Donald Feagin Professor of Music and Professor of Film Studies Joseph Rivers is preparing to retire at the end of 2022. He began teaching at TU in the fall of 1984. His classes have included undergraduate and graduate music theory, music composition, film and game scoring and film music. He is especially known for his choral composition; Lonely People of the Osage; Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet; Will Rogers: Self Portrait for chorus and orchestra; Concerto for Oboe, English Horn and String Orchestra; the opera Prairie Dreams; two symphonies; a piano trio and a violin sonata; Buffalo Run, a tone poem for orchestra; Notturno for piano left hand; and his musical score for the Emmy-nominated documentary film High Stakes: The Life and Times of E.W. Marland. Rivers previously served as chair of the School of Music and later of the Department of Film Studies.
On Oct. 4, 2022, Rivers gave an incredible performance for his last concert with TU at Lorton Performance Center. The concert provided a sampling of his chamber and vocal works in gratitude to the musicians and professional colleagues he has known and worked with through the years.
The School of Music will miss him dearly and sends all the best wishes for his next adventure!