News

Thomas Rodriguez, a 3rd year undergraduate student at the Butler School, will compose a piece on April 22nd inspired by Joel Perlman’s Square Tilt for the annual Landmark event. Due to the pandemic, performances this year are virtual. 

The Harry Ransom Center awarded Butler School of Music Professor Luisa Nardini along with two graduate students, Kyrie Bouressa and Andrea Klassen, a fellowship for the 2021-22 academic year. The group is tasked with cataloging and indexing Chant Manuscripts from the medieval period.

Jonathan Villela, a graduate student in conducting in the Butler School of Music, was recently named a Henry Luce Scholar, a fellowship program created by the Henry Luce Foundation in 1974 to enhance the understanding of Asia among potential leaders in American society.

Nathaniel Brickens has been awarded funding for a “global career launch” (international internship program) to partner with two UT alumni in Zurich, Switzerland: David Garcia, a trombonist in the Zurich Orchestra, and Bill Thomas, a trombonist in Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. Students will receive mentorship and coaching from trombonists of these historic orchestras and will also attend auditions and performances. At the completion of the internship, students will present a trombone octet concert at a Zurich venue.

By Mariane Gutierrez

Professor of Voice Darlene Wiley was recently named to the American Academy of Teachers of Singing, a select group of internationally recognized voice teachers and singing voice experts with the purpose of contributing to the singing profession in an advisory capacity. She began her career as a lyric coloratura at the Staatstheater Darmstadt, and she has now accumulated more than 1,500 opera performances. Wiley has performed at more than 25 opera houses and received awards such as that of Distinguished Professor at Myong Ji University. We recently caught up with Wiley about her recent induction.

Sonia Seeman has received a seed grant to support a capstone conference and concert event with the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi, Pakistan. The seed grant will cover travel for up to six UT faculty members and students. This conference event serves as the culmination of a two-semester series of workshops and seminars to train NAPA faculty to develop music curricula, funded by a University Partnership Grant from the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). 

"Encouraging students to be 'small in their greatness and great in their smallness,' Thomas has an honest, modern view on composition and musical growth. He inspires students and educators alike to test boundaries, supported by a belief that people are naturally going to stumble at times when they're pioneers."

String Project student Ileana Nicholson has been performing outdoor concerts for neighbors throughout the pandemic. Nicholson and collaborator Lucy Hamre have raised over $1,000 for organizations in need.