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.