“I’m now working with people I’ve known for decades, some I’ve played music with—especially the jazz faculty—and others who were my professors and mentors. I love seeing how the Music Department has just blossomed,” says Bevan. “We have such dedicated, talented faculty that I truly believe Metro offers the best music program in the state. And the facilities: When I was a student here, we performed in St. Cajetan’s or other little rooms. Now we have the King Center, a tremendous state-of-the-art complex.”

It was at the King Center that Bevan literally found her job. “I was putting up posters last year in the center for a concert I was producing when I bumped into Walter (Barr, chair of the department) and Ginny (Tamblyn, program assistant). ‘Hey, have you got a job?’ I joked.” It turned out they did—one for which she was eminently qualified.

After graduating from Metro State in 1985 with a contract (individualized) degree in music production and arts administration, Bevan performed extensively—locally and, in the early years, internationally. Generally she was lead singer in various bands of different genres, ranging from jazz to big band and rhythm and blues. She produced an album (Shady Waif, 1986), married, taught piano, voice and guitar, and held various other jobs while still performing, though on a reduced scale after becoming a mother. She also got into music production.

“I’ve gone from full-time performing to full-time producing, with this new CD,” she says. Bevan wrote and co-wrote a number of songs for “Times Change,” which she is performing with her new band aptly called, The New Band. “Musically it’s more back to my roots, with jazz and blues overtones.”

As music events manager, Bevan produces all the concerts and musical events at Metro State, of which there were 100 last academic year. These include the four annual music celebrations—jazz, choral, piano and, new this year, strings—in which thousands of middle- and high-schoolers from the Denver area participate. Bevan, who has been in her current position almost exactly one year, says, “One of my goals is to bring the community in more to our music program and concerts, and the celebrations are a great way to do that.”

In addition to promoting music events, Bevan also helps students develop their portfolios. “As a former Metro student, and having been in this business for so long, I feel well-equipped to help students figure out and get the tools they need to work in this industry,” she says.

And, while times do indeed change, Bevan says that one thing has remained constant at Metro State: “I am very impressed with the quality of student now, and I was 20 years ago, too. What makes the school so different is the one-on-one attention that the faculty provides. Students really respond to that.”