Faculty and Staff

Dr. James Thompson
Program Chair
Email: jlthompson25@dmacc.edu

James Thompson serves as Professor and Music Department Chair in the Simon Estes School of Fine Arts at Des Moines Area Community College, a role he has held since 2018. Based on the Ankeny campus, Dr. Thompson directs the DMACC Concert and Chamber Choirs, teaches applied voice, Music Fundamentals, and Music Appreciation.

A passionate educator, Dr. Thompson has played an integral statewide role in developing the Music Transfer Major – a course sequence within the DMACC Design, Media and the Arts Pathway – in which students complete foundational music courses interwoven within the AA Liberal Arts framework. Student completion of the MTM demonstrates substantial progress towards a 4-year music degree and ensures seamless transfer from DMACC to a number of transferring institutions. The MTM has an anticipated launch date of Fall 2026.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Thompson maintains an active performing schedule. Praised for his “Rich, full voice” and “warm singing,” he frequently appears as a leading operatic tenor and is also heard in the concert and recital idioms. Additionally, Dr. Thompson is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor for various regional musical events.

Education:
Bachelor of Music - Cornell College (2005)
Master of Music - Boston University (2008)
Doctor of Musical Arts - University of Iowa (2013)

Dr. Thompson teaches:

MUS140
MUS275
MUS928
MUS102
MUS100
MUA101

Dr. Simon Estes - Visiting Faculty

Internationally renowned Opera Star, Simon Estes, has sung in 84 different Opera Houses including all of the Major Opera Houses in the United States and Europe, with 115 orchestra’s and with 90 of the greatest conductors all around the world. Of the 104 roles that Dr. Estes has performed 17 were title roles.

Mr. Estes has sung for 6 United States Presidents from President Johnson through President Obama and many notable dignitaries, Royalty and religious figures. Dr. Estes has sung for the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. He is the only person to have performed for the 25th, 50th, and 75th Anniversary of the United Nations.

Simon’s Humanitarian efforts has helped save more than 100,000 children’s lives in Africa from Malaria and other countries.

Estes’s Foundations in Switzerland, Oklahoma and Iowa has awarded over 600 scholarships for students to attend colleges and universities in varied disciplines of study. Mr. Estes supported The Simon Estes Music High School in Cape Town, South Africa for many years.

Professor Estes has taught at Juilliard School of Music, Boston University, Iowa State University, Wartburg College and DMACC.

Mr. Estes has given lectures and master classes in; Harvard University, Duke University, University of Iowa and many other Universities throughout Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Dr. Estes was inducted into the prestigious Opera Hall of Fame in 2022.

He also performed in 2022 with the Des Moines Metro Opera in Porgy and Bess, under the direction of Tazewell Thompson.

By Faith, Mr. Estes, with a 59 year career as an Opera Singer, has performed with a prayer in his heart to glorify God and inspire people to love one another.

Prof. Scott Davis
Email: sedavis7@dmacc.edu

A Des Moines native and 1973 graduate of Hoover High School, Scott Davis, trumpet, graduated from UNI in 1977, majoring in music with a jazz emphasis. Scott received his Master’s in Music Education from Drake University in 1995.

Scott toured with the Don Hoy Orchestra from 1977-1980, then began a teaching career in middle school music in the Des Moines area, which included 10 years in the Waukee District and 30 with Des Moines Schools.

In 1985 Ed Kelly and Scott Davis partnered to form FreeStyle, playing corporate and wedding events and public performances. The band was inducted into the Iowa Rock n’ Roll Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

Scott was a charter member of the Fat Tuesday and the Grease Fire Horns Blues band, formed in 1999 to showcase local blues artist Jimmy Prior. The band was selected to represent Iowa in the National Blues contest in Memphis in 2000. The band released two CD’s before Jimmy’s passing in 2006.

Scott formed the Scott Davis Quartet in 2000 and has released two CD's, "Almost Time" and "Skywalk". Scott was inducted into the Community Jazz Center Hall of Fame in 2012. Scott is a charter member of the Turner Center Jazz Orchestra.

Scott currently performs jazz with the NOLA Dixieland Band, the Drama Kings and Festival Brass. Scott is on the music faculty at Des Moines Area Community College where he directs the jazz band and in 2022 began conducting the Grand View University Concert Band.

Scott teaches:

MUS1502
MUS147E

Prof. Mark Grimm
Email: magrimm1@dmacc.edu

Mark Grimm has performed nationally and internationally as a percussionist and drumset artist. He toured Europe with the Drake Jazz Ensemble I, performing at the prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival, and also had the opportunity to play the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. He has performed with the El Paso Wind Symphony, El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Lansing Symphony, and the Des Moines Symphony. Mr. Grimm has also been active as a solo and chamber percussionist. He co-founded the Red Cedar Percussion Ensemble as well as the 3-4-3-Duo.

Mr. Grimm is an active performer in the Des Moines area performing with the blues group, The Soul Searchers. He also served as the drummer for the Turner Jazz Center Orchestra. Currently he performs with The Austin Brown Trio, and numerous other engagements.

He is currently a Teaching Artist at Drake University and adjunct faculty at DMACC. He earned his Masters of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, and his Bachelors of Music degree from Drake University as well as doing doctoral studies at Michigan State University. He served as a teaching assistant at UTEP, and stayed active as an educator in Michigan through MSU’s Community Music School. He has studied under Gwendolyn Burgett, Dr. Jon Weber, Randy Gillespie, James White, and Robert Meunier.

Mark teaches:

MUS204
MUS 205

Prof. Susan Odem
Email: skodem@dmacc.edu

Music study is one of the foundations of a well-rounded education. Susan Odem's role in the Music Department at DMACC is, in part, to help make DMACC an excellent place to begin a music degree and also to introduce those foundational studies to all students. She teaches Music Theory, World Music, Music Appreciation, and Applied Woodwinds (lessons) at DMACC. She also teaches oboe at Simpson College and Methods classes at Drake. Sue holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Master of Music degree from Drake University.

It’s important to practice what you teach, so Sue plays the oboe in the Des Moines Symphony and in several chamber ensembles, and teaches private oboe and bassoon lessons to students in grades 5-12. Her own studies in music theory and pedagogy are what have made it possible to have a career as a musician.

Sue teaches:

MUS106 - Music Theory I
MUS 107 - Music Theory II
MUS202 - World Music
MUA147B - Applied Woodwinds

Prof. Talita Pizarro Matos
Email: tpizarromatos@dmacc.edu

Talita Pizarro is a Brazilian pianist with an active career as a soloist, collaborative artist, and educator in Brazil, Chile, and the United States. She holds a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Northern Iowa and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the State University of Campinas (Brazil). Talita also refined her artistry at the Vienna Conservatory of Music in Austria.

Now based in Iowa, Talita is a frequent performer with the Central Iowa Symphony, Ames Chamber Artists, and DSM Ballet Symphony. She is an active collaborative pianist in the Ames area, working with singers, instrumentalists, and ensembles in recitals and community performances. Talita recently joined the music faculty at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and maintains a private piano studio where she blends traditional and modern pedagogical approaches to help students of all ages develop musical fluency and creativity. In addition to performing, she has contributed to numerous recording projects as a pianist, arranger, and producer.

Talita teaches:

MUS100

Prof. Matthew Soeghay
Email: mbsoeghay@dmacc.edu

Matthew joined DMACC in the fall of 2024, teaching Music Appreciation and Applied Piano. Matthew holds degrees in piano performance from Iowa State University and Bowling Green State University, and has been actively teaching piano since 2017. He has performed with the Iowa State Symphony Orchestra as well as the Fort Dodge Area Symphony Orchestra, and often performs as an accompanist or soloist in the Des Moines and Ames area as needed.

Matthew teaches:

MUS100
MUA120

Prof. Steven Kennedy
Email: sjkennedy1@dmacc.edu

Always having a full studio of students, Steven Kennedy is one of the most in-demand guitar instructors in central Iowa. He is also one of the most sought-after classical guitarists in the area for gigs and recitals. He serves as guitar instructor at Central College in Pella, Grand View University in Des Moines, and Simpson College in Indianola. His debut album, Pequeño vals para Florencia (featuring works by Bach, Sor, Máximo Diego Pujol, and José Luis Merlin) was released in 2013. Steven is also an avid chamber musician, performing as one half of the Kennedy-Reynolds Guitar Duo, and as a member of the Iowa Guitar Quartet.

Steven received his Master of Music degree from Belmont University (Nashville, TN) and his Bachelor of Music degree from Simpson College; both in classical guitar performance. Additionally, he has studied privately with notable guitarists David Leisner and Jerald Harscher. He has performed in master classes for guitarists Jason Vieaux, Jerome Ducharme, and Petar Jankovic, and additionally has observed classes given by Eliot Fisk, Christopher Parkening, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Douglas Niedt, Jorge Caballero, Aniello Desiderio, Denis Azabagić, and Matt Palmer, among others. In addition to his experience in classical music, Steven is proficient in many commercial music genres including jazz, blues, and rock.

Steven serves as the president of the Heart of Iowa Classical Guitar Society - an organization that actively promotes classical guitar music and education across the state of Iowa. He is also a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Iowa Music Teachers Association (IMTA), and the Des Moines Music Teachers Association (DMMTA).

Steven teaches:

MUA147A

Prof. Steven Linn
Staff Accompanist /Applied Voice & Piano
Email: sjlinn1@dmacc.edu

Steven Linn came to DMACC (Ankeny Campus) in 2017 as the Staff Accompanist following a 33-year career in secondary vocal music education in Iowa. In addition to his role as accompanist, he also teaches applied voice and piano. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from Wayne State College, with an emphasis in voice and piano, and a Master's degree from Viterbo University. With over 40 years of experience, Mr. Linn has taught private voice and piano, accompanied numerous performers and ensembles, and directed secondary vocal music programs. He has also served as music director and accompanist for several churches throughout central Iowa. Since 2011, he has been the Music Director at Urbandale United Church of Christ. In addition to his teaching and performance work, Mr. Linn serves as an adjudicator for the Iowa High School Music Association, judging contests and All-State auditions across Iowa and Nebraska.

Steven teaches:

MUA101
MUA120