On Tuesday, May 19, Gustavus Adolphus College President Jack R. Ohle announced that Dr. David Fienen will assume the position of Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the College effective June 1, 2009. A past Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the College, Dr. Fienen also served as Associate Dean of the College from 1993 to 1996 and Director of General Education from 2002 to 2007. He has served the College as Chair of the Faculty Senate as well as chair or member of several standing committees of the faculty. He will replace Dr. Mary E. Morton, who announced her resignation as Provost in March.
“I am very pleased to appoint Dr. Fienen to this important position,” said President Ohle. “He brings many years of outstanding academic and administrative leadership as well as a distinguished background as an internationally renowned scholar and musical artist.”
Throughout his 36-year career at Gustavus, Dr. Fienen has been Organist/Cantor at Christ Chapel and Professor of Music. He is currently chair of the Music Department, and holds the Edgar F. and Ethel Johnson Professorship of Fine Arts. He received degrees from Indiana University, Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and the University of Minnesota. He has appeared widely in the United States and Europe. In addition to a solo recital tour through North Germany and Berlin, he has toured Eastern Europe with both the Gustavus Brass Ensembles and the Gustavus Band. In June, 1990, he was an artist/fellow with the Bach Aria Festival and Institute at Stony Brook, N.Y. Since 1988 he has been the keyboardist and occasional soloist with the Mankato Symphony Orchestra. He was assistant conductor of the Mankato-based choral group Musicorum during fall 1999 and for several years has been the performance accompanist for both Musicorum and the St. Peter Choral Society.
He was secretary/treasurer of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians from 2001 to 2005, having previously served as founding president of Region III from 1986 to 1988 and as treasurer for their 1993 and 1995 biennial conferences. From 1983 to 1986 he was on the executive board of the Twin Cities chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and from 1995 to 1997 he was on the board of directors and chair of the finance committee of The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching and Learning.
Dr. Fienen has recorded Hymns and Fanfares (with Gustavus Brass Ensembles) and Let Us Adore Him; Favorite Swedish Hymns; and Favorite Norwegian Hymns (with the Gustavus Choir), which are available from the Book Mark at Gustavus Adolphus College. He also appears as organ or harpsichord soloist and accompanist on three CDs produced by Musicorum. His current research is focused on the life and works of Jan Bender. During his leave of absence in the fall of 2003, he edited five volumes of organ works by Bender for Concordia Publishing House, published as a Commemorative Edition in 2005. In July 2004, he played an Orgelvesper at St. Jacobi in Lübeck, Germany, and an organ recital at the Schlosskirche in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany.
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