Jazz Director, Composer, Arranger Conducting in Arkansas
UNT Associate Professor Alan Baylock directed the First Jazz Band during the Arkansas All-State Music Conference – All-State Clinic performances.
UNT Associate Professor Alan Baylock directed the First Jazz Band during the Arkansas All-State Music Conference – All-State Clinic performances.
Brendon Wilkins (BM ’16, MM ’19, Honors College) is serving as director of jazz ensemble, wind ensemble and applied music associate teaching woodwinds at Colby College.
Associate Professor and Division of Jazz Studies Chair, Rob Parton, directs both the Florida and New Mexico All State Jazz Bands.
Richard Scheinin spotlights saxophonist and composer Billy Harper (’65) in The New York Times.
Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano, Dave Meder, announced as a recipient of a commission from Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works for Denton, Texas-based Psalmic Echoes Quartet. New Jazz Works ‘provides grants to U.S. jazz ensembles to create, perform, and if desired, record new works.’ It’s supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Renée McGee, trumpet, has been selected to receive an "Air Force Diversity Fellowship" by The United States Air Force Band and includes a residency to rehearse and perform with the Airmen of Note in Washington, DC in July. Photo: Jerry Almonte.
Jeff Antoniuk (BM ‘90) is founder and CEO of JazzWire, Inc. a “creative and collaborative online learning community for Jazz students.”
Assistant Professor of Jazz Guitar's newest book, “Into the Labyrinth, An Anatomy of Position Playing for Jazz Guitar” released by Mel Bay Publications Inc.
Founded by University of North Texas alumna, Amanda Eckery (BM ’16, Honors College), El Paso Jazz Girls is recognizing its 5th Anniversary. In an effort to help celebrate, the UNT College of Music recently forwarded nine instruments for their student use.
Tyler Mire’s (BM ’10, MM ’12) Multiplayer Big Band released its first album "Critical Hits", featuring arrangements and originals from classic games such as Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger and Sonic the Hedgehog featuring more than 32 current and former University of North Texas North Texas Jazz | UNT Division of Jazz Studies alums.
University of North Texas Professor of Jazz Saxophone, Brad Leali, spoke to Dallas/Fort Worth’s NBC Channel 5 about African American Music Appreciation Month.
The Jazz Journalists Association names Amanda Ekery (BM ’16, Honors College) as the 2022 El Paso Jazz Award Hero. She is "committed to the growth, evolution and advancement of gender equality within jazz's national and international communities."
Michael League, four-time Grammy winner, featured in the June issue of DownBeat Magazine.
The late Lyle Mays (1953-2020), announced as the WINNER for Best Instrumental Composition for “Eberhard.” As a UNT student, he composed and arranged the music for the One O'Clock Lab Band®’s album Lab ’75, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. He was nominated for 24 Grammys – winning 10 as a member of the Pat Metheny Group and receiving a nomination for the first of his five solo albums. He performed with Joni Mitchell and the group Earth, Wind & Fire. In 2010, he was in residency as part of the Glenn E. Gomez International Artists Endowment for Jazz Studies.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-04-03/2022-grammy-winners-complete-list
Affiliated Grammy winner as bassist for best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, “Love for Sale” Affiliated Winner - Daniel Foose, (BM '05, MM '07).
Affiliated Grammy winner as vocalist for Best Instrumental Composition - “Eberhard” by alumnus, the late Lyle Mays (1953-2020). Gary is UNT Alumni BA '92, MA '14.
Affiliated Grammy winner as vocalist for Best Instrumental Composition - “Eberhard” by alumnus the late Lyle Mays (1953-2020). She is BM 95, MM '99 and principal lecturer in jazz studies.
Master of Music student in jazz violin, Alexa Torres Skillicorn, awarded a Fulbright research award for her project, "Ethnography of Practice: An Embodied Jazz Violin Praxis in Poland." She will study in Poland following her research as a Presser Graduate Scholar in France and Belgium.
Rob Parton, Chair of the Division of Jazz Studies, recently served as guest artist or clinician at fourteen locations across the United States.
Jazz Guitar Today’s Thomas Amoriello, Jr. recently featured University of North Texas student Noah Myers. See story and video: tinyurl.com/NoahMyersUNT
Elling is a two-time GRAMMY winner and 15-time nominee and is among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. Composed and conducted by @UNT Professor and Grammy nominee Richard DeRosa with more than 80 UNT music students.
Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge have released their seventh recording, “Within Us,” that includes EIGHT UNT alumni - Tom Brantley, Per Danielsson, Tami Danielsson, Frank Greene, Clay Jenkins, Keith Oshiro, Chuck Owen and Rex Wertz. See the trailer: https://youtu.be/heEuOAP7ZUg
Justin Binek (DMA ’17) joins Rick Lawn co-authoring the 3rd edition of “Experiencing Jazz” published by Routledge Education.
Billy Harper (BA ’65) featured in Billboard Magazine's January 2022 edition with a Ted Panken penned article about The Cookers and its members’ stories. In 1964 Billy Harper became the first African American member of the One O'Clock Lab Band®. See story tinyurl.com/BillyHarper
Callandra Youngleson (MM ’19 Jazz Studies) has joined the faculty of the Chicago Academy for the Arts as instructor of jazz voice.