PLC Journal

Journal

Sharing the Light

The BYU School of Music seeks truth in great music. We strive to lead in the composition, performance, teaching, and understanding of music and to serve the university, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the world through this divine gift.

Celebrate the Abundance In Our Lives!

This season of new beginning offers such promise of light and joy, and we certainly feel that in the BYU School of Music. As we continue to settle into the new Music Building, we are met each day with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what we have been given. We are enormously grateful for the trust that has been placed in us to use this new and astounding facility to our best individual and collective abilities to enhance and magnify our efforts to share light throughout the world. We are committed more than ever to do so! We also see this building as yet another symbol of the unfath omable gift of abundance Our Father in Heaven gives so freely to all His children.

When we pause to look around and truly recog nize all He has given us in this life, we should be filled with love, appreciation, and deep gratitude for the knowledge that we are indeed His chil dren, and He is our Father. And if we seek Him first in all we do, He promises ALL that is His to us. The gospel is truly all about abundance!

This special edition of the School of Music Jour nal celebrates this abundance. We celebrate the abundant recent opportunities given us to share

light through the gifts of talent and the diligent effort of students and faculty. We celebrate the abundant heritage of those upon whose shoulders we stand. We celebrate the promise of opportunities before us to share with others all that Father has given to us.

In this new year, we invite you to enjoy the light we willingly share with you. Then, we invite you to share the abundance of light in your life with others.

Mark Ammons

Donations

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Notable Events

Stories of Our Time

Professors Jihea Hong-Park (Associate Professor, Piano) and Steven Ricks (Professor, Composition and Theory) collaborated with their students to produce “Stories of Our Time,” a recital featuring new music about current issues that are important to students, such as environmental concerns, mental health, and issues of race. Students in the piano division and the commercial music division collaborated to compose and perform the new works. Click here to view a clip of the performance!

Untold Stories

The Untold Stories piano competition was created by BYU piano professors to promote inclusivity and diversity in piano music. Student competitors chose pieces by composers of underrepresented demographics. The purpose of the competition was to inspire students to learn new works and tell the untold stories of the composers.

Tribute to Ukraine

A few members of Men’s Chorus initiated an “all-choir sing” to support Ukraine in February, 2022. This involved members from all the BYU choirs, former missionaries who served in Ukraine, and com-

munity members with connections to Ukraine. All in all, nearly 200 BYU students participated. The combined choir recorded their performance of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” in Ukrainian and shared the video across several social media platforms. In less than a week, it had over 3 million views. Click here to watch their video!

Eric Whitacre Visit

Eric Whitacre, Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, visited the BYU choirs on March 15, 2022. The BYU Singers, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorus, and Men’s Chorus had the remarkable experience of performing 10 of Eric Whitacre’s pieces in concert as Mr. Whitacre conducted. Before the performance, the choirs had the opportunity to rehearse with Mr. Whitacre, hear the backstories of the pieces, and get to know the acclaimed conductor. The final 2 numbers were sung by all 450 students from the stage, both sides of the concert hall, and the balcony.

The Merry Widow

In October 2022, the opera department presented “The Merry Widow.” BYU has one of the longest running opera programs west of the Mississippi, according to Lawrence Vincent, former Director of Opera at BYU. Over all the years of music-making at BYU, there have been over 120 operatic performances, but the Merry Widow was the last opera performed in the Harris Fine Arts Center. Click here to learn more about the opera!

Celebration of Christmas

On December 2–3, 2022, the BYU Singers, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorus, Men’s Chorus, and Philharmonic Orchestra came together for the annual Celebration of Christmas concert, performing together for the last time in the DeJong Concert Hall. They sold out all three of their concerts and over 10,000 people tuned in to the concerts via the School of Music streaming service.

Robert McDonald Visit

On February 2–4, 2023, Robert McDonald, a faculty member of both the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, visited the SoM piano division. Mr. McDonald is a world-renowned pianist and highly sought-after teacher. While at BYU, he mentored students in masterclasses and private lessons, gave a solo recital featuring works from Beethoven, Debussy, and others, and addressed the School of Music students, faculty, and staff in a virtual Encore! Series Lecture.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

On February 10, 2023, the BYU Philharmonic combined with the BYU Singers, Concert Choir, Men’s Chorus, and Women’s Chorus to perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the historic Salt Lake City Tabernacle. The concert featured soloists Jennifer Youngs, Diane Reich, Isaac Hurtado, and Shea Owens, and was conducted by Kory Katseanas. Over 5,000 people viewed the performance, over 2,000 of which tuned in to the live to the stream.

The DeJong Concert Hall, Image courtesy of BYU Photo

Student Accomplishments

Lauren Cain Hardy (MM Piano) published a research article entitled, “Beyond Sibelius: Why his Finnish contemporaries are needed in piano pedagogy.” The article has been published by the 2022 MTNA National Collegiate Chapters Symposium.

Andy Brewer (BM Commercial Music) and Collette Jones (BM Commercial Music) won the Gold award at the Audio Engineering Society Student Competition for best sound design and mixing on the collaborative animation film Stowaway. Collette composed the music for the short film. The Audio Engineering Society is the only professional organization devoted exclusively to audio technology, and their international competition is prestigious. Click here to watch the short film!

John Burton (BM Clarinet) received 2nd Place in the College/Professional Category at the International Clarinet Competition of the American Single Reed Summit 2022.

Tanner Jorden (BM Piano) won first prize in the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Northwest Regional collegiate competition, and now heads to the national collegiate finals in March. He is the youngest pianist from BYU to attend the MTNA national finals.

Savannah Porter (BM Classical Voice) contracted with 2 professional ensembles over the summer of 2022: the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and the American Soloists Ensemble. The American Soloists Ensemble tours in South Korea, and the performances are produced by The National Chorus of Korea in celebration of US-Korea relations. This is a 2-year contract which includes the summer of 2023.

Oswaldo Machado (MM Instrumental Conducting) won The Respighi Prize in Conducting. The Respighi Prize is an international competition for composers, soloists, and conductors. Machado made his Carnegie Hall debut on May 27, 2022, conducting the New York Chamber Orchestra as they performed one of Respighi’s works.

Lucas Zuehl (BM Classical Voice) accepted a paid contract to sing as a Vocal Fellow in the 2023 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. The Festival selects singers from across the nation to perform major choral, operatic, and chamber works.

David Kime (BM, Piano and Organ) was one of four students selected to attend the 2023 National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association, held on February 23, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. David conducted a collegiate demonstration choir, and was tutored by the luminaries of the choral profession: Joe Miller, André Thomas, Felicia Barber, and Elizabeth Schauer.

Savannah Jones (MM, Piano) was invited to present her research at the National Association of Music Teachers (MTNA) National Conference in March 2023, Reno, Nevada. Her research is entitled “Instagram: Start Building Your Musical Career and Connections Today!”

Sylvan Scott (BM Piano) presented his research at the The National Association of Music Teachers National Collegiate Symposium in Fort Worth, Texas in January, 2023. His research is entitled “Muscular Tension and Self-Massage: The Burden Pianists Carry.”

Stevie Dugdale (MM Choral Conducting) accepted a paid contract to sing in the 2023 Oregon Bach Festival (OBF) Chorus. OBF, one of the world’s leading music festivals, selects singers through nationwide auditions to form their professional chorus.

Experiential Learning

The Jazz Legacy Band participated in the Kubo Jazz Festival in Italy during the summer of 2022. They performed in a small town near Ronciglione, at the Umbria Jazz Festival, and in Serre. The group enjoyed sharing their music with the people of Italy.

Emily Steele (BM Classical Voice) and Brooke Ballard (BM Piano) studied abroad in Vienna with other music students during the spring of 2022. Emily and Brooke toured historical music sites, received private music lessons from professional Austrian performers, and studied Art and Music History through the Austro-American Institute of Education.

Jillian Townsend (BM Flute), Arielle Cline (BM Flute), and Melodie Wride (BM Flute) attended the International Music Academy Orpheus in Vienna, Austria, during the summer of 2022. They worked personally with composers, performed in the Mariahilf cathedral, and made connections with international students and professors.

Emily Lambert (BM, Viola) attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Colchester, Vermont over the summer of 2022. Emily described working with world-renowned teachers, overcoming technical challenges, and making connections with professional musicians as a “transformative” experience for her as a musician.

Ensembles

BYU Synthesis was invited to compete in the Jack Rudin Jazz Championship in New York City on April 19–20, 2022. Synthesis received awards for their trombone section and trumpet section. The following students won individual awards: Heather Cutler (piano), Outstanding Soloist; Brynn Chapman, Outstanding Alto Sax; Jack English, Outstanding Trombone and Outstanding Student Arrangement; Kevin West, Outstanding Trombone; Aiden Williams, Outstanding Bass Trombone; and Bryant Jordan, Outstanding Trumpet.. Click here to watch their performance in New York! On April 22, BYU Synthesis performed at the Estonian House as guests of the Estonian Embassy. Distinguished guests included Counsel Generals and dignitaries from the UN as well as ambassadors from around the world.

The BYU Singers traveled to Spain and competed in the 53rd International Choral Contest of Tolosa in October 2022. The BYU Singers were specifically invited to participate in the competition. They won second place in the folk category and third place in the polyphony category. American choirs do not typically medal at these international competitions, and The BYU singers were honored to receive these two international distinctions. Click here to view their performance!

The BYU Trumpet Ensemble placed 2nd in the incredibly competitive National Trumpet Competition, making it the first time an ensemble from BYU has advanced in this national competition, made it to the final round, and placed in the top three. Click here to watch their performance!

Ensembles Tour to Europe

Chamber Orchestra: Czech Republic, Austria & Italy

The BYU Chamber Orchestra toured the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy from April 29 through May 12, 2022, and gave eight concerts throughout the tour. The group tours every few years, and each trip is an opportunity for musicians to grow and communicate with their audiences through the universal language of music.

The BYU Chamber Orchestra traveled to Vienna, and had the chance to see the Vienna Philharmonic perform live in concert. The Vienna Philharmonic is one of the world’s top orchestral groups. Listening to the Vienna Philharmonic perform live was not only a bucket list item for many orchestra members, but also an important and precious learning experience for the musicians.

In Vienna, the group performed in Minoritenkirche, a gothic cathedral built in the thirteenth century. They also performed a humanitarian concert for Ukrainian refugees. The concert was titled “A Musical Prayer for Ukraine” and one of the pieces performed was a famous Ukrainian piece, “Melody,” by Myroslav Skoryk. It was an emotional concert for both

the musicians and the audience. Click here to listen to watch the Chamber orchestra perform “Melody.”

While in Rome, Italy, the orchestra had the opportunity to perform at the Rome Temple Visitor Center. They performed “A Child’s Prayer.” The group’s final performance of the tour was at Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, one of the oldest universities in history.

Men’s Chorus: Sweden, Estonia & Latvia

The BYU Men’s Chorus toured Sweden, Latvia, and Estonia from May 19 through May 24, 2022. Men’s Chorus participated in the “Festival of Three” tour. Three of the highest performing collegiate-level choirs participated in the festival: an all men’s group (BYU Men’s Chorus), all women’s group (Texas Women’s University Concert Choir), and a combined group (Iowa State Singers).

The first stop was in Sweden. The choirs toured Stockholm and performed in the Stockholm (Storkyrkan) Cathedral. There, they made friends with members of the Stockholm Cathedral Youth Choir.

After arriving in Tallinn, Estonia, they headed to their first rehearsal and concert at the Kaarli Church in Tallinn.

While in Tallinn the choir also had the opportunity to perform a couple of hymns in a sacrament meeting.

The last leg of the tour was spent in Latvia. As in the other countries they visited, the choir saw beautiful historical sights and were privileged to sing in cathedrals in Riga and Cesis. The highlight of Latvia and the culmination of the entire tour was their opportunity to participate in the world premiere of a new three movement choral piece, “Naming the Rain,” written by renowned composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. Click here to watch a clip of one of their performances!

BYU Singers: Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

The Brigham Young University Singers toured to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania from May 1 through May 17, 2022.

The Singers’ tour first took them to Estonia. In Tallinn, the group performed in church for the local congregation, singing “God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son,” and “I Am a Child of God’’ (with the last verse in Estonian). They also gave a devotional for members and the community. At the devotional, they continued to perform faith-based songs, including “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” sung in Ukrainian and “I Am a Child of God.”

The group also participated in service while they were in Tallinn at a local orphanage.

The Singers collaborated with other choirs to perform jointly in St. John’s church. They all worked on a piece in Estonian which created a sense of camaraderie with the other choirs.

At their concert in Tartu, Estonia, the Singers performed a piece by Estonian composer Cyrillus Kreek, as well as some upbeat American music. When the choir pulled out their percussion and bongo drums, one audience member stood up and danced to their song.

After spending a few days in Estonia, the Singers traveled to Latvia. There, the Singers quickly learned songs in Latvian, often on the day of the concert, to perform for the local audiences.

They also had the opportunity to work personally with Eriks Ešenvalds, an up-and-coming Latvian composer. Having already performed some of his works, the choir enjoyed getting the composer’s take on the music.

Outside of formal performances, the Singers also took time to perform in church services, singing hymns in the native tongue of both Latvian and Russian members. After each performance, both formal and vocational,

the Singers took time to meet with their audiences and enjoyed the opportunity to make new friends.

On the last leg of the tour, the choir traveled to Klaipėda University in Lithuania, where they participated in a choral competition. The BYU Singers won first place in every division they participated in: Mixed Choir, Sacred Music, and Folk Song. They also won two special awards, the first for Best Performance of a Contemporary Piece and the second for the compulsory piece that all the choirs performed. They also won the Grand Prix prize and the Amber award. Click here to watch the performance that won the “Best Performance of the Compulsory Piece” prize.

Collectively, the BYU Singers gave fifteen concerts. In each city and performance, the Singers’ geared their music toward their audience, always striving to create a shared connection through their music.

BYU Singers Tour Photos courtesy of Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo.

Sydney Hinrichsen Organizes the Bach Project

At the age of three, Sydnee Hinrichsen began pestering her parents about getting a violin. “My favorite babysitter played the violin and I wanted to be just like her,” Hinrichsen recalled. However, her parents were not easily swayed to buy their young daughter such an expensive instrument.

Three-year-old Hinrichsen continued begging for a violin. For Christmas, her parents gave her a toy violin that played Vivaldi’s Four Seasons when she put the bow on the plastic strings. The pretend violin only lasted a matter of weeks because Hinrichsen played it incessantly. This final act and more begging convinced her parents to get her a real violin when she was four and a half.

Hinrichsen has been playing the violin for 20 years now. “It was not a phase,” she joked. Hinrichsen’s most recent violin accomplishment, The Bach Project, brought together 31 violinists who all have ties to BYU. The Bach Project is a performance of all of the Bach Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas.

She had seen the idea on Elizabeth Faidley’s Instagram. Faidley is a professor at the Manhattan School of Music, a violinist that Hinrichsen greatly admires.

Many of Hinrichsen’s friends expressed interest in participating and her BYU violin professor Monte Belknap encouraged her to take on the project. Henrichsen realized that if this was going to happen, she had to take charge. 31 violinists performed in the project, but Hinrichsen said she reached out to over 70 people. “I really had to reach out to every contact I had, even people I had not talked to in a long time,” Hinrichsen said. She also said that she learned her circle was bigger than she thought. When the performance came and all the violinists gathered, Hinrichsen felt that there was a beautiful sense of community and camaraderie.

During the rehearsal process, Hinrichsen thought heavily about the advice Belknap gave her to get just one percent better each time. As she prepared, Hinrichsen focused on having more mindful practice, telling herself that it was okay to focus on one measure at a time. This careful practice was important as she had the most difficult movement to perform—14 minutes long and memorized. Although there were difficulties leading up to the performance, Hinrichsen noted that everything fell into place when it came time to perform. She said that there was definitely divine help in getting everything to go just right.

Hinrichsen’s advice to anyone who might want to take on a large project is, “Why wait? Someone’s gotta do it so it might as well be you.”

Faculty Accomplishments

Sam Tsugawa (Associate Professor, Music Education) published a research paper entitled “Bridging the Digital Divide: Distance music learning among older adult musicians.” The study is about older musicians, Zoom, and using technology during the height of the pandemic. Tsugawa’s article can be found in the International Journal of Music Education.

Andrew Crane (Professor, Choral Conducting) sang with the Grammy-nominated choir Seraphic Fire in South Florida on March 20–27, 2022. Conducted by Dr. James K. Bass, the concert titled “Biebl: Ave Maria— Music for Men’s Chorus” was performed in Miami, Naples, Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Beach. Crane’s performance was highlighted in Lawrence Budmen’s South Florida Classical Review. Budmen said, “Andrew Crane’s declamation in “Khorhood Khorin” was thrilling, his tenor strong with real ping and strength at the top.”

Stephen Beus (Associate Professor, Piano) performed Prokofiev’s 3rd Piano Concerto with the Timpanogos Symphony on March 4 and 5, 2022. The second half of the concert featured a movement from Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky entitled “Great Gates of Kiev.” The performance was a meaningful tribute to the music of Ukraine.

Shea Owens (Assistant Professor, Classical Voice), appeared as a guest artist with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square on July 15–17, 2022. He performed in their concert “Love thy Neighbor: A Special Tabernacle Choir Event.” The event featured music centered around messages of love and care for all.

Jihea Hong-Park (Associate Professor, Piano) performed as a member of the acclaimed Ardelia Trio at the 2022 Bar Harbor Music Festival in Bar Harbor, Maine. The festival celebrated its 56th anniversary season. In September 2022, Prof. Hong-Park visited USC where she performed, presented lectures, and participated in a panel discussion titled “Supporting Asian and Asian American Students and Faculty in Music.” Additionally, Prof. Hong-Park has been appointed to the Artist Faculty at the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival. The Summer Institute program is one of the country’s elite summer festivals for gifted music students.

Scott Holden (Professor, Piano) taught at the Juilliard Summer Performing Arts program in Florida; he has been on Juilliard’s Summer Performing Arts faculty since 2017. Additionally, Holden traveled from California to Florida throughout the year performing and teaching at universities. In his recitals, he premiered Lisa Despain’s new 6-movement “Symphonic Jazz Suite,” which he commissioned through the School of Music Barlow Endowment.

Steven Ricks’ (Professor, Composition and Theory) recent album Assemblage Chamber features three chamber works that incorporate elements of the Baroque style into Ricks’ glitchy, collage-oriented textures. Assemblage Chamber features performances by the NOVA Chamber Music Players, counter) induction, Aubrey Woods (violin), Alex Woods (violin), and Jason Hardink (harpsichord).

Shawn Smith (Associate Professor, Instrumental Conducting) taught and conducted at a seminar in Santiago de Veraguas, Central Panama (August 10–14, 2022). Eighteen conductors from around the country and 100 music students attended. Dr. Smith taught conducting and rehearsal techniques, met with school administrators and government education officials, and conducted rehearsals and a concert with two bands. In December 2022, Dr. Smith traveled to Valencia, Spain, to work with the students of the Conservatori Ciutat de Moncada.

Randa Alvord (Student Advisor) won the BYU 2022 Young Professional Advisor of the Year Award. The award recognizes and rewards new- to mid-level advisors who have demonstrated exceptional skill and potential in their academic advising and highlights individuals who show promise in their advising career through their contributions to their college and students.

Rick Baldassin (Piano Technician) received the Louis Renner Award of Excellence at the Technicians Guild Convention in 2022. Baldasssin was recognized for his many contributions and lifetime of service and dedication to the piano industry. Renner is the premier piano action (striking mechanism) maker in the world, used in Fazioli, Bösendorfer, Hamburg, Steinway, and other fine pianos. Baldassin is the 3rd piano technician in the world to have ever received this award.

Kory Katseanes Wins the American Prize

The American Prize Competitions in the Performing Arts is a prestigious program, and is the most comprehensive series of performing arts contests in the nation. The American Prize receives thousands of submissions each year from performing artists, directors, composers, and ensembles across the nation.1

In 2022, BYU’s own Kory Katseanas was awarded the American Prize in Conducting Orchestras at the College and University Division for the BYU Philharmonic’s performance of Symphony no. 9 by Gustav Mahler on April 9, 2019. This is the first time that anyone at BYU has won such an award.

Katseanas has directed the School of Music orchestral program for over 20 years. He describes Mahler’s last symphony as an “extraordinary masterpiece.” According to Katseanas, “This piece is very rarely attempted by a university orchestra because of its complexity and difficulty, but the orchestra did a remarkable job.”

The orchestra spent a full year studying the piece, listening to recordings, and learning about the history of Mahler and his music. The Philharmonic’s performance on April 9, 2019, was “the culmination of a year-long study by the orchestra to comprehend…the last symphony of Mahler” according to Katseanes.

But Katseanes recognizes that his award is also a recognition of the excellence of the students in the School of Music. “This award really isn’t about me,” said Katseanes. “It’s about the players. If you get nominated for an award like this, you’ve got musicians that are putting you out there.”2 Kory also thanks Jeff Carter and Tony Sales who assisted him in mastering the professional quality audio for submission.

This award recognizes the prestige and talent of the School of Music. Katseanes said, “I am gratified that something for which we labored so long to accomplish was recognized by peers around the country, and that finally, BYU has cracked the listings for the first time and can get a little visibility amongst other prestigious orchestras and universities.”

Click here to view the Philharmonic’s 2019 performance of Mahler’s Symphony no. 9.

2. Merrill, Sydni. (2022, December 16). BYU Music Professor Wins National Award in Orchestra Conducting. College of Fine Arts and Communications.

Alumni Accomplishments

Rachel Willis-Sørensen (MM ’09), soprano, is a regular guest at leading opera houses around the world. She produced her debut album, Rachel, in 2022 with Sony Classical as part of a multi-record deal. Her next album Strauss: Four Last Songs will be released in March, 2023. Image via rachelwillissorensen.com.

Hyrum Kholer (BM, ’22) was accepted into the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington, which boasts the most prestigious viola program in the country. Image via cfac.byu.edu

Tyree Hastings (MM ’19) graduated from BYU with a Masters of Music in Percussion Performance, and became the director of percussion at University of Texas Tyler in 2022. Image via tyreehastingsmusic.com

Jennifer Hansen Heder (MM ’13) studied Choral education and conducting at BYU, after which she was then conferred the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting by the Michigan State University College of Music. She is now the Director of Choral Studies at Fresno City College in Fresno, California.

Catherine Winters Boyack (BM ’19) was one of fourteen worldwide competitors, and the only American, to advance to the semifinals in the Kobe International Flute Competition. Since the competition began nearly 30 years ago, only four Americans have advanced to the semifinals, and Catherine Boyack is the fifth. Image via wmshaynes.com

Jonah Hoskins (BM ’20), tenor, made his European debut at the Semperoper Opera House in Dresden, Germany, and played the role of Chevalier Belfiore in Rossini’s II viaggio a Reims. Jonah has also performed with the Metropolitan Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, and the San Francisco Opera. Image via jonahhoskins.com

Courtney Lawson (BM ’17) has accepted a full-time position with the prestigious Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina, as the festival’s Producing Administrator. Image via linkedin.com

Aubrey Odle (MM), mezzo-soprano, took 2nd place at the National Opera Association competition. Over 400 singers applied to the competition, and Aubrey competed against 10 other finalists before being awarded 2nd place. Image via aubreyodle. com

J� Scott Rakozy (BM ’16) and Peter Murray (BM ’17), graduates from the Commercial Music program, composed the music for Hogwarts Legacy, a highly anticipated video game produced by Warner Brothers. Images via jscottrakozy.com and linkedin. com

Dr� Kirt Saville, former Director of the BYU School of Music was recently inducted into the Utah Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame for his dedicated and decorated 40-plus-year career in music education.

Dr� Don Peterson, former and long-time Director of Bands, was also recently inducted into the Utah Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame for his dedicated and decorated 40-plus-year career in music education.

Kaden Larson and Phantasium

Kaden Larson is a BYU School of Music alum, doctoral student at Indiana University, and the proud creator of his newest album Phantasium. The path to publication required Larson to be resilient, dedicated, and committed to becoming a better follower of Christ and musician.

The idea to record an album first came to Larson while he was studying in Indiana, but the process led him back to Dayne’s Music in Utah, where the cost to record would be lower. At Dayne’s Music, Larson connected with audio engineer Parker Robinson, who eventually would edit and mix Phantasium.

Larson spent over a year learning the music for the album. As he learned to play the music, he found connections between the pieces and began programming. Learning the music and programming was a long process as Larson continued to get feedback from those around him.

According to Larson, musicians face a unique challenge when recording: working to maintain the spark of the music. Practicing the same pieces on repeat can drain the music of its

spontaneity. “Recording is not like a live performance, it lives on,” Larson said.

The preparation, he said, was the most difficult part, as well as learning how to interpret the music. Larson had to decide what aspects of the interpretation were most important to him. Ultimately, he decided it was most important that the music was true to him and that it was honest.

The best part of the process was the support, Larson said. He received support from his parents, friends, wife, and teachers—like BYU’s Scott Holden and Indiana University’s Norman Krieger.

Larson said he learned an important lesson at BYU: his first goal in life is to be a good person and follower of Christ, second a good musician and third a good pianist. Whatever he is doing with music, Larson said that he tries to get out of the way so the music is not about him and so it can speak for itself.

He said that a lot of the music on Phantasium is connected to characteristics of Christ, like finding faith, joy, and patience. When Larson performs he said he strives to show the audience that this music comes “from real people, who are also children of God, who also had life experiences and challenges and things that they had to overcome.” Larson said the music also represents how we all have challenges we face every day, but there is always beauty to be found.

One of the biggest lessons that Larson learned from playing the piano is the importance of being diligent, trusting the process, and taking your time. To anyone searching for advice when it comes to producing an album, Larson said that musicians should be prepared to invest in something and be willing to make sacrifices when creating an album. “Get advice and help from people who have done it before, don’t be afraid to ask questions and find support,” Larson advised. Similar to BYU’s objective of life-long learning, Larsen said it’s important to remember that the learning process never ends.

Click here to listen to Phantasium on Spotify!

Zach Collier: I’m Still Getting Better

Some people stumble upon music, others seek it out in each part of their life. Zach Collier falls into the second category. In the past year, he has released two EPs (mini albums): The Graduate as a solo production, and Rue de Paris Sessions with his band Michael Barrow & The Tourists.

Collier described The Graduate as a self-specific project. He had been working on it since his time at BYU. The third song, “I’m Not Any Better,” began as his capstone project before graduating with his Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music in 2018.

Creating The Graduate was something Collier really enjoyed, but he prefers collaborating with a group. Making music with a group has given him confidence and has connected him with one of his greatest supporters, he said.

Trevor Harmon, a former guitarist for Michael Barrow & The Tourists, encouraged Collier to produce The Graduate. Collier said that Harmon would call and check-in, holding him accountable during the production process.

Producing an album is a time-consuming process, so it is necessary to manage time well. Collier said that he groups tasks into “time chunks.” He sets a certain amount of time for each job and responsibility. This organization is necessary as Collier splits his time between editing the Provo Music Magazine—which he co-founded, working as the internal communications coordinator for the College of Engineering at BYU, producing his EP, performing with Michael Barrow & The Tourists, and being a husband and father.

As a member of a band, Collier has had the opportunity to perform live and in recording studios. When playing in a recording studio, Collier said the process is very methodical and thoughtful. However, he said that performing live is exhilarating and he’s able to feed off the energy of the crowd.

There is a lot of work that goes into performing live, especially because Collier’s band recently returned from going on tour. Collier said that it takes a lot of courage and preparation so that the music feels natural on stage.

A friend of Collier’s shared an Italian word with him that connects with wanting a performance to feel effortless: sprezzatura. Collier said his friend described it as “planned spontaneity.”

He explained, “it’s about practicing so much that you don’t make mistakes. Making excellence a habit helps your performances feel effortless and fun instead of stilted and rehearsed.” Having courage and solid preparation are lessons Collier said he has learned through many years of creating music.

Collier said he believes music is inherently collaborative, and that we need each other to make music. The last take away Collier said he learned while a student at BYU is that “everybody’s good at something and everybody sucks at something, but everyone has something to offer.”

Click here to listen to Zach’s music on SoundCloud!

Social Media

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@livebyumusic

@livebyumusic

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Brigham Young University School of Music

We recognize that donated funds are precious and sacred. We strive to use these funds appropriately by carefully determining the strategic priorities for the college which are approved by BYU’s President’s Council and the Board of Trustees.

To give on our secure online gift form, scan or click the QR code below and select the fund “School of

Please call (801) 422-8611 if you have questions, if you would like more giving options, or if you would like to give your information over the phone.

Thank you for considering a gift to the