Stuart Potter, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor of Double Reeds and Coordinator of Music Education — Music
Dr. Stuart Potter is the Music Education Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Double Reeds at Southeast Missouri State University. He teaches courses in music teacher education, bassoon lessons, and oboe lessons. He also supervises student teachers, fieldwork, and liaises with the College of Education, Health, and Human Studies.
Dr. Potter brings a unique artistic approach to music education at SEMO. Leveraging his skills as a professional bassoonist as well as his 20 years of experience teaching at the elementary/middle/high school level he helps SEMO students design instruction that is compelling, modern, and exciting. Dr. Potter is committed to helping SEMO music education majors develop their skills to become inspired, magnetic, and creative teachers.
As a bassoonist, Dr. Potter was a full-time member of the Symphony Orchestra of India in Mumbai for five years. There he was a part of two international tours, performed as a soloist with the orchestra, and played with renowned soloists and conductors such as Stephen Hough, Zakir Hussain, Simon O’Neill, Charles Dutoit, Maria João Pires, Angel Blue, Duncan Ward, and Martyn Brabbins. Additional performing experience includes freelancing with over 20 professional orchestras including the Illinois Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera Chamber Orchestra, and the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana.
As an educator, Dr. Potter’s teaching experience includes band and choir directing in the US public schools, Kodaikanal International School, and the Symphony Orchestra of India Music Academy. He has curated four massive outreach music projects that have reached over 4000 students and been a guest teacher/conductor at over 50 schools. Immediately prior to joining SEMO, Dr. Potter was band/choir director at Lincoln Savage Middle School and conductor of the Three Rivers Community Orchestra in Grants Pass, Oregon.
Dr. Potter’s publishing is varied and focuses on practical research and resources for music teachers and performers. He is the author of instru_tunes : a free alternative music notation video series that supplements beginning band instruction. His dissertation was a qualitative research study of community orchestra musicians. Dr. Potter has presented at the College Music Society and his articles have been published in The Double Reed and in various new media magazines.
Dr. Potter holds a Doctor of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He earned his Master of Music from the University of Illinois and his Bachelor of Music from the University of Arizona. Dr. Potter’s music education professors include doctors Kelly Parkes, Randall Allsup, Louis Bergonzi, and Gary McPherson. His principal bassoon teachers were Tim McGovern and Dr. William Dietz.