The UNT College of Music is engaging a broader audience by again taking their talents to Moody Performance Hall, located at 2520 Flora St. in Dallas. “UNT Music in the City: When a Ray of Light Meets a Prism,” is at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 (Friday).

Molly Fillmore, soprano and professor of voice, describes the performance as a metaphor for a spectrum: “As a glass prism can disperse a ray of light into many colors, so too have three composers, George Crumb, Reza Vali and Luciano Berio, added layers of richness, beauty, attitude, and in some cases, haunting overtones to melodies that belong to the folk music genre.” It will include Crumb’s “The Winds of Destiny,” Vali’s “Folksong Arrangements, Set No. 15” and Berio’s “Folksong Arrangements 24.”

The performers include Christopher Deane, percussion; Susan Dubois, viola; Molly Fillmore, soprano; Mark Ford, percussion; Jaymee Haefner, harp; Joseph Klein, conductor; Kimberly Cole Luevano, clarinet; Felix Olschofka, violin; Elvia Puccinelli, piano; Nikola Nino Ruzevic, cello; Terri Sundberg, flute.

“The audience can expect to hear familiar folk tunes such as ‘When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again’ and ‘I Wonder as I Wander,’ through a contemporary lens,” Fillmore said. “Additionally, there are folk songs from many different countries, all of which have great melodies and are easily accessible, so there will be the added benefit of hearing something new and beautiful.”

Tickets cost $10 for the public; $8 for UNT faculty, staff and Alumni Association members and are free for UNT students. Students can pick up their free ticket at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office. UNT faculty, staff, alumni and the public, may purchase their tickets at the Murchison Performing Arts Center online or by calling the box office at 940-369-7802. “I hope the audience will come out of the performance having heard how the familiar can have new life breathed into it, making it new again,” Fillmore said.

Music in the City: When a Ray of Light Meets a Prism
Friday, January 26, 2018 7:30pm
Cost: $10 for the public; $8 for UNT faculty, staff and Alumni Association members; free for UNT students. Students can pick up their free ticket at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office. UNT faculty, staff, alumni and the public, may purchase their tickets at the Murchison Performing Arts Center online or by calling the box office at 940-369-7802.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- University of North Texas faculty and alumni are part of projects that have received nominations in 10 categories for the 60th annual Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Nominations, which include UNT alumna Maren Morris, who was nominated this year in the Best Country Solo Performance category for “I Could Use a Love Song,” were announced on Nov. 28.

Since 1964, 100 UNT College of Music alumni have worked on projects nominated for Grammy Awards, with 53 of those winning Grammys.

“The UNT College of Music has a storied history of success with the Grammy Awards, and the next chapter of that success was written Tuesday with nominations in no less than 10 categories for 2018,” said John W. Richmond, dean of the College of Music. “We could not be more thrilled, proud and humbled by the extraordinary accomplishments of our alumni and faculty. Kudos to all.”

College of Music faculty and alumni participated in the following nominated projects.

• Alumnus Brian A. Schmidt, conductor, for “Tyberg: Masses,” which is nominated in the following categories:
  • Best Choral Performance
  • Best Surround Sound Album
• Alumnus Chuck Owen, composer/arranger for “Whispers on the Wind,” featuring fellow alumni Tom Brantley, trombone; Tamara Danielsson, saxophone; Frank Greene, trumpet; Clay Jenkins, trumpet; and Keith Oshiro, trombone, is nominated in the following categories:
  • Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
  • Best Improvised Jazz Solo
  • Best Instrumental Composition
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Alumni Clay Jenkins, trumpet, and Rob Wilkerson, saxophone, performers in the Alan Ferber Big Band on the album “Jigsaw,” which is nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Alumni members of the Dallas Opera Orchestra Deborah Mashburn, timpani; Eric Swanson, trombone; Jeff Baker, trombone; Kenneth Krause, clarinet; Kristin Van Cleve, violin; Liesl-Ann deVilliers, viola; Mitch Maxwell, cello; Shannon Highland, bassoon; and Shawna Hamilton, cello; as well as faculty member John Holt, trumpet, who performed on “Adamo: Becoming Santa Claus.” The album is nominated in the following category:
  • Producer Of The Year, Classical
• Alumnus Edward Stephan, timpanist for the Pittsburgh Orchestra, which is featured on the album “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio,” nominated in the following category:
  • Best Engineered Album, Classical
• Stephan, also timpanist for the San Francisco Symphony, which is featured in “Debussy: Images; Jeux & La Plus Que Lente,” nominated in the following category:
  • Best Orchestral Performance
• Alumnus Frank Greene, lead trumpet for the Christian McBride Big Band on the album “Bringin’ It,” which is nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Alumni James Ford, trumpet; Conrad Herwig, trombone; Jamie Hovorka, trumpet; and Tom Luer, saxophone, performers on John Beasley’s “MONK’estra Vol. 2,” which is nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Alumnus Mike Williams, trumpeter in the Count Basie Orchestra on “I Loves You Porgy/There’s a Boat That’s Leaving Soon for New York,” which is nominated in the following category:
  • Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
• Alumnus Samuel Park, violin player in the Oregon Symphony, which is featured on the album “Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 53, 64 & 96,” nominated in the following category:
  • Producer Of The Year, Classical

Grammy winners will be announced at the Jan. 28 awards ceremony in New York.

Jonathan Eaton, the new Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera Studies, has had a successful career – directing performances both nationally and internationally for some of the most prestigious opera companies. From Dallas, to Chicago, to New York, San Francisco and San Diego, overseas to Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and France, this international opera director has spread his talents around the world. Now he’s bringing his unique perspective to the UNT College of Music to enrich North Texas with his operatic vision.

He does not shy away from current events and political issues, tackling them head-on. He recently commissioned and directed the world’s first eco-opera, “A New Kind of Fallout” – a story based on Pittsburgh’s Rachel Carson and her battle against DDT. And last year, he tackled the topic of social justice, commissioning a world premiere jazz/gospel opera about a white policeman shooting a black man in the street.

He plans to bring the same out-of-the-box thinking to his UNT directorial debut – Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” – at 8 p.m. Nov. 3 and 10 and 3 p.m. Nov. 5 and 12 in the Lyric Theater at the Murchison Performing Arts Center, with "In the Know" lectures 45 minutes before each performance. It will be sung in German with English supertitles. Eaton’s adaptation of the classic opera, in which the Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter, Pamina, from captivity, plays out as a mysterious, whimsical look at romantic relationships between men and women through a dream sequence.

“Tamino, our protagonist, dreams his whole way through a series of life-changing events and, at the end, it seems his dream becomes a reality,” Eaton said. “Does the girl who steals his heart in his dream steal her place into his bed?”

Costumes for the performance will be designed by international designer Danila Korogodsky, who presents a whole host of different characters in unique and sometimes psychedelic style. In a collaborative first, UNT Opera is partnering with the UNT Department of Dance and Theatre for the scenery, which will be designed by Donna Marquet.

“This is an opportunity to see what a brand new director and design team for opera in Denton will bring to this most charming and profound opera,” Eaton said. “I’d travel any distance in a heartbeat to see this production. And, when you get here, ‘The Magic Flute’ will transport you away.”

Tickets cost $15-$35 for adults, with discounts available for senior citizens; students; children; UNT faculty, staff and retirees; and groups of 10 or more. The $35 tickets include dessert and wine. Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802.

“Come early and enjoy a glass of wine with me and Stephen Dubberly, our music director, and hear us discuss the interpretation of the production and our ideas for UNT Opera’s new vision here and beyond,” Eaton said. “Then sit back and enjoy a great marvel of operatic literature.”

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores, an 18-piece Washington D.C. premier big band that features six UNT College of Music alumni will perform a free concert at 9 p.m. Oct. 25 (Wednesday) in the University Union Syndicate, located at 1155 Union Circle in Denton.

“It’s going to be a lot of excitement and energy and the One O’Clock Lab Band is opening,” said Alan Baylock, director of the One O’Clock Lab Band. “It’ll be a combination of the Commodores’ familiar music, modern music and classic music. It’s a great balance. It’s also a military institution, so there will be a touch of patriotism involved. That’s part of their mission – to inspire patriotism.”

Prior to the concert, the One O’Clock Lab Band’s 1 p.m. rehearsal will be open to the public, as well as a 2 p.m. Commodores concert in the Music Building’s Kenton Hall at 415 Ave. C. Baylock hopes the experience will motivate students the way seeing big bands moved him.

“When I was younger, hearing a big band was so exciting because I could always picture myself being part of that, whether in front of the band or in the back row playing trumpet,” Baylock said. “I want students to experience that and be inspired to do that same thing.”

Four-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride will be combining his talents with the One O’Clock Lab Band at 8 p.m. Nov. 21 (Tuesday) in Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35E, Denton.

The jazz virtuoso is one of the most recorded musicians of his generation, working with such jazz greats as Freddie Hubbard and Herbie Hancock, R&B legends including Isaac Hayes and James Brown and pop and rock stars such as Sting and Paul McCartney.

“Having someone on campus like Christian McBride can be a life-changing experience for the students and a real inspiration for faculty members as well,” Baylock said. “Christian has toured the world while performing and recording with countless jazz legends, becoming a legend himself. We're thrilled that he'll be joining us and we look forward to not only hearing him play, but learning from his decades of experience as a major figure in the music industry.”

 Tickets for the McBride performance cost $15 for the public, $10 for UNT students, faculty, staff and Alumni Association members. Purchase tickets through the MPAC box office at 940-369-7802 or visit the MPAC website. The event also will be streamed live here.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- It’s a year of milestones for University of North Texas Regents Professor of Double Bass Jeff Bradetich. His treasured bass turned 250 years old this year; he celebrated his 60th birthday – 50 of those years have been dedicated to playing bass; he marked 30 years of honing the skills of talented musicians in his summer strings institute; his foundation just celebrated its first decade; and now he plans to commemorate it all by performing at Carnegie Hall 35 years – almost to the day – after his debut in the prestigious venue.

“There’s something very special about a New York concert,” Bradetich said. “It’s a place people will travel to from across the world to see a performance. There are even a number of people from this area who are travelling there just to be a part of the experience.”

The program will showcase UNT talent, from faculty, to students and even famed alumnae – Russian pianist Anastasia Markina and the Metropolitan Opera’s Latonia Moore.

“I was reading through the program and it was wonderful. But, I still felt like something was missing,” Bradetich said. “I remembered Latonia from when she was a student and decided to reach out to her. I am thrilled that she was interested.”

The concert will be held in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall Nov. 17 (Friday) at 8 p.m. The first half of the performance will feature visiting professor Christoph Hammer on harpsichord and fortepiano and Cynthia Roberts, principal lecturer, on Baroque violin. The second half of the performance features Markina and a set of three songs with Moore presenting a new arrangement of Jake Heggie’s aria “Si, son io.”

The event will culminate with a world premiere of Argentinian composer Andres Martin’s Temperamental.

“Everyone will return to the stage for a very special encore,” Bradetich said. “It will be a high-energy tribute to the versatility of the bass.”

For those who can’t make it to the New York performance, Bradetich is holding a special Carnegie Hall preview concert at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 12 (Sunday) in Paul Voertman Concert Hall, located in the UNT College of Music Building at 415 S. Ave. C, Denton.

“This show is a wonderful opportunity for us to not only have a trial run of our performance, but to present North Texas with the same music as we’ll be playing at Carnegie, with only a few alternate performers,” Bradetich said. “We’ve done so much work planning and rehearsing the performance that it would be a shame if we could only share it once.”

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- They are used to playing second fiddle – or, in this case, piano – to other instrumentalists, singers, dancers and performing artists. Now, collaborative pianists are getting their moment in the spotlight at the University of North Texas College of Music’s second annual CollabFest – the first festival of its type in the nation.

“Collaborative pianists are trained as partners and love to work with others. Though well able to take the solo piano spotlight, we prefer to join forces with other musicians to co-create art music,” said Elvia Puccinelli, associate professor of collaborative piano and vocal coaching. “We are fed by working with other musicians – doing so in symphonies, opera and musicals, choir rehearsals, dance classes and private lessons – but it is very rare to gather with other collaborative pianists and be surrounded by others who have sat ‘on the same bench,’ as it were. While there is a collaborative piano presence in several of the broader professional music societies, there was no event that we knew of devoted exclusively to collaborative piano when we conceived of CollabFest.”

CollabFest is part of CollabWeek at UNT, which features variety of events, including free, public guest artist masterclasses and performances between Oct. 9 (Monday) – 12 (Thursday). CollabFest itself is a paid conference that takes place on Oct. 13 (Friday) and 14 (Saturday).

 “The major component of the first part of the week is a three-day residency with internationally acclaimed composer Tom Cipulllo,” Puccinelli said. “There also will be a recital Wednesday evening premiering a new work commissioned and performed by famed bass-baritone Michael Anthony McGee  and award-winning pianist Liza Stepanova,” Puccinelli said.

World-renowned pedagogue and doyenne of collaborative piano Jean Barr will serve as the CollabFest keynote speaker and master clinician. Barr, who was the first keyboard artist in the U.S. to be awarded a doctoral degree in accompanying and is considered to be a pioneer in her field, is currently professor and director of the Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music Program in the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music.

“Jean Barr, queen of collaborative pianists, is the mentor of my collaborative piano colleague at UNT, Steven Harlos, co-artistic director of our event. To have Jean is really having collaborative piano royalty present. We are so honored,” Puccinelli said.

Puccinelli and Lisa Sylvester, associate professor of practice at the University of Southern California, developed the concept of this annual event.

 “Lisa suggested the idea of a gathering several years ago – a birthday roast of our beloved mentor at USC, Dr. Alan L. Smith. We honored a landmark birthday for Smith in 2015 and were able to grow this into a one-day festival in 2016 at UNT,” Puccinelli said. “This year, the events are more extensive and there will be activities at both universities with different presenters and performers. Both festivals are devoted exclusively to collaborative piano and, in addition to special guest artist performers, will include student pianists and their partners from area universities.”

Sessions and masterclasses will be presented by guest artists and UNT faculty members addressing issues of performance practice, technique, repertoire, entrepreneurship and health. 

 “Who knows how it will grow next year? I am the artistic director of the UNT event, as Lisa is for USC, but, honestly, this project is directing me – so many pieces fall into place perfectly – better than I could have planned,” Puccinelli said. “It’s a sign to me that this is the right time and that we have struck a need in our pianist community. Being able to make music with another person is a thrill and an honor, and being in a room full of beautiful pianist souls who feel the same way is priceless.”

What: The annual University of North Texas College of Music Gala, this year titled An Enchanted Evening - An Homage to the Leading Ladies of Broadway, is presented by Independent Bank and will feature a concert showcasing the UNT Symphony Orchestra and select student vocalists under the direction of David Itkin. The performance is open to the public. The Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band, directed by Alan Baylock, will perform for guests of the reception and dinner to follow at UNT Gateway Center.

When: 4 p.m. Oct. 8 (Sunday).

Where: Concert will be held at Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35E, Denton. Post-concert reception, dinner and auction will follow at UNT Gateway Center, 801 N. Texas Blvd., Denton.

Tickets: $375 each for concert, reception, dinner, One O’Clock Lab Band performance, valet parking and performer meet-and-greet; $187.50 each for concert, dinner, reception and One O’Clock Lab Band performance; $25 each for concert only. Proceeds benefit student scholarships. Concert is free for UNT students with valid ID, who must pick up their tickets in person at the box office. Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802. Cocktail attire is recommended.

Parking: Free parking will be available in the lot next to the MPAC, with overflow parking available in lots 4 and 26. View the UNT parking map. Valet parking will be available to those with select sponsorship.

More information: For a complete list of UNT College of Music events, including faculty and student recitals, visit the College of Music calendar and the College of Music Facebook page.

Media must RSVP by Sept. 18 to attend the event.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Tunes from “Les Miserables,” “Cabaret,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Wicked” are just a few of the Broadway hits the University of North Texas College of Music will bring to life as part of their annual fundraising gala, this year titled An Enchanted Evening - An Homage to the Leading Ladies of Broadway and sponsored by Independent Bank. 

The concert, which will be held at 4 p.m. Oct. 8 (Sunday) in Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35E, is open to the public and will feature the Symphony Orchestra and student vocalists, conducted by David Itkin. The One O’Clock Lab Band, directed by Alan Baylock, will perform for guests of the reception and dinner at UNT Gateway Center.

“This year is the 70th anniversary of UNT’s jazz program and we have reimagined what our gala can be, moving our post-concert reception, auction, dinner and post-dinner program across the street to the stunning Gateway Center Ballroom,” said John Richmond, dean of the College of Music. “Just imagine a splendid concert of the music of Broadway in our Winspear Hall, followed by a joyous reception, a delicious meal and the marvelous music of our Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band in the Gateway.”

The annual gala is the College of Music's largest fundraiser of the fall semester and helps support scholarships for hundreds of UNT music students. Proceeds also help to ensure the college maintains its competitive legacy and continues to attract world-class musicians.

“Last year’s gala was a glorious celebration of our College of Music, its faculty, staff and students. Remarkably, we also set a new record for music-scholarship fundraising last year,” Richmond said. “We hope to continue that momentum this year thanks to our many generous supporters.”

This year, Independent Bank is the Presenting Sponsor of the gala.

“We deeply appreciate the support Independent Bank has given to the College of Music and are grateful for the difference it will make in our students’ lives through scholarships,” said UNT President Neil Smatresk.

Other sponsors include:

• Corporate sponsors
  • Guitar Center
  • Labatt Food Service
  • Pender’s Music Co.
  • SwashLabs
• Premium Elite sponsors
  • Horace and Euline Brock
  • The Morey Family
• Platinum sponsors
  • Eva Heiberg
  • UNT Office of the President

Cocktail attire is recommended for the event, and gala packages and concert tickets are still available. The cost is $375 each for concert, reception, dinner, One O’Clock Lab Band performance, valet parking and a performer meet-and-greet; $187.50 each for concert, reception, dinner and One O’Clock Lab Band performance; and $25 each for the concert only, with proceeds benefitting student scholarships. The concert is free for UNT students with valid ID, who must pick up their tickets in person at the box office. Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802. Purchase tickets for the post-concert event at 940-369-8417.

He is best known for his many memorable and award-winning film scores including “Silverado,” “Tombstone,” “The Rescuers Down Under,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Harry and the Hendersons,” among others. “JAG,” “Tiny Toon Adventures” and “Dinosaurs” all grace his television theme repertoire. Now, Bruce Broughton, a 10-time Emmy Award winner, will be joining the University of North Texas College of Music as the 2017-18 composer-in-residence. He will work with students and conduct research as part of four one-week residencies throughout the school year.

“I am looking forward to working with the faculty and students at UNT in the various musical ensembles as well as in helping to effectively expand the integration of music in other sorts of media,” Broughton said.

Dean John Richmond said he’s honored that Broughton will be joining the College of Music for the residency.

“Bruce Broughton is among the most distinguished and accomplished composers in America, particularly as pertains to music for TV, film, games and theme parks,” Richmond said. “Most Americans know his music even if they don’t know his name.”

Broughton, who is currently working with Seth MacFarlane on a television project called “The Orville,” will be composer-in-residence for concert and new media in the division of composition studies. He also will be collaborating with jazz studies and conducting and ensembles, as well as working with students in UNT’s Department of Media Arts.

“As our College of Music now explores new opportunities for artistic collaboration with our colleagues in media arts, we are delighted to have Mr. Broughton in residence to help guide our work and encourage our efforts,” Richmond said.

Broughton said he’s looking forward to the visit and being a part of such a strong university.

“I am very impressed with the quality of instruction at UNT, the openness to fresh and contemporary ideas and the passion the faculty, the dean and varied division and department heads demonstrate in working together to achieve the highest quality education,” Broughton said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this already substantial and highly successful arts program.”

Paul Russell Voertman, 88, philanthropist, patron of art and music, and former owner of Denton's iconic Voertman's Bookstore, died June 21, 2017.

Paul wants people to remember him as being fair-minded. But he was so much more to so many people and so many organizations.

Paul was born in Denton on April 30, 1929, to Roy Fredrick and Helena Jacobson Voertman. He grew up with the Voertman Bookstore, which was established near the University of North Texas by his father in 1925. While Paul worked there during breaks from school, he never intended to run the store in adulthood ― he had planned to become a teacher. When his father died unexpectedly in 1951, Paul was 23 years old, in the Army and stationed in Germany. He returned home intending to run the store just long enough to make it saleable, but his retailing philosophy of providing outstanding service and high-quality goods at reasonable prices for customers made the store a great success. Under Paul's direction, the store became more than just a bookstore. The beautifully designed fine arts and housewares he also offered for sale made the store an iconic and cultural Denton landmark. He also operated a store near the Texas Woman's University campus. Paul was generous to his employees, and some worked at the stores for decades before Paul sold the Voertman's enterprise in 1990.

Paul had a partner in operating the stores and in life. While on vacation in 1954, Paul met Richard Mathew Ardoin, who became Paul's life partner until Richard's untimely death in 2002. During their 48 years together, Paul and Richard shared many wonderful interests and experiences, including a love of travel, the arts and Bouviers. Paul commemorated their relationship with the gift of the $1.5 million Richard Ardoin-Paul Voertman Concert Organ in Winspear Hall of the Murchison Performing Arts Center at UNT. The concert organ was formally inaugurated in fall 2008, and it put the College of Music's organ program on the national map.

For more than 60 years, Paul was a strong supporter of the arts in Denton. In 1986, he received the Greater Denton Arts Council Recognition Award for bringing a sense of design to the city through his store, commissioning locally produced art works, sponsoring prizes for Texas arts organizations, and establishing juried art competitions for students at UNT and TWU, which were believed to be among some of the oldest privately sponsored competitive student art exhibitions in Texas. The Voertman Art Competition in UNT's College of Visual Arts and Design just completed its 57th year.

Paul's bond to the university began in kindergarten and continued through 12th grade in the university's Demonstration School, where he received his education. The Demonstration School also served as a training program for future teachers. Paul described the campus as his "playground." As a child, he swam in the university's pool in the summer, roller-skated across campus and went to ʼFessor Graham's stage shows. His childhood dog, Snooker, also was a frequent visitor to campus.

Paul attended the university through his first two years of college before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin, where he completed his bachelor's degree in economics. He returned to Denton every summer to take classes and work at the family store, where generations of students purchased their text books.

Paul was deeply committed to UNT and is among the university's most generous benefactors. His longstanding support has helped students fulfill their dreams of earning a college degree and becoming world-class performers, artists and scholars and helped the university make great strides in the arts and academics. His Voertman-Ardoin Memorial Scholarships are transforming lives by providing funding for first-generation college students. Excellence funds that Paul provided UNT's colleges have helped elevate the reputation of academic programs and address pressing needs.

In 2011, Paul made an $8 million bequest to UNT creating the Ardoin-Voertman Endowment funds, which will be shared equally among the College of Visual Arts and Design, College of Music, and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

In 2009, Paul was presented the UNT Outstanding Alumnus Award, for his loyal support of the university. In 2010, the university named a newly renovated performance space in the Music Building the Paul Voertman Concert Hall in his honor. Last year, Paul was awarded an honorary doctorate -- Doctor of Humane Letters -- from UNT for his devotion to creativity and artistic excellence, and who by his extraordinary achievements added substantial knowledge to the community and society as a whole. He was a member of the UNT McConnell Society, 1890 Society and a lifetime member of the UNT Alumni Association.

For more than three decades, Paul also supported TWU through donations primarily to the Chancellor's Circle, athletics and student scholarships.

Paul's generosity was a mix of wanting to help make things better for individuals he found to be in difficulty -- particularly people disadvantaged by society -- and wanting to help places like UNT be the best they could be. He also was generous to many organizations in need and often as an anonymous donor. He supported the Denton Christian Preschool, Fred Moore Day Nursery School, Monsignor King Outreach Center, and PFLAG, among others.

Paul is preceded in death by his lifelong partner Richard Mathew Ardoin; by his parents Roy Fredrick and Helena Jacobson Voertman; and by his brother Robert Frederick Voertman and sister-in-law Betty 'Babe.'

Paul is survived by his niece Jami Paul Fernette and her husband Greg, and by his nephew Todd Russell Voertman. And, by his lifelong partner's family: Richard's sisters Lorraine Boudreaux and Rosalie Ardoin, and by his brother Mike Ardoin and Mike's partner Bryan Wille.

Paul also is survived by his closest friends: Eduardo, Elena, Eddie and Willie Jimenez; Marcella Franklin; MaeNell Shephard; Link Chalon; Pat Hutton; Georgia Gough; Sue Wahlert; and his dog, Deborah.

Donations may be made in Paul's name to the Denton Christian Preschool, Denton Community Health Clinic, Fred Moore Day Nursery School, or Monsignor King Outreach Center.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held at UNT this fall.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – For University of North Texas College of Music graduate student Brendon Wilkins, the opportunity to perform in the Disneyland All-American College Band was much more than a summer job.

An alto saxophonist, Wilkins performed with some of the best collegiate musicians in the country while learning tips from the industry’s top jazz musicians.

“It was terrific. I have never had an experience quite like this,” said Wilkins, 24, a member of the 2016 band. “I learned a lot about what it takes to make it as a professional musician.”

Wilkins is the most recent University of North Texas student to earn a coveted spot in the Disneyland All-American College Band.

UNT’s College of Music and the All-American College Band share a strong bond. No other university in the country has had more students chosen to participate in the Disneyland college band, which began in 1971. The 21-piece ensemble performs at the Disneyland Resort in California for 11 weeks each summer. As part of the program, students earn school credit by completing a major educational project and train with industry professionals such as Wayne Bergeron, Gregg Field and Rick Baptist.

UNT has 64 band alumni. University of Southern California came in second with 37, and Indiana University third with 30 members.

Why the distinction?

“First and foremost, UNT is a really great music school that produces really great musicians,” said Ben Goodner, who is Disneyland’s Guest Talent Manager. “Second, word of mouth is our greatest source of advertising and UNT students have spread the word among themselves, which has created a grassroots recruiting effort.”

Any full-time college student in the United States, graduate or undergraduate, is eligible to audition for a spot in the band. If selected, band members perform and attend daily clinics and rehearsals. Performances include a big band show with a jazz format and marching band-style shows.

Talent managers who select the participants say they look for excellent musicians, but also engaging personalities.

“We want people who will put themselves out there,” Goodner said. “We look for someone who is not afraid to smile, someone who is not afraid to look a guest in the eye and make a connection.”

For Brian Clancy, a jazz saxophonist and 2011 UNT graduate in jazz studies, performing with the band expanded his musical repertoire and helped launch his career on the West Coast. Clancy now works as a freelance musician in the Los Angeles area. He landed a part-time job as a stage manager at Disneyland and performs in multiple bands at the park year-round.

“I learned how to truly perform in a variety of styles,” said Clancy, who is from Southlake. “I also developed connections, learned a lot about myself and learned a lot about the music industry. I left with a much bigger network than I had when I arrived.”

Wilkins, who earned a bachelor’s degree from UNT in jazz studies and music education in 2016 and is now pursuing his graduate degree, said he has encouraged fellow UNT students to audition for the band.

“The high standards we are accustomed to at UNT and the College of Music set us up to succeed with the All-American College Band,” he said. “We learn everything we need at UNT and are able to put it into action at Disneyland.”

What: Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth will perform a concert at the University of North Texas.

When: 8 p.m. March 9 (Thursday).

Where: Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35E, Denton. The event also will be streamed live at https://recording.music.unt.edu/.

Cost: $10 for the public; $8 for UNT faculty, staff and Alumni Association members; free for UNT students. Students can pick up their free ticket at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office. UNT faculty, staff, alumni and the public, may purchase their tickets at the Murchison Performing Arts Center online.

Parking: Free parking will be available in the lot next to the MPAC, with overflow parking available in lots 4 and 26.

More information: For a complete list of UNT College of Music events, including faculty and student recitals, visit the College of Music online calendar at http://music.unt.edu/calendar and connect with the College of Music on Facebook at Facebook.com/UNTCollegeofMusic and on Twitter at @UNTCoM.

DENTON (UNT), Texas - The Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth is bringing their unique sound back to the University of North Texas. The eight-member ensemble that “mines the expressive potential of the human voice” will perform at 8 p.m. March 9 (Thursday) in the College of Music’s Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center, 2100 Interstate 35E, Denton. The ensemble is returning to perform their final concert as part of their 2016-17 UNT Institute for the Advancement of the Arts residency.

Roomful of Teeth is known for incorporating indigenous vocal techniques from around the world to create unique harmonies. For this reason, the group often characterizes themselves as a “vocal band.”

The ensemble won a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance in 2013 for its debut album, Roomful of Teeth. Member Caroline Shaw won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2013 for her composition, Partita for 8 Voices, that was included on that album. Roomful of Teeth released its second album, Render, in 2015.

One of its members is UNT alumnus Cameron Beauchamp. Thann Scoggin, who earned his bachelor’s in performance in 2004 and master’s degree in library science in 2007, will also perform with the ensemble.

Tickets cost $10 for the public, $8 for UNT faculty, staff and Alumni Association members, and are free for UNT students. Students can pick up their free ticket at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office. The public can purchase tickets through the MPAC box office at 940-369-7802 or visit the center's website. The event also will be streamed live at UNTMusicLive.com.