CADENZA | Opus 15

CADENZA

UTSA DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC | SEPTEMBER 2019 Opus 15

WELCOME BACK! And a warm welcome to new students, faculty, and staff!

CONTENTS 03 04 08 10 14

17 18 26

WELCOME A word from Department of Music Chair, Dr. Tracy Cowden

STRING PROJECT UTSA's signature outreach program

STAR FACULTY

Dr. Stacey Davis receives classroom excellence award

WHAT I DID THIS SUMMER See what UTSA Music faculty and staff were up to this summer

START SPREADING THE NEWS The Jazz area is growing again

HEALING POWER OF MUSIC A symposium on the use of Music in Medicine

¡BIENVENIDOS! An introduction to our newest faculty members

#FILLTHERECITALHALL UTSA Music alum offers advice for marketing your recital

CONTRIBUTORS: Shelby Gorden - Graphic Designer Cindy Solis - Senior Events Manager Alissa Stolt - Editor

Welcome to

CADENZA Showcasing UTSA Music

FRIENDS, I am delighted to welcome all of you to this issue of Cadenza on behalf of the Department of Music! The beginning of the semester and concert season are filled with anticipation and energy, and we look forward to sharing this energy with you by welcoming you to our events on campus and in the community.

If this is your first issue of Cadenza, you will find a wide range of content, from articles about the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni, to announcements for upcoming performances and other significant events, as well as introductions to many new faces in our department this fall. We host so many different kinds of events, I am sure you will find something in our calendar that will touch your heart and enrich your life. This month features our first round of ensemble, faculty, and guest artist recitals, all of which are free and open to the public.

I invite you to read ahead to see what our faculty members were up to this summer, and to learn about new directions in our program, including expansion of our jazz studies area, and a wonderful symposium later this month called “The Healing Power of Music.” You will also learn more about our signature outreach program, the UTSA String Project, which celebrates its 18th anniversary this academic year!

We would love to hear from you with any feedback about Cadenza and Department of Music events; please reach out to us at music@utsa.edu with questions and comments. We hope you have a wonderful September, and we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at music events around town!

Tracy Cowden Roland K. Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music and Chair

To enroll in the upcoming 2019-20 edition of the UTSA String Project, click HERE.

UTSA STRING PROJECT Article by Dr. Kristen Pellegrino, Associate Professor of String Education

UTSA’s String Project began in January 2002 after Dr. Eugene Dowdy, Professor Emeritus, applied for and received a start-up grant from the National String Project Consortium (NSPC). In the beginning, the after school program offered semi-weekly classes on Tuesdays and Fridays on the UTSA Main Campus. Later, the program expanded to include classes on the Downtown Campus on Mondays and Thursdays. In addition to offering string orchestra (violin, viola, cello, and bass) for elementary and middle school students, Dr. Matthew Dunne, Professor Emeritus, supervised guitar classes on both campuses. UTSA’s String Project will celebrate its 18th anniversary this January.

The NSPC began in 1999 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Its two-part mission is to help college students learn how to teach music through playing string instruments and to provide “accessible string instruction opportunities for youth and adults” (http://www.stringprojects.org).

Eugene Dowdy served on the NSPC board for 20 years and was also executive director of the NSPC.

Several UTSA String Project teachers and faculty have presented at the American String Teacher Association (ASTA) national conference. Dr. Kristen Pellegrino, Associate Professor of String Education and UTSA’s String Project Pedagogical Advisor, presented her research article about the music teacher identity development of two undergraduate students and the impact that teaching in String Project had on them at last year’s conference. Click HERE to read!

For many years, UTSA’s String Project had been the only minority-majority String Project in both teacher and student populations. Around 100 students register in the after school program each year. When engaged in school partnerships at the Downtown Campus, registration has reached as many as 150 students. These partnerships have been so successful that school districts like Edgewood ISD have added string programs to their schools after a few years of bussing students to UTSA’s String Project. A new partnership with SAISD is currently in the works.

The UTSA String Project has consistently employed music students from different disciplines as teachers and interns; almost ¾ were string music education majors/post-baccalaureate teaching certificate students and about ¼ were performance, composition, and/or music marketing majors. To better guide and support them, Dr. Pellegrino taught a weekly, hour-long pedagogy session specifically for the String Project teachers to help those with little or no pedagogy coursework and help the string education majors be reflective about their teaching and help them connect concepts from coursework to their real-time teaching experiences. Almost 50 full-time professional music teachers are alumni of the UTSA String Project.

In 2017, at the urging of music alum Erik Cavazos (‘18), former String Project teacher and current orchestra director in the Alamo Heights ISD, the Department of Music began the String Project Orchestra Summer Camp for area orchestra students entering grades 6th and 7th. After a successful inaugural year, camp offerings expanded to include 8th grade students and a guitar class. Seventy-two Department of Music string students participated in the camp this summer. Erik Cavazos and Kathleen Boyd (‘13), also a former String Project teacher, along with Dr. Kristen Pellegrino, each taught an orchestra. Assisting them were UTSA string area alumni Alejandro Padro-Fuentes (‘16), Ellen Kidwell (‘18), Jennifer John (‘18), and Danielle Poblete (‘19).

Johnny Peña (‘14) current UTSA Lecturer in Guitar and his wife Jenny Peña (‘17) also former UTSA String Project instructors, taught the guitar students.

The String Project Orchestra Summer Camp was fun and successful. It included a rock music class in which students were taught to play chords on the guitar and keyboard and the final concert included three rock pieces. The final camp concert opened with a group performance of Cielito Lindo, a mariachi classic. There are plans for two string camps next summer: one for middle school and another for high school students.

Due to continued generous grants, The UTSA Department of Music is able to offer enrollment in String Project (two, hour-long classes a week for about 25 weeks) for only $200 a year--about $4 per hour-long lesson. The program has received many grants in the past and recognizes the Dashiell-Spell Endowment for their continued support! The String Project Opportunity Endowment Fund was created last year thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors. This endowment will help to support the program for years to come. The funds will be used to support scholarships for participants, the purchase of instruments, and professional development. Gifts such as this highlight the outstanding opportunities that String Project provides to both participants and student teachers.

So many amazing anonymous donors have created this transformational endowment—and they haven’t stopped there! Our donors have pledged to add another $5000 to the endowment if others match or exceed that pledge! To make your gift to the String Project Opportunity Endowment Fund, please contact giving@utsa.edu, call 210-458-4130, or click HERE. (Designation: Other; Other: Type “String Project Opportunity Endowment Fund”).

- Guest Artist -

ANN - Soprano -

MOSS Masterclass Thursday, September 12

11:30am-12:20pm

Concert Thursday, September 12

7:30pm - Recital Hall

with Cheryl Cellon Lindquist

- Piano -

Welcome back

SOMBRILLA CONCERT September

19

2019

The annual outdoor concert featuring the instrumental and choral ensembles of the Department of Music will be held under the Sombrilla.

7:00pm

Main Campus

Sombrilla

Davis Receives Classroom Excellence Award Article by KC Gonzalez, originally printed in UTSA Today August 14, 2019

On August 14, Dr. Stacey Davis traveled to Austin to receive the 2019 UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Davis, along with UTSA colleague Dixie Shaw-Tillmon from the UTSA Writing Program and 27 other educators from the UT System’s 14 other academic and health institutions were recognized for extraordinary classroom performance and innovation.

“These educators are dedicated to continually looking for new and better ways to inspire students to learn and succeed,” said UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife. “And they’re ensuring the next generation, whether they be teachers, scientists, or health care providers, is armed with passion and knowledge. Their contributions are immeasurable.” During the UT System Board of Regents meeting, the honorees received a certificate, a medallion, and a check for $25,000.

Davis is an associate professor of music theory and serves as associate chair of the Department of Music in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

She joined UTSA in 2002 and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music theory, aural skills, and music psychology and specializes in music perception and cognition.

“I am honored and grateful to receive this recognition, so much of which is a credit to the many outstanding mentors and colleagues that offer me continuous guidance and support,” shared Davis.

“It is a joy and privilege to help UTSA music students explore the ways in which a deeper understanding of music theory can aid their skill development and professional preparation. These students inspire me to continue learning as I strive to be an innovative, engaging, and connected teacher.”

Deeply committed to her students’ personal and academic success, Davis is lauded for her impeccable clarity in explaining difficult concepts, for being able to inspire a deep love for music analysis and research, and for her ability to encourage students to maintain curiosity, think critically, develop fluent skills, and make connections between all aspects of their musicianship.

"Dr. Davis is the epitome of what it means to be an excellent educator. She is kind, caring, organized, and passionate about what she does. Dr. Davis’ courses were always immaculately structured, challenging, and some of the most impactful courses in my undergraduate career,” shared Sundas Mohi-Truong (’15), a former student who is now an orchestra director in Katy, Texas.

The ROTA program was established in 2008 to recognize faculty who demonstrate a history and promising future of sustained excellence in undergraduate teaching. Including this year's recipients, 49 UTSA faculty members have received the award.

Dr. Davis is the first from the Department of Music to receive the award and the sixteenth from the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. A full list of recipients is available on the UTSA Faculty Awards website.

ROTA recipients are vetted at their own institutions before advancing to compete at the System level.

Then, candidates from each institution are evaluated by a selection committee of distinguished educators from both in and outside the UT System.

This fall, Davis and Shaw-Tillmon will become the newest members of the UTSA Academy for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, a group comprised of ROTA winners that provides institutional leadership and guidance for excellent teaching at UTSA.

What I Did This Summer If a picture is worth a thousand words, the following photo collection says a lot about the goings on in the Department of Music during the summer. Faculty and staff were busy with camps, conventions, presentations, performances and a couple of personal milestones during June and July.

Charlotte Mae Howell born to Elijah & voice instructor Jourdan Laine Howell on May 28 at 3:56pm, 8lbs 20.5 inches.

Bluegrass band Down for the Count performed with COLFA Dean Dan Gelo at his retirement reception in July. DFTC consists of Matthew Wise, music professors emeriti Gene Dowdy and Gary Mabry, and music alumni Bethany HirotaMabry and Tim Logan.

Stephanie Westney and Steve Zeserman taught at the YOSA Summer Symphony Camp in July.

Choir Camp // Yoojin Muhn

Summer Band Institute // Ron Ellis & John Zarco

Performing Arts Camp // William McCrary

9.OSA Band Camp //Â Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band Percussion Camp // Sherry Rubins & Michael Mixtacki

String Project Camp // Kristen Pellegrino

Music Chair Dr. Tracy Cowden performed for patients at Methodist Hospital as part of Hearts Need Art.

Rachel Stern, voice professor John Nix, Sarah Miga, and Paul Patinka attended the International Care for the Professional Voice Symposium in Philadelphia May 30 – June 2. The three graduate students presented with two of his students and gave a workshop and paper of his own.

Kasandra Keeling and Ivan Hurd presented a workshop on "Technique from Opposite Perspectives" at the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations National Conference in Winnipeg, Canada on July 5.

Hurd presented a lightning talk "1-2-Ready-Go!: Applying Group Teaching Skills in the Private Lesson" at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in Lombard, IL in July.

Drew Stephen performed with the Austin Baroque Orchestra June 1 and at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Austin June 2 at the Chapel of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

Slate Mark Rulewicz, son of dance instructor Megan and husband Andrew, was born April 25 at 7:51 am.

10 lbs, 5 ozs, 22.5 inches long.

Stan Renard and wife Laura summited Mount Fiji, Japan.

Piano Technician Francisco Chavez attended the Piano Technician Guild Convention and Technical Institute this July in Tucson. The title of the convention was, “Notes from the Past; Keys to the Future."

start spreading the news THE JAZZ AREA IS GROWING AGAIN! Jazz is alive and well and living in the Department of Music. Since 1976, students interested in playing jazz and learning jazz repertoire have been able to enroll in the UTSA Jazz Ensemble and perform in concert at least once a semester. The ensemble began under the direction of the then Director of Bands and current professor emeritus, Dr. Robert Rustowicz. In 1989, Dr. James Balentine, also professor emeritus, took over and directed the group for the first few years.

He eventually developed the jazz combos before stepping away to handle more theory and composition courses. Within the next two and a half decades, all of the jazz groups would be directed consecutively by Dr. Matthew Dunne, Morgan King, Dr. Utah Hamrick, and Dr. Adrian Ruiz. One of the more popular ensemble courses offered by the Department of Music, the UTSA Jazz Ensemble would attract jazz musicians of all levels and incorporate vocalists interested in learning the genre. “Jazz is a necessary part of the language of modern life for all musicians, and it should be included for all music majors in some way,” stated Balentine.

Over the years, the continued interest in these jazz performance ensembles and complementary courses in improvisation and jazz skills compelled the Department to offer a Certificate in Jazz Studies. Tailored to those students who were, according to the language of the plan, “pursuing an undergraduate degree in music [with] an interest in jazz performance, improvisation and arranging,” the certificate was granted after completing 16 credit hours in music-related academic courses and ensemble performance. By 2017, Dr. Adrian Ruiz, then the jazz area director, saw the opportunity to take the certificate one step further. By adding two more ensemble credit hours to the certificate plan, the Minor in Jazz Studies was born.

Three short semesters following its conception, the popularity of the jazz minor degree necessitated the creation of a second jazz ensemble—which launches this semester as the UTSA Jazz Ensemble II. Music faculty member Mike Steiner, who is overseeing the jazz area following the departure of Ruiz this past spring, explains, “The Jazz Ensemble I is a high level performance group that will be dedicated to playing all styles of jazz and it will be the main group for guest jazz artists.

They will play all varieties of jazz, from traditional jazz and Dixieland to swing and bebop to original compositions. Jazz Ensemble II will be geared more towards Music Education majors; it will give them the tools to be successful with their school jazz bands. The main goal of this group will be to help students program appropriate level literature for their groups and to cultivate a process to help their students succeed in playing jazz.”

Perhaps the need to offer students more jazz performance opportunities comes from a special affinity for this uniquely American-born music. The roots of jazz straddle the 19th and 20th centuries when musicians combined ragtime and blues to form a brand new sound. Originating within the African-American communities in New Orleans, jazz was not to be contained. Its popularity would propel it past the Louisiana border to Kansas City nightclubs, Chicago speak-easies, and New York jazz joints. The music was so popular and widespread during the 1920’s that the decade was to become known as “The Jazz Age.” More than 100 years later, jazz has remained steadfast, but has also evolved into many different styles: jazz fusion, Latin jazz, bebop, big band, Dixieland, and others. Jazz is a family of music that is still growing by finding its way into different cultures where new interpretations and followers are created. When asked to explain why he thought the jazz area grew at such a rapid pace in the last few years, Ruiz said, “It’s the ultimate sense of musical freedom, and when you improvise, you NEVER play the same way twice!”

Each musician can form an individual sound and interpretation. To Ruiz, this is the attraction of jazz.

Following the departure of Ruiz, Steiner became the director of the UTSA Jazz Ensemble I. Music adjunct and jazz pianist Chris Villanueva will direct both jazz combos and the Jazz Ensemble II. The expansion of the area is promising. “I feel that it is a fantastic step to expose our

students, both music majors and non-music majors alike, to the great American art form,” stated Steiner, “and it gives them the chance to learn about how the art form was created, where is has been, and where it is going.”

To some extent, the Department is entering its own new Jazz Age. With the establishment of the Minor in Jazz Studies and the addition of the second jazz ensemble, the UTSA jazz area has grown since its humble beginnings. It is getting closer to what Steiner believes is the next step in its maturation: a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies.

Steiner, who has a BM in Jazz Studies from the University of North Florida and an MM in Instrumental Conducting from UTSA wants to model UTSA's future program after the one in Florida.

In the meantime, if you are looking for an opportunity to hear cool jazz or if you are a student wanting to learn to play jazz, the Department of Music is the place to be. The first official UTSA Jazz Ensemble concert of the semester is slated for Thursday, October 10 at 7:30pm. Until then, you can whet your appetite Thursday, September 19 at 7pm when the jazz groups will perform at the annual welcome back concert at the Sombrilla.

Mark your calendar!

For more details on these and other concerts visit music.utsa.edu. To audition for any of the jazz groups contact Mike Steiner at (210) 458-2263.

Although the rosters for all four jazz groups have been filled for the fall semester, auditions will be held in January for those interested in performing in the spring semester. As with all the music ensembles offered by the Department of Music, students need not be music majors to audition.

Presented by Sigma Alpha Iota, Theta Gamma

THE

HEALING POWER 0F

MUSIC SEPTEMBER 21 8:30AM CHECK IN

SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Tracy Cowden, UTSA Department of Music Chair Constanza Roeder, Founder and CEO of Hearts Need Art Dr. Carole White, UTHSCSA Chair of Geriatric Nursing and Aging Studies, Director of Caring for the Caregiver Monty Draney, Activity Director at Morningside Ministries Menger Springs

On September 21st, the UTSA Department of Music will host a symposium titled “The Healing Power of Music”. The event will be organized by the sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota, Theta Gamma chapter and is made possible in part by a grant from SAI Philanthropies, Inc. Department of Music Chair Dr. Tracy Cowden will be presenting an encore of “Music as Medicine: The Power and Influence of Music on our Health” which she presented during the UTSA 50th Anniversary Scholars Speaker Series. In addition, the Department will host three distinguished guests who have first hand experience witnessing and facilitating the healing power of music in various fields.

Constanza Roeder is the founder and CEO of Hearts Need Art: Creative Support for Adults with Cancer. As an adolescent leukemia survivor, she knows the power of Arts in Health programs firsthand. In 2010 she started playing music for patients in Methodist Hospital and founded Hearts Need Art in 2016. According to its website, “Hearts Need Art’s mission is to promote emotional and spiritual well-being among individuals affected by cancer and other illness through the creative arts.” Members of the UTSA music community continue to be involved with the organization by performing in corridor concerts at cancer wards.

Dr. Carole White from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio is the symposium’s keynote speaker.

Throughout her career, Dr. White has worked with patients suffering from neurological disorders and with their family caregivers. She has co-authored dozens of research articles on the subject of dementia, palliative care and lacunar (small) strokes. She is constantly invited to speak nationally and internationally on her work in family caregiving; she is a professor in the School of Nursing at UTHSCSA and is the director of the Caring for the Caregiver program. This program improves the quality of life for family caregivers of persons with dementia. In addition, she has established Grace Notes Community Choir, a choir for families living with dementia. Dr. White’s presentation is titled “The Power of Music for Families Living with Dementia.”

Monty Draney is an activities director at Morningside Ministries, Menger Springs. Morningside is one of the assisted living facilities that Sigma Alpha Iota, Theta Gamma has helped to certify in the Music and Memory program. This program trains nursing home staff and elder care professionals in creation and administration of personalized playlists that help patients with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other cognitive challenges reconnect through memories triggered by music. Monty and his colleagues at Morningside Ministries maintain the Music and Memory program in their facility and the SAI chapter visits during the year to perform for the residents and learn about the program’s continued impact.

The goal of “The Healing Power of Music” symposium is twofold: to raise awareness and support for music and the power it has to affect health, and to make the public aware of the many music-related volunteer opportunities in the San Antonio area. Whether a caregiver, medical professional, musician, or ready volunteer, the organizers of the event hope to ignite and fuel the passion of attendees as speakers impart the healing power of music in their own lives. The event will begin in the Recital Hall on Saturday, September 21st at 8:30 AM and will last until 1:30 PM.

¡Bienvenidos!

An introduction to our newest faculty members The UTSA Department of Music is fortunate to have a multitude of talented and experienced new faculty join us this fall. Here is a Who’s Who of new Roadrunners we look forward to welcoming into our UTSA Music family.

Hailed by the San Antonio Current as “consistently brilliant and impossibly cool,” conductor Troy Peters will direct the UTSA Orchestra at the University of Texas San Antonio. Peters is concurrently the Music Director of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and has guest conducted many orchestras including the Oregon Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and Round Rock Symphony.

He was previously Music Director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra and Montpelier Chamber Orchestra and conducted college orchestras at Texas State University and Middlebury College. He holds degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and the University of Pennsylvania.

Troy Peters Characterized by the Portland Oregonian as “soulful and virtually flawless,” classical guitarist Dr. Isaac Bustos joins the Department of Music as the Senior Lecturer in Guitar. Bustos enjoys an extensive performing career that has taken him to North and Central America, Europe, and China. He has appeared as soloist with the Orchestra of New Spain, The Baytown Symphony Orchestra, The Nicaraguan National Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chamber music collaborations have included performances with the Grammy award-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

Bustos is also a founding member of the award-winning Texas Guitar Quartet. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in guitar performance from the University of New Hampshire, a Master of Music degree and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Isaac Bustos

Peter Breithaupt joins UTSA Music to teach History and Styles of Jazz this semester. Breithaupt has presented papers at the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Annual Meeting, the SEM Southern Plains Chapter Conference, and the University of Texas at Austin’s New Directions in Anthropology. His research has been supported by Fulbright-IIE and the Presser Foundation.

Complementing his scholarly work, Breithaupt maintains an active professional life as a drummer, percussionist, composer, and songwriter. He tours internationally with Msafiri Zawose, one of Tanzania’s foremost Gogo musicians, and performs regularly with Rattletree, an award-winning Afro-electronic dance band, and Hecho a Mano, an Austin-based salsa band. Breithaupt is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a Master of Music in percussion performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts in music research as well as a Bachelor of Music in percussion performance from Western Michigan University.

Rachel Woolf

Peter Breithaupt

Accomplished as a soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Rachel Woolf is the new flute instructor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has taught at Brookhaven College and extensively across the DFW metroplex. Woolf is a member of the Dallas based symphonic pop rock band, The Polyphonic Spree, and performs regularly with her flute and harp duo, Zephyr Strand. Woolf spent two summers performing at the Brevard Music Center and regularly plays with the Dallas Winds.

She has also played with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony, and the Firelands Symphony. Woolf received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Michigan, her master’s at Bowling Green State University, and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of North Texas.

Dr. Owen Duggan joins the choral faculty as the director of the UTSA Men’s Glee Club. He studied choral-orchestral conducting at the Eastman School of Music. Duggan is an active choral conductor, vocal performer, and composerarranger, and he holds positions at Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio Academy, Northwood Presbyterian Church, and Musica Sacra San Antonio. Duggan has performed with the Austin Civic Chorus, Texas Bach Choir, Musical Bridges, Musical Offerings, San Antonio Chamber Choir, San Antonio Lyric Opera, Fiesta San Antonio, and for the Ford Holiday River Parade. He holds music degrees from McGill University, University of North Texas, and UT Austin.

Owen Duggan

Crystal Jarrell Johnson

Crystal Jarrell Johnson is a new addition to the voice faculty this semester. A native of San Antonio, mezzo-soprano Jarrell Johnson has appeared with numerous musical organizations around the area such as Opera San Antonio, San Antonio Symphony, San Antonio Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio, San Antonio Choral Society, Sonido Barroco, Musica Sacra San Antonio, Texas Baroque Ensemble, Alamo Baroque Festival, Mid-Texas Symphony, Musical Bridges, and the Tuesday Musical Club. She was the recipient of the George Cortez Award in Classical Singing from the San Antonio Artist Foundation in 2010. An avid recitalist and chamber musician, she is a member of Deux - Classical Vocal Duo formed in 2017 with soprano Angela Malek. Jarrell Johnson has also enjoyed numerous performances as a soloist with symphony orchestras and opera companies around the country. She holds degrees in voice from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and from Abilene Christian University.

Vicente “Vinnie” Barrera Jr. joins our music technology faculty this semester. Barrera has over 20 years of experience in the music field. In addition to working as a live sound technician he has also worked as a multiinstrumentalist for various groups and was a part of numerous well-known mariachi ensembles for many years.

He provides consultations and services to venues of worship, giving musical technical advice along with services such as live sound mixing and recording. Prior to his placement, Barrera earned a Master of Music Degree in Music Technology from Southern Utah University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Vinnie Barrera

Jeff Castle

Jeff Castle joins the Department of Music this semester as an adjunct instructor of trumpet this fall. Originally from Rhode Island, he studied with Walter Chesnut at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he received his undergraduate degree in music education/trumpet performance. He attended Rice University where he studied with Armando Ghitalla and Jim Wilt and earned his master’s degree in trumpet performance.

Castle entered the Air Force in June 1998 upon earning a position with the Band of the West, Lackland AFB, TX. Prior to his current assignment with the Band of the West, MSgt Castle served in the Band of the Pacific-Alaska and The Air Force Band in Washington D.C. He is a freelance musician and educator in demand throughout Central Texas and performs regularly as an extra/substitute with the San Antonio Symphony. He is a cofounder and director of Castle Brass.

Oswaldo Zapata is excited to start this fall as the Assistant Professor of Trumpet. Dr. Zapata comes to UTSA from Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas where he was the Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Mariachi. He is also the principal trumpet of the Laredo Philharmonic and regularly performs in a wide variety of musical settings, including solo performances, wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, trumpet ensemble, brass quintet, and Latin ensembles. Zapata is originally from Colombia, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He received a Certificate of Graduate Study in Music Performance and a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of South Carolina, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in Trumpet Performance from Arizona State University.

Samuel Escalante

Oswaldo Zapata

Samuel Escalante is a Senior Lecturer in Instrumental Music Education beginning this fall. He has taught middle school and high school bands as well as guitar ensembles in Texas public schools.

Escalante’s research interests include the intersections of anti-racism, Latinidad, music teacher education, and the sociology of music education. Published in the Journal of Music Teacher Education and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, he has presented research at a number of conventions for music research and education where he has also led multiple clinics on guitar education and social justice. He completed his bachelor’s degree and PhD in music education at the University of North Texas College of Music and has earned the Perry R. Bass Fellowship for excellence in music education. He earned his master’s degree in music and human learning from the University of Texas at Austin where he performed with Mariachi Paredes de Tejastitlan.

Bass-baritone Christopher Besch joins the voice faculty this fall.

He is proud to have performed in seven countries on three continents with such conductors as Lorin Maazel, Leonard Slatkin, and Jeffrey Thomas. He has been described as having “a commanding stage presence and rich resonance of deep bass sound” (DC Theatre Scene). Recently, he sang Nourabad in Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles with Opera in the Heights and originated the role of Peter Gray in the world premiere of What Wings They Were: The Case of Emeline with Houston Grand Opera. Additionally, he is a frequent soloist with Bach Society Houston and appeared with them at the 2017 Leipzig Bach Festival in Leipzig, Germany. Besch is in his fourth year of studies for the Doctorate of Musical Arts program at Rice University, where he is the Malcolm W. Perkins Teaching Fellow.

He also serves as adjunct faculty at Lone Star College, Kingwood and teaches private voice.

Christopher Besch

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Postcards UTSA Orchestra Jennifer Berg, English horn Oswaldo Zapata, trumpet

with Troy Peters' debut as Orchestra Director

The new academic year is here and music students are busily preparing to perform in recital. The recital is a degree requirement for many of these students; others are working to earn a performance certificate.

Students work all semester long choosing and learning the repertoire and rehearsing with accompanists to make sure every note is played to perfection. What most students put off is promoting the recital. It is expected that friends, family, and faculty will be in the audience, but even so, the total attendance for a student recital is usually about 1/10 of the hall’s 500 seat capacity. This past April, Roselyn Rios, a Music Marketing major, was asked to create a plan to promote her recital as her senior project. Her big day was April 16 and the steps she took to fill the hall are what follows.

# Fill The Recital Hall

By Roselyn Rios

As a Music Marketing major, I was not required to give a recital; however, I was required to create a senior marketing project under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Stan Renard. With the freedom to choose my topic, I chose to focus my project on something that I witnessed throughout my years here at UTSA Music-low concert attendance. Admittedly, there have been several performances where I have seen the Recital Hall so full that house management had to turn people away at the door, but those concerts typically had some kind of popular movie or video game soundtrack that created a crazy amount of hype throughout the campus.

But what about the performances that do not generate buzz on their own? How do we get the people to attend? In order to answer these questions, I decided to do a senior recital as my marketing project.

The main goal: fill the Recital Hall.

Social media: One obvious and successful means to reach large amounts of people at once is social

media. Marketing experts have concluded that the average American adult spends at least 11 hours a week interacting on social media. The smartphone is ubiquitous and people generally have several social media accounts they check on a regular basis. Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, social media platforms are convenient, free, immediate, and interactive. Since most college students spend the majority of their time on their devices, making the connection with the audience where they already are is such an easy and smart approach. There are free sites that assist with graphics (Canva) and multi-platform scheduling (Hootstuite) that make it easy to create and plan multiple posts.

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Marketing Materials: Another element that is very important is marketing materials, in this case, posters.

Posters should be eye-catching and simple enough for viewers to grasp the pertinent details. If a poster looks dull and unexciting or has too much text and clutter, the viewer is going to be uninterested. The goal is to be able to capture the attention of a person walking past a poster in just a few seconds.There has to be a balance of captivation and clarity. Additionally, posters should be displayed with enough time and in enough areas to publicize the event. I found that 10 to 14 days prior to the event is the ideal timeframe.

There are several general posting areas in each building on the UTSA Main Campus where posters can be displayed. Approval from the Student Activities office has to be obtained beforehand, but this is a simple as visiting that office with the poster in hand to get them stamped.

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Face-to-face: I believe the most important way to market is face-to-face interaction. It is “old school” and

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low tech, but making meaningful connections with people creates more of an impact than any other form of communication. Taking the time to talk to someone and personally invite them to a concert makes a lasting impression. Every encounter is tailored to the individual making it personal, and it increases their chances of actually attending.

As a result of all the marketing and promotion for my recital, there were over 100 audience members, with over 460 viewers on Facebook Live (in the span of one week). The then orchestra director, Dr. Eugene Dowdy, revealed how impressed he was by stating, “This was the largest attendance [I had] ever seen at a student senior recital.”As strange as it may sound, my strategy for the recital was to market first and practice second. There is no point in practicing for a recital if no one is going to show up. I chose this project because, just like a musician needs to practice their instrument, a musician should also practice marketing skills. There were some days I did not practice my instrument to instead work on promotion. I believe more students should also learn how to market themselves in order to really share their art and tell their story. A true musician should be able to bring the audience, and then show them what they came for.

Roselyn Rios graduated in Spring of 2019 and is currently finishing her marketing internship at Talent House in her hometown of Houston. In addition to being a violin teacher there, Rose assists with administration and marketing for the small but active business.

Introduction to the Music Industry: Southwestern Edition covers the present state of the music and entertainment industry and how it has evolved over time. Students learn how music is recorded, marketed, licensed, and performed. In addition, it contributes to the development of the music and entertainment industry in the southwest by identifying and reporting on special opportunities in the region. The foundation in music industry practices and pointers toward new opportunities help students understand the business and where they might fit in.

Introduction to the Music Industry includes:

chapter introductions with a list of topics and main ideas.

“Do It Yourself� lists and vocabulary reviews at the end of each chapter.

a companion website that follows the organization of the book and provides updates and links for each chapter.

For more information, visit: he.kendallhunt.com/renard_willey

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Reveilee Lanning

Acquisitions Editor 254.392.1357 rlanning@kendallhunt.com

SEPTEMBER

DATES

DAY 02 LABOR UTSA campuses will be closed in observance of the holiday.

CONVOCATION 24 MUSIC The seminar is open for performers.

11:30AM - UTSA Recital Hall

RECITAL 30 PIANO Piano faculty members Kasandra Keeling and Ivan Hurd will present a duo piano recital featuring four-hand works by Poulenc, Debussy, Brahms, and John

03 MUSIC CONVOCATION

Corigliano. 7:30PM - UTSA Recital Hall

The "Meet the Faculty" recital is presented in this week's seminar.

11:30AM - UTSA Recital Hall

03 JOE SAMUEL

Graduate clarinet student Joe Samuel will perform an hour long chamber concert.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

7:30PM - UTSA Recital Hall

10 "HEARTS NEED ART" A presentation on the arts aiding spiritual and emotional well being to individuals affected by illness. 11:30AM - UTSA Choral Hall

17 RACHEL WOOLF

Dr. Rachel Woolf joined the UTSA Music faculty this fall and will be presenting a lecture on "Being a Team Player" 11:30PM - UTSA Recital Hall

Parking for many UTSA Department of Music events is on an individual pay basis in the nearby Ximenes Avenue Garage.

Click on the icon to find XAG (Ximenes Avenue Garage) off of UTSA Blvd and Ximenes Avenue.

HAVE A GREAT SEMESTER! STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ON UPCOMING CONCERTSÂ AND EVENTS AT UTSA MUSIC MUSIC.UTSA.EDU

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