BYU School of Music Journal Spring 2024

Journal

Sharing the Light |

Spring 2024

Fulfilling Prophecy

The BYU School of Music is in a unique position to be a powerful tool of the Lord in fulfilling prophetic visions and charges. The prophetic charge from President Nelson to become fully engaged in the gathering of Israel is one we take very seriously. We believe firmly in the power of sharing light and are continually looking for ways we can share that light. The prophet Joseph Smith declared, “The truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished.” We are committed and dedicated to helping that truth sound in every ear and penetrate every continent.

Many of you have visited us in the new Music Building and have enjoyed concerts and recitals in the wonderful new venues. We believe this new building is more than just bricks and mortar constructed for a relatively short time of use. This building was conceived, designed, approved, and constructed to fulfill specific prophetic purposes. The physical beauty of the venues and the acoustic design are stunning and exquisite, to be sure. But looking more deeply at the infrastructure of this building you find the means to stream every concert and recital throughout the world! We are already reaching many locations around the globe through our live streams, and more viewers are added each concert.

Throughout May and July, performing groups from the School of Music will perform throughout Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and South Korea. They will perform for thousands of people in these countries and will share the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through their music and their interactions with others.

We will continue to share our music and the light it can provide in the world through our live performances, streamed concerts, and touring ensemble performances. Please help us share the light! You can do so by sharing the streaming information (musicstreaming.byu.edu), inviting friends to join you at our live performances in the Music Building, and donating to the School of Music by following a link provided later in this journal. We look forward to sharing light together!

Sincerely,

Mark Ammons

Winter 2024 Guest Artists

During the Winter 2024 semester, the BYU School of Music hosted several notable guest artists! The performers inspired students and audiences with their artistic and skillful performances.

Joseph Alessi (trombone) performed Concerto for Trombone by legendary jazz pianist and Grammy Award–winner Chick Corea. Alessi performed with the BYU Wind Symphony.

Lara Downes (piano), the Mivos Quartet (violin, viola, cello), and Eighth Blackbird (flute, piano, clarinet, percussion, violin, cello) all performed in various concerts commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Barlow Endowment.

Tabea Zimmerman (viola) performed two Bach suites for solo viola, Reger Sonata 1, Hindemith’s 1937 Solo Sonata, and a series of Kurtag-Ligeti movements. Being one of the world’s most sought-a ter violists, she was also invited to teach a masterclass.

Image courtesy of Joseph Alessi

Image courtesy of BYU Photo 2024

Image courtesy of Tabea Zimmerman

Arthur Lipner (vibes and marimba) performed several of his original works with the BYU Percussion Ensemble, including a premiere of Treasure Chest. He also performed some solo pieces including Aspen Fingers, Sweet Rio, and more.

Romina Monsanto (cello) and Pablo Hernandez (oboe) performed several works together including Six Questions and Duo Sonatina.

Image courtesy of Arthur Lipner

Image courtesy of Romina Monsanto

Image courtesy of Colorado State University website

BYU Outreach Choir sings in Guadeloupe

By Zoey Diede

On March 15–18, the BYU Outreach Choir traveled to Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean to share music and build relationships with the community. The experience was fully supported and partially funded by the Caribbean Area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Conducted by Dr. Brent Wells and Dr. Andrew Crane, the Outreach Choir comprised 13 students who are current members of either the BYU Singers or BYU Concert Choir.

Guadeloupe residents listen to the BYU Outreach Choir. Photo courtesy of Andrew Crane.

This year’s choir members were Samantha Gordon, Lizzie Stein, Rebecca Miess, Angie Whiting, Nicole Dayton, Beatrice Smith, Hannah Klassen, Samuel Gilbert, Erik Peterson, Blake Wayment, Michael Wells, Ben Young, and Samuel West, with David Kime on the piano.

The BYU Outreach Choir collaborated with the Gospel Celebration Singers—a local Seventh-day Adventist gospel choir. The two groups performed in a concert titled “The Family United in Christ” at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in the city of Pointe-à-Prite. Both groups performed several numbers, and two BYU students, Nicole Dayton and Lizzie Stein, even sang solo pieces in French. President and Sister Occolier, who currently preside over the Guadeloupe, Martinique, and French Guiana district, spoke at the event.

Not only did the Outreach Choir sing beautifully but they also inspired many people—members and nonmembers alike—who attended the concert in Guadeloupe. Elder Claude Gamiette, an Area Seventy, expressed to Dr. Crane that the concert “completely melted away” negative feelings and misconceptions that the community may have had about the Church. The choir lifted and brought light to the Caribbean with the power of music.

The trip also included other special events, such as sacrament meeting performances at two branches. Dr.

View of Guadeloupe. Photo courtesy of Viktor Ruppert, Unsplash License.

Guadeloupe residents enjoy the music. Photo courtesy of Andrew Crane.

Dr. Crane (left) and Dr. Wells (right). Photo courtesy of Andrew Crane.

Crane, Dr. Wells, and the choir also led a masterclass discussing choral, vocal, and conducting techniques. Later, the Outreach Choir recorded a music video of the song “Were You There?” for the Church’s Caribbean Area Public Affairs department.

Angie Whiting, a member of the ensemble, commented on her experience in Guadeloupe, saying, “How incredible is it that our mouths couldn’t speak the same language, but our hearts sang the same song. . . . [Music] bypasses that form of verbal communication that we use so often.” She recalls singing with the Gospel Celebration Singers as a true highlight of the trip. She was touched by how soulfully this choir sang their praises to Jesus Christ. Angie says, “It was beautiful to blend our spirituality with theirs and to see how both styles of music praised God in such a normal and natural way.”

The Caribbean Area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU experiential learning, and Tim Wright contributed to funding this trip. Dr. Crane says, “We wish to thank [these parties] whose generous donations provide support for impactful student travel of this kind.”

“How incredible is it that our mouths couldn’t speak the same language, but our hearts sang the same song.”

–Angie Whiting

The choir performs in a cathedral. Photo courtesy of Andrew Crane.

AnInside Look atthe

By Sarah Griffin Anderson

This summer, several BYU ensembles will travel internationally to perform for audiences in Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Brussels, and South Korea. Here’s an inside look at these BYU music tours, how the groups are preparing, where they’re going, and what the directors are looking forward to.

BYU Singers: Ireland

On April 27, the BYU Singers will embark on a nine-day trip to perform in Dublin and Cork, Ireland. The Singers were invited to apply to perform at the Cork International Choral Festival. The Singers are invited to apply to many festivals each year, but this particular festival grants each choir a stipend to help assist the choir’s travel to the competition.

Dr. Andrew Crane (professor, choral conducting and ensembles) and the BYU Singers have spent the last year preparing a 12-minute program for the competition, adhering to several strict guidelines about the repertoire

and composers. The choir has even invited several choral professionals and a choreographer to work with the choir and fine-tune aspects of the performance that the judges will be looking for. Dr. Crane is excited to see the choir’s hard work pay off when they perform in front of an international jury composed of worldwide choral experts.

Dr. Crane says that even though the Singers are traveling specifically to Cork to perform in the international competition, they’re not going just to compete. The competition gives the choir a common, uniting goal. “It’s also really great just to travel the world and to collaborate with and listen to other choirs from all over the world. So it’s a great learning experience,” says Dr. Crane.

While the choir is in Cork, they will also take time to perform in concerts for the people in Cork with the other choirs participating in the competition, sharing their passion for music with the audiences. The tour will also include performances in Dublin.

BYU Synthesis: The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium

From May 1 to 22, BYU Synthesis will travel to the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, collaborating with ensembles and performing in festivals and concerts along the way.

Dr. Ben Nichols (assistant professor, saxophone) says that he and the band are passionate about music, education, and especially jazz, and they’re looking forward to sharing what they love most about music with the musicians and audiences they meet on the trip. “We’d also like to give back,” Dr. Nichols says. “For me and for many of the students in Synthesis, being able to see bands (either college bands or professional bands) perform were really formative and inspiring experiences when we were young [musicians].”

So the band is planning to workshop and perform with several high school bands throughout the tour. “We’d love to be able to help inspire [the bands] and learn from them as well,” says Dr. Nichols.

Synthesis is preparing a wide array of music so that they can perform unique and special pieces for each performance. The group will perform some of the greatest hits of big-band music as well as new compositions from Dr. Nichols and from students in the band.

For students, performing their original music on tour will make the experience even more personal and unique, says Dr. Nichols. “I think that will be a really great experience for the students to be able to share their art and also show that you can play but that there’s no reason why you can’t be an arranger and a writer as well.”

Dr. Nichols is also looking forward to sharing the light of music during the tour. He says, “It’s really a spiritual mission and music is the medium. . . . We want to share the spirit and the love of God for our fellow man with everyone that we interact with, and those performances [are] a really great opportunity to do so.”

Women’s Chorus: Germany and Switzerland

Directed by Dr. Sonja Poulter, the BYU Women’s Chorus will tour Germany and Switzerland in May. During the trip, the choir will perform in Bern, Switzerland, and in several cities in Germany: Bad Nauheim, Frankfurt, and Marktoberdor. The concert in Marktoberdorf, taking place on Sunday, May 12th, will be a special Mother’s Day Concert.

Women’s Chorus is excited to share their unique sound and beautiful moving music with the people in Germany and Switzerland. To prepare, the group is focusing on fine-tuning the music they’ve been rehearsing and learning about the culture in each destination.

Wind Symphony: South Korea

The BYU Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Shawn Smith (associate professor and director of bands), is preparing to perform at the 20th World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE)

International Conference in July. The group will travel to Gwangju, South Korea (a suburb of Seoul) to perform at the one-of-a-kind con ference dedicated solely to symphonic wind music.

Every two years, the WASBE conference invites symphonic bands from across the globe to submit applications and recordings to perform at the conference. “It’s a highly competitive process,” says Dr. Smith, and this year the BYU Wind Symphony will perform at the conference.

The BYU Wind Symphony will perform a full 90-minute concert at the conference. The Wind Symphony’s performance at WASBE will be unique because of the specialized audience. Dr. Smith says, “This [performance] is a little bit different, . . . because we will actually be performing for people that are deeply involved in band music.” But Dr. Smith and the Wind Symphony’s goal is to always perform at a high level—after all, the high-quality performance is how the Wind Symphony landed their spot in the prestigious conference in the first place.

The Wind Symphony will also perform a festival for the general public in a large outdoor city park. Dr. Smith says, “I’m excited about the concert in the park because that is [an opportunity to] play for families and people that are out enjoying their day, and they can stop and hear the Wind Symphony perform.”

The Wind Symphony will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue by performing the iconic piece at the conference. The piece showcases a stellar piano solo that Dr. Jihea Hong-Park (associate professor, piano)—a native of South Korea—will perform. Dr. Smith says, “[We’re] really excited to perform with [Dr. Hong-Park], and she’s just a rock star on the piano. To be able to have that South Korea–connection as well I think is pretty special.”

All images courtesy of Pixabay, free under the Content License.

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Music Faculty Present at

UMEA Conference

By Sarah Griffin Anderson

From elementary school teachers to professors at universities to budding music education students, a closeknit community of music educators come to the Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA) conference to learn, inspire, and connect. Several BYU students, alumni, faculty, and retirees attended the conference, and three faculty—Professors Nathan Hofheins, Erin Bailey, and Sam Tsugawa—presented ideas and tried-and-true techniques aimed at helping music educators support and inspire their students every day.

The Presentations

Professor Nathan Hofheins’s presentation was “Inspiring

Music Creation Using Affordable Technology.” Professor Hofheins has had many interactions with high school students who are eager to create music, yet often don’t know how to start or where to find the necessary tools. Professor Hofheins says, “I wanted to demonstrate for [teachers] a really user-friendly way of creating music using a digital audio workstation.” Set up with his laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and an overhead camera, Professor Hofheins walked the teachers through the creation of an orchestral piece. He hopes that with access to music composition resources, students will have ample opportunities to be creative.

Dr. Sam Tsugawa presented “Stories From the Orchestra Room,” with Ed Candland (a colleague from Utah Tech University). They shared their experiences growing up as brass players and finding their passion for teaching in the orchestra classroom. Dr. Tsugawa and Candland shared tips they discovered throughout their combined 60 years of teaching orchestra.

In a separate presentation, Dr. Tsugawa also presented practices and approaches to action research—a type of research where teachers research their own teaching practices in their classrooms to determine strategies for improving their teaching. During the conference, Dr. Tsugawa was inducted into the Utah Music Educators Association Hall of Fame, in recognition of his

lifetime career achievements in teaching and service over the past thirty years.

Dr. Erin Bailey presented a session on promoting psychological well-being in music classrooms. Former student Brooke Scott, who helped Dr. Bailey research well-being, joined the presentation. Dr. Bailey describes self-determination theory as a theory of motivation that states all humans have three basic psychological needs: autonomy, relatedness or belonging, and competence. “Our whole session was [about] this theory, but also about sharing ways that we can make our classroom spaces more supportive of these three needs.” The session was unique because Dr. Bailey was able to speak about her research and teaching experiences, while

Prof. Nathan Hofheins

Dr. Erin Bailey

Dr. Sam Tsugawa

Brooke Scott, who is now a choir and orchestra teacher in the Wasatch school district, was able to share how she implemented principles of self-determination theory in her classroom.

The Value of UMEA

Professor Hofheins values UMEA for its role in inspiring and supporting current music educators. He says, “To be able to go down there and be with all of these great people and inspiring speakers . . . is a real boost for the music educators who have such a profound influence on youth.”

Although Dr. Tsugawa presents at many conferences across the nation, UMEA is unique because it is full of Dr. Tsugawa’s friends, colleagues, and past students. “What’s unique about the UMEA conferences [is that] these are friends that I’ve taught with for almost 40 years. I have enjoyed the bonding and friendships made there.”

Dr. Bailey loves the community she finds at UMEA and the chance that music educators have to bring their careers full circle at the conference. When Dr. Bailey was a new music educator, she recalls, “I would go to that conference with my notebook and I would take furious notes on everything because, as a new teacher, I was just soaking it all in.” Now as a music educator with more experience, she presents at the conference and gives back. “[UMEA] is a special place,” she says.

From left to right: Michael Stone (western division president, National Association for Music Education), Sam Tsugawa, and Rob Schmidt (president, UMEA). Photo courtesy of Sam Tsugawa.

Brooke Scott (left) presented with Dr. Bailey (right) at the UMEA conference. Image courtesy of Erin Bailey.

School of Music on

Media!

BYU Jazz:

Photo by Trent Robinson

Synthesis and the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival

By Sarah Griffin Anderson

Dr. Ben Nichols is the third director of Synthesis, following in the footsteps of former directors Newell Dayley (who founded the band), and Ray Smith. While Ray was at BYU, he collaborated with Jazz at Lincoln Center to begin hosting the Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival. Looking back on his predecessor’s accomplishments, Dr. Nichols says, “They cast a long shadow and they’ve [left] big shoes to fill.” Yet he is enthusiastic about continuing in his predecessor’s footsteps, especially when it comes to directing Synthesis, mentoring students, and organizing the Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival.

Dr. Benjamin Nichols, director of Synthesis. Photo courtesy of Dr. Nichols.

Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival

Dr. Nichols remembers performing with Synthesis during the Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival when he was a student at BYU. Now a full-time faculty member, Dr. Nichols oversees the annual jazz festival that gathers high school bands from across the state to perform and celebrate the works of Duke Ellington—one of the greatest American jazz composers and bandleaders of all time.

Dr. Nichols believes that Ellington’s works are immensely important for budding musicians. “[Ellington’s works] give [students] a great starting place and understanding to be able to build upon and to find their own voice within jazz,” he says.

Part of the draw of the jazz festival is that young students get the chance to hear the award-winning big band Synthesis perform.

Synthesis

All music can work to lift and inspire, and Synthesis blesses the lives of others with its soul and joyfulness. “The spiritual mission to be able to . . . help [audiences] feel the Spirit and to feel inspired and uplifted when they come to a concert is a huge motivating force and factor for what we do,” Dr. Nichols says.

Synthesis has toured internationally, won awards, and been invited to perform at the prestigious Jack Rudin Jazz Championship in New York City. Dr. Nichols doesn’t just encourage players in this top-tier group to practice hard simply to perform well. Although that’s important, Dr. Nichols hopes to help each performer catch sight of their own unique voice

Portrait of Duke Ellington, Public Domain.

and offerings to the ensemble. “I think [that] is a spiritual message, but it also goes hand in hand with jazz,” says Dr. Nichols. “Being part of a collective whole but also having an individual voice and something unique to bring to the group . . . is important.”

A Metaphor for Democracy

The jazz genre teaches musicians how to find their own musical voice, but it also acts as a metaphor for democracy, teaching students about active collaboration and compromise. Dr. Nichols explains that when jazz musicians combine their talents, they create something better than any individual could achieve. “That is also the message of democracy,” says Dr. Nichols. “I think being able to play this music is great practice for those skills that we can also take to the public square as we interact with other people, especially those that see the world differently than we do.”

With the assistance of Mark Ammons (bandleader of several jazz ensembles and assistant director of the School of Music) and Ron Saltmarsh (composer and head of commercial music), Dr. Nichols is building up the jazz program at BYU.

BYU Synthesis performs onstage at BYU. Photo by Trent Robinson.

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A Piano Technician’s Playground at BYU

By Sarah Griffin Anderson

From jazz ensembles to choir rehearsals to solo performances, the piano is the instrument that underlies and supports nearly every form of music. Yet some may not have considered how much skill is required to care for a piano.

Here’s an inside peek at the skills piano technicians practiced during the piano technician’s playground event as well as a new Introduction to Piano Technology course and the daily duties of one of BYU’s own full-time piano techs, Jason Cassel.

Piano Technician’s Playground

The piano technician’s playground event—sponsored by the Salt Lake City Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild—aimed to provide experienced piano techs and students alike with the opportunity to practice repairing and maintaining pianos.

Jason Cassel and Rick Baldassin, members of the Piano Technicians Guild and full-time BYU piano technicians, helped organize and host the event.

Jason Cassel explains that “the playground” is a hands-on piano technician experience complete with 14 different workstations. At each station, piano techs practiced skills like

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.

replacing a broken string, regulating a piano, aligning parts, and placing new felts on the keys. Each station had a video tutorial and a designated facilitator to coach the piano techs through their tasks.

In total, over 80 technicians attended the event, ranging from full-time professional piano technicians to students in one of the newest courses offered in the School of Music: Introduction to Piano Technology.

Introduction to Piano Technology

After teaching a wildly popular piano technician elective during the annual Summer Musician’s Festival, Jason and Rick (with the support of Dr. Diane Reich, director of the School of Music) created a class dedicated to teaching students the fundamentals of piano technology.

Jason is enthusiastic about the new course because it helps musicians understand the piano in a more meaningful way. “Whether these students go on to perform in concert halls or teach in their own home studios, . . . they’re probably going to own a piano,” Jason says. “And learning some of the terminology and the way that some of the mechanisms work . . . enriches nearly every aspect of a musical education because pianos are a part of every aspect of music education.”

Students work at stations during the playground event. Photos courtesy of Jason Cassel.

BYU Piano Technicians

The new piano technician course is especially exciting for Jason and Rick because it was here at BYU where they both learned the skills of a piano technician. When Rick was in school, BYU offered an associate degree in piano technology. When Jason was an undergraduate studying commercial music, he took a music business class and was assigned to come up with five potential career paths. Because he had to complete the assignment, Jason put piano tech as his fifth and final choice. But when Jason was assigned to learn more about each career path, he contacted Keith Kopp (the full-time piano tech in the School of Music at the time) and ended up being hired as a student piano technician.

“Pianos are a part of every aspect of music education.”

–Jason Cassel

By the time Jason graduated, he had his Registered Piano Technician certification and was immediately offered full-time work as a piano technician. Later when Keith Kopp retired, Jason was hired as the replacement. “It has been so fun that now I get to pay it forward and [mentor] the next generation of students,” Jason says.

Together, Jason Cassel and Rick Baldassin employ several student piano technicians to help them care for 200 pianos in the Music Building. Each piano is tuned at least once a month, and some high-profile pianos (like those played during recitals and concerts) are tuned almost every time they’re used. Jason says, “We put a fresh tuning on those [high-profile pianos] multiple times a week so that when a student goes out for their recital or the choirs go on stage, . . . the School of Music is well represented and the students or ensembles get what they deserve for all the hard work they put into that performance.”

Student Accomplishments

UMTA Piano Competition

Several students competed and placed in the piano competition hosted by the Utah Music Teachers Association in February 2024.

Tim McKay performed the third movement of Mendelssohn’s 2nd Piano Concerto in D minor. During the competition, Tim focused on enjoying the performance, despite his nerves, and showcasing the detail and charm he’d spent hours incorporating into his music. He says, “Though I didn’t perform perfectly by all means, I left the room feeling elated and content at a successful, and most importantly, enjoyable performance.” Tim won first place in the young artist division at the UMTA competition; Tim is a student of Dr. Scott Holden.

Amberlee Woodhouse performed the first movement of MacDowell Piano Concerto No. 2. Amberlee worked hard to prepare mentally for the performance, and says, “The more mental practice I do, the more comfortable I feel playing in competitions.” For Amberlee, each performance is an opportunity to share. She says, “When I can view performances or competitions as an opportunity to share, rather than a chance to prove my worth to myself or others, it takes a lot of the

Photo courtesy of Tim McKay

Photo courtesy of Amberlee Woodhouse

pressure off and makes it an enjoyable and even sacred experience.” Amberlee won second place in the young artist division; she is a student of Dr. Jihea Hong-Park.

Ian Patterson won third place in the Young Artist division. Ian is a student of Dr. Jihea Hong-Park.

Kelsey Berges performed the first movement of the Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto Op. 22 No. 2 in G minor. To prepare mentally for the performance, Kelsey practiced visualizing a successful performance and doing several practice performances for peers. She says, “I always enjoy the thrill of being on stage. It’s why I’ve always known I’ve wanted to be a performer—you get to experience the culminating moment of all your preparation where you’re truly free to express yourself.” Kelsey won third place in the senior division. She is a student of Dr. Scott Holden.

National Association of Teachers of Singing

On January 12–14, several BYU students competed at the CAL-WEST Region Conference for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The competition united voice students from Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Hawaii. After a first round of video auditions, several BYU Students sang live in the semi-finals and finals.

Photo courtesy of Kelsey Berges

Maisy Merchant (BM, music education) won second place in the lower college commercial music division. She performed “Manhattan” by Sara Bareilles, “Bright” by Echosmith, and “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5. Maisy says, “I feel the best way to mentally prepare for performances is to draw my attention to the people I am singing to and remember that this experience is to bring them joy.” Maisy is a student of Dr. Ruth Ellis.

Arielle Pedersen (MDT) won third place in the lower college classical division. Arielle is a student of Kerilyn Johnson.

Dakota Sioux (MDT) won first place in the upper college commercial music and upper college musical theater division. Dakota is a student of Kerilyn Johnson.

Savannah Parsons (MM) won first place in the advanced college classical division. She performed several selections by Strauss, Puccini, Mozart, American composer Dominick Argento, and Georges Bizet. “To keep my nerves at bay,” Savannah says, “I do my best to see the competition as a celebration of every performer’s hard work.” Savannah also loves having the chance to perform, and says, “Art has a way of allowing us to step outside of our worries and responsibilities for a moment.” Savannah is a student of Dr. Diane Reich.

Photo courtesy of Maisy Merchant

Photo courtesy of Savannah Parsons

Ariana Abadia (MM) won second place in the advanced college classical division. Ariana is a student of Dr. Diane Reich.

Rachel Miltimore (vocal performance) won second place in the upper college classical, treble division. Rachel is a student of Dr. Diane Reich.

Anna Low (vocal performance) won third place in the upper college classical, treble division. Anna is a student of Dr. Diane Reich.

Lucas Zuehl (vocal performance) won second place in the upper college classical, TBB division. Lucas is a student of Jennifer Youngs.

BYU Concerto Competition

Each year, students in the School of Music compete in a highly anticipated concerto competition. The freshman and sophomore winners of the competition perform with the Symphony Orchestra and the junior and senior winners perform with the Philharmonic. To learn more about the senior division winners, read “The Philharmonic’s Annual Evening of Concertos.”

Josh Bird (commercial music) just returned from Taiwan where he was on tour with one the biggest rock bands in the world, The Foo Fighters. Because of Josh’s success as a music artist in Taiwan, Josh was asked by The Foo Fighters to be their opening act on the Taiwan leg

Photo courtesy of Simon Cheek

of their worldwide tour. Josh served his mission in Taiwan and has subsequently returned to build his reputation as a music artist there.

MNTA Nationals

BYU School of Music had an exceptional showing at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Competition on March 16–20, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. This is one of the most competitive and prestigious auditions at the national level.

Nathan Cox (cello performance) won first prize at the MTNA National Young Artist Solo String competition. Out of the thousands of applicants, other finalists included Steven Doane’s (Eastman School of Music) and David Halen’s (University of Michigan) students. Nathan is immensely grateful to Dr. Michelle Kesler for her instruction and guidance and is proud to represent BYU as first prize winner of both the solo competition and as a member of the Aspen Grove Trio in the chamber music competition.

The Aspen Grove Trio, consisting of Nathan Cox, Caroline Jorden, and Tanner Jorden, was awarded first prize at the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition. From a pool of many across the country, only seven chamber groups were selected to compete at the final round in Atlanta. Among those selected to compete in the final round were multiple groups from Indiana’s

Photo courtesy of Diane Reich

Photo courtesy of Diane Reich

Jacobs School of Music, Texas Christian University, Columbus State University, as well as other prestigious conservatories. The Aspen Grove Trio is coached by Dr. Scott Holden.

Jacob Warnick, piano, competed in the MTNA National Young Artist Piano Competition as one of seven finalists. To get to the finals, he won first prize in the competition for the state of Utah and claimed first prize in the Southwest Division (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico). Other national piano finalists included students from Eastman School of Music, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Cornell University, etc. Jacob is a student of Dr. Jihea Hong-Park.

Alumni Accomplishments

Mia Black (BM 2023, choral education) recently won the 2024 Prize of the Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-Day Saint Arts for her development of an elementary music curriculum focused on teaching global folk music in America. Drawing inspiration from her experiences living in Istanbul and taking a multicultural education course, Black channeled her love for multicultural experiences into a songbook filled with American and other types of folk music. Black says, “This project will follow the immigration timeline of America, and will include folk songs that have been

Photo courtesy of Mia Black

Photo courtesy of Diane Reich

brought to this country by the many diverse ethnic groups that have come to call this land home.” Black is the winner of the $5,000 Endowment Prize. The development and distribution of Black’s completed curriculum is supported by an additional generous grant of $10,000 from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation. “Without the courses that I took at BYU,” Black says, “I would never have found the inspiration for this project. And without the support of my incredible professors and mentors, I don’t think I would have had the courage to pursue this project.”

Andrew Maxfield’s (BM 2006, music studies) piece What About the Duck? was recently performed by the Utah Symphony. Learn more about the piece and Andrew’s career by reading, “Q&A with Alumni Composer Andrew Maxfield.”

Savannah Porter (BM 2021, vocal performance) is a freelance choral singer and soloist who has been singing professionally full-time since 2021. Porter lives in Brooklyn, New York, and sings with award-winning ensembles such as the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Conspirare, True Concord Voices and Orchestra, Artefact American Soloist Ensemble (located in South Korea), Skylark, Benedict XVI, and Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble. Porter is on contract to be part of a solo recital series with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale this upcoming July, and she is also a fea-

Photo courtesy of Savannah Porter

Photo courtesy of Andrew Maxfield

tured soloist and ensemble member in Conspirare’s current Grammy-nominated album “House of Belonging.”

Jacob Khalil (BM 2018, vocal performance) was recently featured on FOX 5 NY chronicling his heavy involvement in the New York jazz and singer-songwriter scenes. The segment featured his new song “Rest Of My Life.” Within the last year, Jacob has performed on Saturday Night Live with Sam Smith and has maintained a busy, full-time performing schedule in NYC and around the country.

BYU Orchestra Alumni Reunion: On April 13th, many BYU Orchestra Alumni gathered in the Music Building for a reunion. Various alumni played together in a sight-reading session, held in the Concert Hall and directed by Dr. Nathan Haines. Afterward, the alumni enjoyed a meal together in the Skyroom before watching the Philharmonic perform. To get connected with School of Music orchestra alumni, join the “BYU Orchestra Alumni” group on Facebook.

Faculty Accomplishments

Dr. Andrew Crane appeared as guest conductor of the 2023 North Carolina Music Educators Association Honors Chorus (of over 1,000 high school students from across the state) on November 5. He also conducted the 2023 Utah All-State choir in the Salt Lake City Tabernacle on

Photo courtesy of Jacob Khalil

Photo courtesy of Andrew Crane

Photo courtesy of BYU Orchestra Alumni

October 7, which hosts the best high school singers in the state. Additionally, Dr. Crane conducted guest lectures and masterclasses (choral rehearsal, private vocal instruction, private conducting instruction, and seminars on the BYU choral program and American choral music) at the “Conservatorio di Musica Francesco Antonio Bonporti” in Trento, Italy, on October 16–17.

Keenan Reesor presented the paper “Fragments of a Musical Style: Rachmaninoff’s Music of Late 1917” at the 2023 American Musicological Society–Society for Music Theory Joint National Meeting in Denver on November 10.

Nate Seamons presented “FLEXible Solutions for Non-Perfect Instrumentation” at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in December 2023. Find more information here. In January, he conducted the Clark County School District Honor Band, made up of the best student musicians from 73 high schools in Nevada. The concert took place at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Randy Lee was a guest artist at the Escuela de Artes Musicales Universidad de Costa Rica in December 2023. He performed a recital, taught masterclasses to advanced trumpet students, and presented on a variety of topics. Some of the performed works included Bach, Gershwin, James, and Da Falla.

Photo courtesy of Keenan Reesor

Photo courtesy of Nate Seamons

Photo courtesy of BYU Photo.

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.