MSU faculty honored with international award for latest album

Professor of Music Dr. Stacy Baker has earned one of the top honors in her field. She and longtime collaborator Dr. Gail Robertson of the University of Central Arkansas received the 2025 Mary Ann Craig Focus on Women Award from the International Tuba Euphonium Association for their latest album, “Dreams, Dances, and Destinations.”

The award was presented this summer at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Valencia, Spain.

Established in 2021, the Mary Ann Craig Focus on Women Award celebrates the achievements and creativity of women in low brass performance. Though it is open to all genders, it is awarded biennially to a single overall winner whose work advances artistry and innovation in the tuba and euphonium world.

“Deeply honored as the second recipients of this award by the ITEA,” Baker said. “We want to give special thanks to our friends that contributed their creative talents and professional expertise to our “Dreams, Dances, and Destinations” album project.”

Baker, a Michigan native, has built an international career as a performer, educator, and advocate for low brass music. She has toured extensively across North America, Europe, China, Brazil, and Japan as a soloist, clinician, and ensemble member, performing with groups such as Monarch Brass, Athena Brass Band, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Brass Band of Battle Creek. She is also a member of the Cave Run Symphony Orchestra and the Baird Brass Quintet.

Her collaboration with Robertson began in 2007, when the two formed SymbiosisDuo to expand the repertoire for tuba/euphonium duos and to promote the medium as a serious chamber music form.

Together, they have released three albums:

• “Symbiosis” (2009)
• “Playground” (2015)
• “Dreams, Dances, and Destinations” (2025)

To learn more about her musical projects and collaborations, contact Baker at s.baker@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2107.

For more information regarding the Music & Theatre Department, email mtd@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2473.