Alumni Spotlights

Brian Heim (B.M. Composition, 2014) was awarded a 2015 Morton Gould Young Composer Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Dr. Michael Bunchman (D.M.A. Collaborative Piano, 2015) has been appointed to a faculty position as Staff Pianist and Collaborative Coordinator at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.

Adrian Hernandez (B.M. Composition, 2004) was recently selected for promotion to the rank of Master Sergeant and will be assuming the role of Chief Arranger of The U.S. Army Field Band.

Kirstin Garrison (B.M. Music Education, 2009) was recently selected as the newest member of the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA) Board of Directors.

Dr. Kate Stubbs (D.M.A. Collaborative Piano, 2015) has just been appointed to a faculty position as Instructor and Collaborative Pianist at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma.

Martin McCain recently won a Global Music Awards Gold Medal for the Best Instrumentalist category and a Bronze Medal for his second solo CD Shades

Hai Zheng, concert cellist (BM 1988, MM 1990) and Dr. Kiyoshi Tamagawa (DMA 1988) recently made their third Asia concert tour together. They first gave master classes and recitals at Bangkok and Hua Hin in Thailand, then went on to the Yong Siew Toh-Asia's International Conservatory in Singapore and finished their tour at China Conservatory in Beijing. Hai Zheng is Assistant Professor and Artist in Residence at Southwestern University. Dr/ Kiyoshi Tamagawa is Professor of Music and Associate Dean for the Sarofim School of Fine Arts at Southwestern University.

Christina Wright-Ivanova (D.M.A. 2012) has been appointed assistant professor of music/vocal coach and collaborative artist at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. She begins her faculty residency in fall 2015. There were 90 applicants for the position, and Wright-Ivanova says her success is due in no small part to the Butler School of Music faculty and students with whom she worked in her three-year residency.

Cmdr. Jason Pittman, B.M. 1998 and a Distinguished Graduate of UT NROTC, took command of the fast attack submarine, USS HELENA (SSN 725), this month at a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk. He is the first Music major to be accepted to the Navy's nuclear propulsion program and the first to take command of a nuclear powered ship.

Alan E. Hicks (D.M.A. 2009) recently completed two seasons as the staff Assistant Director at Seattle Opera. For the 2015-16 season, Alan will join the staff of Lyric Opera of Chicago assisting Susan Stroman on The Merry Widow and Daniele Abbado on Nabucco. Alan will also make directing debuts at Minnesota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara and Miami Summer Music Festival.