Music education and saxophone major, Luke Vanek, has received the 2021-2022 undergraduate Presser Award. This award, considered the most prestigious undergraduate award in music at the University of North Texas is provided by The Presser Foundation. The recipient “should show a high level of academic and musical accomplishment and embody the qualities of leadership and citizenship. The recipient is one who has grown individually and who has contributed earnestly to the success of the school of music.” Moving forward, the recipient will be referred to as a Presser Scholar.

The United States premiere of Afro-Cuban puppet opera, Manita en el suelo (1934), is performed tonight in Brooklyn. University of North Texas College of Music Emeritus faculty in musicology and Latin American opera specialist, Malena Kuss, is lending her expertise to the production which is sponsored by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

Music Across the Pond announces the inclusion of University of North Texas Associate Professor of Choral Studies Kristina Caswell MacMullen. The Summer program takes place June 4-27 in Cornwall and Oxford, England.

Collaborative piano alumna Lauren Koszyk (MM'20) joins the faculty of Opera Seme in Arezzo, Italy this summer. She is serving as opera coach, collaborative pianist and Music Director for Opera Seme's production of Umberto Giordano's opera “Mese mariano.”

University of North Texas PhD musicology and DMA vocal performance student, Júlia Coelho, published a co-authored chapter "The Art of Liminality," in The Liminal Loop. Her portion is entitled "Sea, Saudade, and Liminality," on 13th-century Galician-Portuguese 'cantigas d'amigo' by Martin Codax from Pergamiño Vindel.

Kelsey Nussbaum (MMEd, 2018; PhD, Music Education, 2021) has been appointed Assistant Professor of Music Education – Strings (tenure-track) at the Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona. She also serves on the National String Project Consortium board and as vice-chair of the American String Teachers Association's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Grant Harbison, (MM ’10), was recently presented a Milken Educator Award. He is director of bands at The Academies at JHS, Jonesboro, Arkansas. The presentation was part of the Milken Family Foundation’s 35th tour surprising outstanding educators with the award.

American Harp Society Foundation posted its recordings of winners from the 2020 and 2022 Anne Adams Competition, including alumna, Kaitlin Miller. See and hear her performing Sicilienne Variée by Jean-Michel Damase at the link below:

JaRod Hall (BM ‘14) won the 2021 Barbara Buehlman Prize for Composition for his piece, “Through the Storm” to be premiered by a 2022 performing ensemble at the 76th Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

Dax Stokes (MM ’01, MS '07) has been named finalist for the American Prize Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting (none-college division).

University of North Texas UNT Alumni Earnest Lamb (PhD ‘05) joined Purchase College, SUNY as Provost and VP for Academic Affairs.