Dr. Wikan joined the Hurley School of Music faculty in the fall of 2012 and was appointed Acting Dean of the Hurley School of Music in 2018.

Dr. Wikan joined the Hurley School of Music faculty in the fall of 2012 and was appointed Acting Dean of the Hurley School of Music in 2018. In addition to leading Camerata, Dr. Wikan teaches choral conducting, music history, music repertoire, and music education courses. He graciously took time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

What is the best thing about working at Centenary College?
The challenge.

Are there any embarrassing teaching moments you are willing to share? What are they?
The list is long and sordid. Truthfully, I don’t embarrass easily, which is a blessing and a curse—perspective is key here.

If you could enroll in a class for a day in which class would you enroll and why?
So unjust: I can’t choose just one. At the moment it would be pilot class; I want to fly a huge plane, no lie. Or maybe a cooking class: I’m really hungry.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?
My dear maternal grandmother, Kathryn, always told me to find gratitude whenever possible because, “it could be worse.” It still annoys me when my mother reiterates this advice, but they’re right. I have found gratitude to be surprisingly powerful.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Learning to humbly like and believe in myself more often than I don’t.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not on campus?
Cuddling up with a good non-fiction book and my dog, Max, is awesome. I’ll spend some time with fiction, historical fiction in particular, but not often. I don’t ride my bicycle enough, but I love it when I do get out on the road. Lifting weights has been a hobby for many years.

What is your favorite class to teach and why?
My favorite class(es) are the conducting courses I teach. Learning to conduct is learning how to move through the world in a way that is informed by heightened senses of self-awareness, listening, collaboration, communication, and a host of other habits required to effectively interact (commune) with others. I am fascinated by the insight I constantly gain—about myself, students, humanity—from our interactions.