Alumni in the News

Miles Maner (Music, '07) was appointed Bassoonist and Contrabassoonist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Miles grew up in Austin and got his Masters in Music at the Shepherd School, then played in the Kansas City Symphony for a few years. Evidently, when CSO conductor Ricardo Muti shook his hand, he said to Miles with a twinkle in his eyes, "You do know the contrabassoon is bigger than you are.". 

Andrew Rudin's (B.A. Music, '62) new "Sonata for Piano" was premiered by pianist Beth Levin May 5 at Spectrum in New York City. On that same day, the Dallas-based ensemble, Voice of Change, presented his "Sonata for Violin and Piano". In Philadelphia, on May 6, Lloyd Smith, cellist and Marcantonio Barone presented his "Sonata for Cello and Piano" in Philadelphia, under the auspices of 1807 & Friends. Rudin begins an operatic collaboration with Texas writer, Ann McCutchan in June. Three new CD's of Rudin's music are scheduled for release on Centaur Records. "September Trilogy" for string orchestra will have its premiere in Fall 2014 by Philadelphia-based Orchestra 200l, honoring his 75th birthday.

Jimmy Jalapeeno (aka Albert James Bonar, B.F.A, '70) passed away on May 22, 2013. He was a seasoned and celebrated painter and photographer. Jimmy Jalapeeno made art in Texas for 50 years and was a photographer for the Texas Historical Commission for more than 25 of them. Some of his most notable works are stunning paintings of the Texas Hill Country. 

Share your stories and celebrate Jimmy Jalapeeno's life Sunday, June 9 at 11 a.m. at Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos, TX. For more information contact-

Jill Bedgood, jillbedgood@gmail.com, 512.431.3418

Bunnie Haigh, marian@marianhaigh.com, 512.217.3424

A.I.R. Gallery (111 Front Street, #228 Brooklyn, NY 11201) is pleased to announce Rock Jetty Deli & Food Corp, installation by 2012-2013 fellowship artist Lillian Gerson (B.A. Studio Art, '08).

Gerson's first solo show documents and processes the complicated emotions of life in the Rockaways in the days, weeks and ongoing months following Hurricane Sandy. Through scavenged material and handmade objects, the exhibition brings attention to the small yet powerful moments of beauty that emerged from the storm's destruction. In Rockaway, the storm changed everyone's life overnight. The artist's creative projects were put on hold for months, while focusing instead on basic survival, community and re-growth. Rock Jetty Deli & Food Corp features a large-scale multimedia sculpture with audio recordings documenting the peninsula under construction. The exhibition runs May 30-June 23, 2013.

American conductor Garrett Keast is building a reputation for musical excellence with orchestras in Europe and the United States. In the 2012/13 season he has enjoyed successful debuts with the NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Philharmoniker Hamburg and the Hamburg Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Bach Collegium München, and has been re-invited a third time to conduct at the Opera National de Paris. Additionally, he has conducted the Orchestre de Paris, North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, RIAS Jugendorchester and the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie. Dates ahead include debuts with the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie Koblenz, the Fort Worth Opera Festival, the Virginia Opera, and a return to the Hamburg Ballet. 

Writer and artist Margie Crisp (B.F.A. '91) traveled the length of Texas's Colorado River while researching for her book River of Contrasts: The Texas Colorado. She was selected as the 2012 Texas Book Festival featured artist and The Texas Institute of Letters selected River of Contrasts as the recipient of the 2013 Carr P. Collins Way for Best Book of Non-Fiction. Crisp's sensitive tribute to the river and its inhabitants is enhanced by the exquisite art she has created for the book, which was also recently named the winner of the Ron Tyler Best Illustrated Book on Texas History and Culture by the Texas State Historical Association.

Congratulations Bill Craver (B.F.A '52, M.F.A. '56 in Drama)! Bill, a distinguished Broadway producer and Company Manager, will be awarded with the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. The 2013 Tony Awards will be broadcast live on Sunday, June 9th on CBS, and are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. 

In a special performance, David Cloyd (B.A., Music Performance, '98) with violinist Miranda Scoma will be opening for label-mate James McCartney at the Lovin Cup in Rochester on May 14th. McCartney is currently on a 47-date, 27-state tour of the USA in advance of the release of his new album, Me (ECR Music Group).

Jill Bedgood's (M.F.A., '83) love book is on display at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art (IMOCA) as part of the "Let's talk about love, baby" exhibition. Bedgood's love book memorializes her parent's love by creating a cast of the impressions of a pair of moth earrings her father gave her mother in 1948, while stationed in Egypt.

"Artifact", an exhibition at Tiny Park Gallery (1101 Navasota Street, Austin, TX) opened on April 13 and continues through May 11. All three exhibiting artists, Jonathan Dankenbring, Scott Proctor and Beili Liu are Austin residents. Liu is currently an associate professor of art at The University of Texas at Austin, while Proctor received an MFA and is a lecturer at UT. Tiny Park's Associate Director Thao Votang (B.A. in Art History,'08) is the current coordinator of undergraduate admissions for the College of Fine Arts. Check out a great show put on by thriving UT alums.