Established in 2006 by the Board of Regents to recognize long-time servants of the College who are distinguished for their teaching, professional work, and service to the college and community, this chair honors two legendary members of the St. Olaf music department: Oscar R. Overby ’21, who taught, composed, directed, and performed music from 1921 to 1950, and soprano Gertrude Boe Overby ’23, who taught voice and sang solos with the St. Olaf choir from 1930 through 1952. Samiha Peterson, Professor Emerita of Sociology/Anthropology was the first to hold this appointment. She was followed by Wendell Arneson (Art and Art History), Wendy Allen (Romance Languages-French), Barbara Reed (Asian Studies and Religion), Charles Taliaferro (Philosophy), Mary Carlsen (Social Work and Family Studies), Heather Klopchin (Dance).
Current Chair: Tracey Engleman, Professor of Music
With a voice the Boston Globe called “extraordinary in range, tonal quality, musicianship, and dramatic effect,“ soprano Tracey Engleman has gained a reputation for excellence in opera, recital, and concert. She has performed operatic roles with the Minnesota Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Skylark Opera, and performed as soloist with the Minnesota Choral Union, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, the Milwaukee Bel Canto Chorus, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Valley Chamber Chorale, the Rochester Aria Group and numerous other regional orchestras.
She has also won numerous awards including the Austin Lyric Opera Young Artist Competition in Austin, Texas, the Milwaukee Bel Canto Chorus Regional Artist Competition, the Minnesota NATS Artist Award, and was a regional finalist in the 2002-2003 Metropolitan Opera Auditions. She performed with the St. Olaf Orchestra at Alice Tulley Hall and has performed Britten’s War Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42 and Elijah and Barber’s Prayers of Kierkegaard with the Chapel Choir and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
She spent two summers as a Vocal Fellow at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center where she coached with Phyllis Curtin, Dawn Upshaw, Martin Katz, Ken Griffiths, and Lucy Shelton and has performed the music of several of the worlds most prominent contemporary composers. She earned a B.M. degree in both vocal performance and K-12 vocal music education from St. Olaf College and M.M. and D.M.A. degrees from the University of Minnesota.