BYU SCHOOL OF MUSIC Journal
Sharing the Light
The Best is Yet to Come!
President Russell M. Nelson gave a profoundly powerful message at the conclusion of the October 2024 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
“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 and others 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!
Mark Ammons
In Memoriam: Barbara Allen
By: Lucas Zuehl
Dr. Barbara Allen was head vocal coach for BYU Opera Theatre for over 22 years. As a youth she made her debut with the thennamed BYU Symphony at the age of ten. She received her BA and MA from BYU and a DMA from the University of Illinois, where she studied with Soulima Stravinsky, son of the famed composer. She enjoyed an active performing and teaching career, as a professor of piano at California State University, Long Beach, and performing in solo and chamber recitals in the US, Germany, and former U.S.S.R. Also a gifted singer, she performed as a soprano soloist in many oratorios and recitals. She coached hundreds of students during her time at BYU (and likely thousands in her lifetime).
Students wrote notes to Dr. Allen when they learned she was in the hospital. These notes detailed how she not only taught the opera students but inspired them; showing them how to maintain healthy singing technique while acting and not letting fear get in the way of success. She expected precision and paid great attention to detail, yet always infused her teaching with enthusiasm, humor, generosity, and love.
Sam Gilbert (BM, Vocal Performance) said, “Barbara was one of the spunkiest and most charismatic women I have ever met! She was constantly making jokes—but was also so gentle and thoughtful. She believed in me and my dreams, and referred to her as my ‘opera grandma.’ Barbara became more than an opera coach, but a life coach, mentor, and dear friend.”
Opera Professor, Shea Owens, shared this tender memory of her from his time as an undergraduate at BYU. “I had just been cast as a lead role in Offenbach’s opera The Tales of Hoffmann. I was intimidated by the length of the role as well as the vocal range. One of the character’s arias had several notes higher than I had ever sung, and I was afraid to try it. So I found another version of the aria in a lower, more manageable key and went to Barbara for a coaching.
“I placed the music on the piano and she said, ‘What’s this?’ I said, ‘It’s my character’s aria in a lower key!’ She looked at the music, then looked at me and said, matter-of-factly, ‘You can do it in the original key.’ I replied ‘I can’t sing those notes! They’re too high!’ Then, without breaking eye contact, she narrowed her eyes and said, ‘Then you have all summer to work on them.’ Which I did. And I sang the aria in the original key that fall.
“Barbara never minced words. She expected excellence and for her students to be prepared and work hard. But she also had great faith in their potential, so she pushed them to be better and helped them to expect great things of themselves. She also taught us humility. There were a few occasions when I came into a coaching full of bravado, having thought I was fully prepared. And I would walk away humbled, because she would always, without fail, find things to teach me about the music, the style, the language, and the character.”
Dr. Barbara Allen left a legacy of passion and brilliance that is sure to endure in the students and faculty at BYU. She will be dearly missed.
Sam Gilbert with Dr. Allen
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!
A Spiritual in the Conference Center: BYU Choirs
By: Derek Gibbons
On Saturday April 5th, after a day of relaxation, you might have switched on your T.V. to watch the Saturday Afternoon Session of General Conference. If you did, you were likely surprised to recognize some of your peers standing where the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square usually does.
The participants of the choir included students from BYU Singers, BYU Concert Choir, and a selection of students from BYU Men’s Chorus and BYU Women’s Chorus. They were invited to sing hymns centered around the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to underscore the upcoming Easter season. Millions of people tune in twice a year to enjoy the words and the music from this worldwide broadcast. Every two years, choirs from BYU are given this opportunity to participate in the semi-annual conference.
Click to watch the BYU Choirs performance of Were You There? (Burleigh, Wells)
Transporting 200 college students from Provo to Salt Lake City is no small task. Multiple buses were required to ensure safe and (somewhat) speedy travel to the Conference Center. Once there, the choir rehearsed their songs, ate a small lunch, and made their way to the seats using the backstage hallways. After final runthroughs and camera rehearsals, it was time to start the broadcast. The choirs opened the conference with Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise (arr. Mack Wilberg) followed by Sweet is the Peace (arr. Ron Staheli). Halfway through the conference they sang Were You There (adapted by Brent Wells) and then closed out the session with Rejoice, the Lord is King (arr. Ryan Murphy). After all was sung and done, from pickup to drop off, the whole event lasted just over 9 hours.
For this General Conference, each session included a hymn from the new hymn book, which has gradually rolled out new repertoire over the past couple of months. During the Saturday Morning Session, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square performed Welcome Home. In the next session, a youth choir sang Oh, the Deep Deep Love of Jesus. The BYU choirs debuted an original arrangement of the African-American spiritual Were You There? (see above)
The song asks, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” “It’s an urgent invitation to witness profound injustice and loss,” conductor of the song, Dr. Crane, explained behind the scenes of the Conference Center as the choir rehearsed. “Feel the raw emotion…. It’s a visceral pain of those in chains. Yet, within sorrow, resilient hope flickers. Identifying with Christ’s sacrifice offered solace and a spiritual anchor promising redemption.”
An unconventional choice for General Conference, the a cappella arrangement utilized 8-part harmony. Some noted on social media that the 3rd verse was missing: “Amazing choir…so sad they didn’t sing the GLORY, GLORY. They left out the last verse.” What many don’t know was that the choice to omit the final verse was actually intentional. “We looked for a variety of arrangements and found a… version by Harry Burleigh…. The first black composer who was instrumental in developing characteristically American music,” Dr. Crane explained in a Facebook post a day after the broadcast. “Brent Wells took Burleigh’s arrangement and masterfully adapted it for SSAATTBB. Brent did not change a note…..”
He addressed the questions as to why the last verse wasn’t included during conference, “Because Burleigh did not include this verse in his arrangement…. swapping out one verse for another would create an incongruity between the composer’s musical setting and the meaning of the words.”
Regardless of the few disgruntled comments about the omission of the last verse, it’s clear that this song in particular resonated with audiences. The song has amassed hundreds of comments, likes, and shares from social media, and touched the hearts of those who were involved. Peter Young, a tenor in the Men’s Chorus said, “I was able to feel peace, power, and… the spirit. Were You There? is one of those pieces that requires focus and perfect tuning, but I felt unified with the choir and completely relaxed.”
Choir members wait for the buses
Respighi’s Pines Ignite the Concert Hall:
BYU and Lyceum Orchestras
By: Lucas Zuehl
BYU Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic and Lyceum Philharmonic from American Heritage School presented the concert “Americans Down Under” on March 15th. The program began with Hoe Down from “Rodeo” by Aaron Copeland, a new composition by Nathan Hofheins, and Earth Cry, a piece where musician Stephen Kent joined the orchestra on the didgeridoo. The closing number brought the high schoolers to the stage where they performed Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a staple of the orchestral repertoire known for its vibrant tone colors and expressive solos (plus its feature in Disney’s Fantasia).
Pines of Rome was a bucket-list piece for Ben Roberts (BA Trumpet), as excerpts from the work had appeared on several past auditions for him, but he had never performed it with an orchestra. Ben explained that the challenge of the piece is to convey the programmatic aspects of Respighi’s masterpiece. “Each movement represents a distinct scene of pine trees in Rome, ranging from children playing in a garden to the somber echoes rising from ancient Christian burial chambers.”
Among the highlights of the performance was the renowned clarinet solo in the third movement, masterfully executed by Rueben Allen (BM Clarinet). Reuben considers it a privilege to perform the third movement clarinet solo. “I spent weeks preparing these exposed solo moments—it is one of the major clarinet solos in the orchestral repertoire, so I didn’t want to mess it up, or not serve the solo its due justice. The solo demands the clarinetist to play large soaring interval jumps at an extremely soft dynamic, while at the same time keeping the passage lyrical and sweet. Since the solo was so exposed, and the room for error was large, I often found myself overthinking the passage.”
Yet when the moment came, Rueben delivered a performance that seemed to stop time. “Conveniently, the composer gives the principal clarinetist 21 measures to rest before the solo. While I was waiting, I said a quiet prayer asking that my preparation could manifest in my playing. A thought came to me—that my performance was a selfless gift to the audience, and that my playing would touch at least one soul.”
The result was a deeply moving interpretation, which surely affected more than one audience member. “That subsequent performance was one of my most rare musical experiences—one only has a few times in their life. I am forever thankful to Dr. Haines and the Chamber Orchestra.”
Sydney Schaff (MM Oboe) also had a few solos, and she enjoyed the opportunity to bring out the dynamics and play as dramatically as the music called for. Once she was done with her solo, she “got to play duets with my fellow woodwind players, and they are phenomenal to create music with.”
Sydney also appreciated working with Stephen Kent on Earth Cry. She shared, “Orchestras can sometimes be a bit stiff as they are a group full of classical musi-
Stephen Kent, didgeridoo performer
musicians, but I think Earth Cry brought us all out of our shells and connected us with something meaningful. There was a raw, aching emotion that came with performing Earth Cry and the impact was not as big until we added didgeridoo to the piece during the dress rehearsal earlier in the week.”
An alumna of Lyceum Philharmonic, McKenna Taylor (MM Violin) cherished the full-circle experience of performing with her previous ensemble. “My stand partner was someone that I had known before with some of her siblings being in the orchestra with me. It was great to see the young students and think back on my time in their shoes and see the progress that I’ve made while at BYU. Many of the students thanked me after the performance, and I was grateful to have been able to impact them.”
This concert served as a powerful reminder of music’s impact—not only on audiences but on the performers themselves. The BYU Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic, and Lyceum Philharmonic presented an exhibition of technical and musical skill, as well as profound storytelling that impacted everyone in the Concert Hall that night.
BYU Philharmonic and Lyceum Philharmonic rehearse in the Concert Hall
Are you ready to make great music and lasting memories? BYU invites talented musicians ages 14–18 to join us for an unforgettable summer of music, friendship, and growth. Choose from three incredible programs: the BYU Musicians’ Institute, the BYU Musicians’ SummerFestival, or the BYU Choral and Vocal Institute. Apply today and let the music begin!
From Stravinsky to SOPHIE: Composer Gordon Badgett
By: Lucas Zuehl
When BYU Singers premieres your composition before you’re even accepted into the composition program, you can be pretty confident you’ll get in. Gordon Badgett is in his first year of the Composition Major and has already been featured twice on the BYU Singers repertoire; at Celebration of Christmas in 2023 with his arrangement of Carol of the Bells and this school year with his setting of Psalm 146, Alleluia Lauda.
Gordon’s journey into composition began when he was fourteen years old. “I watched my parents sing in the choir for a Rob Gardner project; this was one the most life-changing and transformative concerts that I have attended. I remember thinking to myself, ‘That’s what I want to for the rest of my life.” Immediately after this experience, Gordon downloaded the notation software Noteflight and began arranging popular radio music for various ensembles. He remarked, “The quality of music I was creating was subpar, but as I continued composing and arranging, I began to find my artistic voice.”
Gordon’s early musical inspirations span a spectrum of genres—from Shostakovich and Ravel to Bryce Dessner, Jessie Mongtomery, and Rob Gardner. More recently,
Gordon credits two figures—Igor Stravinsky and hyperpop artist SOPHIE—as his main influences. “These two musicians completely reconceptualized what music meant in their time, and I have felt more and more drawn toward creating art that feels new while celebrating the work of artists who came before me.”
His admiration for these trailblazers certainly shines through in his music. Gordon’s arrangement of Carol of the Bells switches handily between 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, and 13/8 time signatures, all while maintaining a rapid eighth note pulse, not unlike Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Gordon wrote this piece in high school, and while applying to the composition major he thought the piece might make a good addition to his portfolio. “I sent an email to Dr. Wells—my choir director at the time—and asked how I might make the arrangement more compelling. We workshopped it a bit, and he suggested I send the piece to Dr. Crane, who was still on the lookout for another piece for the Celebration of Christmas Concert.” Dr. Crane and Gordon edited the piece some more, and then Dr. Crane premiered the piece with BYU Singers.
Click to watch Gordon’s arrangement of Carol of the Bells!
Alleluia Lauda uses grooving chord progressions and acrobatic melodies, similar to the energetic hyperpop music by artists like SOPHIE. Gordon workshopped this piece with Dr. Crane and Dr. Jones, and he took the piece to the GIA/Walton Composers’ Conference in November where he received feedback from editors and composers from around the country. BYU Singers has incorporated this piece into their regular repertoire, performing it in concerts around the country, and Walton Music will be publishing Alleluia Lauda in the near future.
As Gordon Badgett begins his college career, he wants to keep as many doors open in his future as possible. “I know that I’m interested in choral composition, electronic music production, and orchestral conducting; I have no clue where that will lead me, but I intend to relentlessly pursue music for as long as I am able.”
Gordon sings with BYU Singers (middle back)
EMAIL US AT MUSICEVENTS@BYU.EDU
SO WE CAN TELL YOUR STORY!
Crown Jewel of the Concert Hall: BYU Organ
By: Whitney Shurtliff
Along with a brand-new state-of-the-art facility, the BYU Music School debuted a stunning new Létourneau organ this year. The installation of the instrument was the final step in the building’s completion before its dedication by Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Its construction came at the insistence of a former faculty member.
“As officials were discussing plans for the new Music Building, Rosalind Hall, former director of BYU Concert Choir and BYU Men’s Chorus, insisted they install a pipe organ in the Concert Hall,” said Dr. Neil Harmon, newly appointed full-time organ faculty. “Orgues Letourneau of Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, was selected as the builder for the BYU organ. Dr. Cook and I worked closely with the Letourneau company to design an instrument that would serve the BYU community both as a solo instrument and as a collaborative instrument, such as accompanying a choir.”
The organ has already brought in new guest artists for Bravo! including Daniel Cook, an internationally acclaimed British organist. He performed at the organ’s inaugural concert in October of 2023. The School of Music, particularly organ students, can look forward to more opportunities like this in the coming months.
“We now have an instrument worthy of the great concert organists, and I plan to have more performances and masterclasses by some of the top organists in the world,” said Dr. Harmon. “During the next school year, for example, Daniel Hyde, from King’s College, Cambridge, will be teaching a masterclass for organists, and Daniel Aune, Coordinator of Organ Studies at Peabody Conservatory of Music, will be teaching a masterclass and playing a concert on the new Letourneau organ. This kind of exposure to organ classes and performances is priceless for our organ curriculum.”
The organ also offers new opportunities to the entire school of music. Dr. Don Cook, who is retiring as head of the organ department this year, has already accompanied the BYU Concert Choir on Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. “When I first heard the organ, I heard it accompanying BYU Concert Choir, and it was incredibly stunning as an audience member to hear the grandeur of the organ backing the choir,” said Taylor Imbler (BM Choral Education) who played the organ at the BYU Law School Convocation this year. “Since music is such a unifying endeavor, it can have a big impact on not only those in the audience, but the musicians as well.”
Dr. Harmon expressed his excitement for the new performance possibilities the instrument opens up. “There are limitless possibilities available to us now,” he said. “Some of my favorite pieces in the organ repertoire are collaborative pieces. There are collaborative works with nearly every musical instrument. The choral repertoire, particularly by British composers, is rich with masterpieces written for organ accompaniment. The future for musical collaboration with the organ is bright at BYU.” Click to watch a behind-thescenes tour of
40 Years of Singers: BYU Singers Reunion
By: Whitney Shurtliff
BYU Singers celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024. The flagship ensemble was started in 1984 by emeritus conductor Dr. Ronald Staheli. Now conducted by Dr. Andrew Crane, the choir continues its legacy of choral excellence and is about to depart on a 3-week European tour.
On Friday, April 11, BYU Singers alumni collaborated with current members to celebrate the ensemble’s 40th anniversary. The current collegiate ensemble contributed a program conducted by Dr. Crane, and Dr. Staheli conducted pieces sung by a combined choir of current members and Alumni.
Hannah Klassen, who graduated from BYU Singers last year, said it was wonderful to revisit her choir community. “It felt really bittersweet. It felt really awesome to be back with so many people that I love, and give everybody big hugs and see everybody gathered together…but it can be sad to lose such a strong community like BYU Singers.”
Dr. Ron Staheli conducts the 200-person choir
Hannah said it was a nostalgia-filled event, but she thinks unity is the real draw of the reunion.
“I think the motivation for attending is the unity we all feel from singing together with two common directors and the name that we grew our love for music under… this name of BYU Singers. I’m so excited to see what opportunities the choir is able to take advantage of.”
Sandefur Schmidt, an alumna and longtime benefactor of BYU Singers, helped organize the event, including a special showing of an upcoming documentary about the choir.
“Having alumni from all 40 years of Singers at our reunion was such a joyful experience. The two days were full of great music and reconnecting with old friends,” she said. “We immediately remembered the love, exceptional music, and strong relationship shared while singing in BYU Singers—the intervening years dropped away. Lifelong friendships were formed during that association, and this reunion has proven their durability.”
Dr. Crane said it was a “meaningful and surreal” experience to see his friends, colleagues, current students, and former professors on one stage together.
“It was just a really profound experience to see the multiple generations of BYU Singers, and how the same values of excellence, dedication to craft, and spiritual commitment have remained over all these years.”
Previous Singers Members take pictures grouped by school year
Ba-Roque Stars: Les Arts Florissants
By: Lucas Zuehl
The world-renowned ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, treated BYU to an evening of baroque music on March 25, 2025, breathing life into the elegance and drama of early music on period instruments. The fifteen-person ensemble performed a program revolving around Antonio Vivaldi—including his famous Four Seasons—and excerpts from those that influenced the composer: Claudio Monteverdi, Marco Ucellini, and Francesco Geminiani. The effect was unlike any other concert this year.
Founded in 1979, Les Arts Florissants offers over one hundred concerts of purely baroque music on period instruments in the so-called “Arts Flo style.” The French group featured the soloist, Théotime Langlois de Swarte, at the front, leading the music with gestures and breaths. Langlois de Swarte stunned with flawless arpeggios, florid runs, and captivating phrases. While the rapid scales impressed, the extreme dynamic contrasts expressed. There were a couple moments—as if Langlois de Swarte was using a singular bow hair—that might have been the softest moments to ever permeate the concert hall. His performance incorporated everything the intricate music called for.
The ensemble behind him was no less expressive, sharing glances and smiles with one another, as if the entire program were improvised and they were celebrating their collective success. This is one way Les Arts Florissants kept the music fresh; by enjoying these pieces as if it were the world premeire, despite the Four Seasons’ inescapable prevalence in culture. As a Monteverdi encore concluded the concert, Les Arts Florissants reminded us that historically informed does not mean historically distant.
Socials
Tour Highlights
Chamber Orchestra: Australia
BYU Chamber Orchestra will be touring Australia in May 2025 under the theme “Americans Down Under.” With performances scheduled in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and Perth, the tour is designed to showcase the artistic excellence of BYU students while fostering meaningful cultural and educational exchanges. The itinerary includes public concerts, interfaith devotionals, school clinics, and community outreach, offering a multifaceted experience for both the ensemble and local audiences.
A major highlight will be a collaborative concert in Sydney with renowned Indigenous Australian artist William Barton, featuring the didgeridoo. This performance will blend classical traditions with Indigenous Australian musical heritage—embodying the tour’s goal to build bridges through music.
The ensemble will also present an interfaith performance at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, featuring selections from Handel’s Messiah. Alongside their musical contributions, students will engage in sightseeing and cultural experiences to enrich their understanding of Australia’s diverse landscape and history.
BYU Singers: Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium
BYU Singers travels to Italy, Greece, Switzerland, and Belgium this May. The tour will include competing in the Thessaloniki 14th World Choir Festival on Musicals, and performances in the Rome Italy Temple Visitors Center as well as cathedrals throughout the Alps and Belgium. BYU Singers has prepared a varied list of repertoire, including pieces in Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and pieces composed by current choir members to share with European audiences.
In Thessaloniki, Singers will compete against choirs from Poland, Slovakia, Greece, Serbia, and Kosovo. The competition is not only an opportunity to earn accolades but connect with singers from other cultures with a shared passion for choral music. The tour will be an unforgettable experience of fellowship and sharing the musical light for which BYU Singers has become world-renowned.
Mountain Strings: Italy
Mountain Strings joins BYU American Folk Dance Ensemble on a tour to Italy this summer. They will be attending two International Folk Dance and Music Festivals; the Latium World Folkloric Festival in Cori, Italy and Festival Internazionale del Folklore ‘Terranostra’ in Apiro, Italy. They will perform in front of the Colosseum in Rome as part of the Latium festival, in conjunction with the Catholic Church Jubilee Celebration. The festivals have organized various cultural activities around Italy, including a tour of a winery in Apiro to see the process of winemaking in the Italian countryside.
One of Ellie Geslison’s (BS Sociology) favorite parts of going to an International Folk Festival is “getting to jam with other musicians from various backgrounds and cultures. Having been to 6 of these festivals, I’ve had the chance to learn about the music styles of many different countries through the friends I made at these festivals. It’s been an incredible experience and contributed significantly to my musical exposure, knowledge, and abilities.”
Honors Brass Quintet: Greece and Hungary
The Honors Brass Quintet traveled to Greece and Hungary to perform alongside BRASSWORKS (brass quintet of BYU professors). In Budapest, the group was able to participate in a walking tour of Pest, which ended at the Hungarian parliament building. The ensemble performed a combined concert at Liszt’s Recital Hall. Emma Hogge (BM Tuba) shared, “We found ourselves sitting in a certain shocked silence as we admired the grandeur of the space. I found myself shedding a few bittersweet tears, reflecting on how little 8th-grade-never-left-Alaska me would be in utter disbelief at where we made it to, and the opportunities that I’ve been blessed with. I felt overwhelmed by gratitude, inspiration, and hope for my future - if I can make it here, the possibilities feel limitless.”
The group had two days in Athens, and on the first they performed in the Athens conservatory. Then, Honors Brass Quintet sat in as the BYU professors held a masterclass. On the last day, students explored the Parthenon in all its glory. Emma shared this moment on the ancient grounds: “Walking on the stones that I had learned so much about, and recognizing…. subtle details that fascinated me so much, I was shedding many more tears upon every step up the Parthenon…. By a stroke of luck, my phone connected to a random eduroam wifi, and I was able to call my family in Alaska and show them the Parthenon.” The trip will undoubtedly leave countless special memories for these students and teachers.
School of Music Accomplishments
Jackie Biggs (MM Musicology) was invited to speak at this year’s Rocky Mountain AMS/SMT Chapter Conference. Her talk was titled “The Verdi Connection: Czechoslovak Requiems at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century.”
Olivia Tobler (BM Flute) atteneded an Internship in the Study Abroad Program at The Goldsmiths University of London in the Music and Psychology department. She worked closely with Cambridge University.
Shawn Smith (Band Professor) conducted the 2025 Utah All-State Symphonic Band at Abravanel Hall on January 18th.
Christina Castellanos (Flute Professor) was invited by The National Flute Association to perform a solo on a recital of new works at its National Convention. The composer, Ian Clarke, attended the performance and took time to meet all of the BYU flute students. Professor Castellanos will also perform 40 shows with the touring Broadway show Wicked from April-May 2025 at the Eccles Theater in SLC.
Several BYU flute students competed in the Utah Flute Association Sonata Competition and Orchestral Mock Audition held in March 2025. Lillie Gardner won 1st place in the Sonata Competition, College Division, and 2nd place in the Orchestral Mock Audition with members of The Utah Symphony as the judging panel. Rebekah Payne won 2nd place in the Sonata Competition, College Division, and Kalina Rencher won the Sight-Reading Award, College Division.
Professor Castellanos
Jackie Biggs
Jonathan Goldberg (BM Composition) won 2nd place in the Institute for Choral Creativity’s choral composition competition. The piece will be performed in Chicago and Kansas City.
Dr. Nate Seamons (Band Professor), Dr. Kandis Taylor (Percussion Professor), and Dr. David Fullmer (Band Professor) presented some of their research at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) national conference in Ft. Worth Texas on the TCU campus. Their presentation, “The Fennell Tapes: Learning from the Master and the Kosei Wind Orchestra, 1989,” was well received by band directors in attendance from all over the United States.
Hayley Kirkland (BM Commercial Music) is the director of the Hot House West Swing Orchestra, a program of the non-profit Hot House West. The Swing Orchestra was just awarded the Governor’s Mansion Award and Best of State.
Jihea Hong-Park (Piano Professor) completed an artist-in-residence engagement at the University of Central Florida, where she gave a piano masterclass, presented a solo lecture recital, gave the world-premiere performance of a work by composer Sophia Serghi, and performed in a chamber concert with Ensemble Noree. She also recently gave a presentation entitled “Beyond the Prize: Transforming Music Competitions into Growth Opportunities” for the Davis Chapter of the UMTA. This summer, she will publish a piano course for the Frances Clark Center’s Online Teacher Education program.
Xinbo Li (MM Instrumental Conducting) was invited to attend band conducting workshops this summer at Indiana University, Georgia State University, and the University of Minnesota.
Jonathan Goldberg
Professor Hong-Park
Michael Carter
Michael Carter (MM Choral Conducting Alum), who is currently finishing up his DMA at Michigan State University, has just accepted a position as Associate Professor of Choral Music at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona.
Sam Speer (MM Choral Conducting Alum) has been appointed Director of Choral Activities at McKendree University in Illinois. Sam is completing his doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Samantha Gordon (MM Choral Conducting) has just been hired as the Choral Director at Pleasant Grove High School, to begin this fall.
Emily Lambert (BM Viola) was invited to Domaine Forget de Charlvoix in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July-August. This prestigious Canadian music festival for string players features some of the most important viola teachers internationally.
String players, Mason Bean and Lauryn Lee were invited to Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont where they will study with renowned professors and the Pacifica and Balourdet String Quartets.
Emily Howard (BM Harp) has been selected among hundreds of competitors as a finalist in the American Harp Society National Competition. She will compete in the finals during the last week of May in Los Angeles.
Marianne Wood (BM Voice) will be participating in Berlin Opera Academy, singing a principal role in L’incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi.
Emily Lambert
Bethany Parker (BM Piano) won 2nd place in the Collegiate Division of the 2025 Young Collaborative Pianist Competition.
Ian Patterson (BM Piano) won 1st place in the Young Artist Division of the 2025 Utah Music Teachers Association’s Piano Concerto Competition as well as a winner of the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra (TSO) Concerto Competition. He will appear as a soloist with the TSO performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.2.
Graduate piano students Suzannah Rose, David Kim, and Zachary Adamson gave a presentation entitled, “Body Mapping for Pianists” for the local UMTA Provo Chapter in March.
Joyanne Bills (BM Piano) won 1st place in the 2025 Golden Classical Piano Competition and made her Carnegie Hall debut in March.
Piano students Joyanne Bills, Bethany Parker, and Lizzie Weber have been accepted to the Brevard Music Center and Institute in North Carolina this summer as recipients of the highly coveted RA Fellowship, which covers full tuition.
Savannah Porter (BM Voice Alum) has been selected as the new Soprano 1 in the world famous choir, Voces8.
Luke Elmer (BM Voice Alum) has been selected as a new Countertenor in the world famous men’s choir, Chanticleer.
Luke Elmer
Bethany Parker
Graduating Students’ Future Plans
Graduate School
Michaela West Cheek (BM Viola) will attend Indiana University to pursue a Master’s of Viola Performance.
Simon Cheek (BM Composition) will attend Georgia Tech to pursue an online Master’s in Computer Science.
Lucas Zuehl (BM Voice) will attend the Yale School of Music to pursue a Master’s of Voice Early Sacred Music, Art Song, and Oratorio.
Ruth Brown (BM Viola) will attend East Carolina University to pursue a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Macy Miller (BM Organ) will stay at BYU to pursue a Master’s in Organ Performance.
Tanner Jorden (BM Piano) will attend The Juilliard School to pursue a Master’s in Piano Performance.
Kylee Bergstresser (BM Trumpet) will stay at BYU to pursue a Master’s in Trumpet Performance.
Gabe Christensen (BM Music Education) will attend Colburn School to pursue a Master’s in Horn Performance.
Madison Franklin (BM Flute) will stay at BYU to pursue a Master’s in Flute Performance.
Molly Smith (BM Piano) will attend University of North Texas to pursue a Master’s in Collaborative Piano.
Graduate School cont.
Renee Gastelum (MM Organ) will attend University of Southern California to pursue a Doctorate in Music Teaching and Learning.
McKenna Taylor (MM Violin) will attend University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue a Doctorate in Violin Performance.
Employment
Joshua Olsen (BM Music Education) will full-time teach band and choir at Gunnison Valley High School in Gunnison, UT.
Carson Ripley (BM Commercial Music) will move to Los Angeles to work as a Freelance Pop Producer and Studio Musician.
Simon Cheek (BM Composition) will work as a software engineer for Family Search.
Jennifer Johnston (BM Music Education) will work as a substitute teacher.
Suzannah Rose (MM Piano) will teach piano at the University of Utah Prep Division.
Rebekah Schnepf (BA Voice) will teach private voice students in Utah.
Caroline Busselberg (MM Voice) will teach private voice students in Utah.
Holly Duerichen (MM Voice) will full-time teach music and art classes at Manila High School in Manila, UT.
Congratulations
to all those “going forth to serve!”
WOULD
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.
