Kodály Faculty

Kari Proksch is excited to join the faculty at the Wichita State Kodály Summer Course this year! Kari is the choir director at S.J. Welsh Middle School and the artistic director of Les Petites Voix Children’s Community Choir in Lake Charles, LA. She has been teaching for 21 years, mostly at the elementary level. She has served on the faculty for the Kodály Institute at McNeese State University, the University of Central Missouri Kodály Summer Institute, and the Kodály Institute of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana at Lamar University. Kari has a BMEd and a MMEd from McNeese State University. She also received her Kodály Certification from McNeese where she studied with Lamar Robertson, Ann Eisen, Susan Tevis, and Eva Vendrei. In 2007, she earned a Diploma in Music Pedagogy from the Franz Liszt Academy, Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary

Vicki Strode is excited to join the Wichita State University faculty in the Kodály summer program. Vicki has over thirty years of experience in public and private music education. Her career in Missouri’s public schools covers the entire K–12 spectrum, having taught elementary general music as well as middle and high school choir. Outside the classroom, she ran a private studio for many years, instructing students from infancy through adulthood in Kindermusik, voice, and piano.

She earned her Kodály Certificate from the University of Central Missouri (UCM) and completed a Kodály teaching internship under Ann Eisen in 2014. Since 2015, she has served as a faculty member for the Kodály Summer Institute at UCM, teaching Levels I and II Pedagogy and Literature. Her commitment to the professional community is further evidenced by her successful reorganization of the St. Louis Area Kodály Educators (SLAKE) chapter.

She holds a B.S. in Education (Vocal Music) and a diploma in Vocal Music Performance from Missouri State University, as well as an M.S. in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from Southwest Baptist University, and completed 30 hours toward a M.S. in Education (Kodály Emphasis). She is thrilled to bring her pedagogical knowledge and practical experience to the students and faculty at Wichita State University.

Susan Tevis, Founder, Artistic Director, and Conductor of the Children's Choir of Chico, holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in piano pedagogy and music education from California State University, Chico. She completed a Kodály Certificate at the Kodály Institute at McNeese State University (Lake Charles, Louisiana). She completed advanced studies at the McNeese Institute and the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. Ms. Tevis has been an adjunct faculty member at McNeese State University (Lake Charles, Louisiana), CSU Chico, Capital University Conservatory of Music (Columbus, Ohio), and the Kodály Pedagogical Institute. Susan was on the faculty at the Kodály Institute at McNeese and the Kodály Institute at Capital University, teaching summer courses for professional music educators. Susan has been a music educator since 1970, working in public schools, community choir programs, and churches. During these years, Ms. Tevis has served on numerous regional, state, and national boards, including the Louisiana Music Education Association and the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE). From 1999 to 2004, Susan was Vice President of OAKE and presently sits on the OAKE National Conference Choir Committee. As a choral specialist, Susan is active as a guest clinician and conductor for treble choirs, conducting honor choruses in Texas, Louisiana, and California, and is frequently invited to present music education workshops for various state and national music organizations and conferences..

Dr. Amanda Vanausdall is an Assistant Music Educator and Music Education Placement Coordinator at Wichita State University and is the Program Director for the Wichita State Summer Kodály workshop. She earned her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Wichita State in 2025. She received her BME and MME in Special Music Education as well as her OAKE Kodály certification, all from Wichita State University.

Dr. Vanausdall has 13 years of teaching experience with the Wichita Public Schools, where she has taught K-5 elementary general music and K-8 adaptive music. Amanda holds leadership roles in several professional organizations, including Special Needs Co-Chair for the Kansas Music Educators Association, Treasurer for the Kodály Music Educators of Kansas, Member-at-Large for the Midwest Kodály Music Educators Association, and member of the Equity Committee for the Organization of American Kodály Educators. Her work focuses on inclusive music education and advocacy for students with diverse learning needs.