BYU SCHOOL OF MUSIC Journal
The Best is Yet to Come!
President Russell M. Nelson gave a profoundly powerful message at the conclusion of the October 2024 General Conference:
“My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!” (underline added)
He also provided a positive message of hope and anticipation as he stated, The best is yet to come!
The School of Music consistently seeks to represent Jesus Christ in all we do. The solo and ensemble performances, research and compositional endeavors, and community outreach programs by our students and faculty are our ways of helping gather scattered Israel and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Lord through striving to share the Light of Christ in all we do. While much good has been and is being done, we reaffirm that indeed the BEST IS YET TO COME!
We invite you to share the light found in the School of Music Journal with family and friends who you believe may be interested in what we do. We also invite you and others to join our recitals and concerts that are live-streamed on musicstreaming.byu.edu. These streamed concerts and recitals are free and available to all!
Finally, we invite you to join us in talking, singing, and testifying of Christ in whatever ways work for you! Keep letting your light shine brightly for others to see and feel. And above all else –Rejoice in Jesus Christ!
With joy and gratitude, Mark Ammons
Assistant Director
BYU School of Music
Upcoming SoM Events
BYU OPERA: American Ghost Stories
February 15 Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
February 18–22 Tuesday–Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
The Mainstage Theatre, West Campus
SYMPHONIC BAND: Silver Screen Serenade
Tuesday, February 18, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Building
JAZZ LEGACY BAND
Friday, February 21, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Building
BYU Violin Showcase
Tuesday, February 25, 7:30 PM
Recital Hall, Music Building
Click the logos for more details!
String Faculty Chamber Night
Wednesday, February 26, 7:30 PM
Choral Hall, Music Building
ORPHEUS WINDS
Thursday, March 06, 7:30 PM
Recital Hall, Music Building
WIND
SYMPHONY: Concert Band Festival
Friday, March 07, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Building
SALT LAKE TABERNACLE ORGANISTS
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Building
BYU SINGERS: Musica Eclectica
Wednesday, March 12, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Building
The BYU Musicians’ SummerFestival and Institute is looking for camp counselors! Counselors supervise groups of participants and reside in the residence hall throughout the program. They also assist with check-in and check-out, supervise evening activities, and teach nightly devotionals.
Dates: June 10-21, 2025
Click graphic for more information!
Rare Tunes, Close Ties: Ensign Singers
By: Lucas Zuehl
Ensign Singers is a community choir dedicated to performing masterworks and eclectic repertoire at the highest level. Since its inception, the choir has become a pillar of Provo’s musical landscape, with performances featuring classical staples and contemporary compositions.
David Kime (MM Choral Conducting) founded Ensign Singers in 2019 when the Mission Leaders of the Utah Provo Mission requested choral music for firesides. Afterward, David brought the group back together to perform the Rheinberger Mass in C Major in the summer of 2021. This sparked the formation of a choir committed to presenting high-quality choral music apart from the typical selections performed at BYU.
Some examples of the repertoire include Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach’s Advent Cantata BWV 62, and works by young local composers such as Spencer Baldwin, CJ Madsen, and Ryan Winborg. The group has distinguished itself by embracing both traditional and niche repertoire, incorporating lesser-done masterworks and newly composed pieces.
Rather than striving to be the best choir in terms of competition, Ensign Singers focuses on singing the best music. David Kime has found that many significant choral pieces are less performed along the Wasatch Front. “One reason people don’t have an appreciation for this music is they simply don’t hear it done enough,” David said. The ensemble seeks to bridge this gap by delivering performances that bring these works to life.
David Kime directs Ensign Singers
David also includes new assistant conductors on every project, recognizing that his first meaningful conducting experiences came only when he was given a similar opportunity. One of the guest conductors on the last program, Gaby Soto (Senior, BA Music), said of her time with Ensign Singers, “It can be intimidating standing in front of the best singers I know… But I
was surrounded by friends who are so supportive and I was impressed with how we could all make it work.”
A defining trait of Ensign Singers is the community that has been fostered. It’s clear David understands that to draw and maintain high-level singers in any community ensemble, they must, above all, enjoy their time together. He sets this tone with his leadership. “David is the most humble director I have ever worked with. You can tell he is just grateful to perform this music, and he will always take the blame for mistakes in rehearsal, even when it is our fault,” said Caroline Busselberg (MM Vocal Performance), a soprano in the last season of Ensign Singers.
The theme of Ensign Singers’ upcoming winter program is polyphony, celebrating the 500th anniversary of Palestrina’s birth, alongside music by Orlando Gibbons, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Alice Parker, and Reena Esmail. The concert will be March 16, 2025 at St. Mark’s Cathedral.
For those interested in learning more, contact David Kime at: ensignsingers@gmail.com Or visit the Facebook page: facebook.com/ensignsingers
Sacred Songs in the Making: BYU Faculty Shape the New Hymn Book
By: Lucas Zuehl
The creation of the new hymnbook is a monumental task, requiring years of extensive research, thousands of contributions, and numerous accomplished musicians. Many current and emeritus faculty from the School of Music serve on this project, including Dr. Yorgason, Dr. Bailey, and Dr. Jones.
Dr. Brent Yorgason is a member of the Attributions Committee, ensuring that composer and poet attributions made in the hymnal are accurate. “I’m often asked to determine how hymn version A compares with hymn version B musically, or whether version C is an arrangement, an adaptation, or an alteration of version D. As a music theorist, this is the kind of analysis I have been doing for many years,” Dr. Yorgason said. His committee has discovered some current attributions to be incorrect. “A text or tune may have been falsely attributed to a well-known figure rather than the actual creator,” he explained. “In some cases, we can identify creators that have long been regarded as anonymous. In other cases, we have determined that
Dr.
additional creators have contributed to a hymn’s development.” Overall, the amount of research going into the new hymnal is far beyond any previous Church hymnals.
Dr. Yorgason is also impressed by the “care directed towards every single word in our hymns and children’s songs, and how those words might affect each child and member throughout the Church.”
Dr. Erin Bailey serves on the Member Music Experiences Committee, which assists members in connecting to the new hymnbook. This role fits with her life work—helping people learn to read music and sing. “The purpose of these resources is to prepare people to feel confident in singing the hymns of the church,” Dr. Bailey said. One way they are accomplishing this is by “working with four amazing students in the computer science department to create gamified learning activities.”
At one point, she was asked to review batches of 100 hymn contributions at a time to decide which would move on in the review process. Dr. Bailey recalled, “I was reading through a hymn that I could tell wouldn’t fit the guidelines. Suddenly, my heart was so deeply touched as I thought of faithful saints all over the world who submitted these beautiful offerings. I recognized that we wouldn’t be able to choose them all…but as I sang through that submission, I got such an overwhelming feeling of God’s love for the person who submitted it. Even if not accepted for inclusion, it was accepted by the Lord and would count as gain for their soul.”
Dr. Stephen Jones works with Dr. Sonja Poulter on the Hymnbook Committee, as well as chairing the Music Editing Committee with emeritus faculty Dr. Ron Staheli and Dr. Thomas Durham. “We meet online each week to review hymns and songs the hymnbook committee is interested in considering for the new collection, editing them to ensure that the voice leading is good and recommending any changes to the melody or harmony,” Dr. Jones explained, adding that it is a role for which “many years of grading theory papers has prepared me.”
Dr. Brent Yorgason
Dr. Erin Bailey
Stephen Jones
He will never forget “a meeting many years ago in which we discussed the idea of having the hymnbook and children’s songbook become one book. It was a revelatory moment, and the eventual approval of that recommendation by the First Presidency has significantly shaped our thinking and our work since that time.”
The completed hymnbook is projected to come out by the end of 2026. The hymns will come from the Church’s current global library, hymns from other Christian faiths, and over 17,000 original pieces submitted. One of the exciting aims of the new hymnbook is that “if you sing in Swahili and I sing in German, we can both turn to page 47, and it will be the same hymn,” Jones explained. Thanks in part to BYU Music Faculty, “we will hear more songs in Church and experience greater musical diversity than ever before.”
Click below to read more about the new Hymnbook and discover newly released hymns!
Three Ghost Stories: BYU Opera
By: Lucas Zuehl
This winter, the BYU Opera Department presents three short operas in English, themed around the American Ghost Story. Preparations for an opera are no small feat, and auditions were held in September so cast members could have the Fall Semester to learn and memorize their music before rehearsals began in January. With a mix of history, humor, and hauntings, BYU’s opera productions this season promise a chilling experience for audiences.
No Ladies in the Lady’s Book by Lisa DeSpain is a comic opera highlighting the contributions of women to the transcontinental railroad—stories largely overlooked by history. Ashley Stewart (Sophomore, BM Voice), who plays Emma Louise Dietz, describes the opera as a “cool opportunity to dive into the stories of women who were inventing and innovating during a time when women did not receive the support or recognition they deserved.” Through humor and music, No Ladies in the Lady’s Book sheds light on the ingenuity of these women, ensuring their contributions are no longer forgotten.
Holly Duerichen in The Medium (right), Blake Wayment and Savannah Parsons in The Face on the Barroom Floor (left)
Blake Wayment (Senior, BM Voice) plays the narrator and bartender in The Face on the Barroom Floor by Henry Mollicone. This three-person opera takes place in a modern-day Western town and revolves around a chilling ghost story from 100 years ago and how the spirit may still haunt the establishment—seeking revenge. This was Blake’s first lead role in an opera, about which he said, “Being able to tell a haunting story has been an incredible experience, and professionally, it has challenged me to accurately convey the narrative through acting.” The Face on the Barroom Floor combines various musical styles and flashbacks to tell this gripping tale.
In The Medium, a psychological thriller by Gina Carlo Menotti, Holly Duerichen (MM Voice) takes on the role of Madame Flora, a fraudulent medium who, along with her daughter Monica and mute servant Toby, fakes séances. The opera takes a dark turn when Madame Flora experiences a seemingly supernatural encounter during one of her sessions, leading her into a spiral of paranoia and self-doubt. It’s a role that both challenges and rewards Holly. “I’ve had to dive into understanding the humanity of Madame Flora,” she explained. “At first glance, she seems like a terrible person—abusive and short-tempered—but I realized her behavior comes from deep, unaddressed pain. Small details in the libretto suggest this, and exploring her psyche has helped me connect with her as a human.”
Opera can be an intimidating art form for newcomers, but it offers an immersive and emotional experience unlike any other. For those attending their first opera, Ashley Stewart gives this advice: “Allow the music and story to take you somewhere else!
Performances run from Saturday, February 15th until Saturday, February 22nd at The Mainstage Theatre at West Campus Central Building. Whether drawn to the real-life struggles of the now-deceased ladies of No Ladies in the Lady’s Book, the eerie mystery of The Medium, or the revenge tale in The Face on the Barroom Floor, opera lovers and newcomers alike will find one reason or another to check under their bed at night!
Blake Wayment, Savannah Parsons, and Sam West in The Face on the Barroom Floor
Aria Idol: Young Artists in Voice
By: Whitney Shurtliff
Singers in the School of Music sang in the BYU Young Artists in Voice competition over three days at the beginning of winter semester. The yearly competition is an exciting opportunity for classical singers to perform arias and art songs they have learned throughout their time at BYU. The last round took place on January 18, 2025, where eight finalists sang thrilling ten-minute programs consisting of songs in English, German, Italian, French, Russian, Latin, and even Portuguese! Each finalist brought passion and skill to the stage, showcasing the depth of classical vocal music, and the judges named Mckenzie Mullbery the winner of “Singer of the Year,” with Savannah Parsons placing second and Rachel Miltimore placing third. The BYU Young Artists in Voice competition highlighted the incredible talent, dedication, and artistry of the classical singers here at the School of Music. Congratulations to McKenzie, ‘Singer of the Year,’ and bravi to all who participated—may your musical journeys continue to inspire!
Finalists (left to right): Mckenzie Mullberry, Sam West, Sam Gilbert, Emma Pettit, Lucas Zuehl, Ashley Stewart, Savannah Parsons, Rachel Miltimore
Winner, Mckenzie Mullberry and her pianist, Molly Smith
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FEATURED? DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE FEATURED?
EMAIL US AT MUSICEVENTS@BYU.EDU
SO WE CAN TELL YOUR STORY!
Symphonic Spirited Away: BYU Wind Symphony’s Ghibli Journey
By: Derek Gibbons
The BYU Wind Symphony charmed audiences with their concert, “An Anime Cosplay Adventure” on February 13th. Those lucky enough to snag a ticket were treated to arrangements from classic Studio Ghibli films, such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle—all composed by Joe Hisaishi.
The anime music was only half the package of “An Anime Cosplay Adventure,” and cosplaying there was. One of the joys of cosplay is the varying degrees of effort needed to assemble a good costume. If you wanted to dress as the titular character from Kiki’s Delivery Service, all you need is a plain black dress and a big red bow. Naturally, there was a treasure trove of Totoro-inspired costumes (the mascot for Studio Ghibli); some simply wearing one-piece pajamas, others with a full face painted to resemble the strange creature. As audience members entered the concert hall, band members on the stage gazed out and smiled at the different costumes on display. Observant audience members noticed a strange large wheel behind the performers with a paper on top of it, but more on that later.
Dr. Shawn Smith, BYU Wind Symphony conductor, was very clear about his history with anime, “I do not personally know very much about anime, but I do know that (anime) has a huge and very loyal fan base. I also know that anime is known for some stunning music and that Studio Ghibli films have some of the very best music in the category.”
That respect for the music shone through in the performance. Selections from My Neighbor Totoro opened the concert with jubilation, making audience members dance in their seats. The tone shifted for selections from Princess Mononoke; utilizing booming drums, the wind symphony was able to paint pictures of grand, sweeping landscapes.
Next, the band played selections from two Ghibli movies with the most impressive scores, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away. Jaws dropped as members of the wind symphony dropped their instruments and vocalized during the selections from Spirited Away, revealing they’ve got some tricks up their sleeves. Remember that strange wheel behind the wind symphony? At the beginning of the final piece, Howl’s Moving Castle: Symphonic Fantasy for Band, one of the percussionists approached the contraption and began cranking the wheel, unleashing its musical potential as a wind instrument. Instantly, everyone was whisked away to the animated world of a Ghibli film.
From the first notes of “Merry-go-round of Life,” the audience was united in song, transported to a place full of magic. The magic, of course, being the music. The conductor worked in tandem with the BYU Wind Symphony to create something new and alive. Bravi to everyone involved for illuminating the concert hall and carrying the audience away into the world of Studio Ghibli.
BYU Wind Symhpony stands for the audience
The Next Gen of Jazz: BYU Jazz Festival
By: Derek Gibbons
If you were in the Music Building on February 15th, you may have noticed the extra buzz of excitement emanating through the usually vacant Saturday halls. Or if you missed that buzz, you may have seen the hundreds of High School students walking around, conversing with their friends about how excited they are to hear Synthesis. Confused, you probably exited the music building, overwhelmed by the unexpected chaos, telling yourself you’ll just practice at home (and how did that go?).
BYU welcomed regional Utah High School Jazz Bands to its campus on February 15th for the annual Jazz Festival through the “Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival.” During the one-day event,
students had the opportunity to perform pieces with their band, receive a post-performance clinic from Essentially Ellington clinician, Joshua Redman, watch other bands perform, and at the end of the day attend a concert by BYU’s world-renowned big band, Synthesis.
As you can imagine, this festival required weeks of planning. When asked about the kind of stresses that come with hosting such an event, Dr. Brian Woodbury responded, “There is a lot of preparation that has to take place—several meetings to discuss strategies…. from how many high schools we can host, how we would schedule them, coordinating on what rooms and equipment will be needed, and what kind of staffing and volunteer work we need…. Then there are the preparations related to finding guest artists and clinicians, then getting contracts, payments, meals, lodging, transportation, etc. set up for each of them.” Organizing a Jazz Festival is enough work to make anyone’s head spin! Dr. Woodbury was sure to emphasize he has an incredible team to help him “shoulder the load and make an event like this possible to pull off successfully.”
Acclaimed jazz musician, Joshua Redman
After all the preparatory work needed to get something like this up and running, one might wonder if all that work is worth it in the end. Dr. Nichols, Saxophone Professor, has fond feelings for these events. When asked what his favorite part of musical festivals is, he said “I really enjoy being able to share the love of this music with others and be inspired by others. It is an exciting moment to hear all the bands play.... and let the university students show what they’ve been working on… It’s always fun!” Dr. Woodbury echoed that sentiment, adding that he finds enjoyment in watching students grow while performing difficult music.
It would be foolish to deny the impact music events like this have on upcoming performers. Dr. Nichols shared that he “attended the BYU jazz festival as a student at Pleasant Grove Jr. High…. with my band directors, Randy Mott and Vince Burgoyneand.” He said, “I really appreciate my band directors going above and beyond to create these experiences for me to learn and grow as a musician.” Dr. Woodbury said, “I remember attending the BYU jazz festival as well as other regional and state festivals with our Jazz Band in High School. Getting to hear fresh perspectives from the judges was eye-opening, and being able to attend the concert was the perfect way to end the day, with an example of what we could sound like by applying the principles we had learned earlier that day.”
Next time you hear of a similar festival near you, reflect on your time at a festival in high school. How did you grow from it? Where did it take you? As Dr. Woodbury remarked, “It fuels my passion when I see young students take to this music with such enthusiasm, developing their own passion for music-making.”
Dr. Woodbury (left)
Dr. Nichols (right)
BYU Synthesis
Socials
From Practice Room to Concert Hall: Evening of Concertos
By: Lucas Zuehl
The annual Senior Concerto Competition offers students the opportunity to perform with the Philharmonic Orchestra in the Evening of Concertos. This year’s winners delivered breathtaking performances, showcasing diverse musical styles, technical prowess, and artistic ambition. From newly published contemporary works by living composers to classical staples by Mozart to gems of romanticism by Rachmaninoff and Korngold, the Evening of Concertos presented a sensational show of what the students in the School of Music are made of.
After upperclassmen and graduate students auditioned for their respective faculty areas, finalists were sent to the Director of the BYU Philharmonic, Dr. Haines, who selected 9 numbers to perform with the orchestra. The winners were:
Jackie Biggs – Piano
Shae Cliften – Cello
Holly Duerichen – Voice
Dallin Jorgensen – Clarinet
Bailey Minnich – Marimba
Ethan Petersen – Saxophone
Audrey Quinn – Violin
Bryce Turner – Piano
Jaeden Hansen, Aleah Dupree, Nathan Fenwick, Ily Olsen – Horn Quartet
A common sentiment among the performers was how exhilarating it was performing with an orchestra behind them.
Ethan Peterson rehearses with the Philharmonic
Holly Duerichen rehearses
“You’re used to playing solos with just a piano accompanying you, but the full orchestra sound completely changes the atmosphere. It comes with a lot of its own difficulties, but the energy–and volume–really get amped up and create an amazing sound!” said Dallin Jorgensen (Junior, BM Music Education).
Audrey Quinn (Senior, BM Violin) enjoyed “experimenting with articulation and dynamics in such a large and resonant space, especially after becoming so accustomed to practice room acoustics.”
“Playing on stage in front of the orchestra felt like home. It felt as if nothing else mattered and I could hold nothing back,” said Bailey Minnich (Senior, BM Music Education). Bailey’s piece, Concerto for Marimba by Sergei Golovko, entranced the audience with hypnotic pulses and tones like constellations over surging orchestral lines. He came across the piece on YouTube and started preparing it in September 2024, inspired by the variety of techniques and feelings portrayed by the concerto.
While Bailey’s piece was composed less than 20 years ago, Audrey Quinn’s Violin Concerto No. 5 by Mozart premiered 250 years ago. She said she began learning the piece because “most every audition I’ve encountered lists the first movement exposition of Mozart 5 as optional or required repertoire.” She explained, “Mozart’s compositions pose unique challenges, demanding pristine technique and featuring dramatically varied musical characters.” She executed the concerto gracefully, with clear, flowing phrases and a cadenza that seemed to stop time. However, her favorite aspect of performing with the Philharmonic was “being on stage with so many dear friends. As a senior in the School of Music, I have formed close connections with several of the members of the Philharmonic over the years. Performing alongside them gave me added joy and confidence.”
Holly Duerichen (MM Voice) also performed Mozart; the aria “Parto! Ma tu ben mio” from his opera La Clemenza di Tito. Her rich voice soared over the orchestra and paired lusciously with the featured clarinet part. Holly shared that working with the orchestra was a dream, “I have only worked with a pit orchestra, so I felt I was able to communicate more intimately.”
Audrey Quinn rehearses
Jackie Biggs (MM Musicology) similarly felt close to the audience during her performance. “The striking thing about the BYU Concert Hall is that even a soldout, housand-count crowd feels intimate. I remember reading that the farthest back any person sits is fifteen rows,” Jackie said. Her piece, Citiscape Lights Concerto by H. Leslie Adams, was officially published only last year, and her lively performance evoked a cinematic atmosphere and closed out the Evening of Concertos. “There are many ways to see oneself as a musician—a technical virtuoso, an interpreter, a student, an enthusiast,” she described. “Being a musician can also be a calling, something for which we sacrifice to serve by offering our best efforts in the grace of God.”
Dallin Jorgensen sees part of his calling as a music educator to be advocating for alternative styles of music. His piece, Sholem-alekhem, rov Feidman! by Béla Kovács, was written in a style developed by Ashkenazi Jews called the Klezmer style. “The style is very expressive, containing techniques and ornaments not found in classical European music, including “sobs” and “screams” through the clarinet,” Dallin explained. The effect is gritty and exciting, and Dallin’s entertaining playing alongside a grooving orchestra amazed the audience. He remarked after the performance, “When you spend so many hours a week in a practice room being self-critical, it’s refreshing to see your music just make people happy and remember what music is all about.”
Dallin Jorgenson rehearses
Bryce Turner performs with the Philharmonic Orchestra
Many moments throughout the night were sure to draw emotion from the audience. Whether it was the Horn Quartet’s vibrant opening with Schumann’s Concertstücke, Shae Cliften’s stirring rendition of Korngold’s Cello Concerto, Ethan Petersen’s energetic blend of sharp riffs and smooth melodies in Ibert’s Concertino da Camera, or Bryce Turner’s sweeping display of passion and virtuosity in the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, the Evening of Concertos offered something for everyone and elicited a standing ovation which kept the performers returning to the stage for bows over and over.
Each of this year’s winners has a bright musical future preparing for professional orchestras, recitals, research, and music education. Their passion for music continues beyond the competition stage, illustrating BYU’s commitment to musical excellence as a lifelong pursuit of service; this year’s Evening of Concertos once again proved to be a celebration of talent, perseverance, and unforgettable music. Performers give their final bows
Don’t miss Junior Concerto with Symphony Orchestra! Click the logo for details:
Student Accomplishments
Renee Chiu Gastelum (MM Organ) presented a lecture-recital on Chinese organ music at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in San Francisco in July 2024.
Nathan Fenwick (MM Horn) performed with two orchestras in Bulgaria, touring around the Black Sea this past summer. He was offered full-time positions with both orchestras, and will start work as the Assistant Principal Horn with Vratsa Symphony Orchestra later this year.
Gabe Christensen (Senior, BM Horn) was a fellow (the highest student position) at the Aspen Music Festival over the summer and performed as principal horn on Mahler’s 5th Symphony.
Ily Olsen (Senior, BM Music Education) was the first person from BYU to be awarded the Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship for music education students from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation. It is their most prestigious scholarship, and she was presented with the award at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
Tim McKay (Sophomore, BM Piano) was named a national finalist in the MTNA competition, one of the most prestigious competitions for college-aged pianists. He will compete against the 6 other finalists at the MTNA national conference this March.
Zac Adamson (MM Piano) completed a tour with Mannheim Steamroller, having performed 45 Christmas concerts around the country.
Ily Olsen
Zac Adamson
Renee Chiu Gastelum
Tanner Jorden (Senior, BM Piano) performed Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Billings Symphony orchestra.
David Kime (MM Choral Conducting) was recently accepted to attend the Marktoberdorf International Masterclass for Choral Conducting with Conducting Competition in June 2025, led by conductors Georg Grün and Yuval Weinberg. At the end of 2024, David also competed in the 20th Gheorghe Dima International Competition, Choral Conducting Section, in Cluj Napoca, Romania.
Jackie Bodily Biggs (MM Musicology) wrote a paper accepted for publication in The Journal of the Utah Academy of Sciences, due to come out this March. The title of the paper is “Frederic Balazs and Ernst von Dohnányi: From Budapest to the American Southwest.” She presented it at the 2024 Annual Conference of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters in March and, again, at the 2024 Annual Conference of the American Hungarian Educators Association, in April.
Lucas Zuehl (Senior, BM Voice) won an encouragement award in the Gerda Lissner Lieder/Art Song Competition in New York. He was also invited to be a vocal fellow at Tanglewood Music Center this summer.
McKenzie Mullberry (MM Voice) won an encouragement award in the Utah District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
Tanner Jorden
Jackie Biggs
Mckenzie Mullberry
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FEATURED? DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE FEATURED?
EMAIL US AT MUSICEVENTS@BYU.EDU
SO WE CAN TELL YOUR STORY!
The BYU School of Music seeks truth and inspiration in music.
We strive to lead in the performance, teaching, composition, production, and understanding of music; to serve the university and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and to share light throughout the world by teaching truth and edifying souls through the divine gift of music.
