Alumni Spotlights

Bruce Radek (B.M., M.M., Applied Music/Voice/Piano, '78, '80)

July 1, 2009

has recently completed the inaugural US Courts, Federal Judiciary IT Fellowship in Washington, D.C. He has also been accepted into the CIO Certificate Program at the National Defense University, and is co-chair of the Attracting Talent National CIO IT Workforce sub-committee for the Federal IT 2009 Summit. This fall, he will pursue full-time Entertainment Law and Mediation Services in Nashville, TN. Currently, Bruce represents several national jazz and country music artists and bands, and plans to expand his artist list to symphonic performers and violin artists.

Lori Bade (D.M.A., '94)

June 23, 2009

Mezzo Soprano and Professor of Voice at Louisiana State University was, in 2007, appointed Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Music. Most recently she has added to her administrative duties the appointment of Interim Director of the School of Music (2009-10 academic year). In addition, she continues to perform and, in 2007, premiered the vocal/choral work for mezzo soprano, chorus, and orchestra, A Procession of Seasons by Stephen Paulus, with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society. Most recently she was guest soloist performing Durufle’s Requiem and Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. During the Summer of 2008, Dr. Bade was guest professor of voice in Salzburg, Austria with the University of Miami Salzburg Summer Vocal Program where she will return to teach once again in the Summer of 2010. Lori and her son, Michael, live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Upcoming solo performance of Mendelssohn’s ELIJAH with the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, July 2009.

Mary Ellen Cavitt (Ph.D., '98)

June 23, 2009

has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching for the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Texas State University, San Marcos. Dr. Cavitt also earned tenure this spring at Texas State University and serves as an Associate Professor of Music Education.

David Cloyd (B.M., Music Performance, '98)

August 27, 2008

has recently signed to Engine Company Records in NYC, and his debut album, Unhand Me, You Fiend!, will be released worldwide in January 2009. Mixed by producer, recording artist, and Engine Company Records founder Blake Morgan, and mastered by Grammy Award–winner Phil “Butcher Bros.“ Nicolo, Cloyd’s national debut evokes comparisons with Radiohead, Beck, and Peter Gabriel.

Stella Sung (D.M.A., 1991)

August 19, 2008

has been appointed as the first Composer in Residence for the Orlando (FL) Philharmonic Orchestra. Dr. Sung is also Composer in Residence for Dance Alive National Ballet (Gainesville, FL), and is the recipient of the 2007-10 Phi Kappa Phi National Artists Award.

Anthony Gatto (M.M., Music, '91)

August 10, 2008

is a New York-based composer premiering the opera “The Making of Americans”, after the novel by Gertrude Stein, at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Dec 12, 13, 2008.

George Garrett Keast (B.M. Music Studies, 1995)

July 10, 2008

makes his debut with the Brooklyn Philharmonic in Central Park with violinist Tim Fain on June 24th, 2008. He recently served as guest conductor for the UT Butler Opera Center production of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, and next season he will conduct the Texas All-State Philharmonic at the TMEA conference in San Antonio. This season also included several dates with the Oregon Symphony and a seventh season as conductor of Canada’s Music at Port Milford Chamber Music Festival.

Brian Cassidy (B.M., M.M. Music Studies, '02, '04)

January 14, 2008

is the lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist for Okkervil River, a band whose recent album “The Stage Names” received ‘best of 2007’ honors from NPR, Rolling Stone, Harp, and others. Brian has recently performed live with Okkervil on NBC‘s Late Night with Conan O’Brien, NPR‘s World Cafe, BBC Radio 1, Radio France, and the Australian Broadcasting Company.

Naseem Khozein (B.A. Music Studies, ‘06)

July 2, 2007

plays violin and fiddle with Barrage, an international multi-instrument performance group.

Fritz Gechter (M.M., D.M.A. Music Studies, ‘93, '01)

July 2, 2007

is currently Associate Professor of Music/Piano at Texas A&M International University in Laredo where he played the first recital of the TAMIU Steinway Series in October 2006.