TX. Mrs. Rockett performs frequently throughout Texas and the United States including most recently as acting principal oboe with the Abilene Philharmonic and as part of the Leland Musical Arts Celebration Concert Series in Leland, MI. While in New England, she performed with the New England Philharmonic, the Gardner Chamber Orchestra, and has performed concerts at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and Boston’s Symphony Hall.

As a sought-after teacher, she has been invited to perform and give masterclasses at the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Tech University, Lynn Conservatory, Stephen F. Austin University, San Angelo State University, Central Michigan University, and has been a Premiere Instructor for Bocal Majority summer double reed camps for several years. A founding member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra in Dallas, TX, Mrs. Rockett is featured on two albums released by Naxos. She maintains a busy private teaching studio, reed making company, and is the Orchestra Personnel and Education Manager for the Abilene Philharmonic. Mrs. Rockett received her degrees in Music Education and Performance from Texas Tech University, and a Master’s in Oboe Performance with distinction from the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. Her principal teachers include Wayne Rapier and Amy Anderson, and she has worked with Mark Ackerman, Erin Hannigan, David Matthews, and Steven Lickman. Mrs. Rockett resides in Abilene, TX with her husband and two daughters.

Kristin Ward joined the music faculty of Abilene Christian University in 2006, where she serves as instructor of clarinet and saxophone, and teaches courses in the areas of music theory, music education, jazz voice, and Cornerstone. She also serves as adjunct instructor of clarinet at Hardin Simmons University. Kristin previously taught at Hope College and Alma College in Michigan as well as Eastern Oregon University. She holds a master’s degree in clarinet performance from Michigan State University, and has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Abilene Christian University.

As a clarinetist, she performed with the ACU Wind Ensemble as a soloist in David Maslanka’s Clarinet Concerto at the Texas Music Educators Association convention in February of 2017. She is also the clarinetist of the Key City Winds Woodwind Quintet, which is the ensemble-in residence here at Heavenly Rest. This quintet has performed in several venues in the Big Country as well as the TMEA convention in February of 2018.

She also performs with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, the San Angelo Symphony, and has performed throughout Michigan and Oregon, including the Grand Rapids, Lansing, West Shore, Midland, and Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestras. She has appeared as soloist with the ACU Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band as well as the Hope College Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra, and Wind Symphony; Michigan State University Wind Symphony, Contemporary Music Ensemble, and Concert Band; and the Grande Ronde Symphonic Band in Oregon. Kristin is also an accomplished jazz vocalist. She performed in the 1997 Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival and was a participant in the International Association of Jazz Educators pilot program “Sisters in Jazz.” She also has performed in ACU’s annual Christmas Vespers and with the ACU Faculty Jazz Combo.

She has also taught Kindermusik at the Abilene Performing Arts Company since 2007, and before that at the Kindermusik of Holland studio from 2001-2006. Kristin has been published in the Clarinet Journal and taught in the summers at the Interlochen Center for the Arts from 1996-2005.

Bassoonist Bill Harden graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1986 with a Bachelors in Music Education and continued his education at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music earning the Master of Music in Bassoon Performance degree in 1988.

Bill taught for 30 years in Odessa, Texas including two years as an Assistant Band Director at Odessa High School and eight years as the Band Director at Bowie Junior High School. The final twenty years, he was the Director of Bands at Odessa High School, and also served for one year as the Orchestra Director.

In addition to his duties at OHS, Mr. Harden also served as adjunct faculty at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin where he taught conducting and Secondary Music Education methods.

He has been the Assistant Principal Bassoon in the West Texas Symphony for 29 years and served as Principal in the 1996-97 season.

In 2013, Mr. Harden received the Marcia McEntyre Zoffutto Hero Award for his dedication to the students in the Permian Basin. Named for the daughter of JR McEntyre, herself an award-winning Music Educator, the award is given to music educators in the Permian Basin who have devoted extensive time and energy into helping a music education program in west Texas.

Mr. Harden holds memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association and Phi Beta Mu, International Band Fraternity. He helped found YES West Texas and Big Country Y.E.S. (Young Educators Symposium), a series of professional development opportunities for young music educators and for the young at heart!

Cynthia Mixon is Adjunct Professor of Woodwinds and Music Theory at Hardin Simmons University. She graduated from Angelo State University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 1991, and from Hardin Simmons University in 1996 with a master’s degree in Flute Performance. She taught band in public schools for 28 years, both at the middle school and high school level.

After retiring from public teaching in 2021, Cynthia returned to Abilene. In addition to her teaching at HSU she performs with the Big Country Flute Choir, the Singing Women of West Central Texas, as well as many other performing opportunities on flute, clarinet, and saxophone. In her spare time, Cynthia is a runner who is working on running a marathon in every state in the U.S., and as of 2024 has run 55 marathons in 30 states.