Dr. Dijana Ihas joined the School of Music and Dance in fall 2024 as Visiting Professor of Music Education.
Ihas is a current professor of music education at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, serves as an applied viola instructor, and supervises student-teachers.
Ihas is a founder and also serves as a director and master teacher of String Project, the first program of its kind in Oregon. Dr. Ihas’ educational background includes a PhD in music education from the University of Oregon, master's degree of music education from the University of Arizona, master of fine arts in viola performance from the University of California in Irvine, and bachelor's degree in viola performance from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, she holds K-12 music teacher license and is registered SAA Suzuki violin/viola teacher. Prior to her position at Pacific University, Dr. Ihas taught strings and symphony orchestra at Sprague High School in Salem, Ore., where her advanced high school string orchestra won the Oregon State Championship for three consecutive years, an elite national competition called the Mark of Excellence for two consecutive years, and, in her final year of teaching in public schools, a full symphony orchestra co-directed by Dr. Ihas won the state championship.
Prior to her position at Pacific University, Dr. Ihas taught elementary through high school strings, orchestra, choir, elementary music, and general music in public schools in California, Arizona, and Oregon for seven years. During her teaching career at Sprague High School (Salem, OR), its advanced string orchestra Camerata won the Oregon String Orchestra State Championship for three consecutive years (2009-2011), as well as a selective national competition known as the Mark of Excellence for two consecutive years (2009-2010). In addition, Sprague’s intermediate orchestra performed in festivals and competitions and received noticeable ratings. In her final year of teaching in public schools, Sprague’s full symphony orchestra, co-directed by Dr. Ihas, won the Oregon Full Orchestra State Championship (2011).
Dr. Ihas’ educational background includes PhD in Music Education and String Pedagogy from the University of Oregon, Master’s Degree of Music Education from the University of Arizona, Master’s of Fine Arts in Viola Performance from the University of California in Irvine, and Bachelor’s Degree in Viola Performance from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also holds the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Conducting from Messiah University, Pennsylvania.