January-February_CollegeNews25

14 | January & February | College News College of Fine Arts and Communication | 15 The 37th Annual TXST Jazz Festival was renamed the Butch Miles Jazz Festival to honor the legendary drummer and jazz faculty member. On February 8, eighteen middle- and high- school jazz bands from across the state performed during the day in Evans Auditorium and the Performing Arts Center. At night, Utah Hamrick directed the TXST Jazz Ensemble in a tribute to Butch Miles that featured guest artists Gregg Field, Robert Boone, Lynn Seaton, Doug Lawrence, and Adam Schroeder. These artists were all affiliated with the Count Basie Orchestra at one time or another, honoring Butch’s time with the band from 1975-1979 and 1997-2007. University archivist Jason Crouch gave a presentation about the newly established Butch Miles Archive at Texas State University. Hamrick has worked with Butch’s widow Linda over the last year to establish the archive and preserve his legacy. Butch had a long career that included performing with numerous jazz greats, including Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan, and John Pizzarelli. He recorded eleven albums as a bandleader and thirteen with the Count Basie Orchestra, in addition to dozens more as a sideman. Butch retired from the road in 2007, and he and his wife Lin- da moved to Buda. That fall, he began teaching drum set and jazz combo at Texas State University. After his retirement in 2021, Butch remained active in the area and the school before his death in February 2023. [7] Nico Schüler published a paper, together with two scholars from Germany, on collaboration and competition in music research and on intergenerational collaboration. The article was published in the tier-1 journal Die Musikforschung . At the 15th Biennial International Conference on Music Theory and Analysis in Belgrade, Serbia, Schüler presented a paper on “Slavery and Freedom Through the Eyes of African-American Minstrelsy: A Narrative Approach to Analyzing Late-19th Century African-American Piano Music.” At the Society for Music Theory National Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, he presented the paper “The Music of Early Black Musical Theatre Rediscovered.” [8] Amanda Soto was the Education Section Keynote Speaker for the Society for Ethnomusicology 69th Annual National Conference–Virtual Meeting on October 17-26, 2024. Her presentation, “Reclaiming Our Power through Music: Inte- grating Conjunto and Mariachi Traditions into Public School Music Education and Curriculum,” was recognized as a “Session with big attendance.” She also gave a presentation on “World Music Pedagogy: Learning & Creating Balinese Gong Kebyar Music” during the World Music Pedagogy—Society for Ethnomusicology Education Section Workshop. Soto participated in the panel “Problematizing Advanc- ing Democracy Through Music Academic Freedom” at the College Music Society Sixty-Seventh National Conference in Washington, D.C., on November 7-9, 2024. On February 13, 2025, she presented the paper “Creating Courses for a Mariachi Concentration Degree” with retired faculty member, John Lopez . [9] Vanguel Tangarov adjudicated and performed at the es- teemed Sava Dimitrov International Competition, held at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” in Sofia, Bulgaria. This prestigious international clarinet com- petition attracted 270 clarinetists from 47 countries. After a rigorous and fully anonymous preliminary assessment, only 52 players were admitted and invited to the live auditions in Sofia. Tangarov presented a clarinet clinic and led an inspiring master class for young clarinet players from Victoria East and Victoria West High Schools in Victoria, TX. The two-hour clarinet extravaganza featured professional demonstrations and covered essential topics, including clarinet fundamentals, solo and chamber music coaching, and career development strategies. Tangarov captivated and motivated the young musicians, introducing them to the vast career opportunities available at Texas State University. [10] STUDENT ACCOLADES Junior music education major, Miles Avelar , was admitted via audition to perform with Mid-Europe Festival’s 2025 World Youth Wind Orchestra Project in Schladming, Austria. The WYWOP was founded in 1997 and is part of the international music festival MID EUROPE, held in the mountainous city of Schladming, Austria! The World Youth Wind Orchestra brings together musicians from around the world to perform wind ensemble repertoire at the highest level. Students at the age of 18 to 32 years have the opportunity to work with internationally renowned conductors, composers, and soloists during an intense musical week in Schladming. WYWOP’s mission is to unite players through the global language of music. [11] Ten members of the trumpet studio were selected to participate in the National Trumpet Competition. Diego Camacho and Jose Castillo were named quarterfinalists in the undergraduate solo division. [12] 7 8 The 37th Annual TXST Jazz Festival was renamed the "Butch Miles Jazz Festival" to honor the legendary drummer and jazz faculty member Nico Schüler published a paper, together with two scholars from Germany, on collaboration and competition in music research and on intergenerational collaboration 9 10 Amanda Soto presented the paper “Creating Courses for a Mariachi Concentration Degree” with retired faculty member, John Lopez Diego Camacho (above) and Jose Castillo (below) were named quarterfinalists in the undergraduate solo division Tangarov captivated and motivated the young musicians, introducing them to the vast career opportunities available at Texas State University 11 Miles Avelar, was admitted via audition to perform with Mid-Europe Festival’s 2025 World Youth Wind Orchestra Project in Austria 12