Alumni in the News

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.

Michael Gillespie (B.F.A. Art Education, 1983) spent a month as Artist in Residence at a 5-star boutique luxury hotel in Tuscany, Italy. He did plein air painting and taught art lessons to the guests. He was recently commissioned to paint an oil portrait of Ray and Nancy Ann Hunt of Dallas. 

Work by Iva Kinnaird (B.F.A. Studio Art, 2014) will be featured as part of Hello Project Gallery's "Summer Party Too" exhibition, which also marks the Houston gallery's one-year anniversary. Also featured in the show is current Fine Arts graduate student Rachael Starbuck. The exhibition runs July 10 to August 8. 

The Ariana Institute for Wellness Education is pleased to announce that Ariana Vincent (B.F.A. Studio Art, 1977) is The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education 2015 Continuing Education Provider of the Year, recognizing her excellence in massage and bodywork education.

Marcia Green Santore (B.F.A. Studio Art, 1982) is co-chair of the Women's Caucus for Art/NH Chapter's national juried art exhibition FORCE OF NATURE: Exploring the Power of the Feminine in two venues on the campus of Plymouth State University. Juried by Judith Brodsky, this exhibition brings the work of more than 80 artists across the U.S. to New England.

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.

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.

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.