Alumni Spotlights

James Welsch

James Welsch (D.M.A., Conducting, 2016) appointed Director of Orchestral Studies at Pacific Lutheran University

August 20, 2026 | Instagram

Welsch was also appointed Music Director of the Kirkland Civic Orchestra this year, while continuing to serve as Associate Conductor of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.

Altin Sencalar

Altin Sencalar (B.M., Jazz Studies, 2017) named Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star for second year

July 16, 2026 | DownBeat Magazine

Altin Sencalar was named a Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star for 2 consecutive years. Sencalar also received a 4 Star review in the August 2026 edition putting his album in the Best of 2026 Jazz Albums.

Bruce Radek

Bruce Radek (M.M., Percussion, 1980) wins awards for music video at two Italian film festivals

July 10, 2026 | Cinematix Film Festival

Radek's music video, Monday's Blues Dreaming of Tuesday Weld, has received awards at both the 2026 Palermo International Film Festival and the Cinematix Film Festival in Milan.

Robert Honstein

Robert Honstein (B.A., Composition, 2004) releases new album

June 8, 2026 | Robert Honstein

Robert Honstein's new album, Horizon Line, releases on June 12, 2026 on New Focus Recordings. Featuring three compositions spanning a decade of creative work, the album reflects on his dual fascination with the string quartet and the concept of landscape. Featured collaborators include Mivos Quartet, Bergamot Quartet, percussionist Abby Fisher, violinists Alyssa Wang and Kiyoshi Hayashi, violist Beste Niknaz Modiri, and cellist Jacques Lee Wood.

Jonathan Kulp

Jonathan Kulp (Ph.D., Musicology and Ethnomusicology, 2001) retires after 25 years on the faculty at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

May 21, 2026

Kulp served five years as director and two years as associate dean of the College of the Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His next role is driving school buses part-time for Lafayette Parish Schools. 

Hang Su

Hang Su (M.M., Music and Human Learning, 2017) named Associate Professor at East China Normal University

February 6, 2026 | East China Normal University

Su is now an associate professor with tenure at East China Normal University, a premier Chinese research institution.

In 2021, Su was appointed a prestigious Chenhui Scholar, an honor recognizing outstanding early-career faculty. His research spans music teacher education and international music education, with 15 articles published in leading journals. He is also the author of a monograph on music teacher education and currently leads five funded research projects.

Recognized as one of East China’s most influential emerging scholars, Su uses his position in Shanghai to promote global academic exchange, highlighting the growing importance of international collaboration in shaping the future of music education.