College names KPAC auditorium after Dineo Heilmann
The Northern Oklahoma Board of Regents renamed the auditorium in the NOC Tonkawa Kinzer Performing Arts Center, “The Dineo Heilmann Auditorium” at Thursday’s regents meeting in Enid.
NOC President Diana Morris Watkins explained that NOC had received a letter requesting the name change and then explained to the regents the process for renaming the facility.
“Dineo has done so much for this institution,” Watkins said. “I think it would be very appropriate.”
Vice President for Financial Affairs Anita Simpson added, “I think is well deserved, he has dedicated his life to fine arts at NOC.”
“He was instrumental in the building of the KPAC,” said Vice President for Development & Community Relations Sheri Snyder. “He worked closely with Dr. Kinzer providing valuable input. His 32-year career at NOC has touched so many students.”
Watkins added that he provided input at the NOC Enid campus especially at the Bivins Chapel inside the Marshall Building.
Snyder added that a plaque would be placed inside the KPAC commemorating the honor.
In 1985, Dineo Heilmann started his teaching career as the band director for the Chelsea Public School system in Chelsea, Oklahoma. He left Chelsea in 1988 to become the Instrumental Director at Northern Oklahoma College and to later serve as Fine Arts Division Chair from 1990 to 2017.
He received his Associate degree from Northern Oklahoma College, his Bachelor of Music Education from Oklahoma State University where he was named Outstanding Music Student his senior year. He then received a fellowship to complete his Master of Music Education degree at Wichita State University.
Heilmann was named 1991’s Outstanding Young Bandmaster for the state of Oklahoma by Phi Beta Mu. He has had the honor of working with famed conductor Eugene Corporon, renowned composer Jack Stamp and has performed in a master class for Richard Stoltzman.
Heilmann has been honored twice by the Northern Oklahoma College board of Regents, the first with a “Resolution” of outstanding contribution to music culture and the second he was honored along with his father with a “Resolution” for the 50th anniversary of the Roustabouts for “50 years of inspiring performances”.
In 2014, the city of Tonkawa named him “Citizen of the Year.” In 2015 Tonkawa High School named Mr. Heilmann as a “Friend of Education” for raising money to purchase a Steinway grand piano for their Events Center.
He appeared annually with the Northern Gala Orchestra since its inception in 1996, under the baton of Conductor Gerald Steichen, performing traditional clarinet literature. Dineo has been so lucky as to have performed with New York Philharmonic Violist Dorian Rence and such soprano artists as Loraine Ernst, Julie McCoy, and Janet Gray.
In 2000 he participated in the Higher Education Leadership Academy.
Through his years at NOC he organized, managed, booked and directed the performances of “The Roustabouts.” Booking over 20 performances per school calendar with special performances including three tours to Nashville, Tennessee, for studio recording sessions. In 1999, he took the group on a performance tour of England and to tour Paul McCartney’s School for the Performing Arts. Throughout the 2000’s and 2010’s he led the “Roustabout” group on “Performance At Sea” tours through Performing Arts Consultants on Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
He has served as the representative for Junior/Community Colleges for the Oklahoma Association of Schools of Music. He has been a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Oklahoma Music Educators Association, and Phi Beta Mu.
Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.
NOC serves nearly 4,000 students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater. Of these students about 80% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 75% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.
For more information about Northern Oklahoma College please call (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at www.noc.edu.
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