Alumni Spotlights

Bruce Faulconer has completed a Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, now streaming on Spotify. He completed 20 songs for a children's book series in the past year. His recording studio, CakeMix, located in Dallas, Texas, recently opened a certified Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 mixing room.

Hai Zheng, Assistant Professor of Music and Artist in Residence from Sarofim School of Fine Arts at Southwestern University, will be featured in season three, episode two of the Amazon documentary "The Story of Art in America." The series features in-depth interviews with artists and art historians, highlighting the role of the arts in American society and its historical significance.

David Cloyd returns to the national spotlight with his first record in more than a decade, Red Sky Warning (out in early 2025), and its lead single, "Ocean Of Hours," out September 24th.

Alvez Barkoskie IV completed his D.M.A. at the University of Oklahoma in fall 2021 with the successful defense of his dissertation "An Analysis of Three Recital Pieces by William Lloyd Weber." In 2023 his choral pieces "Alma Redemptoris Mater" and "Pie Jesu" were published by E.C.S. and Galaxy Publishing respectively. His choral work "Little Lamb," a setting of the popular William Blake text was performed by the Oklahoma City University Chamber singers and later aired on the nationally-syndicated program "With Hearts and Voices," hosted by Peter Dubois. He recently completed his first composition commission "May the Lord Support Us" with text by John Henry Newman for the Chancel Choir of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Altin Sencalar was recently named Visiting Professor of Jazz Trombone at San Fransisco Conservatory of Music. As an active performer, Altin has shared the stage, toured, and/or recorded with DeeDee Bridgewater, Rodney Whitaker, Christian McBride, Michael Bublé, John Lee, The Dizzy All Stars Alumni Big Band, David Sanborn, Dafnis Prieto, Ulysses Owens Jr., The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, The Velvalletes, Ne-Yo, Big Sean and many others. He has also recorded for several motion pictures including Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, My Little Pony: The Movie (2017 release) and others independent films.

Altin has held teaching positions at Michigan State University, Brevard Jazz Institute, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Summer Jazz Intensive, Jazz & Creative Institute, Central Texas College and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
 

Justin Patch (Ph.D., Music, 2008) recently published his third book The Art of Populism in US Politics: Pro-Trump DIY Popular Culture (Routledge, 2024), which examines citizen-made art from 2016-2023. Through examinations of different types and styles of pro-Trump art, the book looks to decode the desires, fears, and hopes of ordinary citizens who comprise the MAGA movement. Patch is an assistant professor of music at Vassar College. His research focuses on music in American politics, sound studies and music of the African diaspora.