About Pro Musica Joplin
For over four decades, we’ve championed one belief: everyone deserves access to the highest quality classical chamber music.
Our Chamber Series presents touring national and international ensembles free-of-charge to the public. Musicians also engage in rich Arts Education residencies with area public, private, and home school students, and facilitate masterclasses with Missouri Southern State University students.
We also host an annual ticketed Jazz Concert benefit, produce intergenerational Bach-A-Bye Baby concerts in partnership with the Joplin Library, and present outreach performances at assisted living centers, hospitals, domestic violence shelters; and cultivate the next generation of classical music fans with adventurous presentations in coffee shops, restaurants, and outdoors.
We rely on the support of dozens of donors, business sponsors, foundations, and taxpayers via Missouri Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Board of Directors
Alexander B. Curchin, Esq., Treasurer, Director, Crossland Construction
Martin Williams, Secretary, CFO, CoxMonett Hospital (ret.)
Lori Marble, Past President, Director of Strategic Innovation, Mercy Hospital Joplin
Wally Bloss, Executive Director, Cache Valley Center for the Arts (ret.)
Cleo Copeland, Owner, Cleo’s Framing & Design
Sally Currence, Special Event Coordinator, Freeman Health System
Nicholas Kyle, Department Chair & Professor of Art, Missouri Southern State University (ret.)
Judson L. Fisher, Staff Vice President, Segment Reporting, Leggett & Platt (ret.)
Kathy Stammer, Accountant, Ozark Christian College (ret.)
Shelly Tarter, Administrator, Virtual and Alternative Schools, Joplin Public Schools
Justin Thomas, Owner, The Wild Flower
Annette Thurston, Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States
Directors Emeritus: Cynthia H. Schwab (Founder), Joy S. Cragin, Dorothy B. Willcoxon, & Dale Blanchard
Organizations are listed for identification purposes only, and do not imply an affiliation.
About our Executive Director
Lee Elliff Pound currently serves as Executive Director of Pro Musica. Lee’s background as a seasoned event planner and fund raiser through healthcare marketing and education has led her to lead Pro Musica. She has served as a Marketing Director for Oak Hill Hospital and the Freeman Health System, and for 28 years at Missouri Southern State University; 26 years as the Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations, and then as Director of Major Gifts. She holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Missouri Southern State University and an M.S. in Administration from Southwest Baptist University. She has worked with sports greats such as Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin; entertainers including Dennis Weaver, Linda Gray, Ed Beagley, Jr., and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; Grammy nominated and Country Music Duo of the Year winner, Thompson Square; and astronaut and Center Director at NASA Glenn Research Center, Dr. Janet Kavandi. Lee is responsible for the overall operations of Pro Musica, reporting to the Board of Directors
About our Creative Director
Emlyn Johnson currently serves as Creative Director of Pro Musica. Emlyn’s background as a classically trained flutist, educator, and presenter eventually led her to Missouri, where she taught in the music department at Missouri State University and was the Executive Director for Pro Musica from 2021 – 2023. She is the co-director of the American Wild Ensemble and performs regularly around the state and beyond, and is an adjunct instructor of Flute at UMKC Conservatory in Kansas City, MO. Emlyn holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music and holds additional degrees from Eastman and the University of Michigan. She is responsible for creative and artistic aspects of Pro Musica and guides the selection process of concerts, reporting to the Board of Directors
About our Administrative Assistant
Emily Rose currently serves as Administrative Assistant of Pro Musica. A California native, Emily has a profound passion for classical music, theatre, and the visual arts. With a degree in accounting from Morrison University, she brings her extensive business expertise to Pro Musica’s mission. She is constantly thrilled by the culturally rich experiences in her new home.
