Photo: Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, President of Kutztown University awards the Wiesenberger Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching to Dr. Frank Kumor, Assistant Director of Percussion Studies at Kutztown University at a taped ceremony for the 2020 Faculty and Staff Convocation at the President’s Room in the McFarland Student Union, Tuesday, August 11, 2020.
KUTZTOWN, PA – Dr. Frank Kumor, professor of music, has been awarded the 2020 Arthur and Isabel Wiesenberger Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award, given annually, is presented to a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding teaching skills and service to Kutztown University. The award was announced as part of KU’s virtual Faculty and Staff Convocation and Celebration Friday, Aug. 21.
Kumor began teaching at KU in 1997, and is the director of Percussion Studies and chair of the Department of Music. His book, co-authored with Chalo Eduardo, “Drum Circle, A Guide to World Percussion,” is published by Alfred Publishing.
Kumor presents solo recitals and workshops as well as concerts with the Kutztown University Percussion Ensemble worldwide. As a soloist, he has performed at the Patagonia International Percussion Festival, Rio Negro, Argentina, at the Polish International Percussion Festival, Wroclaw and Opole, Poland, and has served as artist-in-residence at Universidad Catholica de Pontifica, Santiago, Chile, University of Montevideo, Uruguay, University of Campinas, Brazil, Kenyatta University, Kenya, Conservatorio Professional Municipale de Ribarojja, Spain, and has served as visiting professor for the Argentine Ministry of Education and for the fifth International Percussion Festival in Cordoba, Argentina.
Nationally, Kumor has presented workshops at music educator association meetings throughout the country. He and the Kutztown University Percussion Ensemble have received international attention as they have been invited to perform at the Puerto Rico Percussion Festival, Paris International Percussion Festival, College Music Society International Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Artists-In-Residence at American University in Athens, Greece, International Percussion Ensemble Week in Bejelovar, Croatia, Universidad Catholica e Santiago, Chile, and University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
The Kutztown University Percussion Ensemble and its Center for Mallet Percussion Research were featured on the cover of the Percussive Notes Journal, the official journal of the Percussive Arts Society, and have been the subject of a segment on CBS Sunday Morning.
Kumor is a performing artist and clinician for Paiste Cymbals, Yamaha Percussion, Remo Percussion, Mike Balter Mallets, Grover Percussion, Toca, Boomwhackers and Alfred Publishing Company.
Kumor is a KU graduate, earning his Bachelor of Arts in music. He went on to earn a Master of Music in music theory and composition from Duquesne University and a Doctor of Musical Arts in percussion from the University of Kentucky
