MAGAZINE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
SUMMER/FALL, 2023
Published July, 2023
FULL SEASON OF CONCERTS NOW ON SALE
FACULTY / STUDENT / ALUMNI NEWS
HOSTING THE CBDNA NATIONAL CONFERENCE
HODGSON SINGERS COMPETE IN GERMANY
2023-24 SEASON BROCHURE
Plus: STUDENT & ALUMNI NEWS
FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
HOSTING THE CBDNA CONFERENCE
HODGSON SINGERS COMPETE IN GERMANY
Hugh Hodgson School of Music Administration Director, Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Peter Jutras
Assistant to the Director
Edith Hollander
SFORZANDO Magazine Staff
HHSOM Director of Public Relations
Shaun Baer
Public Relations Team 2022-23
Xandrya Edwards
Natasha Pizzaro Guerrero
Valerie Harrison
Lindsey Hood
Contributing Photographers
Shaun Baer
Easel Images
Sarah Frook Gallo
Presley Grace Photography
Lindsey Hood
Contact
Shaun Baer
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
230 River Road, Ste. 324-A
Athens, GA 30602
706-542-4752 | shaunbaer@uga.edu
SFORZANDO is published by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
COVER PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: UGA Symphony Orchestra (Photo by Shaun Baer)
Combined Choirs (Photo by Easel Images)
UGA Steel Band (Photo by Shaun Baer)
Xandrya Edwards (MM, ‘23) in the opera “Postcard from Morocco.”
Chamber Music Athens One-Night Only Gala (Photo by
Welcome to the inaugural publication of “Sforzando,” a magazine dedicated to the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, our performance season, and the accomplishments of our students, alumni, and faculty. We intend to deliver this magazine twice a year, in July and December, to keep you informed about additions and changes to our concert schedule and to recap the previous semester. Since this is our first issue, let me go back a little further to help set the stage.
The 2022-2023 school year was our first year back in “full swing” since the pandemic began in March of 2020. It is astonishing to believe that just a few years ago, our student musicians were taking their lessons, performing their recitals, and collaborating with one another through FaceTime and Zoom. By comparison, this year, our 27 ticketed performances were seen by over 8,300 patrons. Our Beethoven 9th Symphony concert, featuring the UGA Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Singers, University Chorus, and Glee Clubs as well as four graduate student soloists in vocal performance, had an audience of over 1,600 people between the two performances.
And those were only the ticketed events. We offered over 40 additional largeto-mid-size ensemble performances between Hodgson and Ramsey Concert Halls. Our UGA Wind Ensemble concert in February, as part of the College Band Directors National Association National Conference, was standing room only. In October, the UGA residency of the Athens Hip Hop Harmonic played to a nearly sold-out theatre as well.
Our opera program presented the classic “Faust” and the contemporary “Postcard from Morocco,” offering audiences two very different but equally challenging dramatic works. We introduced the new UGA Middle East Music Ensemble, and when you start factoring in our small student ensembles and student recitals, we were back to offering over 300 performances a year.
Our faculty, student, and alumni accomplishments include on-campus, national, and international accolades, new publications, and exciting opportunities. Just over a month ago, our Hodgson Singers were selected as the only choir in the nation to compete in the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany.
We hope you will return for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music 2023-24 season. We are offering more ways to purchase your tickets for your convenience. We look forward to sharing with you “The Power of Prokofiev,” “(N.) Williams Conducting (J.)Williams,” the “Dona Nobis Pacem” symphony and choirs combined concert, and so much more. Join us for another year of celebrating and experiencing music at UGA.
Sincerely,
Pete Jutras Director, Hugh Hodgson School of Music
New Director of Bands Nicholas Enrico Williams welcomed the nation’s College Band Leaders to Athens, GA.
The Hodgson Singers were awarded second place at the highest level at an international competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany.
University Professorships, an ABA Citation, books published, and several on-campus, national, and international accolades this year.
From Angela Brown to Shanshan Yao, HHSOM hosted some of the top talent in the world this past year. Awards, accolades, new positions, and even an Emmy nomination. Learn more about our student and alumni accomplishments.
UGA Redcoat Marching Band plays Bulldogs to victory in back-toback win; Saxophone Quartet wins National Award.
For the 2022-2023 academic year, we returned to our first full year of performances since Covid-19 began. We found a number of things had changed and audience engagement was no exception.
In order to provide a more accessible audience experience, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music has changed the process for season ticket sales. We still offer the same high-quality programming, but we have more ways to curate your own season of concerts and performances. This provides more flexibility to build a musical experience tailored to your interests. Our series packages will still be available, but we have added three new options as well.
Save 25% ($95 dollars) with this ticket package for all twenty-six (26) of our ticketed events, including:
ALL Thursday Scholarship Series Concerts
ALL Ensemble Series Concerts
ALL Faculty Artist Series Recitals
BOTH Opera Performances
This package allows you to save 20% off each series of performances, including:
8 Thursday Scholarship Series Concerts: $128
10 Ensemble Series Concerts: $120
6 Faculty Artist Series Recitals: $72
2 Opera Theatre Performances: $32
In addition to now offering a Complete Season package, HHSOM will now offer “Pick Twelve” and “Pick Six” options for patrons to select the concerts they would like to see across our ticketed series.
Our season ticket order form is located in the center of this booklet. To order by mail, remove the form, follow the instructions, and mail the completed form and payment using the included envelope. You can also order tickets by phone by calling the UGA Box Office at 706-542-4400 during the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., in person at the UGA Performing Arts Center, or online through our website at music.uga.edu. Additional information is on page 25.
This package allows you to save 15% off of twelve (12) performances of your choice, including:
ANY Thursday Scholarship Series Concerts
ANY Ensemble Series Concerts
ANY Faculty Artist Series Recitals
ANY Opera Performances
This package allows you to save 10% off of six (6) performances of your choice, including:
ANY Thursday Scholarship Series Concerts
ANY Ensemble Series Concerts
ANY Faculty Artist Series Recitals
ANY Opera Performances
During each academic year we offer a wide variety of programming divided into five series. Four are ticketed, or paid, performances. The proceeds from these ticket sales support the scholarships of our students. We try to include a variety of concerts and ensembles in each series to provide wonderful and unique experiences.
Our free performances offer us a chance to make music accessible to everyone. These concerts feature a diversity of ensembles, varied repertoire, and performers from the school of music and across the UGA campus. To help us maintain accessibility to our concerts, you can learn more about concert underwriting and other ways to support the Hugh Hodgson School of Music on page 27.
The biggest challenge of a performance degree in music is ensuring the instrumentalists and vocalists have the chance to experience a wide variety of repertoire and musical styles. The Ensemble Series features our students in the Wind Ensemble, the Symphony Orchestra, and more.
All performances are in Hodgson Hall at 7:30 p.m.
UGA Opera Theatre is where solo vocal performance, choral performance, and instrumental performance merge for an exquisite evening of musical storytelling. Presenting familiar favorites as well as modern and experimental works, the UGA Opera Theatre offers something for everyone.
All performances are in Hodgson Hall, times vary.
The Thursday Scholarship Series began in 1980 and continues the tradition of “Music Appreciation Programs” started by Hugh Hodgson in the 1930s. Proceeds from ticket sales to these concerts and contributions made by you are the primary means through which School of Music scholarship funds are raised each year.
All performances are in Hodgson Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Each year our faculty present recitals as part of the Faculty Artist Series. This gives them a chance to share and celebrate their artistry with the UGA and Athens communities. As part of this series, our faculty provide our students with examples of the highest level of musicianship.
All performances are in Ramsey Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Throughout the year we offer an extensive variety of concerts, ensembles, and innovative experimental compositions that are free and open to the public. Those listed in this brochure are only a small fraction of what you can find this year, including high quality guest artists. Many ensembles are still scheduling their concerts so visit music.uga.edu throughout the year and sign up for our weekly update email list.
FRI 8/18
UGA Choral Project “Vida”
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 16
THURS 9/7
Evgeny Rivkin, piano
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 20
THURS 9/14
UGA Symphony Orchestra
Gala Opening Concert
“The Power of Prokofiev”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 8
TUES 9/19
UGA Wind Ensemble
“A World of Blue”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 11
FRI 9/22
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 16
WED 9/27
Wind Symphony
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
MON 10/2
Symphonic Band
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
THURS 10/5
Piano Extravaganza featuring UGA Faculty
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 19
TUES 10/10 & WED 10/11
Thursday Scholarship Series
CONCERT KEY: Faculty Artist Series Ensemble Series Connection Series
Opera Theatre
THURS 10/26
UGA Wind Ensemble “N. Williams Conducts J. Williams”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 11
WED 11/15
Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
THURS 11/16
Indigo Girls with the UGA Symphony Orchestra
Hodgson Concert Hall
This event is part of the PAC’s UGA Presents series. Tickets can be purchased at: pac.uga.edu
Milton Masciadri, double bass
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 20
THURS 10/19
SOLI Chamber Ensemble
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 19
FRI 10/20
Hodgson Singers and University Chorus
“For the Living”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 14
MON 10/23
British Brass Band Fall Festival featuring David Childs, euphonium
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 22
TUES 10/24
UGA Philharmonia
Hodgson Concert Hall page 10
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 16
TUES 10/31
MON 10/30 MON 10/16
ARCO Chamber Orchestra
“From Baroque to Our Days”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 10
TUES 10/31
UGA Glee Clubs “Flow”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 15
FRI 11/3
Faculty Artist Series
Faculty Jazz Ensemble
“Birth of the Cool”
Ramsey Concert Hall page 20
WED 11/8
Jazz Ensembles
Ramsey Concert Hall page 23
FR1 11/10 & SUN 11/12
UGA Opera Theatre
“Mythos & Machinations”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 18
UGA Wind Ensemble “Quiet City”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 11
TUES 11/21
African American Choral Ensemble Fall Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 17
THURS 11/30 & FRI 12/1
Annual Holiday Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 9
TUES 12/5
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall page 16
Look for our next issue of “Sforzando” the first week of December, featuring:
• Fall 2023 semester news
• Faculty/student news
• Alumni news
PLUS: Purchase your event passes and individual tickets for the “Chamber Music
Athens” Festival in May.
This schedule, including repertoire or performance groups, is subject to change. For ticketed events, see p. 26 regarding cancellations, reschedules, and refunds.
FRI 1/12
UGA Choral Project “Awakening”
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 16
TUES 1/16
Anatoly Sheludyakov, piano
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 21
THURS 1/25
UGA Symphony Orchestra with Concerto Competition Winners
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 9
WED 2/7
Josh Bynum, trombone
Ramsey Concert Hall page 21
MON 2/12
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 16
TUES 2/13
University Chorus with Choral Project and Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 15
WED 2/14
Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
THURS 2/15
UGA Chamber Music Gala featuring Student Ensembles
Hodgson Concert Hall
THURS 3/21 &
3/22 MON 4/15
UGA Opera Theatre ‘Tragedy of Carmen”
Hodgson Concert Hall
Opera Scenes
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 18
FRI 2/16
page 19 Hodgson Concert Hall page 10
UGA Philharmonia
TUES 2/20
UGA Wind Ensemble “Deconstructed & Reimagined”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 12
THURS 2/22
UGA Symphony Orchestra Happy Birthday Anton Bruckner
Hodgson Concert Hall page 8
TUES 2/27
UGA Glee Clubs Spring Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall page 15
FRI 3/1
British Brass Band
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 22
THURS 3/14
Hodgson Singers “The Poet Sings”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 14
TUES 3/19
Maggie Snyder, viola
Ramsey Concert Hall
page 21
page 18
FRI 3/22
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall page 16
MON 3/25
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 10
WED 3/27
ARCO Chamber Orchestra Mostly Romantic Concert Band and University Band
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
TUES 4/2
UGA Wind Ensemble “Ingolf Dahl Sinfonietta”
Hodgson Concert Hall page 12
WED 4/3
Jazz Ensembles
Hodgson Concert Hall page 23
THURS 4/4
UGA Symphony Orchestra An Evening of French Masterpieces
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 8
MON 4/8
Don Gillespie Memorial Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 19
WED 4/17
Combined Bands Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 13
THURS 4/18
African America Choral Ensemble Spring Concert
Hodgson Concert Hall page 17
TUES 4/23
UGA Wind Ensemble and Friends “Remixes and Mashups”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 12
FRI 4/26
UGA Symphony Orchestra and Combined Choirs “Dona Nobis Pacem”
Hodgson Concert Hall
page 9
MON 4/29
Repertory Singers
Ramsey Concert Hall page 16
UGA Philharmonia
Hodgson Concert Hall page 10
MON 4/29 5/12 - 5/21
Chamber Music Athens Festival
Details and ticket sales coming this December.
The University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra (UGASO) is one of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s premier performing ensembles, showcasing some of the university’s finest players performing traditional orchestral repertoire in a series of dynamic concerts. In addition to approximately seven annual performances, the UGASO also provides music for the UGA Opera Theatre’s fully staged productions and serves as the lab orchestra for various academic classes, from composition to orchestral conducting. The UGASO is dedicated to the study and performance of significant orchestral music. They often collaborate with faculty and guest soloists in performances of major concerto literature. The orchestra performs under the baton of Mark Cedel and is primarily composed of music majors.
THURS 9/14
7:30 p.m.
This concert features Prokofiev’s popular Symphony No. 5. The concert opens with a tribute to faculty member David Starkweather, who will be retiring at the end of this academic year after 41 years teaching cello. He will be featured in the virtuosic Sinfonia Concertante for Cello and Orchestra by Prokofiev, considered to be one of the most challenging pieces in cello repertoire.
THURS 2/22 ensemble
7:30 p.m.
Celebrate the 200th birth anniversary of the great Austrian composer! Best known for his symphonies and sacred music, Bruckner’s music possesses a thrilling, epic quality quite unlike any other. He often sets the listener up for a spectacular musical resolution, and then subverts expectations by taking a gentle stroll along some diverting musical tributary.
THURS 4/4 ensemble
7:30 p.m.
“Bienvenue à l’orchestre!” The UGASO demonstrates its flexibility and artistry by exploring masterpieces of the French repertoire. Featuring works such as Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, as well as works by Ravel and others, this concert promises to be a “fête de la musique!”
The UGASO supports a number of collaborative productions throughout the year in addition to their own concerts. These three performances are all part of the Thursday Scholarship Series and feature not only the symphony orchestra, but the university’s top soloists, four of UGA’s choirs, as well as a number of ensembles celebrating the holiday season.
7:30
p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall
‘Tis the season for fine music! The UGA School of Music Holiday Concert has become a tradition for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, the University of Georgia, and the Athens community. One week after Thanksgiving, this cornucopia of some our strongest ensembles is the perfect start to your holiday season. Underwritten by Bill Barstow in loving memory of Dolly Barstow.
The soloists performing in this concert are selected after advancing through a rigorous competition process judged by faculty within the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. These winners are selected and announced near the end of the fall semester, so be sure to keep an eye on our website, social media, and the local press for our announcement of the winners and their program.
The ARCO Chamber Orchestra was originally founded in Russia in 1989 at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory by Levon Ambartsumian. When Mr. Ambartsumian joined the University of Georgia’s School of Music faculty in In 1995, he remained the artistic director and conductor of the orchestra, moving its home base to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, where the ensemble has now become a talented international blend of musicians. Since its creation, Ambartsumian has led UGA’s ARCO Chamber Orchestra, commercially releasing 15 CDs and has performing four times in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. In 2011, ARCO was invited to perform at La Fenice, the world famous Opera House in Venice, Italy.
ARCO’s first concert of the year will span centuries, featuring music by Handel, Bach and a violin concerto by Oklahoma based, Armenian-American composer Karen Khanagov. Listen for traditions that have withstood the test of time as well as new innovations that have reinvigorated orchestral music for the next generation.
The program includes the beloved Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence” in orchestral version. In this context, romantic doesn’t just refer to the Romantic period, but to the depth of dramatic character of any music, person, or story. Join ARCO for a rich and rewarding concert as we welcome the first days of spring.
As one of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s large orchestral ensembles, the University Philharmonia offers an outlet for musical expression to all string players at the University of Georgia. Student string players are openly invited to perform in the Philharmonia, while all other instruments are selected via audition each semester. The ensemble performs three times per academic year. The University Philharmonia is under the supervision of Mark Cedel. The ensemble is also conducted by graduate students majoring in orchestral conducting. The UGA Philharmonia concerts are free. No tickets are required.
All Philharmonia concerts are at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall
“From Baroque to Our Days”
“Mostly Romantic”
The UGA Wind Ensemble has earned an international reputation for its artistry, precision, sensitivity, and musicianship. The Wind Ensemble is now under the baton of Nicholas Enrico Williams, the new Director of Bands at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. Employing flexible scoring, the Wind Ensemble performs chamber works as well as large scale compositions, fresh ink and classics, and music from around the world. Championing the performance of new music, the ensemble has a rich history of commissioning emerging and established composers. In addition to commissioning and premiering new works, the Wind Ensemble tours nationally and internationally, hosts acclaimed guest artists, and records on the Naxos and Mark Custom labels. Recent performances include tours in Argentina, France, and Switzerland, as well as featured appearances at the 2023 National CBDNA conference hosted here at UGA. Read more about the conference on page 30.
The first Wind Ensemble Concert of the season offers the stunning Gershwin favorite “Rhapsody in Blue,” with 2022 Concerto Winner Jia Meng as piano soloist. Also featured is “The Blue Marble” by Julie Giroux, which includes a multi-media/video component, and the world premiere of “Alla Rondo World” by recent UGA graduate Jackson Riffle.
One of the most recognizable film composers of the 20th and 21st century, John Williams has been a legend since his first collaborations with Steven Spielberg in the 1970s. The Wind Ensemble will offer selections from some of his most popular scores, from the Star Wars saga to Harry Potter, and some surprises in between. Don’t miss (N.) Williams Conducts (J.) Williams!
“Quiet City” by Aaron Copland, though originally composed to support a scripted play, became a rich and intricate piece that exceeded the origins of the play that inspired the work. Featuring UGA faculty soloists Brandon Craswell, trumpet, and Reid Messich, English horn. Other pieces in this concert include the Georgia premiere of “Pounce” by Holly Harrison, and “Cheetah” by Karel Husa.
“Quiet City”
This inventive concert takes the Wind Ensemble you know and love, breaks it down to the essentials, and puts it back together in new and unexpected ways. From the sounds of Chamber Winds to Wind Symphony, join us for this auditory exploration of what these instruments can really do.
Born Walter Ingolf Marcus to a GermanJewish family in 1912, he eventually emigrated to the US in 1939 during the rise of the Nazi party, and changed his name to Dahl. Once here, he worked extensively in Hollywood during the golden age of film. His story and his music has recently been experiencing a renaissance. This exciting work was commissioned by CBDNA in 1961.
– from Holst and Bach to Bryant and Grantham
The Wind Ensemble welcomes guest ensembles to their final concert of the year, featuring a wide variety of pieces including Holst Suite in E-flat, Steven Bryant “Suite Dream,” Gershwin “Preludes,” Bach “Menuet and Gigue” from Partita 1 and Grantham’s “JS Dances.”
As one of the University of Georgia’s large wind bands, the Wind Symphony has performed extensively throughout the Southeast, including concerts at regional conferences of the College Band Directors National Association and the annual Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conferences. Wind Symphony is conducted by Jaclyn Hartenberger.
The Wind Symphony meets year-round, performing the finest standard and new repertoire for wind band at several concerts each season in the UGA Performing Arts Center. The Wind Symphony regularly features outstanding guest artists and performs collaborative concerts with Georgia high school bands.
Membership is determined by blind audition for undergraduate music majors, minors, and gifted non-majors who are preparing for careers in performance, music education, or a life-long involvement with music.
Experienced undergraduate music majors, minors, and non-majors from across campus participate in the University of Georgia Symphonic Band, one of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s large wind bands. The Symphonic Band focuses on the classic band repertoire as well as exciting new music, and has recorded for C. Alan Publications. The newly organized Undergraduate Conducting Apprentice Program is also hosted by the Symphonic Band, and the ensemble presents a year-long concert series. The Symphonic Band is conducted by Michael C. Robinson.
Wind Symphony Symphonic Band
All Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band concerts are at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall
The UGA Wind Symphony and UGA Symphonic Band concerts are free. No tickets are required.
WED 3/27
7:30 p.m.
Hodgson Concert Hall
WED 9/27 MON 10/2
Wind Symphony & Symphonic Band Shared Concerts
WED 11/15
WED 2/14 WED 4/17
The Concert Band is a Spring Semester ensemble made up of UGA’s most talented non-music majors. An enjoyable musical outlet for students from throughout campus, the University Band provides fellowship and creative self-expression via large concert band performance.
Concert Band and University Band concerts are free. No tickets are required.
The international award-winning Hodgson Singers is UGA’s premier choral ensemble made up of many of the university’s most talented and dedicated singers, primarily advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Because of its more rigorous schedule of rehearsals and performances both on and off-campus throughout the year, this ensemble requires students to make a full-year commitment. The Hodgson Singers perform under the direction of Dr. Daniel Bara. In 2014, the UGA Hodgson Singers won the prestigious International Choral Competition Ave Verum in Baden, Austria. In May, 2023 The UGA Hodgson Singers were invited to compete in the 18th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition against eleven other choirs where they were awarded the highest level of achievement –Excellence at an International Level - and won the 2nd place prize. You can read more about their trip on page 34.
University Chorus will perform Dan Forrest’s “Requiem For the Living” with orchestra, conducted by Daniel Shafer. The lush and varied settings of traditional Requiem and biblical texts make for an impactful musical experience. The Hodgson Singers will present works by Jennifer Lucy Scott, Ken Burton, Dominic DiOrio, and more.
(see page 9)
“The Poet Sings”
Join the UGA Hodgson Singers for an evening celebrating the unforgettable chemistry of two great art forms: poetry and vocal music. Choral music has set the words of some of history’s most beloved poets to music. This concert will feature composer John Corigliano’s “Fern Hill” (poem by Dylan Thomas) as well as pieces based on the poetry of e.e. cummings, Shakespeare, and several more.
“Dona Nobis Pacem”
UGASO and Combined
Choirs (see page 9)
The UGA University Chorus is UGA’s largest mixed choral ensemble and is comprised of university students as well as faculty, staff, and Athens community members. Singing a wide variety of choral and choral/orchestral music, University Chorus often combines with several other UGA choirs to collaborate with the UGA Symphony Orchestra on major works. University Chorus concerts are free. No tickets are required.
University Chorus opens the concert presenting songs of love and laughter. After intermission, the UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (CCE) and the UGA Choral Project combine forces to present an encore of Awakening, featuring exciting new works for voices and instruments by living composers conducted by Sarah Frook Gallo and Brandon Quarles.
The UGA Women’s and Men’s Glee Clubs perform repertoire for treble and tenor/bass voices, respectively, and perform several times a semester both as individual ensembles and as part of the UGA combined choirs. The Glee Clubs are home to undergraduate and graduate music majors, minors, and students from majors across the university. Placement in either choir is determined by vocal range and open to all interested singers. Conducted by Interim Associate Director of Choral Activities Sarah Frook Gallo.
The UGA Women’s and Men’s Glee Clubs present Flow, an evening of music exploring the flow of the natural world in the water, the air, and the mind. Conducted by Sarah Frook Gallo as well as graduate choral conducting students, the concert will also feature guest instrumentalists from the UGA community. This concert is free. No tickets are required.
Women’s and Men’s Glee Clubs present an evening of choral music not to be missed. Conducted by Sarah Frook Gallo and several graduate choral conducting students. This concert is free. No tickets are required.
The UGA Choral Project seeks to imitate a professional, project-based model, and provide our students with a near-professional experience during their study at UGA. Each semester, Choral Project will build its roster alongside an intensive rehearsal schedule, usually spanning no more than two weeks. Because each program guides the ensemble construction, the UGA Choral Project appeals to students seeking a highlevel choral experience within a compressed time frame. UGA Choral Project concerts are free. No tickets are required.
UGA Choral Project presents Vida, a concert celebrating life and living with music from composers like Stephen Paulus and Ysaÿe Barnwell. Paulus wrote over 400 works for chorus and was a recipient of both NEA and Guggenheim Fellowships. Barnwell was a member of the African American a cappella ensemble “Sweet Honey in the Rock” from 1979 to 2013 for which she arranged a considerable amount of music.
The UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (CCE) and the UGA Choral Project will combine forces to present Awakening, a concert featuring exciting new works for voices and instruments by living composers. Conducted by Sarah Frook Gallo and Brandon Quarles, the ensembles will perform a vibrant evening of 21st-century music.
The Repertory Singers is a mixed chamber choir directed by graduate student conductors. Its format offers laboratory rehearsal and performance experience for conductors and singers alike. The ensemble is designed to appeal to students who wish to be part of an ongoing conducting masterclass environment. This group provides students with the opportunity to build knowledge and skill in the areas of sightreading, conducting gesture, rehearsal techniques, and choral repertoire. The Repertory Singers concerts are free. No tickets are required.
All Repertory Singers concerts are at 3:30 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall
From its rich beginnings in the early 70’s as the Pamoja Singers, the University of Georgia African American Choral Ensemble (AACE) has endeavored to keep concert halls and churches filled with the powerful sounds and wealth of indigenous musical treasures birthed from the African American experience. Since its inception at UGA, AACE has been a beacon tower of fellowship and friendship for the university community. Herein, people of many cultures come to share and learn the messages of hope, love, and liberation that have sustained a people and this nation. African American Choral Ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
TUES 11/21
7:30 p.m.
Hodgson Concert Hall
THURS 4/18
7:30 p.m.
Hodgson Concert Hall
Join us right before Thanksgiving for a concert of spirituals, hymn tunes, and gospel music by African American composers. Gather together with AACE as we honor all that we are thankful for in our lives.
Our spring concert gives us an opportunity to highlight some of our graduating students and continue to lift up the messages in the music. This concert we are inviting alumni of AACE to join us in celebrating UGA Associate Professor of Music Gregory S. Broughton’s thirty-five years as Director of the African American Choral Ensemble.
Join the UGA Opera Theatre as we celebrate the mythos and machinations conjured by some of opera’s most riveting and powerful moments. This evening of familiar favorites and lesser-known works features the dramatic and vocal skills of our opera and vocal performance students in collaboration with the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra. Explore a rich collection of characters that run the gamut of the human experience. This is one night at the opera that should not be missed.
You think you know Carmen, but have you heard the whole story? This Tony-award winning innovative reconceptualization of Bizet’s opera dives deeper into the physiological and moral aspects of the Mérimée novella that Bizet’s Carmen is based. Devised by eminent director Peter Brook in 1983, The Tragedy of Carmen provides an electrifying theatrical experience, deepening every opera lover’s perception of a woman we think we know juxtaposed against all the great tunes and musical moments from Bizet’s Carmen that we all know and love. Does fate control us? Do we have opportunities to break away and forge new paths, even if that path leads to violence or death? Join us in discovering this exciting story reimagined. Rights pending.
Come hear pianistic fireworks featuring our piano area faculty and students. With five pianos on stage as well as multiple performers sharing the same piano, you are in for a treat. HHSOM director, Pete Jutras, reprises his role as MC of this beloved event, and we are thrilled to give a special firsttime welcome to our newest jazz piano faculty members, Greg Satterthwaite and James Weidman.
SOLI Chamber Ensemble has been giving voice to 20th- and 21st-century contemporary chamber music since 1994, commissioning and premiering over 100 new works to date for its unique instrumentation from established and emerging composers. SOLI’s award-winning vision brings new music alive through innovative performances and academic residency programs across the United States and in Europe.
The UGA Chamber Music Gala features a variety of repertoire, styles, and ensembles. Including several of our top student ensembles such as the Southern Wind Quintet, the Hodgson String Quartet, and several others, this evening promises to be a unique collection of beautiful and unexpected traditional and contemporary chamber works.
The University of Georgia Contemporary Chamber Ensemble celebrates the life of Don C. Gillespie (1936-2019). A graduate of the UGA School of Music (now Hugh Hodgson School of Music), Gillespie worked for the prestigious international music publishing house C. F. Peters for 31 years where he championed the work of 20th Century composers such as John Cage, George Crumb, John Becker, and countless others. CCE honors his life-long advocacy for new music with a concert of 20th-Century masterworks.
THURS 9/7
7:30 p.m.
Professor of Piano
At UGA, Evgeny Rivkin represents and continues the glorious traditions of the Moscow Conservatory and the Russian piano school. He earned his MM and DM degrees from Moscow Conservatory and is a top prize winner of International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Bavarian Radio Competition in Munich, Russian National Piano Competition in St. Petersburg, and the International McMahon Competition in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Rivkin has released many compact discs, including one featuring some of his favorite solo piano music by Tchaikovsky, as well as a number of chamber music CD’s in collaboration with his lifelong friend and collaborator, violinist Levon Ambartsumian.
Professor of Double Bass
7:30 p.m.
FRI 11/3
7:30 p.m.
Milton Masciadri is a third generation double bass player. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, he began his studies with his father and by age 17 was Co-principal Bassist with the Porto Alegre Symphony in Brazil. At 19, he was already on the faculty at Brazil’s Federal University. He completed his Master’s and Doctorate Degrees with work under Gary Karr, Julius Levine, and Lawrence Wolfe.
In addition to being Professor of Double Bass, Masciadri is also coordinator of the Hodgson School’s International & Study Abroad Program, and each year he directs the University of Georgia International Double Bass Symposium.
This premiere performance of the Faculty Jazz Ensemble will cover “Birth of the Cool” by Miles Davis, arranged by Gil Evans.
Featuring (in alphabetical order)
Timothy K. Adams, percussion
Josh Bynum, trombone
Brandon Craswell, trumpet
David D’Angelo, alto saxophone
Pete Jutras, piano
Jean Martin-Williams, French horn
Greg Satterthwaite, piano
James Wiedman, piano
TUES 1/16
7:30 p.m.
WED 2/7
p.m.
TUES 3/19
p.m.
Resident Accompanist, Senior Academic Professional
A native of Moscow, Anatoly Sheludyakov graduated from the Gnesin’s Musical Academy and completed doctoral studies there under professor Anatoly Vedernikov. He also graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in the composition class of Tikhon Khrennikov. His compositions include Variations for Orchestra, Ostinato for Orchestra, Suite for Oboe and Piano, Suite for Violin and Piano, the cantata Brotherhood Songs, Trombone Quartet, six vocal suites, and many other compositions.
His repertoire includes the major works for solo piano, piano and orchestra, and piano chamber music of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary periods.
Professor of Trombone
Hailed for his “inspiring energy, clear musical conviction, and warm lyrical tone” (International Trombone Association Journal), Josh Bynum keeps an active schedule balancing roles as educator, soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral trombonist. In addition to serving as Professor of Trombone at the University of Georgia, Josh spends his summers as Trombone Artist & Faculty for the Sewanee Summer Music Festival and is an Artist & Clinician for the Edwards Instrument Company. Josh performs regularly as a first-call substitute with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and was contracted to serve as second trombonist for the entire 2015- 16 season. Bynum is also a member of the IRIS Collective, under the direction of Michael Stern, and enjoys performing with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera, and Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.
Professor of Viola
Join us in celebrating women’s history month 2024 through the performance of works by women! This recital will include world premieres of new works by women for solo viola and viola and piano. This project is supported by the Willson Center for the Humanities and Arts and the Nora Redman Fund of Louisville, Kentucky.
Maggie Snyder is Professor of Viola at the University of Georgia, Principal Violist of the Chamber Orchestra of New York, with whom she records for Naxos, and is on the Artist-Faculty of the Brevard Music Festival. Ms. Snyder made her Carnegie Hall debut in Weill Recital Hall with her sister duo, Allemagnetti, in 2009.
UGA Professor of Ethnomusicology Jean Kidula will be offering the African Music Ensemble this spring as an opportunity for students to discover and explore musical history, instrumentation, and expression that is rooted in African cultures and traditions. Be sure to visit music.uga.edu for updates. The African Music Ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
Last year, the Chinese Music Ensemble under the direction of Vicki Lu, performed with several distinguished guest artists and featured instruments such as the erhu, guzheng, pipa, and the yangqin. UGA Professor of Ethnomusicology Jean Kidula is developing additional programming to bring Asian Music to the UGA stage for both the fall and spring semesters. Be sure to visit music.uga.edu for updates. The Asian Music Ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
The British Brass Band, under the baton of Bandmaster Philip Smith, has become an Athens fan favorite. The repertoire encompasses a wide variety of styles including excellent original works, marvelous transcriptions of orchestral works, as well as marches and other light pieces. British Brass Band concerts are free. No tickets are required. You can read more about Bandmaster Philip Smith on page 38.
This performance will feature David Childs on euphonium. He has appeared as soloist with the BBC, Manchester and RTÉ Concert orchestras, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru, Welsh National Opera, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and many of the finest brass bands and military bands in both the UK and USA.
Details are still coming together for the British Brass Band Spring Festival. Be sure to visit music.uga.edu for updates and save the date now!
The University of Georgia Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (CCE) is a performance group composed of graduate and undergraduate students. Since 1979, the ensemble has focused on the performance of modern masterworks and recent music. The ensemble has performed at many major metropolitan centers in the Eastern and Southeastern United States, including Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City, the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, the Society of Composers, Inc. National Convention in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia. Be sure to visit music.uga.edu for updates. Contemporary Chamber Ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
Jazz Ensemble I is the Hodgson School’s premier big band, and is made up of advanced students. The band performs music of a variety of styles, including swing, be-bop, Latin, and contemporary jazz. Jazz Ensemble II, an introductory level ensemble at the Hodgson School, introduces students to the experience of performing in a traditional big band.
These ensembles always perform together, with concerts featuring Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Oliver Nelson and a wide range of selections that features popular and jazz standards, Latin, jazz-rock, blues, and ballads. Jazz Ensembles I & II concerts are free. No tickets are required.
The UGA Middle East Ensemble is an extension of the Musicology/ Ethnomusicology program and serves as a forum for research and performance. Assistant Professor Jared Holton directs the ensemble, which features music, rhythm, and dance from the Middle East and instruments such as the Arabic lute, reed flute, riqq, daff, and tabla. Be sure to visit music.uga.edu for updates. The Middle East Music Ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
Throughout the year, small student and faculty ensembles offer concerts and performances both on and off campus. You can learn about some of these ensembles here. Please visit our website at music.uga.edu once the school year begins to learn when and where these fine small groups will be performing. The small ensemble concerts are free. No tickets are required.
The UGA Bassoon Ensemble presents a Halloween Concert every year, performing popular music, arranged for bassoons, while wearing themed costumes to celebrate the joy of playing and learning together.
The UGA Horn Choir, under the direction of Dr. James Naigus and Dr. Jean MartinWilliams, showcases the vibrant repertoire for horn ensemble and champions original works and arrangements by the studio members.
The Bulldog Brass Society is the premier graduate brass quintet at the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs were led by Frederick Mills, founding member of the Canadian Brass and professor of trumpet at the Hodgson School from 1996 to 2009.
(Pictured here with Guest Artist Kenji Bunch, viola.) This graduate quartet, consisting of two violins, viola, and cello, will perform several concerts and recitals throughout the year, both on and off campus.
Under the leadership of co-directors Timothy K. Adams, Jr. and Kimberly Toscano Adams, the group has performed extensively throughout the Southeast, including numerous appearances at various “Day of Percussion” events.
The SWQ represents some of the finest instrumental musicianship on campus, appearing in UGA recitals and televised campus events. This premiere group features graduate students on flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn.
Purchase tickets through our website any time for your convenience.
Tickets for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) ticketed performances are sold and managed by the UGA Performing Arts Center (PAC) Box Office. However, for the most up-to-date information on all of our concerts, including online ticket purchases, please visit the HHSOM website at music.uga.edu
PHONE VISIT
(706) 542-4400
Call the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
230 River Road
For in-person ticket purchases, or to order tickets over the phone, please visit or call the PAC during normal business hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., as well as one hour prior to performances. The PAC box office phone number is (706) 542-4400.
If ordering by mail, you can remove the form from the inside of this brochure, complete the form, and mail it to the UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens, GA, 30602-7280.
With the exception of our Annual Holiday Concert, all of our concerts are general admission seating. This means you may sit wherever you would like in the spaces that are open. However, you may be asked by house management to adjust your seats to make sure everyone with a ticket can find a seat comfortably.
230 River Road
Athens, GA 30602-7280
Stop by the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. for assistance. Send
Tickets purchased for any performance postponed or canceled by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music will be honored on the rescheduled date (if applicable) or will be refunded for the full amount, fees included.
Patrons may exchange tickets for another performance until 5 p.m. on the business day prior to the day of the performance. We are unable to refund tickets.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Our season ticket options are the very best way to save on our ticketed performances. There are a wide variety of options to choose from that are detailed on both page 5 and on the order form itself.
UGA STUDENTS: UGA student tickets are available for $3 for almost every concert. UGA Student tickets for our Annual Holiday Concert are $10.
UGA MUSIC MAJORS: UGA music majors receive an “All-Events” pass at the beginning of each semester. This entitles them to one (1) free ticket for each performance, excluding the Annual Holiday Concert.
GROUPS: Save 10% on tickets to most performances when purchasing ten or more tickets to a single event in one transaction. Some restrictions apply. Contact the Performing Arts Center Box Office for details.
Tickets purchased in advance and left for collection at “will call” will be available for pick up at the PAC box office during regular business hours or beginning one hour prior to the start of the performance.
Late seating is subject to the discretion of the house manager.
All of our performances are general admission and you are encouraged to sit wherever you feel most comfortable. The only exception is our Annual Holiday Concert, which does have assigned seating. The best seats available will be assigned to each patron as advance ticket orders are received. If you have specific seats you want to purchase for this concert, you can do this online or by calling the box office.
Georgia 8% sales tax and restoration fees (PAC only) are included in all ticket prices. Additional service fees for online or phone orders and ticket delivery may apply.
Free parking is available in the two surface lots around the PAC and the HHSOM. There is a charge for parking in the PAC multilevel parking deck Monday through Friday until 10 p.m. For questions regarding parking, please call UGA Parking Services at (706) 542-7275.
Unless otherwise noted, photography, video, and/or audio recording of any kind are strictly prohibited during all performances.
Patrons may be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded by Hugh Hodgson School of Music or PAC staff for archival, promotional, and/or other purposes. By choosing to enter any of our performances and venues, you hereby consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with this venue. You understand all photography, filming, and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent given by you by entering this area. If you do not agree to this, please contact the house manager.
Please silence all mobile phones and other noise-making devices. Texting during performances is prohibited.
Children ages six and older are welcome to attend all performances, unless indicated for specific events. Children under the age of six and babies are welcome, however house management reserves the right to request a parent step out of the theatre should a child become disruptive. Parents and guardians are encouraged to exercise personal judgment when determining if programs are appropriate for their children. Please contact the School of Music at (706) 5423737 with questions.
Venues are accessible to people using wheelchairs or with restricted mobility. Please contact the box office to make special arrangements if you require special assistance. Parking spaces designated for handicap use are located near the entrance to the PAC lobby.
LARGE-PRINT PROGRAMS
Large print programs are available by calling the School of Music office at (706) 542-3737 at least 72-hours in advance of the performance.
DIGITAL
As part of a green initiative to limit the number of paper programs wasted, we are encouraging patrons to come prepared with their tablets. We will begin using Issuu, an app that makes viewing online programs easier and more convenient. While this app is compatible with smart phones as well, they are best viewed on a personal tablet.
Hearing augmentation headsets are available in the Performing Arts Center and may be checked out with a photo ID at the coat check desk in the lobby.
FOOD AND DRINK
Concessions are available for purchase in the Performing Arts Center lobby for ticketed events. Food and drink are prohibited inside the performance venues. Complimentary cough lozenges are available at the coat check desk. Please do not unwrap lozenges during performances.
Scholarships and Graduate assistantships funded by donations to the Thursday Scholarship Fund make it possible for students to learn and pursue their passions at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the Thursday Scholarship Fund so we may continue to support our students and make their education possible.
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE: Gifts of all amounts are greatly appreciated. However, annual giving at the $1,500 level and higher provides membership in the Director’s Circle, our Hugh Hodgson School of Music Honor Roll. Director’s Circle members are invited to exclusive events and performances throughout the academic year.
CONCERT UNDERWRITING: If you are interested in underwriting a concert, please contact: Melissa Roberts at roberts@uga.edu or 706-254-2111.
Anonymous (3)
Mr. W. Randall Abney
and Mrs. Carolyn C. Abney
Dr. Nicholas Allen
Wyatt W. Anderson
and Margaret S. Anderson
Mrs. Sylvia Harley Arant
Mrs. Kimberly AsKew
and *Dr. Dennis W. AsKew
Athens Area Community Foundation
Mr. Kenneth J. Athon
Ms. Karen J. Baker
Mrs. Phyllis R. Ball
Dr. William E. Barstow
Dr. Barbara A. Bennett
and Mr. Stephen P. Walag
Ms. Leslie Lauer Berghoef
and Mr. Henry R. Berghoef
Mr. Brad Bishoff
and Ms. Jackie E. Bishoff
Mr. Glenn J. Black Jr.
and Ms. Nancy Black
Dr. Robert B. Brady Jr.
Mr. C. Alan Brown
Mr. and Mrs. William F. Brunson III
Mr. Matthew C. Burril
and Mrs. Barbara Hedrick Burril
Mrs. Sandra C. Bussell
Mr. Robert C. Cagle
and Mrs. Ellen K. Cagle
Mr. and Mrs. C. Merrell Calhoun
Mrs. Cary Ripley Calhoun
and Mr. Charles Calhoun
*Miss Aurelia Campbell
Mr. Charles T. Cantrell
and Mrs. Nanette L. Cantrell
Mr. Edward A. Carpenter
Dr. John M. Casey
Ms. Sara G. Chadwick
Charles Loridans Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Eui J. Chung and Mr. Tae Kim
Dr. Daniel O. Claassen
and Ms. Esther Claassen
Mrs. Mildred H. Clarke
Coca-Cola Company
Dr. John D. D. Colegrove
and Dr. Ruth L. Colegrove
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry
Mrs. Carol L. Corina
Mr. Robert D. Corina
and Mrs. Sandra Corina
Mrs. Hannah Gill Craswell
and Dr. Brandon B. Craswell
Dr. Joan C. Curtis
Mr. John R. Curtis Jr.
The Hugh Hodgson School of Music offers a very special thank you to our Director’s Circle members. Thank you for your continued annual support of our students, scholarships, and performances.
Mr. Wayne M. Grinstead
and Ms. Lisa A. Cooper
Mr. Steven Lee Dancz
and Dr. Vicki Lynne Birchfield
Mr. Kenneth I. Daniels
David & Jennifer Kahn Family Foundation, Inc.
Dr. O. C. Dean Jr.
and Mrs. Manita Dean
Ms. Jennifer L. Decinque
Ms. Elisabeth DelBene
Ms. Joanne DelBene
and Mr. Everil Loyd
Ms. Patrice Devereaux
and Mr. David R. Devereaux
Mr. Brian C. Dill and Mrs. Carmen B. Dill
*Mr. Vincent J. Dooley
and Mrs. Barbara Dooley
Mrs. Katarina B. Dorminy
Dean Alan T. Dorsey
and Dr. Jacqueline Dorsey
Mr. Shami Dostmohamed
Dr. Gary E. Douberly Jr.
and Ms. Jennifer A. Douberly
Mr. J. Wingate Downs
Carl W. Duyck
and Dennis J. Flood
Mrs. Mary C. Eagan
Mary Frances Early
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Edge
Dr. William Russell Edwards Jr.
Mr. Todd Emily
Rev. Barbara Epting
Extra Special People, Inc.
Mr. William C. Ferrand
Dr. Sarah E. Fillebrown
and Mr. Jerry Fillebrown
Dr. Joan G. Fischer
Dr. Stephen M. Fischer
and Dr. Rachael A. Fischer
Ms. Connie L. Gaines
Ms. Susan J. Gallimore
Ms. Marie G. Garrison
Ms. Jennifer L. Ged
and Mr. Charles Ged
Ms. B. Joyce Goodwin
Dr. Gregory M. Graham
and Mrs. Mildren Battle Graham
*Mrs. Melba J. Graham
Dr. Roy E. Grant
and Ms. Beatrice W. Grant
Dr. Franklin P. Green Jr.
and Mrs. Rachel L. Green
Mr. H. G. Greenhill
and Mrs. Hannah M. Greenhill
and Mrs. Jane Glisson Grinstead
Mr. Donald A. Gruel Jr.
and Mrs. Amanda Noel Holland
Mr. Mack H. Guest III
and Mrs. Camilla M. Guest
Mr. Charles M. Hairston
and Dr. Michelle Parker Hairston
Ms. Tracy L. Hambrick
Mr. Dave Hanson
Mr. John C. Harriman
and Mrs. Monica Harriman
Dr. Joseph K. Harriman III
Mrs. Mary A. Harriman
Mr. Bill B. Harris
Mrs. Clara M. Hasbrouck
Dr. Valerie A. Hepburn
and Mr. George D. Hayes
Mrs. Carol I. Heyward
Dr. Cathy Hicks
Mr. Gary Hoadley
and Mrs. Linda S. Hoadley
Ms. Anne Hodgson
Ms. Elizabeth P. Hodgson
Ms. Mary K. Hodgson
Mr. T. Burke Hodgson
Mrs. Laura K. Hogan
Dr. Lynn Hogan
and Mr. Robin Fowler
Ms. Marjory E. Holder
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Allan Holland
Ms. Delores K. Houser
*Dr. Carl S. Hoveland
Mr. Doug Howell
Dr. Robert E. Hoyt
and Mrs. Patricia G. Hoyt
Provost Shixin J. Hu
and Ms. Jun Du
Dr. Richard A. Hudson
and Ms. Brenda M. Rodgers
Mrs. Sandra S. Hudson
and Dr. Cecil C. Hudson
Ms. Martha T. Hughes
Mrs. Mary Denmark Hutcherson
Dr. Thomas H. Jackson Jr.
and Mrs. Sharon B. Jackson
Mr. William G. Jacobmann
and Ms. Leah A. Jacobmann
John Henry Dorminy Foundation, Inc.
John M. Eagan and
Charlton H. Eagan Charitable Fund
Mr. John E. Johnnidis
Dr. Jonathan B. Johnnidis
Mr. Christopher L. Jones
Members of the HHSOM Director’s Circle give annually at or above $1,500. This list includes members of the Director’s Circle from: June 1, 2022 – May 31, 2023.
Mr. Kenneth L. Justice
and Mrs. Elizabeth F. Justice
Justice-Frye Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Fern Jutras
Dr. Peter J. Jutras
and Ms. Kristin E. Jutras
David and Jennifer Kahn
Mr. and Mrs. Andy
and Brooke Kalinauskas
Mr. Thomas L. Kenyon
and Mrs. Karen J. Kenyon
Mr. Walter T. Kesler III
and Mrs. Teresa A. Kesler
Ms. Donna Kibbe
Ms. Clare Kranzmann
and Mr. Richard Kranzmann
Dr. Jamie K. Kreiner
Dr. John H. Law
Ms. Rebecca E. Lee
Michael Lehman
Dr. James D. Lemons
and Dr. Paula P. Lemons
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Erika C. Lewis Family Fund
Mr. J. David Lifsey
and Mrs. Marion Chandler Lifsey
Lincoln Financial Group
Dr. Lars G. Ljungdahl
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and Dr. Donald R. Lowe
Mr. and Mrs. James Douglas Magnus
Ms. Joyce C. Mahoney
Dr. John A. Maltese
Mr. Jeffrey Q. Martin
Margaret Ann and Don Martin
Dr. Jean Martin-Williams
and Dr. Moffatt Williams
Dr. and Mrs. John A. Mayo
Ms. Sasha Graham-McWaters
Dr. Parker Middleton
and Dr. Kent R. Middleton
Mr. and Mrs. Jere G. Mills
Mr. Michael E. Mills
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mills
Dr. Dale E. Monson
and Ms. Ruth Monson
Mr. Raymond D. Moore
President Jere W. Morehead
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Mrs. Tiffany Baker Murdoch
and Mr. Timothy Murdoch
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Padgett Residential Design, Inc.
Dr. Craig B. Parker
and Mrs. Susanna Hays Parker
Dr. Gordhan L. Patel
and Dr. Virginia Patel
Jerry and Kathy Rogers Pharr
Mr. Jerald D. Phillips
Dr. Robert W. Placek
and Mrs. Joyce Placek
Mr. Christopher T. Plummer
and Ms. Gretchen M. Plummer
Dr. Amy M. Pollard
Ms. A. Elizabeth Powell
*Dr. Carl W. Proehl Jr.
Pamela P. Prokasy
Mr. Matt Pruitt
and Mrs. Baya M. Pruitt
Mrs. Doris Adams Ramsey
Ms. Peggy A. Randolph
Dr. Jed Rasula
and Ms. Suzi Wong
Redcoat Band Alumni Association, Inc.
Mr. David K. Reesman
and Ms. Laura Reesman
Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Kenneth Reeves
Ms. Angela Jones-Reus
Mrs. Jana K. Ritchie
and Mr. David D. Ritchie
Mr. Danny W. Roberson
and Mrs. Annette E. Roberson
Ms. Pamela D. Rountree
Dr. Hugh M. Ruppersburg
and Mrs. Patricia Smith Ruppersburg
Capt Leonard J. Sapera
and *Mrs. Ellen Sapera
Professor Stephen A. Scheer
and Ms. Anina Gerchick
Mrs. Elizabeth H. Schempf
Mr. James M. Self
Shell Oil Company Foundation
Mr. Charles L. Simpson
Mr. S. James Simpson
and Rev. Jeanne Simpson
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and Mrs. Amy Singmaster
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and Mrs. Sheila A. Smith
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and Mrs. Nancy H. Songster
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and Ms. Marie C. Ellis
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and Mrs. Judith Golden
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and Dr. Julia Marlowe
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and Mrs. Susan Sweat
Mrs. Erica Swinnie
Mr. William J. Tabeling Jr.
and Mrs. Polly W. Tabeling
Richard B. and Sherrie Taylor
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
The Curtis Foundation, Inc.
The James D. and Diane S. Magnus Foundation
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Mr. David K. Thomas
and Mrs. Beth L. Thomas
Ms. Mary F. Thomas
Ms. Melinda A. Thomas
Mr. Lindsey Thornhill
Ms. Alicia A. Timm
*Mrs. Ruth Estes Trager
Mr. Terrence M. Tumpey
and Ms. Abbigail J. Tumpey
Dr. Jimmie B. Vaught
and Dr. Irene B. Glowinski
Dr. Doris E. Ritchey
and Dr. Roger C. Vogel
Mrs. Clara S. Waln
Mr. Byron H. Warner Jr.
and Mrs. Cynthia A. Warner
*Dr. Andrew J. Whitaker
and Dr. Lois L. Duke
Dewey C. and *Karen M. White
Mr. Clayton J. Whitehead
Dr. Craig C. Wiegert
and Dr. Adrian P. Childs
Ms. Jane H. Willson
Mr. Lawrence B. Willson
and Mrs. Beverly J. Willson
Mr. William H. Willson Jr.
and Mrs. Susan Willson
Mr. Robert Winthrop II
and Dr. Carol V. Winthrop
Mr. Charles D. Woods
and Dr. Arlene Hargrove Woods
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LTC Cheryl E. Zales and Mr. Richard H. Zales
* - Deceased
Nicholas
Williams conducts the Wind Ensemble February 16, 2023 during the CBDNA National Conference.
The University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music hosted the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference on campus in Athens, Georgia February 15-18, 2023. This bi-annual event brings together band leaders from universities across the United States (and several countries worldwide) for seminars, continuing education opportunities, and to present their bands in concert.
Nicholas Enrico Williams, the new Director of Bands for the Hodgson School of Music, led the UGA Wind Ensemble, along with guest conductors Jaclyn Hartenberger and Shiree X. Williams, in a particularly unique and innovative concert Thursday, February 16 at 8 p.m. as part of this conference, which featured two world premieres.
The first premiere, “Ascendant Cycles” was a three-movement concerto for rapper and wind ensemble. The piece drew from both hip-hop and contemporary classical styles, and the verse/text was an abstract exploration of Athens hip-hop artist Linqua Franqa’s work as an activist. Franqa collaborated with UGA Associate Professor of Composition and Director of the Dancz Center for New Music Peter Van Zandt Lane, to create this work. “As in most concertos it’s also a technical tour de force,” said Lane, “with a lot of virtuosic material for both the vocal soloist as well as the instrumentalists, much of it drawn from the complex lyrical patterns in hip-hop.”
Linqua Franqa makes rap music about collective liberation. Their work has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN Magazine and NPR’s All Things Considered for its synthesis of radical honesty and revolutionary vigor. Their sophomore album, Bellringer, is also their PhD dissertation in Language and Literacy Education from the University of Georgia.
The other world premiere was a piece entitled “Triptych,” created by the world-renowned composer Joseph Turrin, and included Chris Martin, principal trumpet for the New York Philharmonic (NYP), and Joseph Alessi, principal trombone for the NYP. This piece was composed as a memorial to Eric Andrew Rombach-Kendall, University of New Mexico Professor of Music and Director of Bands since 1993 who passed away last year. Rombach-Kendall was also president of CBDNA from 2011-2013. “The impact music teachers can have on students can be life changing,” said Williams, “and we are so moved to be a part of honoring Eric’s extensive legacy.”
UGA conference presenters included Master’s Conducting Associate Anthony Morris and UGA HHSOM alum Emily Eng (DMA ‘22), UGA HHSOM Faculty Peter Van Zandt Lane, Connie Frigo, Jaclyn Hartenberger, and James Weidman gave a panel called “Athens Hip Hop Harmonic: Building a Bridge Between UGA and Local Music.” This panel included local musicians and artists Montu Miller, Celest Divine Ngeve, Mariah Parker, and Ayako Pederson-Takeda.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Guest Artists Chris Martin (Principal Trumpet, New York Philharmonic) and Joseph Alessi (Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic) perform original piece “Triptych” in memory of former CBDNA President Eric Andrew Rombach-Kendall.
CBDNA leadership presents honor and announces scholarship to Rombach-Kendall’s family.
UGA Faculty Peter Van Zandt Lane with Master’s Conducting Associate Anthony Morris and Guest Artist Linqua Franqa.
The Hugh Hodgson School of Music consistently provides access for students and audiences alike to world-renowned guest artists. This article features just a few, with a full list of 35 guest speakers and performers from the 2023 spring semester on the opposite page.
JANUARY: The semester began with master classes with the Emerson Quartet as an extension of their farewell performance at the UGA Performing Arts Center. Later in January, one of the leading composers of new and experimental music and sound, Natasha Barrett, gave a weekend residency and performance.
FEBRUARY: In addition to the guests who performed by the UGA Wind Ensemble during the CBDNA concert (see page 30), February featured a number of artists in cello, piano, and saxophone performance and composition. Soprano Angela Brown was UGA’s Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding. In addition to working with four graduate and undergraduate vocal performance majors, Brown gave a sold-out recital which included a performance where she sang with the African American Choral Ensemble.
MARCH: Considered a trailblazer for civil rights at UGA, Mary Frances Early spoke to the students during a special Wednesday Common Hour lecture. She shared her perspective of being the first AfricanAmerican graduate of UGA, earning a Master in Music Education. She spoke of the challenges she faced and the hardships she endured to complete her degree. March also included a week-long residency with violist and composer Kenji Bunch that featured a workshop with the UGA Symphony Orchestra as they prepared one of Bunch’s
piece “Time In” for their March concert and an improv collaboration with the UGA Department of Dance.
APRIL: Another collaboration with the Department of Dance was the “Middle Eastern Rhythm and Dance” master class with Karim Nagi. This class preceded Nagi’s guest performance with the new UGA Middle East Music Ensemble that same day. The School of Music also co-hosted a recital and conversation with Mikhail Voskresensky. This master pianist’s sixty year career includes having played the European premiere of Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto at the Prague Spring Festival in the presence of the composer himself. This speaker was co-hosted by the UGA Russian Flagship Program.
2023-24: The UGA HHSOM faculty is working to enrich the student experience by collaborating with excellent guest artists.
Already in the works for the coming year is a Faculty concert with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinist, Kenn Wagner; a recital by Francesca Anderegg, violin; and a recital by Linda Chatterton, flute and Maja Radovanlija, guitar. Often, these guests grow out of collaborations with the UGA Performing Arts Center, Atlanta Symphony, or other professional venues and organizations.
The Hugh Hodgson School of Music will continue to announce guest artists in local media and online at music.uga.edu throughout the year. These opportunities are always updating, so the best way to learn more about these amazing performers is to visit the website at music.uga.edu/special-guests.
The sheer number of amazing guests to visit the Hugh Hodgson School of Music in a year is incredible. Here are a list of 35 world-class artists who visited us during this last semester.
Joseph Alessi, trombone
Julio Ribeiro Alves, guitar
Natasha Barrett, composer
Paul Brantley, cello
Angela Brown, soprano
Kenji Bunch, viola and composition
Eric Chasalow, composer
Cheri Prough DeVol, set/lighting design
Double Reed Trio
Ann DuHamel, piano
Mary Frances Early, music education
Emerson String Quartet
Raphael Feuillatre, guitar
Benjamin Fingland, clarinet
Linqua Franqa, hip-hop artist
Mei Han, musicology
Paul Hanson, bassoon
Steven Hough, piano
Lio Kuok-Wai, piano
Badie Khaleghian, composer
William Lang, trombone
Thomas Leleu, saxophone
Joe Lovano, jazz saxophone
Chris Martin, trumpet
J. G. Miller, horn
Kevin Michael Murphy, CCM voice
Karim Nagi, Middle East music and dance
Eric Ohlsson, bassoon
Caroline Owen, performance artist
Jeremy Siskind, piano
Hanna Lisa Stefansson, composer
Catherine Van Handel, bassoon
Mikhail Voskresensky, piano
Sheona White, English horn
Shanshan Yao, violin
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
Kenji Bunch, viola, with Nina Nagarajan; Joe Lovano, jazz saxophone with UGA Faculty James Weidman, jazz piano; Karim Nagi; Composer Natasha Barrett (center) with Daniel Karcher, UGA Faculty Peter Lane, Michael Flynn, Francisco Cardoso de Araujo, and Jared Tubbs; Shanshan Yao, violin; and Mary Frances Early, music education.
(Photos by Shaun Baer)
The University of Georgia Hodgson Singers, along with eleven other choirs from around the world, competed in the 18th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany May 26 through 30, 2023. After four days of competitive rounds, master classes, concerts and cultural exchange, the Hodgson Singers were awarded the highest level of achievement – Excellence at an International Level – and, at that top level, won the 2nd place prize alongside St. Nicholas Choir Litija from Slovenia.
From the stage of their concert in March 2023, the Hodgson Singers conductor Daniel Bara announced that they had been invited to compete in this competitive international competition following a rigorous audition process. In addition to being one of twelve choirs accepted, and only nine mixed voice choirs, the Hodgson Singers were also the only choir from the United States to participate.
“It was already an honor for us to be invited to this prestigious opportunity, but it was truly a joy to see and hear our singers move the audiences in the way they did while abroad,” said Bara, John D. Boyd UGA Foundation Professor of Choral Music and the Director of Choral Activities in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. “I am so proud of our students, and so very grateful for the support we received to make all of this possible.”
The Hodgson Singers began their journey in Vienna, Austria on May 25, 2023, which included a performance at the Baroque Roman Catholic Church Peterskirche. The next day, they arrived in Marktoberdorf for the competition itself. John Drake a recent graduate in Vocal Performance, raved about the tour. “It was tremendous! Never have I had more fun performing. We got to experience the full breadth of variety in choral music across the
world, and that is going to influence all of us in different ways, but they will be experiences that we draw on forever,” Drake said.
Throughout the five-day competition, the singers competed on the stage of the Modeon Performance Venue, presenting shared concerts with other choirs in various locations throughout the Bavarian countryside in the evenings. On consecutive evenings The Hodgson Singers performed in The Church of St. Peter and Paul in Irsee, The Dreifaltigkeitskirche in Kaufbeuren, and St. Andreas in Nesselwang, sharing concerts with capacity audiences alongside choirs from Germany, the Republic of Georgia, and Slovenia.
Generous support from several of UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music donors, study abroad scholarships and significant support from the Franklin College Dean’s Office, Provost’s Office, Office of Research, and the University President’s office guaranteed that every student would be able to make the trip. “Without the financial assistance provided for us, I would not have been able to go on this trip,” said Spencer Kenyon, a third-year student in Music Education. “I am so thankful to everyone who contributed. It was a dream come true to be here and compete!”
“The trip was everything I could have hoped for and more... a life changing competition that brought us together as a choir and made us stronger and more confident musicians,” said Audrey Vasquez, a second-year Music Education student.
“Meeting choir nerds from all around the world was amazing; there was so much love. Even through language barriers, we could find love and joy,” said Danielle Olivares, a fourth-year student majoring in accounting, “I feel proud to be a dawg!”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Hodgson Singers pose together in Marktoberdorf Germany (Photo by Presley Grace Photography)
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
• Joshua Dixon, Kalissa Hernandez, Demetreon Wells, Ally Murari, Barrett Meadows (Photo by Juntao Qiu)
•Daniel Bara Conducts the Hodgson Singers during the competition (Photo courtesy of the ICCC)
• Soloist Ally Murari with the Hodgson Singers at the Dreifaltigkeitskirche in Kaufbeuren. (Photo courtesy of the ICCC).
•
From Left: Erika Tazawa, Dan Bara, Sarah Frook Gallo, Matthew Taylor.
•Daniel Bara and the Hodgson Singers at the Peterskirche (Photo by Sarah Frook Gallo)
Jieun Lee (DMA candidate) had the performance she recorded of the Parker Quartet from the Chamber Music Athens Festival in May, 2022 played on the Minnesota Public Radio program “Performance Today!” on May 17, 2023.
Anthony Morris Master’s Conducting Associate (MM candidate) was named a Conducting Fellow for the H. Robert Reynolds Conducting Institute at the 76th Annual Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois in December, 2022.
Joshua Wood (BMus candidate) was one of approximately 10% of the entrants who advanced to the semi-final round at the recent International Horn Competition of America.
Anna Hawkins (DMA candidate) and Annabel Shue (BM), won first place and honorable mention (respectively) in the Georgia Young Artist MTNA competition for piano in Fall, 2022.
Trevor Barroero (DMA, ‘22; MM, ‘19): Winner of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Percussion audition in Tucson, Arizona. He is currently on staff with the university as a percussion instructor for the UGA Community Music School and teaches 42 private percussion students from around GA, SC, FL, and AZ.
This new position marks the third orchestral position Barroero has won since beginning his studies at UGA. In 2018, he won the oneyear position as Principal Percussionist of Orlando Philharmonic and still performs with them regularly. Earlier in 2022, he also won a position as Assistant Principal Percussionist of the Huntsville Symphony in Alabama and was also hired as the Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Anderson University in South Carolina.
Jack Eaddy’s (MM ‘16), currently teaching at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, was one of ten Grammy Music Educator of the Year Finalists. The finalists, who come from 10 cities across eight states, were selected from more than 1,205 initial nominations, which were submitted from 47 states.
Julia Nyunt won Best Score with her director Xavi at the Backlight Student Film Festival. Julia was a Music Therapy major who wanted to try film composing when she met Xavi (her director) through a UGA composition mixer. She recorded it all in the DANCZ center Media studio.
Percussion Alumni Updates: Quintin Mallette (DMA ‘17), appointed Chair of Percussion, East Carolina University; Will Kan (MM, ‘20), appointed United States Army “Pershing’s Own” Ceremonial Band Percussionist; Nathan Tingler (DMA, ‘18), appointed Principal Timpanist, Tallahassee Symphony; Hayden Johnson (BMus, ‘22) appointed Percussionist, United States Air Force Band.
Daniel Karcher (DMA candidate) won the Spotlight on the Arts 4’33” competition November 17, 2022.
Garrett McCord (MTC candidate) has been named as one of three finalists in the Upper Tenor, Baritone, Bass Music Theatre Category of the National Student Auditions at the NATS National competition in spring of 2023.
Rachel McClellan (BMus ‘23) was a Third Price Winner at the 8th Leopold Auer International Violin Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia in October, 2022.
University of Georgia faculty members John Maltese and Jean F. Martin-Williams have been named University Professors in recognition of their significant impact on the university above and beyond their normal academic responsibilities.
Maltese is the associate dean in the School of Public and International Affairs, where he also holds the Albert Berry Saye Professorship of American Government and Constitutional Law and the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship. MartinWilliams is an associate dean in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
“Dr. Maltese and Dr. Martin-Williams are esteemed teachers, leaders and mentors at the University of Georgia,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “They have shown great dedication to our mission, and they have consistently elevated UGA through their committed teaching, service and scholarship.”
JEAN MARTIN-WILLIAMS: In the years that Martin-Williams has served as a faculty member in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, she has been a trailblazer. She was the first female tenure-track hire in the School of Music in the area of winds, brass and percussion. And for 15 years she worked with UGA’s Lilly Teaching Fellows program, helping to mentor more than 150 junior faculty across campus.
“From the time she shattered her first glass ceiling, earning the distinction of being the first brass player (and first female brass player) to receive the DMA from Manhattan School of Music in 1985, Dr. Martin-Williams has continued her pioneering efforts in a wide variety of areas,” Heidi Lucas, assistant professor of music at the University of Delaware, wrote in a nomination letter. “I believe that Dr. Jean Martin-Williams is the best of what UGA represents. Her
commitment to people, service, education, and the promotion of equity and inclusivity are at the heart of who she is.”
As a professor, Martin-Williams is known for her mentorship of female students and commitment to making the School of Music more welcoming and inclusive. For many students, she was their first female horn professor. In recognition of her work as a professor and mentor, Martin-Williams was named a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2012.
Her service at UGA extends beyond the classroom and performance hall to administration. Martin-Williams has been an associate dean in the Franklin College since 2016, in addition to serving as the college’s director of the Office of Diversity Leadership. She is a UGA Arts Council representative, helped to establish the UGA Arts Lab and played a leading role in creating the MFA program in film production, a partnership between the department of theatre and film studies and the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She has served on more than 50 school- and university-level committees and boards including the President’s Advisory Council, the UGA Athletic Association Board and several search and program review committees.
Martin-Williams has earned considerable recognition for her performances and scholarship including a Grammy Award for her performances in the horn section of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and quarter finalist for Grammy Music Educator of the Year in 2017. Her expertise in the horn has resulted in conference invitations and performances across the U.S. and internationally, including France, China, Finland, Japan, Russia, Brazil and Korea.
Martin-Williams joins fellow University Professors Timothy K. Adams, Jr. and Milton Masciadri as University Professors in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
in Opera and Theatre
In May, 2022, the newest addition to the UGA Opera Theatre faculty, Daniel Ellis, Academic Professional in Opera and Theatre, presented at the Opera America Conference, held this year in Minneapolis, MN. He and his design team presented their concept for “L’elisir d’amore,” which earned them the Robert L.B. Tobin Director Designer Prize in 2021. Ellis returned to the Opera Conference this May to present the 2023 winners.
MICHAEL HADARY - Lecturer of Music, Musical Theatre
January, 2023: Michael Hadary published an arrangement of “Flight” by Craig Carnelia. This is his first published arrangement. There is a recording of this new arrangement and he is currently developing a music video for the recording.
JACLYN HARTENBERGER - Associate Director of Bands
This academic year, Jaclyn was named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar (Brazil).
PETER VAN ZANDT LANE - Associate Professor of Composition and Director of the Dancz Center for New Music
Peter Van Zandt Lane was awarded the General Sandy Beaver Teaching Professorship in 2023.
DICKIE LEE - Assistant Professor of Music Theory
DIckie Lee was honored with First Year Odyssey Teaching Award for The Music of Athens this year.
AMY PETRONGELLI - Assistant Professor of Voice
ERIC DLUZNIEWSKI - Academic Professional, sound recording
PHILIP SMITH
William F. and Pamela P. Prokasy Professor in the Arts, Trumpet
On October 14, 2023, Philip Smith was awarded the Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation from the American Bandmasters Association during the performance of the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s British Brass Band. Smith is the ensemble’s Bandmaster as well as the William F. and Pamela P. Prokasy Professor in the Arts (Trumpet) for the School of Music. The award was presented by composer, conductor and educator James Curnow. Smith joins the ranks of Meredith Wilson, Carl “Doc” Severinsen, and John Williams, who have received this honor, beginning with Captain Harry F. Guggenheim in 1962.
Philip Smith joined the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia as the William F. and Pamela P. Prokasy Professor in the Arts in August 2014. In addition to teaching his trumpet studio, he is the Bandmaster of the UGA British Brass Band, member of the faculty Georgia Brass Quintet, and coach of the Bulldog Brass Society. This position followed his retirement from the New York Philharmonic after 36 years of service as Principal Trumpet, having joined the New York Philharmonic in October 1978.
Amy Petrongelli, Assistant Professor in Voice, was part of the release of Khemia Ensemble’s new album, INTERSECTIONS, which “invites listeners to meditate on the confluence of beginnings, endings, and the hope and grief that can accompany those events.” The album was recorded and mixed by another UGA Faculty, Eric Dluzniewski, Academic Professional in Sound Recording. Petrongelli also received the Willson Center Faculty Research Grant I am in need of music.
RUMYA PUTCHA - Assistant Professor of Music & Women’s Studies
In 2023, Rumya Putcha received the Ludwig-Maximillians University Fellowship (Munich).
JOANNA SMOLKO-Instructor
Atomic Tunes: The Cold War in American and British Popular Music (Indiana University Press, 2021) by Dr. Joanna Smolko (Instructor, Musicology and Ethnomusicology, HHSOM) and School of Music alumnus Tim Smolko (MA in Musicology 2011) has won a Certificate of Merit in the 2022 Association for Recorded Sound Collections’ Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research in Rock and Popular Music. This book is the first large-scale survey of American and British popular music’s role in articulating and shaping viewpoints on Cold War issues such as nuclear weapons, fear of the Soviet Union, the proxy wars, civil defense, bomb shelters, espionage, McCarthyism, Berlin Wall, and glasnost.
MAGGIE SNYDER - Professor of Viola
Maggie Snyder was awarded the General Sandy Beaver Excellence in Teaching Award and a Willson Center Faculty Research Grant for Women’s Works for Viola in 2023.
We continue to receive updates on our faculty accomplishments throughout the year. Please visit music.uga.edu for updates.
James Curnow presents Philip Smith (left) with the Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation. (Photo by James Sewell)Mixed Media saxophone quartet was awarded the Gold Medal in the senior wind division of the 49th Annual Fischoff Competition, held at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN on May, 2022.
Members of the quartet included Michael Chapa (DMA ‘25), soprano saxophone; Julien Berger (BM performance and composition ‘23), alto saxophone; Lindsey Welp (DMA ‘25), tenor saxophone; and Grace Gelpi (MM ‘22), baritone saxophone. Professor of saxophone Connie Frigo was their primary coach, with support from lecturer of saxophone Brandon Quarles.
During the school year, the quartet rehearsed 6-8 hours per week and attended weekly one-hour coaching sessions with Frigo. Once the spring semester ended, they began rehearsing daily in preparation for Fischoff. “We spent a good deal of time discussing our repertoire selection so as to construct a stylistically diverse program that shows off a variety of our strengths as an ensemble,” said Gelpi.
The Redcoat Marching Band, founded in 1905, has become an inseparable staple of University of Georgia football games and a collection of other standing traditions at UGA. Recognized by Hall-of-Fame Coach Vince Dooley as the Heart of the Bulldog Spirit, the Redcoat Band is fundamental to the identity and culture of the University of Georgia.
After the Bulldogs’ first win, all eyes were on Georgia as the 2022 football season began. In October, the Redcoats were featured in a segment on Good Morning America on ABC, even spelling out “GMA” with band members out on the field.
This past season saw the Bulldogs win their second national championship in a row, delivering a 65-7 victory over Texas Christian University. Their previous win was against the University of Alabama with a score of 33-18.
Throughout their winning seasons, the Redcoat Marching Band has been playing alongside the team. “Everything you see and hear on the field happens because of a huge amount of hard work behind the scenes,” said Brett Bawcum, Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Georgia.
Bawcum has been a part of the Redcoat Band for more than 30 years, first as a saxophonist and then as drum major, graduate assistant, and associate director before being named director in 2020. “These students are waking up at 4am, putting in long hours, sweat, tears, all on top of rigorous academic semesters. It’s an incredible commitment.”
When they are not performing at the games, the Redcoats can be found training at the Redcoat Marching Band Training Field at the University of Georgia Intramural Fields. “Spectators are welcome to come listen as we practice,” said Bawcum. In the spring during the off season, many of the Redcoats will participate in Concert Band or University Band, so audiences have a chance to hear these performers in a more traditional concert setting.
The first home game for this year’s Georgia Bulldogs this season is Saturday, September 2. You can get the full season of games at georgiadogs.com.
“Mixed Media had a strong, independent, and consistent work ethic from the moment they formed as a quartet in summer 2021, which played a defining role in their growth during the year,” said Frigo.
As Gold medalists, Mixed Media was awarded a cash prize sponsored by Ann & Paul Divine and Nancy Hawkins. In addition, they went on the Winner’s Gold Tour in September 2022. Mixed Media performed concerts and took part in masterclasses and outreach at venues across the Midwest. An additional opportunity, not usually part of this tour, Mixed Media received a full scholarship to attend past Fischoff Gold winners Akropolis Quintet’s Mastermind career development workshop.
UGA Saxophone Quartet shortly after their win in South Bend, IN. The Redcoat Marching Band playing the National Championship game Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Morgan Wynn.)
