SFORZANDO
Magazine For The University Of Georgia
Hugh Hodgson School Of Music
TAKE THE
LEAD
Leadership and innovation from Hugh Hodgson School of Music students and alumni
Plus: EXCITING ALUMNI NEWS CONCERTO WINNERS ANNOUNCED FACULTY AWARDS AND RECOGNITION UPDATES FOR PIANO, ETHNOMUSICOLOGY, AND MORE
the
Hugh Hodgson School of Music Administration
Interim Director
Dan Bara
Assistant to the Director
Edith Hollander
SFORZANDO Magazine Staff
FROM THE DIRECTOR
As we arrive at the mid-point of our academic year in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, I am humbled and inspired by the creative energy, artistic excellence, and the breadth of academic activity shown by our students, faculty, and alumni. This fall we welcomed 90 new undergraduates and nearly 60 new graduate students to campus, offered more than 150 public performances, hosted the 60th Anniversary American Liszt Society Festival, and enjoyed exposure to dozens of guest artists and teachers through performances and master classes initiated by HHSOM faculty and the UGA Performing Arts Center.
HHSOM Director of Public Relations
Shaun Baer
Contact for press:
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
230 River Road, Ste. 324-A Athens, GA 30602
706-542-4752
shaunbaer@uga.edu
Public Relations Team
Francisco Cardoso De Araujo
Rye Harrison
Zoe Lanham
Natasha Pizarro
SFORZANDO is published by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
Cover Photos:
Yiqi Wang, soprano, performs Donizetti during the Fall Opera Gala November 8, 2024.
Photo by Shaun Baer.
Nicholas Enrico Williams conducts the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble during their “Soundings” concert September 19, 2024.
Photo by Zoe Lanham.
Dane Warren on percussion during the “Soundings” concert September 19, 2024.
Photo by Zoe Lanham.
We have also begun to break in 30 brand new Boston (designed by Steinway & Sons) upright practice room pianos which were delivered in August, and have launched international faculty searches in the areas of Choral Conducting, Voice, Opera Coaching, and Film and Media Scoring to permanently fill important instructional vacancies. As we go to print, the faculty are preparing for the busy admission/audition season ahead and we’re delighted to note that the healthy application numbers of recent years have been surpassed by this year’s numbers. So, I’m happy to say the obvious: We’re a thriving school of music! And we simply couldn’t do all that we do without the support of our university administration, concert patrons, community partners, and donors.
Having served as the Director of Choral Activities since 2010, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Interim Director for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music this year, as we embrace this time of transition as an opportunity to invite our alumni to reconnect with The Hugh. This edition of Sforzando offers an invitation for you to continue to engage with our bustling performance calendar while also offering spotlight articles announcing renown guest artist residencies, faculty awards, and remarkable off-campus performance engagements of our students and faculty. And, it also aims to further highlight the professional activities of our alumni as we enter into a more deliberate and ongoing campaign to share the stories and post-degree career paths of our graduates as a means to more fully tell our HHSOM story as one of the most exciting and ascendant university schools of music in the country. If you’re a graduate, please keep us updated! In addition to access to a survey geared for HHSOM alumni (see magazine insert), please also keep your eyes peeled for links on our HHSOM web pages where alumni can easily send career updates, accomplishments, and other news that you’d like to share with the school and classmates. Our students and alumni are our greatest pride, and we hope you’ll share your news.
Nearly 100 years after Hugh Hodgson came to UGA as its first music professor, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music is stronger than ever and poised to enter its second century of training aspiring performers, music educators, therapists, musicologists, researchers, and composers for successful and gratifying lives that are steeped in and shaped by their love of music and the arts. We thank you for the important role you play, whether as a concert patron, alumnus, donor, friend, or all of the above. Thank you for being a part of our story and helping to make new stories come to life.
Sincerely,
Dan Bara Interim Director, Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Dan Bara introduces
University of Georgia Hodgson Singers at their performance October 10, 2024. (Photo by Rye Harrison)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
&
FREE EVENT CALENDAR 5
At-a-glance listing of ticketed events, plus QR codes and other details to purchase tickets.
Headshots and some additional details of our upcoming guest artists.
PERFORMANCE UPDATES
New details for the Spring Opera and the selected Symphony for the end of the year concert.
CONCERTO WINNERS
Learn more about this year’s eight concerto competition winners and when you can hear them perform with our orchestra and wind ensemble.
At-a-glance listing of free events, many of which are new since our July 2024 issue.
ADDED PROGRAMMING 7
More free programs have been added to our calendar for spring. Read more about these events here.
Complete ticket policies & procedures, as well as additional details for all of our performances, can be found at our website at music.uga.edu.
12 HITTING THE RIGHT KEYS
Unique performance opportunities feature piano students, catching up with a piano alum, and what it means to be an all-Steinway school.
16 MAKING HISTORY
Learn more about saxophone alum Caroline Leigh Halleck, now teaching and performing in Italy, before her recital in Ramsey Hall on January 23.
18 INTERPRETING OPERA
Guest conductor Hilary Griffiths gives insights into Mozart’s work, and fourth-year student Fallon Elliot brings sign language to opera.
22 SPECIAL HONORS
Read about the ways some of our excellent faculty have been acknowledged for their work.
A surprise presentation during the African American Choral Ensemble concert honored one of our dedicated faculty.
20 MUSIC AND CULTURE
Rumya Putcha, associate professor wins a prestigious award, and Jared Holton, assistant professor, has exciting exchange.
23 HIGHLIGHTS
Student, alumni, and faculty highlights, including awards, publications, and more.
Photos top to bottom: William May sings and plays his own arrangement with the African American Choral Ensemble November 25, 2024. Photo by Shaun Baer; Toby Johnson performs during the UGA Brass Quintet Showcase October 11, 2024. Photo by Shaun Baer; Lillie Sims, Audrey Vasquez, and Zaria Dosssmiling during an ACDA workshop October 30, 2024. Photo by Zoe Lanham.
SPRING 2025 CALENDAR OF TICKETED EVENTS
JANUARY FEBRUARY
TUES 1/21/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Chamber Recital “Mostly Romantic” Ramsey Concert Hall
THURS 1/30/25, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday Scholarship Series Symphony Orchestra with Concerto Winners Hodgson Concert Hall
See page 10 to learn more about this year’s winners.
Hodgson and Ramsey Concert Halls are in the UGA Performing Arts Center 230 River Road.
Edge Recital Hall is in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road. Both locations are in Athens, GA.
TO
MARCH
THURS 2/13/25, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday Scholarship Series
Faculty Follies Soiree - An Evening of Musical Comedy Hodgson Concert Hall
FRI 2/21 - SAT 2/22, 7:30 p.m.
SUN 2/23/25, 3 p.m.
UGA Opera Theatre
Mozart’s “La finta giardiniera”
Fine Arts Theatre
255 Baldwin St. (details page 9)
TUES 2/25/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Symphony Orchestra “Power in Creation” Hodgson Concert Hall
TICKETS FOR THESE CONCERTS
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
Tickets are $15-20 for adults and $3 for UGA students.
Scan this QR code for details.
OTHER WAYS TO ORDER:
• Visit music.uga.edu
• Call 706-542-4400
• In-person at UGA Performing Arts Center 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and one hour before show.
THURS 3/13/25, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday Scholarship Series
UGA Hodgson Singers “Lux Aeterna” Hodgson Concert Hall
MON 3/24/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Chamber Recital New Faculty Trio Ramsey Concert Hall
FRI 3/28/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Symphony Orchestra “Symphonie Fantastique” conducted by Michael Stern Hodgson Concert Hall
PICK-12: $150 (expires 1/21/25)
Select this option and save 15% on all 12 Spring performances. Scan this QR code for details.
PICK-6: $80 (expires 3/24/25)
Select this option and save 10% on any 6 Spring performances. Scan this QR code for details.
APRIL
TUES 4/1/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Wind Ensemble “...rising...” Hodgson Concert Hall
ARCO Chamber Orchestra
All Classic: Mozart and Haydn Hodgson Concert Hall
FRI 4/4/25, 7:30 p.m. THURS 4/17/25, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday Scholarship Series “Music and Dance” ARCO and UGA Dance Ensemble Hodgson Concert Hall
THURS 4/24/25, 7:30 p.m.
Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, “Resurrection,” with Symphony Orchestra and Combined Choirs. Hodgson Concert Hall (details page 9)
SPRING 2025 CALENDAR OF FREE PERFORMANCES
FACULTY ARTIST SERIES
TUES 1/14/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Artist Series
Matthew Shipes, tuba Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 1/13/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist: Cavatina Duo Flute and Guitar
Ramsey Concert Hall
SAT 1/18/25, 6 p.m.
Choral Project “Two Streams”
First Christian Church
268 W. Dougherty St.
TUES 1/21/25, 5:30 p.m.
Choral Project “Two Streams” Encore performance Ramsey Concert Hall
THURS 1/23/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist & Alum Recital
Caroline Halleck, saxophone Ramsey Concert Hall (page 14)
TUES 1/28/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist
Megumi Kanda, trombone Ramsey Concert Hall
THURS 2/6/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Recital: Elizabeth Johnson Knight, mezzosoprano, Ramsey Hall
MON 2/10/25, 3:30 p.m.
Repertory Singers with Choral Conducting Students Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 2/10/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist
Reed Hanna, bassoon Ramsey Concert Hall
WED 2/12/25, 7:30 p.m.
Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band Hodgson Concert Hall
TUES 2/4/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Artist Series
James Kim, cello Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 2/17/25; 6 & 7:30 p.m.
Niccolò Paganini - two recitals 24 Solo Violin Caprices Edge Recital Hall
TUES 2/18/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Philharmonia
Nicholas Han, conductor Hodgson Concert Hall
WED 2/19/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist
Zoran Dukić, guitar
Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 3/10/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Recital:
Maggie Snyder, viola Ramsey Concert Hall
TUES 3/11/25, 7:30 p.m.
“I Will Lift up Mine Eyes”
U. Chorus & Glee Clubs Hodgson Concert Hall
FRI 3/14/25, 5:30 p.m.
Guest Artist
Jennifer Hayghe, piano Ramsey Concert Hall
WED 3/19/25, 7:30 p.m.
Concert Band & University Band Hodgson Concert Hall
MON 3/24/25, 3:30 p.m.
Repertory Singers with Choral Conducting Students Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 3/24/25, 5:30 p.m.
Guest Artist Lecture
Robert Spano, conductor Edge Concert Hall
FRI 2/28/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Artist Series
Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva, violin Ramsey Concert Hall
THURS 3/27/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist Laura Husbands, guitar Ramsey Concert Hall
FRI 3/28/25, 6 p.m.
Guest Artist
João Pedro Oliveira Dancz Center for New Music
MON 3/31/25, 5:30 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble I Jazz Ensemble II Ramsey Concert Hall
WED 4/2/25, 7:30 p.m.
Latin American Music Ensemble Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 4/7/25, 7:30 p.m.
Chinese Music Ensemble Spring Celebration Hodgson Concert Hall
MON 4/14/25, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Artist: Nadina Mackie Jackson, bassoon Edge Recital Hall
MON 4/14/25, 7:30 p.m.
British Brass Band Spring Festival Hodgson Concert Hall
TUES 4/15/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Opera Theatre Opera Scenes Program Ramsey Concert Hall
WED 4/16/25, 7:30 p.m.
Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band Hodgson Concert Hall
WED 3/12/25, 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Artist Series
Milton Masciadri, double bass Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 4/21/25, 7:30 p.m.
African American Choral Ensemble Hodgson Concert Hall
TUES 4/22/25, 7:30
Middle East Music Ensemble Ramsey Concert Hall
SAT 4/26/25, 6 p.m.
GA: Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective Dancz Center for New Music
MON 4/28/25, 3:30 p.m.
Repertory Singers with Choral Conducting Students Ramsey Concert Hall
MON 4/28/25, 7:30 p.m.
UGA Philharmonia
Nicholas Han, conductor Hodgson Concert Hall
CALENDAR KEY
Guest artists pictured on pages 6-7.
Added since the last issue and these details are on pages 7-8.
The most current dates and descriptions for these events can be found on our website at music.uga.edu. It is recommended to check the website when planning to attend a performance.
CAVATINA DUO flute and guitar *
MONDAY, JANUARY 13
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
SPRING GUEST ARTISTS
REED HANNA, bassoon
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
ROBERT SPANO conductor
MONDAY, MARCH 24
Lecture - 5:30 p.m.
Edge Recital Hall
CAROLINE LEIGH HALLECK saxophone, UGA alum
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
Read more on page 14
ZORAN DUKIĆ, guitar
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
LAURA HUSBANDS guitar
THURSDAY, MARCH 27
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
MEGUMI KANDA trombone *
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
JENNIFER HAYGHE, piano *
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
5:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
JOÃO PEDRO OLIVEIRA composer
FRIDAY, MARCH 28
6 p.m. - Lecture
Dancz Center for New Music
* - Funded, in part, by the generous support of the McCay Guest Artist Residency Fund.
NADINA MACKIE JACKSON
bassoon *
MONDAY, APRIL 14
7:30 p.m.
Edge Recital Hall
ATLANTA CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COLLECTIVE *
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
6 p.m.
Dancz Center for New Music
PROFESSIONAL ENCOUNTERS ENHANCE STUDENT GROWTH
As our students prepare for professional careers in music, it is important for them to learn from a wide variety of artists. Many of these guests are able to join us thanks to the generous donations of the McCay Visiting Artist Fund or the Willson Center for Humanities and the Arts Visiting Artist Funds.
To learn more about each of these wonderful artists, or for updates to our guest artist roster, please visit our website at music.uga.edu.
ADDED PROGRAMMING
UGA CHORAL PROJECT PRESENTS “TWO STREAMS”
SATURDAY
JANUARY 18 at 6 p.m.
First Christian Church
268 W Dougherty St, Athens, GA
TUESDAY JANUARY 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
UGA PAC, 230 River Road
Both concerts are free.
FACULTY
Two Streams (2021) is a cantata in 14 movements for choir and string orchestra that incorporates elements of Chant, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, and contemporary styles. The texts are a combination of excerpts from the Diary of St. Faustina, Scriptures (in Latin), and liturgical texts (in Greek and Latin). Maria Faustina Kowalska (Poland, 1905-1938) felt called to write down words in her diary that she heard and experienced in prayer. The message she relayed was that the world would not know peace without turning to mercy. She passed away just months before the outbreak of World War II, when it became clear that this world would not turn to mercy.
RECITAL: ELIZABETH JOHNSON KNIGHT, mezzo-soprano
THURSDAY
FEBRUARY 6, 2025
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
UGA PAC, 230 River Road
This concert is free.
With Eric Jenkins, piano. Featuring: Fauré – La Bonne Chanson, Poulenc – Banalités, as well as works by Paul Bowles and Tom Cipullo. Elizabeth Johnson Knight, American mezzo soprano, is in demand as both a choral and solo artist. She made her Carnegie Hall debut as alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Andrew Megill and the Masterwork Chorus. Recent solo appearances include Spire Chamber Ensemble, Parker String Quartet, Illinois Bach Academy, and the Carmel Bach Festival. Jenkins is Staff Accompanist and Collaborative Piano Area Coordinator at Kennesaw State University.
ADDED PROGRAMMING
PAGANINI 24 SOLO VIOLIN CAPRICES CONCERTS
MONDAY
FEBRUARY 17, 2025
6 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Edge Concert Hall
HHSOM, 250 River Road
These concerts are free.
Experience the brilliance of Paganini’s 24 Caprices for Solo Violin in two stunning performances on the same night, each showcasing extraordinary technical challenges like double-stopped trills, rapid position shifts and other advanced virtuosic features. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear all 24 caprices in one evening. These two recitals will be performed by the violin studios of Levon Ambartsumian and Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva
FACULTY RECITAL: MAGGIE SNYDER, viola
MONDAY
MARCH 10, 2025
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
UGA PAC, 230 River Road
This concert is free.
Violist 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. She has performed solo recitals, chamber music, concertos and as an orchestral musician throughout the United States and abroad in such halls as the Kennedy and Kauffman Centers, all three halls at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Spivey Hall, and the Seoul Arts Center, and in Greece, Korea, and the UK.
LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC ENSEMBLE
WEDNESDAY
APRIL 2, 2025
7:30 p.m.
Ramsey Concert Hall
UGA PAC, 230 River Road
This concert is free.
The UGA Latin American Music Ensemble launched its inaugural performances last year with a captivating exploration of Argentina’s rich musical heritage. This spring, it will be directed by a scholar housed in the Portuguese flagship program, Bill Lucas, who will lead the ensemble. Be sure to check our website at music. uga.edu for more details as to the repertoire, region, and featured instruments as we get closer to April.
Our faculty are regularly adding recitals, guest artists, and other lecture and performance opportunities throughout the year. At the time of this publication, at least three additional faculty recitals, one exciting opportunity for the Wind Symphony, and several other concerts were still in process and not able to be included here.
In addition, spring is a time when many of our students, both graduate and undergraduate, are planning solo and chamber recitals that are required for their graduation.
It is always a great idea to visit our website at music.uga.edu for the most current information on student and faculty recitals, ensemble performances, and everything else we offer throughout the year.
PERFORMANCE UPDATES
We are excited to announce the spring opera and the symphonic selection for our combined concert at the end of the year. While we do our best to offer a complete look at our season at the beginning of each year, every now and then it takes a little bit more time to solidify the details. While it is not always ideal to delay, we hope you will agree that these two updates were worth the wait.
UGA OPERA THEATRE: LA FINTA GIARDINIERA by W. A. MOZART
7:30 p.m.
S AT. FEB 22
7:30 p.m.
SUN. F EB 23 **
3 p.m.
UGA Fine Arts Theatre 255 Baldwin St.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $3 for UGA students. with valid ID
UGA Opera Theatre returns to the Fine Arts Theatre for this fullystaged performance! Confusion is in full bloom at a small-town mayor’s estate near Milan, where Violante and her servant are disguised as gardeners to hide from her ex-boyfriend, Belfiore. Chaos reigns among several would-be couples in this somewhat surreal romp of requited and unrequited love. Enjoy wonderful music and imagination from an 18-year-old Mozart in a precursor to Le Nozze di Figaro. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Directed by Daniel Ellis (read more about his recent award on page 22) and conducted by returning guest conductor and Mozart expert Hilary Griffiths (read more about Griffiths on page 18).
**In addition to supertitles, the Sunday, February 23 performance of La finta giardiniera will be ASL interpreted by students from the American Sign Language area of the Mary Frances Early College of Education. You can learn more about one of these interpreters on page 19.
COMBINED CONCERT: MAHLER’S SYMPHONY NO. 2 “RESURRECTION”
THURSDAY APRIL 24 at 7:30 p.m. FRI. FEB 21
Hodgson Concert Hall
Tickets are $20 for adults and $3 for UGA students with a valid ID.
Don’t miss the biggest concert of the year, featuring over 300 student musicians. The University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Singers, University Chorus, and Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs will perform Symphony No. 2 in C minor by Gustav Mahler. Known as the Resurrection Symphony, it was written between 1888 and 1894, and first performed in 1895. This symphony was one of Mahler’s most popular and successful works during his lifetime. It was his first major work that established his lifelong view of the beauty of afterlife and resurrection. In this large work, the composer further developed the creativity of “sound of the distance” and creating a “world of its own” aspects already seen in his First Symphony.
2024-25 Concerto Competition winners
Introduction by Shaun Baer | Bios and photos provided by the musicians
Every year, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music invites the students to participate in the Concerto Competition. This is a rigorous and highly competitive process, judged by a panel of our music performance faculty, for both graduates and undergraduates to demonstrate their skill. The winners are featured in one of two concerts, either with the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra or the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, where they have the exciting opportunity to perform their selected work with a full orchestra or ensemble.
PERFORMANCES: This year, seven talented musicians will join the Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. You can read about them here, in alphabetical order. The eighth winner, Michelle Moeller, will perform with the Wind Ensemble on Thursday, February 20 as part of the UGA Presents performance with Eighth Blackbird at 7:30 p.m. Both performances will be in Hodgson Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center.
EMILY ELMORE, flute - F. Borne: Carmen Fantasie
Emily Elmore is in her first year pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Flute Performance, studying under Angela Jones-Reus at the University of Georgia, Hugh Hodgson School of Music. She has served as Principal Flutist of both the UGA Symphony Orchestra and the Hodgson Wind Ensemble, as well as a member of the UGA Graduate Flute Quartet. In addition to being selected as a winner of the UGA Concerto Competition, Emily has been a finalist or prize winner in Young Artist Competitions by the Florida Flute Association, the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra, and the Sarasota Concert Band. Emily is passionate about education, teaching flute privately in the UGA Community Music School and within schools throughout Georgia. She also serves as the Graduate Assistant to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music Outreach programs. Emily holds a Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Central Florida.
JT HOLDBROOKS, bassoon - M. Bitsch: Concertino for Bassoon and Orchestra
J.T. Holdbrooks is a second-year Doctoral student at the University of Georgia Athens, pursuing a DMA in Bassoon Performance studying under Amy Pollard. Currently, he is a graduate teaching assistant, performs with the Southern Wind Quintet, and is the co-principal of UGA’s esteemed Wind Ensemble. Originally from Alabaster, Alabama, J.T. received his Bachelor of Music from The University of Alabama and his Master of Music in Bassoon Performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. J.T. has performed professionally with orchestras including the Atlanta Ballet, the Chattanooga Symphony, the Atlanta Pops, Cheyenne Symphony, and others in the surrounding areas. In 2023, he was the winner of the Jacque Avent Concerto Competition at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival where he performed VillaLobo’s “Ciranda Das Setes Notas” with the faculty orchestra. He has performed in many masterclasses for notable bassoonists including Sophie Dervaux, Frank Morelli, Billy Short, and Kristen Wolfe Jensen.
THOMAS LaMON, cello - E. Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, mvt. 4
Thomas LaMon is a Doctoral student in cello performance at the University of Georgia under the tutelage of James Kim. Thomas is from Ohio and attended the Ohio State University for his undergraduate degree in music performance and public policy, followed by the University of Georgia for his master’s in performance. During his musical journey, Thomas studied with Linda Katz, Mark Rudoff, and David Starkweather who all helped shape the passionate musician he is today. Thomas first found success in chamber music where he was a finalist of the Coltman competition in Austin, Texas (2019) and received the Brahms award for chamber music excellence while at OSU. During his time at UGA, Thomas has performed on masterclasses for prominent figures such as the Emerson Quartet, Dover Quartet, Trio con Brio, Joseph Lin, and Tamas Varga. Thomas is also a part of the Hodgson String Quartet, the premiere graduate chamber ensemble at UGA. He has held the principal cellist position for UGA Symphony, ARCO Chamber Orchestra, Prague Summer Nights, and OSU Symphony.
MENGYUAN LI, piano - G. Gershwin: Concerto in F Major, mvt. 1
Born in Hebei and raised in Tianjin, China, Aimee Mengyuan Li is currently pursuing a DMA degree in piano at the University of Georgia as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Aimee has been won multiple competitions and performed throughout China and the United States as soloist and collaborative pianist. Before coming to UGA, Aimee earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; later she served as adjunct faculty at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music and piano faculty at the Hebei Polytechnic Institute in China.
DAVID MA, flute - H. Dutilleux: Sonatine for flute
David Ma is a Tampa, Florida native and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance at the University of Georgia, studying with Angela Jones-Reus. At the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, he is an active member of the UGA Wind Ensemble, serving as Principal Flute and Piccolo. As an advocate for new music, he is the flutist of the UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. Some of his freelance work includes performing for local churches in the Athens and Greater Atlanta area, and flute instructor at middle and high schools in Georgia and Florida. He has been selected to perform in masterclasses with Marianne Gedigian, Brandon Patrick George, Kristen Holritz, Bart Feller, and Mary Stolper. He was awarded 2nd prize winner at the Florida Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition in 2023.
ELENA
MINKO, piano - S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 4, mvts 2 and 3
An active soloist, répétiteur and collaborator, Elena Minko enjoys working with other musicians, exploring all musical styles from instrumental and vocal Baroque music to contemporary. Currently, Elena is a coach assistant in opera theater at the University of Georgia and pursuing her doctoral degree in Piano Performance with Evgeny Rivkin. A native of Siberia, Russia, Elena started her professional path as a composer and was awarded several prizes at composer’s competitions in Russia. Prior to coming to the United States, she earned her Bachelor and Master degrees in Piano Performance at the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow.
HAOYING WU, piano - S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, mvt. 1
Haoying Wu is a Chinese pianist who is pursing her doctoral degree in Piano Performance at the University of Georgia, studying with Alan Woo. She is the teaching assistant for group piano classes at UGA. She earned her previous degrees from Northwestern University and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. As an active performer, she won the second prize in the 2024 Atlanta Music Club Scholarship Competition.
MICHELLE MOELLER, oboe - O. Navarro: Legacy Oboe Concerto
Michelle Moeller is in her second year of doctoral studies at the University of Georgia, studying under the direction of Reid Messich. She currently teaches oboe at Furman University and the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, South Carolina. Michelle serves as the Librarian for the University of Georgia’s band department and teaches private lessons at the Community Music School. In addition to her academic pursuits, Michelle is an active performer, regularly playing with the Aiken and Augusta Symphony Orchestras. In the summers, she loves attending festivals performing with musicians from all over the world. Most recently, Michelle participated in the National Orchestral Institute at the University of Maryland, where she performed as Principal Oboe on Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 under the baton of Marin Alsop, alongside select members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
Unique performance opportunities hit all the right keys
Story
and photo by Shaun Baer
“We want our students to experience the full breadth of professional life,” said associate professor of piano Liza Stepanova, “Piano students receive opportunities to perform on prominent platforms as soloists and chamber musicians, present research at prestigious conferences, teach locally and internationally, and more. Then, they graduate to make their own mark on the profession. Our alumni have successfully launched music schools and concert series, gained academic employment, worked with singers, and represented us at institutions internationally.”
One such event took place at UGA October 2024, when the Hugh Hodgson School of Music collaborated with the American Liszt Society (ALS) to host their 60th Anniversary Festival, along with the UGA Performing Arts Center, the Georgia Music Teachers Association, and the Georgia Museum of Art. Stepanova and Richard Zimdars (HHSOM professor emeritus) served as directors, with Alan Woo, assistant professor of piano, as assistant director.
The festival featured performances by world-class professional artists from around the world, lectures, and masterclasses. UGA piano undergraduate and graduate students performed, and doctoral piano students lectured on their research. Many helped behind the scenes as well and made valuable professional connections along the way.
Another recurring opportunity is the Robert G. Edge Undergraduate Piano Competition, with five to six winners and honorable mention awardees receiving
a scholarship supplement. “The piano competition enables UGA to put the spotlight on the excellent young pianists at the School of Music,” said Edge. “I am delighted that the Heads of the School have chosen this great way of using the Edge Music Fund.”
Four of the winners of the 2024 Edge competition, Peter Kandra, Michael Solomon, Benjamin Brown, and Shirley Chen will join graduate students Elena Minko, Evanthia Panagou, Haoying Wu, and Tiffany Yin for an exciting performance collaboration with Steinway & Sons on February 27, 2025.
These students represent the studios of Grace Huang, lecturer, Evgeny Rivkin, professor of piano and piano area chair, and Greg Satterthwaite, assistant professor of jazz piano and African American studies, as well as Stepanova and Woo. James Weidman, assistant professor of jazz piano and African American studies, was featured at the 2022 Steinway concert.
“This biennial showcase of UGA piano students at the legendary Steinway Hall in New York City is an exceptional opportunity to introduce our talented students to some high-profile professionals in the music industry,” said Woo.
“Scholarship opportunities like those provided by Robert Edge and others are essential to maintaining these opportunities for our students,” said Stepanova. “They can open doors for these students that give them a considerable leg up as they enter the professional world.”
Read more about the New York City performance and other HHSOM performances outside of Athens in the insert at the center of this magazine.
Photo: Alan Woo, Liza Stepanova, and the ALS president Jay Hershberger at the Georgia Center during the Liszt Festival dinner October 13, 2024.
What it means to be Georgia’s first All-Steinway School
In 1996, the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) became the first All-Steinway institution in the state of Georgia and remains the largest All-Steinway School in the state. But why is that important?
According to Steinway & Sons spokesperson Alice Tillman Bryans, “to be an All-Steinway School means an institution is committed to excellence in music education by providing its students and faculty with Steinway pianos. The All-Steinway School designation is a way for Steinway & Sons to acknowledge institutions that share their commitment to excellence. Currently there are around 200 All-Steinway Schools worldwide, and they are divided into three categories: conservatories, colleges and universities, and other schools of distinction.”
With support from the Office of the Provost, HHSOM was able to upgrade 30 practice rooms with brand new upright pianos. The previous year, HHSOM and the UGA Performing Arts Center purchased a new Steinway Grand Piano from Hamburg, Germany.
“Our school boasts about the quality of our facilities, and our performances spaces are truly exceptional,” said Dan Bara, interim director, “but a key component of that excellence is the pianos our students use daily for practice and performance.”
Steinway& Sons spokesperson Sally Phillips believes that being an All-Steinway school has a domino effect on the entire music program that “positively affects the recruitment of students and faculty.” With HHSOM applications exceeding expectations this year, Bara believes these instruments certainly have “a part to play.”
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Piano alum Anna Hawkins secures teaching position
In May, 2024, Anna Hawkins graduated from UGA with a DMA in Piano Performance. Since then, Hawkins has been keeping busy.
“I started a tenure-track job as assistant professor of piano at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado [in] August 2024,” said Hawkins. She won the job in the spring of 2024 while she was still finishing her degree. “I teach music fundamentals, class piano, applied piano, and piano accompanying at Adams State and also contribute as a collaborative pianist.”
Outside of the university, Hawkins is also building a studio of pre-college students, presenting at conferences, and contributing to musical publications. “I had a great experience at UGA and definitely feel that UGA equipped me for the modern job market.”
In addition to starting in a new faculty role, from August 1-11, 2024 Hawkins found herself in Porto, Portugal as an artist in residence for the Porto Pianofest. “As part of the residency, I performed a solo recital on August 8th at the Museu Romantico in Porto” (pictured below).
“It is an exciting time for Anna,” said Alan Woo, assistant professor of piano and Hawkins’ teacher at UGA, “and I’m excited to find out what’s next for her.”
Story by Shaun Baer
Photos provided by Anna Hawkins
Story by Shaun Baer | Photo provided by Alan Woo
Photo: HHSOM faculty and students outside the Steinway & Sons
FOCUS
LA DOLCE VITA
UGA Alum Caroline Leigh
Halleck’s
Story by Shaun Baer | Photos provided by Caroline Halleck
This January, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music welcomes back one of its own. Caroline Leigh Halleck graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2017 with a Bachelor of Music in saxophone performance. Her time at UGA, including the Italy Music Study Abroad program, changed her direction to where she is today.
Halleck described her study abroad experience as “So much fun; a bit messy. But also, that’s Italy! I had the opportunity to balance the saxophone program with [Connie] Frigo, while also attending conducting courses with [Jaclyn] Hartenberger.” As a first-year college student, Halleck found it “thrilling to be able to perform in new settings and immerse myself in a completely different culture. It was a nice blend of musical growth, cultural discovery, and unforgettable memories.”
It was on that trip that Halleck first encountered Marco Albonetti, who taught one of the master classes during her trip. “I moved to Italy to pursue my master’s degree at the Conservatory of Trento, studying under Albonetti. During that time, I formed a saxophone quartet, and we decided to continue working together by enrolling in a chamber music program. Unfortunately, the pandemic disrupted those plans, and we eventually disbanded. By then, however, I had already fallen in love with life in Italy and decided to stay.”
Halleck completed a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at F.A. Bonporti Conservatorio di Trento, Italy in 2021. Two years later, she completed a Master
Journey to Italy
in Chamber Music at the Fondazione Accademia Internazionale di Imola ‘Incontri col Maestro’, Italy. Along the way, Halleck also completed a Certificate in Digital Media and Marketing from Duke University’s Office of Continuing Studies in 2021.
“I’ve really embraced the freedom that comes with a more freelance lifestyle. I live just outside of Bologna in the region of Emilia Romagna. The quality of life here is excellent, and the cost of living is very manageable, which allows me to focus on my music and teaching. I’m fortunate to travel regularly between Italy and the U.S. for concerts and to visit family. It’s the best of both worlds—and it gives my family a great excuse to come visit me in Italy!”
Halleck currently teaches saxophone at La Scuola di Musica Malerbi in Lugo, the Officina della Musica in Ravenna, and the Accademia InArte in Forlì. In addition to teaching private saxophone lessons and working as a freelance musician, she works as a remote social media manager for several U.S.-based companies. “I’m also actively involved in the International SaxArts Festival, where I contribute to the organization, alongside artistic director Marco Albonetti. It’s a dynamic mix of teaching, performing, and collaborating that keeps my work both fulfilling and diverse.”
“I believe the best teachers equip you with the tools to teach yourself, and that’s exactly what I gained at UGA,” said Halleck “Like any musician, I’ve had my share of highs and lows, including moments where I
questioned whether I should continue pursuing this path. My time at UGA gave me the clarity to understand what I truly wanted and reminded me why I love music so deeply. That passion, instilled and nurtured during my studies, has been my anchor through challenges and uncertainties, and it continues to drive me forward in my career.”
During her time at UGA, Halleck was also in the Redcoat Marching Band for two years. “[Redcoats] was an absolute blast and is such a great way to meet people and feel like you’re part of a family right from the start.
“The collaborative environment at UGA was equally influential. I learned just as much from my peers and older students as I did from my teachers. Brandon Quarles (now assistant professor of saxophone at UGA) was two years ahead of me and, along with other classmates who are too many to name here, had a huge impact on my growth. Greg Hankins was the first pianist I ever worked with, and I learned so much just from rehearsing with him. It’s been exciting to reconnect and collaborate again. UGA provided a rich and inspiring environment, full of people and opportunities that definitely helped shape the direction of my career.”
Looking ahead, Halleck is identifying opportunities to develop music projects and collaborations she is passionate about. “I’m focused on expanding the music projects I’m passionate about. In addition to saxophone and piano collaborations, I’m currently deeply invested in two other projects: one featuring saxophone and choir with music by Guillermo Lago, and another that combines music and visual art with Alessandro Roma. Collaborating with inspiring artists and musicians like these is energizing, and I’m especially excited about continuing to explore multidisciplinary projects that bridge different art forms. Creating platforms that bring artists together and celebrate innovative collaborations feels like a natural next step for me.
I’ve found that what matters most is having the passion and persistence to keep going. For me, the goal is about creating inspiring projects and programs that provide enriching experiences that help me grow as a person and sharing meaningful moments with both other musicians and the audience. Outside of music, I’m someone who loves to travel and connect with nature. If I can continue to explore the world, pursue what brings me joy, and spend time with the people I love, I’ll feel truly successful.”
Caroline Leigh Halleck Residency Master Class in Edge Recital Hall Wednesday, January 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Recital with Greg Hankins in Ramsey Concert Hall Thursday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.
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Headshot of Caroline Leigh Halleck. Caroline Halleck, saxophone, performing a recital with Greg Hankins, piano
Photos of Caroline Leigh Halleck performing throughout Italy. All photos provided by the artist.
Gregory Broughton (far left), George Miller, III and Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller, along with current and former AACE singers, including Subrena Clark (center) following the AACE concert on Monday, November 25, 2024.
MAKE HISTORY RAISE YOUR VOICE
UGA choir brings music and community in harmony
Story and photos by Shaun Baer
Gregory Broughton, associate professor of voice for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) and conductor of the African American Choral Ensemble (AACE, never misses a moment to celebrate and lift up the people around him. Upon seeing the original founder of AACE (formerly Pamoja Singers) in the crowd of their November 25 concert, he invited Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller to join him on stage.
Broughton was surprised to find that Miller was already equipped with her own microphone. “Well, I know I didn’t give her that,” said Broughton.
Pastor Miller proceeded to share with the audience the story of founding Pamoja Singers in 1970 and how proud she was of Broughton for his work with the choir. Miller was joined by the President of Pamoja Connections Inc. Subrena Clark (BA ‘92 Speech Communications). Together, Miller and Clark presented Broughton with the Founder’s Award which read “Thank you for 35 Years of Divine Excellence.”
The crowd joined in a standing ovation for Broughton, a crowd that included several alumni of the choir. After the concert concluded, those alums joined Broughton, Clark, Miller and her husband George Miller, III for a group photo.
Clark, along with Jackie Wright (BA ‘82 Drama, BA ‘84 Journalism) coordinated with the HHSOM staff to plan the presentation for Broughton. Along the way, Clark took time to share why AACE and Broughton were so important to them, and to the experience of hundreds of UGA students and alumni.
“It was important to participate in AACE because of my love for African American historical and inspirational music,” said Clark. “However, it expanded my knowledge of writers and music theory while expanding relationships with other students with whom I still remain in contact. The connection through Dr. Broughton and AACE is a living treasure for me and others.”
Clark’s sentiments are shared by Daniel Bara, interim director of HHSOM. “Gregory Broughton is a treasure! He is an irreplaceable member of our voice faculty, having nurtured generations of vocal artists. His leadership of AACE has been a source of inspiration, belonging, pride, and artistry for so many people for so many years! He is truly beloved by our school and community, and is so deserving of this recognition.”
“I was shocked and surprised to have been recognized as a recipient of the founder’s award,” said Broughton, adding that “I believe that the founder wanted to show her appreciation for the work I have done to sustain the group which was her brainchild. She has remarked over the years that she has been very pleased to see that the group has been sustained.
“In addition to cultivating a space where African American students can have a choral performance outlet and a safe space for fellowship, I have endeavored to have as our top priority the performance of choral works composed or arranged by African American composers. Through these works we explore many aspects of African American culture that otherwise would be left out of the UGA experience. The fact that
I get to interact with the participants in AACE means I get to work with some of the most talented students on the campus who may or may not be a music major. From my earliest days on the campus, there were very few music majors in the group. The number of African American music majors has increased tremendously so I now have more in AACE even to the point of consistently having graduate music majors,” said Broughton.
Clark agrees with Broughton. “I wish everyone knew that they can become a student in the AACE class. It is not just about music but it teaches, inspires, and encourages students on how to expand personal growth, to work through life challenges and life opportunities. Being in AACE helped build relationships, improved my listening abilities, and expanded my creativity beyond music and the arts. AACE did that for me and so many others.”
Though proud of this achievement, Broughton always brings the story back to the students. “My students know beyond a shadow of all doubt that first and foremost, I indeed do care about them to the point of nurturing and loving them into their future successes.”
Bottom - Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller (center) with four HHSOM graduate students and AACE members. From left: Nkululeko Zungu, DMA; Abigail Popwell, Ph.D., Valencio Jackson, DMA, and William May, DMA. 17
Reflections: The African American Choral Ensemble, University Of Georgia UGA ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
by Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller Founder and Chairperson Pamoja Connections, Inc. 501(c)3 Board of Directors
In 1970, I was a nineteen-year old sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, at the University of Georgia (UGA). I majored in Broadcast Journalism. Now Attorney Dwight Thomas was President of the Black Student Union (BSU) that year, and he appointed me as the Mistress of Cultural Affairs. I went back to my dorm room on the eighth floor of Creswell Hall and typed out the “God’s vision” for five groups that God gave me.
The goal that pushed me was to create the groups that spoke to us as Black people to which we could relate and belong in a harsh environment of isolation. The five (5) groups were Pamoja Singers; Pamoja Dancers; Pamoja Drama and Arts; Pamoja Newspaper; and the Journalism Association for Minorities who published the Pamoja Newspaper to tell our own stories. Pamoja means “together” or “togetherness” in Swahili. God gave me the energy and interest to manage the Pamoja groups until December, 1972 when I finished UGA. In 1973, I graduated the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism. I majored in Radio/TV/Film, and minored in Black Studies and Speech.
Over the last 54 years, the five groups proliferated beyond anything that I could ever imagine, Currently, they are the components of Pamoja Connections, Inc. a UGA Alumni Affinity Group of which I am Founder and Chairperson. The groups are currently known as the African American Choral Ensemble (AACE); Pamoja Dance Company; InfUSion Magazine; National Association of Black Journalists; and the Black Theatrical Ensemble (BTE, which Larry Calhoun founded. Pamoja Drama and Arts is the antecedent of BTE.)
When I returned to UGA in 2010, I met Dr. Gregory Broughton, Conductor of the African American Choral Ensemble (AACE). Immediately, I discerned that he was a tremendously well-educated professor who is gifted, and profoundly cares about his students who he empowers through music. He is a genuinely, caring person, and a person of vision as well who creatively shepherds AACE. Through his leadership, AACE became an elective course that is available in the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
In 2020, Dr. Broughton was extremely instrumental to coordinate and facilitate UGA’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Pamoja: “My Soul Sings, Still!”
On November 25, 2024, Pamoja Connections, Inc.’s President Subrena Clark and I presented our first Founder’s Award to Dr. Broughton for 35+ years excellence. Our honor to and gratitude for Dr. Gregory Broughton continues…
Photos: Top - Subrena Clark and Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller presenting Gregory Broughton the Pamoja Founder’s Award during the AACE concert on Monday, November 25, 2024.
INTERPRETING OPERA
Conductor and Interpreter make opera more accessible
ABOVE: Conductor HIllary Griffiths (lower left) casting his shadow in the Fine Arts Theatre (FAT) wall during UGA Opera Theatre’s production of “Postcard From Morocco” February 22, 2022. Photo by Easel Images. INSET: Conductor Hilary Griffith. Photo provided by artist.
“La Finta Giardiniera” by W. A. Mozart Fine Arts Theatre, 255 Baldwin St. February 21-23, 2025 (details page 9)
A LUSH “GARDEN” OF MUSIC
Hilary Griffiths returns to conduct spring opera
Having conducted all of Mozart’s operas, and well over 100 operas internationally, Hilary Griffiths can be defined as a Mozart expert. Here is a brief perspective on what to expect from this spring’s opera “La finta giardiniera” in Griffith’s own words:
A Mozart expert? I think we almost all started out with Mozart – certainly I did, as a pianist, singer and clarinetist - but when I came to the Cologne Opera in 1976 we enjoyed the most famous Mozart-Cycle in the world: the seven principal operas, directed by Jean-Pierre Ponelle. And our Music Director was Sir John Pritchard, the finest Mozart-conductor of his generation, so we attracted all the great Mozart singers of the time to our opera house. There was no better way to learn and refine our knowledge and insight.
La finta giardiniera was not among these operas, but it is a fascinating work. Written when Mozart was 18 years old, it is not only a huge development from his previous opera (La finta semplice), but an amalgam of two established and contrasting styles: the opera buffa and the opera seria. So you will hear light, comedy arias from Serpetta and Nardo, but serious and dramatic ones from Ramiro and Arminda. Sandrina is the forerunner of Susanna in Le nozze die Figaro, and the work is subtitled a dramma giocoso, exactly the same description as the great Don Giovanni. And for the
first time, Mozart creates a long extended finale to the second act by linking arias and recitatives together, as he does so memorably in Figaro.
We did a production of this opera in Cologne in 1989 and in 1991 I was asked to conduct a performance with our singers at a festival in Prague. Thus began for me an amazing relationship with the State Opera there – to date 285 performances of 26 different operas, including 14 premieres. Mozart has always been central to Prague: he conducted the world premieres of Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito at the Estates Theatre. I conducted premieres of Die Zauberflöte and Die Entführung aus dem Serail there and took a production of Giovanni on tour to Australia.
This will be my eighth production with UGA Opera, and it is always a pleasure to return here. The young singers are always excellently prepared, and I am continually surprised by the quality of the musicians who play in the orchestra. Although Professor Burchinal originally invited me, this will be my fourth production with Daniel Ellis and I love the care he takes with the singers, but also his ability to experiment and find creative solutions for all the problems that arise. I now know Athens well and can’t wait to visit my favourite restaurants again!
Introduction by Shaun Baer | Story by Hilary Griffiths
Fallon Elliot helps launch ASL collaboration for music and theatre A “SIGN” OF THE TIMES
Story by Shaun Baer
to
Congratulations are in order for Fallon Elliot, who graduated December, 2024 with a BA in Theatre, a minor in American Sign Language (ASL), and a certificate in Musical Theatre. However, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) and the UGA Department of Theatre and Film Studies (DTFS) owe Elliot their thanks as well.
Elliot worked directly with Laurie Achin, lecturer for the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education at Mary Frances Early College of Education when petitioning the DTFS to add interpreting to their performances. After trying his hand at interpreting for student performances with the group NextAct, Elliot’s first official DTFS interpreted performance was Silent Sky
Since he was cast as one of the Audrey II performers in Little Shop of Horrors last spring, Elliot wasn’t able to be one of the interpreters. but he did encourage Daniel Ellis, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences academic professional in opera and musical theatre for HHSOM and DTFS, to include interpretation for the musical as well.
“It was an exciting opportunity for everyone,” said Ellis, “ and it was a way to continue to provide accessibility to the work we’re doing in both schools.”
The addition of an ASL interpreted performance was very well received. DTFS has continued the collaboration this academic year for two productions. Ellis has now expanded this collaboration to
HHSOM, with Elliot set as one of the interpreters for the Sunday matinee of the opera La finta giardiniera
Elliot starts by building a visual translation from the text. “ASL is structured differently than the English language; the grammar layout is entirely different and ASL is a visual language that can use classifiers and other elements to represent various ideas, so that ASL translation is useful for practicing and shifting my brain into that other language landscape.”
Elliot’s first experience of ASL happened at the same time as he discovered his love of theatre. “[Mom] would take me and my siblings to see shows...the Fox [Theatre] would always have two or three ASL interpreters that would stand lit up in front of stage right, and I’ve been drawn to them every time. It’s how I was introduced to American Sign Language, which then lead me to an interest in Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (HOH) culture and learning ASL because I wanted to be an interpreter for performances like those at the Fox.”
Elliot is passionate about the need for ASL interpretation for live performances. “Deaf and HOH audiences deserve the same assess to artistic and creative spaces as hearing audiences. Full stop. There’s so much to gain by being able to participate in the magic of theatre and production, whether that’s life lessons, whimsy, or just an escape from the very hectic world we all exist in, and that should be accessible to everyone.
“UGA ended up being such a good environment for nurturing my passion for ASL interpreting. I took all four levels of their offered ASL classes immediately upon enrolling, and all the teachers are Deaf and wonderful to know and learn from. I’m so blessed to have gotten the opportunity to work with them all.”
Above: Fallon Elliot interpreting the fantasy in the UGA Department of Theatre and Film Studies production of “9
5” November 22, 2024. Photo by Felix Scheyer. Inset: Elliot interpreting for NextAct Cabaret. Photo provided by the artist.
AREA FOCUS ETHNOMUSICOLOGY
Music and culture combine to enrich the study of music
Story and photos by Shaun Baer
The Musicology/Ethnomusicology program at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) is a growing and innovative program that provides its students with training in historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and musical analysis while also encouraging interdisciplinary connections with other units.
Jean Kidula, professor of ethnomusicology, is very excited about the growth of the area. “We have maybe the largest number of students taking the Ethno track of the Ethno/Musicology area. That is, students have come here specifically to concentrate on what is traditionally the Ethno side of things,” said Kidula. “And also, every one of our graduates is employed.”
The first graduate from the HHSOM ethnomusicology area was Carrie Allen Tipton (Ph.D. ‘09). Currently serving as adjunct instructor of musicology at Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music, Tipton has published in ESPN’s The Undefeated, History Today, Pop Matters, Deep South Magazine, the Southern Foodways Alliance blog, W. W. Norton’s Avid Listener, Religion Dispatches, the New Encyclopedia of the South, Black Music Research Journal, the Journal of the Society for American Music, and more. Her article on minstrel songs in southern college football was a finalist in the 2022 AP Sports Editors’ contest and she recently published From Dixie to Rocky Top, a Cultural History of Southeastern Conference Fight Songs.
A few other notable graduates include Robin Harris (Ph.D. ‘12), who inaugurated a graduate program on World Arts and Cultures at Dallas International University, where she is now a full professor, Elizabeth Ozment (Ph.D. ‘14) is associate dean at the University Virginia, and recent graduate Jenn LaRue (Ph.D. ‘23) is currently a visiting faculty at Florida State University.
One aspect that makes the HHSOM ethnomusicology area so interesting for the students is the combination of research and study with practical application.
“I set out to bring the sounds of the world into the building for a hands on experience for any student on campus, including our very own music majors, rather than just talking about the music in elective musicology courses,” said Kidula. “ It has been gratifying to see both undergrad and graduate students join the ensemblesbut it is also amazing how the community has invested in them by participating as performers and turning up for performances.”
This spring, there will be three ensembles from the ethnomusicology area with performances in April. First, the Latin American Music Ensemble returns under the direction of Brazilian percussionist Bill Lucas in collaboration with the Portuguese Flagship Program and the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute. The performance will be Wednesday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Ramsey Hall. Lucas will be teaching an additional course in connection to the ensemble as well.
The Chinese Music Ensemble, directed by Ph.D. student Vicki Lu, returns for a spring festival performance Monday, April 7 at 7:30 in Hodgson Hall.
Jared Holton, assistant professor in ethnomusicology will direct the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble on Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Ramsey Hall. All three performances will be in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road, Athens, GA. All of these performances are free.
Kidula joyfully added, “Students are excited about exploring all music in all parts of the world from right here at UGA.”
Photos: Above - Jean Kidula (right) with the Latin American Music Ensemble November 14, 2023. Left - Vicki Lu plays the guzheng during the Chinese Music Ensemble performance April 10, 2024.
FACULTY FOCUS Rumya Putcha: Dance and music work in concert
Story by Shaun Baer | Photo by Chamberlain Smith, UGA
Now in her sixth year at the University of Georgia as associate professor of music and women’s studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Rumya Putcha has a lot to be excited about.
Most recently, Putcha has been named an associate editor for the cultural anthropology section of American Anthropologist, the flagship journal of the American Anthropological Association.
Already a prolific writer, Putcha has penned articles for Feminist Review, The Journal of South Asian Popular Culture, Dance Research Journal and several others. Her first book, The Dancer’s Voice: Performance and Womanhood in Transnational India (Duke University Press, 2023) won Honorable Mention for the 2024 Sally Banes publication award from the American Society for Theater Research and is the 2024 recipient of the Dance Studies Association’s de la Torre Bueno® First Book Award presented by the Dance Studies Association. Putcha presented on The Dancer’s Voice at the Department of Music at Columbia University in New York City on Sept. 27, 2023, at King’s College London on June 12, 2024, and at the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts at UGA on November 11, 2024.
“What is unique about Putcha’s book is that it centers the desires and agency of the women dancers rather than the cultural gatekeepers or the institutions that seek to control the art form,” said Tapoja Chaudhuri of the International Examiner. “Her book also follows the figure of the dancer beyond the formal classical dance arenas to give us a more comprehensive idea of who the dancer becomes for multiple audiences.”
Putcha’s second book project, Namaste Nation: Yoga, Orientalism, and Imaginations of India, extends her work on transnational performance
cultures to critical analyses of capitalist fitness industries. Putcha, the 2023 recipient of the Willson Center for Arts and Humanities Ludwig-Maximillians University Fellowship, spent part of last summer conducting research for her book in Munich. She continued her research in London at the Wellcome Collection and Institute with the support of the Sarah Moss Fellowship.
“I engage anti-colonial thought to bring together two worlds — music and gender studies. By applying gender analysis to the study of music and by integrating musical analysis in the study of gender, my work highlights the insights that can emerge only from stepping outside intellectual silos,” Putcha said.
“My research and teaching convey an awareness that music is never separable from the social and cultural practices that it activates nor is gender separable from the aesthetics, creativity or performances that it fuels. Through my contributions as a dancer, a vocalist and a faculty member with two distinct, but overlapping, sets of academic expertise at UGA, I have cultivated a generative analytical frame to better understand both what music and gender are and what they mean in our societies.”
Another way Putcha’s work bridges music and women’s studies is by chairing doctoral committees for students using their own research to explore these two areas of study.“Assisting with their research is a wonderful example of the best parts of my job,” she said.
Jared
Jared Holton, assistant professor of ethnomusicology at HHSOM, researches the musical modes of North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean and how the music relates to the body and identity, as well as nonhuman beings, temporality, and astrality. He directs the UGA Middle Eastern performance ensemble and teaches classes on a variety of topics, including United States music traditions and sound studies.
On June 5, 2024, Holton participated in Istiwanāt Live Arabic Music Ensemble, a lecture and concert at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., as well as an interview with the director of the American Folklife Center (AFC) John Fenn. The performers studied, transcribed, and reinterpreted archived recordings mainly from the Loeb Library at Harvard University that were originally recorded 100 years ago for a transnational industry of Arab, Arab American and international record labels. The lecture, concert, and interview are available online, archived by the AFC.
Holton (left) with Anne Rasmussen, Anne Elise Thomas, and Albert Agha at the Library of Congress June 5, 2024.
Holton goes to Washington
Story by Shaun Baer | Photo provided by Jared Holton
ACKNOWLEDGING EXCELLENCE
UGA Faculty award highlights expertise, innovation, and growth opportunities
Story by Shaun Baer | Group photo provided by Jean Martin-Williams
Each spring semester, ten tenure-track assistant professors who are recent recipients of a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their discipline or profession and who are in their first, second, or third year at the University are selected for the Lilly Teaching Fellows Program. Since 1984, there have been 17 Lilly Fellows selected from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM).
At the most recent celebration for the newest Lilly Fellows, a group of our current faculty who share this title gathered for a photo, including from left: Adrian Childs (composition), Jean Martin-Williams (horn performance), the newest HHSOM Lilly Fellow Greg Satterthwaite (Jazz piano, African American studies), Ellyn Evans (music therapy), David Haas (musicology),
Emily Koh (composition), and Alison Farley (music education). The remaining HHSOM Lilly Fellows still on faculty at UGA but not pictured include Jean Kidula (ethnomusicology), Peter Van Zandt Lane (composition), Roy Legette (music education), and Amy Pollard (bassoon performance).
Among the goals of the Center for Teaching and Learning Lilly Teaching Fellows Program are to: provide opportunities for the Fellows to further develop skills associated with effective teaching; provide opportunities for the Fellows to further develop their ability to appropriately balance teaching with the research and service roles required by a research university; provide the Fellows information concerning the instructional policies, resources, and services at the University
of Georgia; and offer a support system for the Fellows for sharing of ideas with colleagues from other disciplines who may have similar interests and who face similar challenges.
The program also develops the instructional skills of the Fellows through exposure to and interaction with faculty mentors who are master teachers; provides the Fellows an opportunity to complete an instructional project designed to strengthen courses and teaching methods in their academic department; and reinforces an instructional environment that honors and recognizes dedicated teaching scholars. The Lilly Teaching Fellowship program values a synergistic relationship between teaching, research, and service and promotes a learning community spirit.
Daniel Ellis lifetime achievement award
Hendrix College presented five alumni with the Odyssey Medal on Thursday, September 26, 2024, including our own Daniel Ellis, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences academic professional in opera and musical theatre for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the UGA Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Ellis and the other recipients were honored with a reception that evening in the Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Center. The Odyssey Medal is presented to Hendrix College alumni whose life achievements exemplify the ideals of the Hendrix Odyssey Program. Medalists are selected by the Hendrix Board of Trustees for their accomplishments in one of the six Odyssey categories: Artistic Creativity, Global Awareness, Professional and Leadership Development, Research, Service to the World, or Special Projects.
From Left: Alan Tackett, Cabrina Campbell, Amanda Brooks, and Daniel Ellis. photo by Nelson Chenault
Student highlights
Leonardo Lopes (DMA student, far left) and Wueliton Dal Pont (DMA student, far right), pictured above with two students from the Torino Conservatory, performed in the Musei Reali di Torino Conservatorio Guiseppe Verdi di Torino in Torino Italy on July, 26, 2024.
P. Justin White (DMA student) wind doctoral conducting associate, was named as one of the UGA Presidential Graduate Fellows in September, 2024. The University of Georgia’s Presidential Graduate Fellow award is the University’s most prestigious fellowship for incoming doctoral students.
Ange Sanchez Fuentes (BMus ‘28) won first place in First Year Treble Voice Musical Theater and Second Place in First Year Treble Voice Classical at the Georgia Chapter for the National Association of Teachers of Singing held at Berry College November 2-3, 2024.
Yun Qu Tan (DMA student) has been invited to be a Conference Committee Member for the inaugural Singapore International Saxophone Summit Conference and Competition held at Singapore Raffles Music College in January 2025 where she will be a clinician, a judge for the Summit’s competition, and perform at the Summit’s gala concert.
Aidan Eclavea (BM Mus ‘27) Music Education and Music Performance –Voice, was commissioned by Brody McLaughlin, Director of the Garden City Rhapsody, to write a piece for this community orchestra based in Augusta, Georgia. Ecleavea’s piece “Chase the Sun for Summer ‘24,” was premiered by the Garden City Rhapsody in Augusta in July 2024 with the composer as conductor.
Xiaohan Chen (DMA student), Vocal Performance, was asked this October to perform as a soloist with the Chinese Canadian Chorus for concerts in Vancouver and Toronto.
Eleftherios Chasanidis (DMA student), Vocal Performance, is the Principal Cantor of the National Cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the highest position is his respective field. Earlier this year, he made his Carnegie Hall Solo Debut and is currently recording a CD with Cappella Romana and the UCLA chorus. He currently serves on the board of the Federation of the Greek
Alumni Highlights
Joe Himmelberg (BMus ‘24), Music Performance and Music Theory, advanced to the live round of the 2025 Andorra International Saxophone Competition. The Andorra Competition is one of the most prestigious and competitive international saxophone competitions and Joe is one of a few Americans who have advanced. Joe is currently a first-year MM student in saxophone performance at the Eastman School of Music.
Faculty Highlights
Elizabeth Johnson Knight, associate professor of Voice, completed a Certificate in Vocology from NYU, summer 2024.
Brandon Quarles, assistant professor of saxophone, performed with Chicago-based saxophone quartet ~Nois, of which he was a co-founding member, here at UGA in October. During their week-long visit, ~Nois gave a saxophone masterclass, a Common Hour recital, and performed Viet Cuong’s Second Nature with Nicholas Williams and the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble.
Quarles then joined ~Nois for a residency at the University of Colorado (CU), Boulder where they premiered three new works by CU Boulder composition students and two works by CU Boulder faculty. They gave a saxophone masterclass and also performed the Cuong with the CU Boulder Wind Symphony. Additionally, Quarles performed with ~Nois at the University of Wyoming.
Quarles will perform works by Phong Tran (BMus ‘15) and himself at the U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium in January 2025.
Greg Satterthwaite, assistant professor of Jazz piano and African American studies, performed at a release party for his album Crossing Lines in Atlanta, GA featuring Terreon Gully, Terence Harper, Lori Williams, Grant Green Jr., and Joel Powell.
Matthew Shipes, associate professor of tuba/ euphonium: UGA Tuba/Euphonium ensemble has been invited to perform a concert at the 2025 US Army Band’s National Tuba Euphonium Workshop, January 29 through February 1, 2025
Above: Brandon Quarles (second from left) performs with the saxophone ensemble ~Nois, a group he co-founded in Chicago, during the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble performance October 17, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Baer)
Back Cover Photos: Connor Parr, horn, performs with the orchestra during the Fall Opera Gala November 8, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Baer)
Daniel Shafer conducts the University Chorus during their performance on October 10, 2024. (Photo by Rye Harrison) 23
Know yourself. KNOW YOUR POWER.
FRANKLIN
