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Laura Talbott Clark

Professor

Greenwood School of Music

Orcid identifier0000-0002-9193-5965
  • Professor
    Greenwood School of Music
  • 405-334-8998 (Work)
  • Oklahoma State University, 106 Greenwood School of Music, Stillwater, OK, 74078, United States

BIO & RESEARCH INTERESTs

A vibrant musician and innovative educator, Laura Talbott-Clark currently serves as professor of violin at Oklahoma State University, where she formally served as Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion for the Greenwood School of Music. An avid chamber musician, she has performed as principal violinist of Tulsa Camerata, Janus 21 Chamber Ensemble, and as second violinist of the Tulsa Rock Quartet. Dr. Talbott-Clark has an extensive background as an orchestral musician, including membership in the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, and Cantata Singers Chamber Orchestra.

Dedicated to community engagement and music education, she was the Director and Founder of the OSU Horizons String Chamber Music Camp and the OSU High School Summer Music Camp. She has served as President of the Oklahoma chapter of the American String Teachers Association as well as Chair of the ASTA National Collegiate Roundtable Committee.

Equally interested in the scholarly aspects of performance, music education, and the creative process, Dr. Talbott-Clark has presented sessions at the American String Teachers Association, College Music Society, and Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education national conferences, as well as at the Maryland, Oklahoma, and Texas music educators association state conferences. A certified Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy instructor, she advocates for musician wellness in the private studio and classroom, as well as investigates the application of contemplative practices to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in tertiary education.

Additional research projects include work to rediscover and celebrate music written by women composers affiliated with the Federal Music Project (1935-1939), which includes a recording on Navona Records, "Between Us: Music for Two by Mary Howe," featuring Talbott-Clark and OSU music colleagues Meredith Blecha-Wells, Pi-Ju Chiang, April Golliver-Mohiuddin, Erin K. Murphy, and Jackie Skara.

Dr. Talbott-Clark received her doctorate in string performance from Boston University and holds additional degrees from Vanderbilt University (B.M.) and the University of Michigan (M.M.). Her principal teachers have included Peter Zazofsky, Paul Kantor, Christian Teal, and John Kochanowski. Her students perform in professional orchestras and pursue graduate degrees at schools throughout the US. In addition, many of her former students run string programs at schools throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas.

Research Interests:

String pedagogy
Mindfulness-based pedagogy
Musician mental health
Trauma-informed pedagogy
Mental health
Music by women composers affiliated with the Federal Music Project
Contemplative practices

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY APPOINTMENTS

  • Professor
    Oklahoma State University, Greenwood School of Music, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States1 Jul 2023 - present

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Associate Professor
    Oklahoma State University, Greenwood School of Music, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States1 Jan 2010 - 30 Jun 2023

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Counseling Intern
    Family and Children's Services, School Based Services; Child and Family Strengthening Center, Tulsa, OK, United StatesMay 2023 - May 2024

DEGREES

  • Doctor of Musical Arts, Music
    Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States2004
  • Master of Science, Counseling
    Oklahoma State University at Tulsa, Tulsa, United States2021 - 2024
  • Master of Music, Music
    University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States1999
  • Bachelor of Music, Music
    Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States1997

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy Clinician
    Institute for Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy (MBWP), Bloomington, IN, United States1 Jul 2020 - present
    At the Institute for Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy (MBWP), we are committed to transforming the culture of performing arts and education through mindfulness. MBWP teachers use mindful awareness and related practices to help improve their teaching, personal wellness, and creative expression. Certified MBWP teachers are able to: 1. Engage in a personal mindfulness practice with a deeper understanding of the philosophical, ethical, scientific, pedagogical, and creative foundations of mindfulness and its applications in contemporary education. 2. Design and facilitate introductory level classes and workshops on MBWP and advise and serve as a consultant to those interested in applying MBWP principles in their work as teachers and musicians. 3. Incorporate MBWP practices and interventions into their work as an educator and musician. 4. Serve as a monthly cohort or individual meeting facilitator for aspiring MBWP teachers.
  • Behavioral Health Wellness Coach
    Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, OKC, United StatesJun 2024 - present
    Wellness coach refers to an individual who is actively working on personal wellness and who is designated to collaborate with others to identify their personal strengths and goals within the eight dimensions of wellness (spiritual, occupational, intellectual, social, physical, environmental, financial, and emotional). Role model wellness behaviors and actively work on personal wellness goals Apply principles and processes of coaching when collaborating with others Facilitate wellness groups Conduct motivational interventions Practice motivational interviewing techniques Provide referrals to community resources for nutrition education, weight management, Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, and other wellness-related services and resources Create partnerships within the local community to enhance consumer access to resources that support wellness goals Raise awareness of wellness initiatives through educational in-service and community training Elevate the importance of wellness initiatives within the organization Promote a culture of wellness within the organization for both consumers and staff. Respect the scope of practice and do not practice outside of it, referring people to appropriate professionals as needed.

AVAILABILITY

  • Career advice
  • Collaborative projects
  • Speaking engagements
  • Media inquiries
  • Mentoring (short-term)
  • Membership of an advisory committee

LANGUAGE

  • French

FIELDS OF RESEARCH