Chris Williams (BM ’08) begins his role as President and CEO of the American Pianists Association. Board Chair William C. Sando said, “The American Pianists Association has searched for a person with creativity, vision, passion for serving young piano artists and our diverse community, extensive musical leadership experience, and a presence that inspires. We are excited to report that we found all of these traits in Chris Williams.”
Organ graduate student, Ezechiel Daos, serving on the Summer faculty as Associate Cantor for Lutheran Summer Music - LSN Academy Festival, which is a faith-based music academy for high school students.
Professor Jennifer Lane is spending part of her Summer in Hawaii. She appeared as soloist in two concerts, including the William Byrd 400th Anniversary concert and where she directed the Enchanted Isle Vocal Workshop.
The festival selection jury announced the organists taking part in the 32nd St. Albans, United Kingdom, International Organ Competitions. Samuel Gaskin, (MM ’18), along with four others from across the globe, were selected as a competitor in the improvisation category.
Mary Mills of Berlin, Germany will join us as Visiting Lecturer in Voice in the Division of Vocal Studies this fall. Ms. Mills graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati, received a Master of Music from Yale University, and has sung the great operatic roles on many of the major stages in Europe and the United States. Her repertoire ranges from Monteverdi to Mozart and Verdi, Puccini, Strauss, and Wagner to Janáček, along with many contemporary works. She is equally at home in the Italian, French, German, and Slavic repertoires and in the operas of her native USA, and has interpreted new and unfamiliar works from both early 20th-century- and contemporary opera.
Mills made her debut with Houston Grand Opera, sang more than eighteen productions with San Francisco Opera including the world premiere of the role of Cecile in Conrad Susa's The Dangerous Liaisons, and was acclaimed as Zdenka, Micaela and Mimì at The Metropolitan Opera. She made her European debut as Charpentier's Louise in Geneva in 1992, a success that immediately resulted in invitations to the Wexford Festival in Ireland (Camille in Herold's Zampa) and the Bregenz Festival (Olga in Giordano's Fedora). Ms. Mills originated the title role of Joan of Arc in Walter Braunfels' new opera Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna in a Christoph Schlingensief production at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin to rave reviews. In Paris, she enjoyed success with a series of French roles including Manon, Micaela, and Marguerite at both the Opéra Bastille and the Palais Garnier.
Elizabeth Petersen will be joining our faculty this year as a visiting lecturer of music education where she will teach courses in music education and direct the University of North Texas String Project. A Washington native, Dr. Petersen has taught elementary and secondary orchestra and general music for school districts near Seattle and Vancouver, WA, where she also ran a private cello studio and was active as a freelance cellist. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from The Ohio State University, a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, and both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Washington. She has been a clinician and adjudicator at festivals and clinics across the country and has given presentations at national and state music education conferences on topics of interest to string teachers and the greater music education profession. Her research interests include musical practice, student engagement, and string pedagogy.
UNT clarinetist Brooke Miller (DMA ’22) becomes Assistant Professor of Woodwinds and Music Education at Adams State University in Colorado.
Kaitlin Miller (BM ’21 Honors College) named winner of the American Harp Society (AHS) National Competition Young Professional resulting in her being named AHS Concert Artist through 2025. The competition was held in Los Angeles.
Giovannie Cruz (BM ’09) plays Orloni Peddler in "Guardians of the Galaxy 3." She has worked in film, television and as an anime voice actor and music director for Sony's FUNimation Productions on shows such as "Space Dandy" and "If My Favorite Pop Idol Made it to the Budokan I Would Die". Recent television credits include Queen Sugar and NCIS: New Orleans.
Assistant Professor of Music History Brian Wright's article, "What Kenny G Can Teach Us About Jazz," published in the Journal of Jazz Studies.
OPERA America announces that UNT Associate Professor and Music Director of UNT Opera, Stephanie Rhodes Russell, as recipient of a 2023 Opera Grants for Women Stage Directors and Conductors. She will conduct THE KNOCK (Aleksandra Vrebalov, composer; Deborah Brevoort, librettist) at Cincinnati Opera. “These grants open doors for women artists by incentivizing professional opera companies of all sizes to engage women in key artistic roles. These hires enrich the production and performance of new operas and works from the inherited repertoire and inspire future generations of creative artists who identify as women.”
Assistant Professor Daphne Gerling elected to President-Elect of the American Viola Society. Dr. Gerling has served on the AVS board since 2014 and is coordinator of the 2024 American Viola Society Festival in Los Angeles.
Bryan Stevens Espinosa (PhD, Music Theory, ‘22), becomes Assistant Professor of Music Theory at Sam Houston State University.
UNT’s tuba and euphonium ensemble perform at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Tempe, Arizona.
Crysten Ivy has won a clarinet position with the U.S. Marine Fleet Bands.
Lab West (Room 282) begins. The work includes infrastructure changes, acoustic improvements, new seating, the addition of an elevator, and restroom renovations, with additional improvements to enhance educational and audience experiences.
The UNT Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble performed at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Tempe, Arizona.
Sunnyside Records releases new 10 track album, “Way Back.” (funded in part by a 2022 @UNT Scholarly and Creative Activity award from the College of Music). One track called "Wintry Mix," is inspired by the North Texas landscape and weather.
Daniel James Chan (BM ‘04) has released season one original score digital album of NBC’s Quantum Leap.
Aaron Jensen, trumpet (DMA ’20) becomes Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia (USA).
Eldred Marshall (DMA ’18) leads Mansfield Philharmonic as artistic director and conductor. D Magazine describes the ensemble as one of the most diverse orchestras in the United States.
University of North Texas PhD student Thomas Rinn has been appointed as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music Education at Texas State University, San Marcos.
The Journal of Research in Music Education has published Sassy and Strong: Intersections of Race, Attractional Orientation, and Gender Expression Within Music Education, by UNT Professor of Music Education, Don Taylor and colleague Rashaad Calaham. The narrative examines the experiences of a successful Black gay choral teacher in Texas.
Chair of the Division of Music Education, Sean Powell, published by Oxford University Press. The Ideology of Competition in School Music is available through Oxford University Press website.
Through a national juried competition, Jack Lanhardt (BM ’23) has received a Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. The American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation describes recipients as up-and-coming composers and are proud to be a part of their creative journey.
