NEW TO KU
The School of Music welcomed four new faculty this fall
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arolyn Watson comes to KU as the new director of orchestral activities and conducts the KU Symphony Orchestra. Formerly the director of orchestral studies at Texas State University, Watson was a major prizewinner of the 2012 Emmerich Kálmán International Operatta Conducting Competition in Budapest, Hungary, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival. Watson has conducted orchestras throughout Europe, including the Berlin Philharmonic in Interaktion. She was one of six conductors to be selected for the elite Dallas Opera Institute for Women Conductors and has participated in
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aniel Velasco has been named assistant professor of flute. Before coming to KU, Velasco was appointed to the faculty at the University of Akron in 2016. Velasco is the first prize winner of the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition, WAMSO Minnesota Orchestra Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competition, and Claude Monteux Flute Competition; the second prize winner of the William C. Byrd Competition; and finalist at the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh International Competition. He has been a soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador, Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, Luciano Carrera Chamber Orchestra, University
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oris Vayner has been appointed as an assistant professor of viola. Vayner joined the KU faculty as a lecturer in 2017. Previously, he had served as adjunct faculty and a member of the quartet-in-residence at Wichita State University. Vayner's students have gone on to win concerto area competitions as well as local and national chamber music competitions. At Wichita State Vayner was the founder and director of the Suprima Chamber Orchestra; and he successfully led the orchestra to performances in Russia and at the Bargemusic in New York, where they collaborated with violin prodigy Jonathan Okseniuk. Originally from Novosibirsk, Russia, Vayner has enjoyed a diverse career in music as a violist, educator and conductor. A member of the Grammy-nominated St. Petersburg String Quartet since
master classes with Marin Alsop, Peter Eötvös, Yoel Levi, Martyn Brabbins and Alex Polishchuk. From 2013-15 she was the music director of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra and has also conducted the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra since moving to the U.S. in 2013. She is the recipient of the Brian Stacy Award for emerging Australian conductors, Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Prize, Opera Foundation Australia’s Bayreuth Opera Award and Berlin New Music Opera Award. Watson holds a PhD in Performance (Conducting) from the University of Sydney.
of Akron Symphony Orchestra and University of Akron Wind Ensemble. An active freelancer, Velasco has been a member of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Florida Grand Opera, and Palm Beach Symphony, and has performed with Boca Sinfonia, Michigan Philharmonic, Akron Symphony and Pittsburgh Opera. He performs with the Solaris Woodwind Quintet and is a founding member of the Miamibased NuDeco Ensemble. Velasco earned a doctoral degree from the University of Miami-Frost School of Music and holds degrees from the University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin and University of Northern Iowa.
2005, he has toured throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The highlights of his career include performances at Lincoln Center, Library of Congress, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Manchester Bridgewater Hall, Dublin National Concert Hall, London King’s Place, and St. Petersburg Philharmonic Great Hall. He is also a member of the St. Petersburg Piano Quartet that debuted in New York in 2014. Vayner holds bachelor’s degrees from Novosibirsk Music College and Novosibirsk State University and master’s degrees in viola performance from the St. Petersburg Conservatory and the New England Conservatory. He is currently pursuing a DMA in orchestral conducting at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. David Colwell, continued pg. 13
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