Assistant Professor Sarah Beckham-Turner became a part of the School of Music in 2018. She graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in music in 2005 and later obtained her master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Boston in 2009. Currently, she is working towards completing her doctorate in music education at Liberty University and is set to graduate in August of this year.
Beckham-Turner, originally from Amarillo, had aspirations of a musical career from a young age. She started singing at her childhood church, First Baptist Amarillo.
“My Dad would take my sister and I around to Sunday school classes, and we would perform for different adult Sunday school classes, so that’s where I first caught the singing/performing bug,” Beckham-Turner said.
Although teaching was not initially in her plans, she later discovered her affinity for the classroom.
“A friend of mine who was a professor hired me to come and fill in while she was away on a gig,” Beckham-Turner said. ”I was so nervous, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I gonna do? I am not a teacher!’ Then I got with the students here and knew exactly what to do because it is exactly what I have been doing, so I actually had a really good time.”
Beyond teaching, Beckham-Turner enjoys spending time with her family and continues her musical pursuits, including performing with the Opera Cowgirls.
“We perform all over the country,” Beckham-Turner said. “We started in New York when I lived there, and we’ve stayed together even though we have spread out a little bit. One is in LA, I am here, and the three others are still in the New York area.”
Despite the physical distance, the bond between the group members remains strong.
“We’re a group of five really good friends,” Beckham-Turner said. “When we get together, we always just laugh and have the best time. It’s the type of friends where you can pick it up right where you left off, so even if we go two months without seeing each other, we come back together like no time has passed at all.”
