Emily Stites of Napoleon to be featured in recital at Huntington University

HUNTINGTON, IN (03/09/2012)(readMedia)-- The Huntington University Music Department will present a combined senior recital by soprano Breana Balliet and clarinetist Emily Stites at 7:30 p.m. March 23. The free recital will be held in the Longaker Recital Hall of the Merillat Centre for the Arts.

Emily Stites is a senior music business major with a minor in psychology from Napoleon, Ohio. She started taking piano lessons at the age of 10 and clarinet lessons at the age of 12. She is currently taking clarinet lessons from John Gardner, and has been since entering Huntington University.

While at HU, Stites has participated in the HU Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Hand Bell Ensemble and Gospel Choir. During her fall semester of this school year, she attended the Contemporary Music Program in Nashville, Tenn., and plans on moving to Nashville upon graduation to pursue a career in the music industry.

Breana Balliet, of Kahoka, Mo., and formerly of Ohio City, Ohio, is a senior theater performance major and music minor. She attended Van Wert High School in Van Wert, Ohio, where she was a member of the Van Wert Symphony band and Van Wert choir for four years. She made it into district III OMEA Honors Band her junior year and district III OMEA Honors Choir her senior year.

Balliet competed at NATS in her first three years at Huntington University, and was a member of HU's Women's Chorale and worship ensemble. She was also a member of HU's Concert Choir for five semesters and has studied voice with Professor Joni Killian while at Huntington.

Balliet has participated in several Huntington University stage productions such as "Disney's Beauty and the Beast," "The Mikado," "Picnic," "'Tis the Season: A Christmas Celebration," "Guys and Dolls," "Once Upon a Mattress" and "Medea." She will also be performing in HU's 11th Concerto Concert.

Photos of Breana and Emily are available online at http://www.huntington.edu/News-Releases/Academics/Music/Vocalist,-clarinetist-combine-talents-for-senior-recital/. Click on the photos to open and download the high-resolution images.

Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest, and Forbes.com has listed the university as one of America's Best Colleges. Additionally, Princeton Review has named the institution to its "Best in the Midwest" list. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington University is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in northeast Indiana. The university is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).

For text of this and all Huntington University news releases, visit www.huntington.edu/news.