College of Music in the News

Image of Megan Koch in performance. Credit: Fort Worth Symphony

Student Performance to be Broadcast

Megan Koch, GAC singer and Fort Worth Opera Lesley Resident Artist, performed Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro,” and was featured artist with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Opera, Texas Ballet Theater and The Cliburn in a first-ever collaborative concert. The pre-recorded performance was broadcast July 3, 2020 on WFAA Channel 8. Photo courtesy of FWSO.

 

Sean Powell

Music Education Chair Accepts Leadership Positions

Sean Powell, Chair of the Division of Music Education, elected Chair-Elect of the Society for Music Teacher Education. His 2-year term culminates by assuming the Chair role in 2022. Also, he will be joining the Editorial Board of the Journal of Research in Music Education

Vox Aquila

University Singers to Present at ACDA

UNT University Singers, conducted by Kristina Caswell MacMullen, will present at the 2021 national conference of the American Choral Directors Association as an invited interest session with the topic, “Intentional In-Between: The Art of Seamless Performance Transitions.” Additionally, University Singers, as part of the collegiate honor choir, will perform William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast along with Baylor University, University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Christian University. The concert will be conducted by Simon Halsey with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. Photo: Projected images from Rose-Lynn Fisher’s Topography of Tears.

Jennifer Mendez Daffinee

Alumna Jennifer Mendez Daffinee Named First Prize Winner

Clarinetist Jennifer Mendez Daffinee (DMA '18), was named winner of the 2020 International Clarinet Association Research Competition for her presentation, "Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr: American Clarinet Performer and Pedagogue." Her prize includes guaranteed publication in The Clarinet.

Jaymee Haefner

Jaymee Haefner Appointed as Director of Graduate Studies

Dean John W. Richmond has announced the appointment of Jaymee Haefner, Assistant Professor of Harp, as the College of Music’s next Director of Graduate Studies. She previously served as Director of Undergraduate Studies and as the Administrative Chair of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. She begins her duties August 1st.

Joshua Habermann

Joshua Habermann to Conduct at ACDA

UNT professor to conduct at American Choral Directors Association national conference. Joshua Habermann, UNT professor of choral literature, will be conducting the Dallas Symphony Chorus and Dallas Symphony Orchestra in two movements from the Messa per Rossini, the Introit by Buzzolla and the final movement, which is also the final movement of Verdi's Requiem (Libera Me). He is director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus and music director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

ACDA Logo

Vox Aquilae and Baroque Orchestra invited to ACDA conference

The American Choral Directors Association 2021 national conference has extended an invitation to UNT’s Baroque Orchestra, Paul Leenhouts, director and Vox Aquilae, directed by Allen Hightower, as demonstration groups presenting "Baroque Choral Works with Period Instruments from the Archives of Prince Carl Liechtenstein of Kroměříž."

The Metropolitan Opera Logo

Croft and Fillmore Perform in Metropolitan Opera Stream

New York’s Metropolitan Opera streamed the production of Satyagraha by Philip Glass, with UNT Distinguished Research Professor of Voice, Richard Croft featured in the leading role of Mahatma Gandhi and Professor of Voice and Chair of the Division of Vocal Studies Molly Fillmore featured in the role of Mrs. Naidoo. This was part of the Met’s free streaming program they began at the start of their closure due to COVID-19. The text is sung in Sanskrit, taken from the Bhagavad Gita.

A Cappella Choir

A Cappella Choir to perform at 2021 ACDA Conference

Allen Hightower will direct as they perform at the 2021 national conference of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Only 24 choirs from across the United States have been invited. A Cappella is one of only three university mixed choirs invited nationally and the only mixed university/college choir from Texas. This is the fourth appearance of the UNT A Cappella choir at the national conference in 22 years conducted under Mel Ivey, Jerry McCoy and, now, Allen Hightower. The conference will be held in Dallas in March 2021.

Jazz Studies Logo

DownBeat Magazine Awards UNT Vocal Jazz

The 43rd annual Student Music Awards were awarded to UNT Jazz Singers, Jennifer Barnes, director, Wes Dziedzic for Outstanding Scat Soloist on “Course” and Outstanding Improv Soloist: Vaughn Faison on “Estrogenia” along with Avenue C, Kathryn Sherman, director and Hanna Song as Outstanding Scat Soloist on “Beautiful Moons Ago”. See pages 71 & 84.

 

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