March 2018 College News

1 Hank Hehmsoth was the featured jazz pianist with “La La Land - in Concert” with the Austin Symphony Orchestra 2 McCain performing as guest 2nd trombone with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra 3 Juan Gutierrez, Amy Dixon Hatch, Dr. Cynthia I. Gonzales, Dr. Nico Schuler, and Dr. Ken Stephenson at the Texas Society of Music Teory annual meeting 14 | March | College News MUSIC Music, Music Studies, Per formance, & Sound Recording Technolog y FACULTY ACCOLADES Hank Hehmsoth was the featured jazz pianist with “La La Land - in Concert” with the Austin Symphony Orchestra last year, and was was also invited to be featured soloist with the San Antonio Symphony at the Majestic Teatre on March 2 & 3. [1] “La La Land” won 5 Oscars, including Best Original Music Score, and 2 Grammys this year. Te San Antonio Symphony proudly performed the Oscar®-winning flm score, live-to-picture on the big screen. Te piano is the lead instrument, and is a primary part in the flm. Te score is 179 pages, a Rachmaninof piano concerto mixed with burning jazz piano solos, and a jazz quintet. A great review by arts/ entertainment critic David Hendricks, San Antonio Express and online “mySA” can be seen here. Dr. Martin McCain recently performed with the IRIS Orchestra conducted by Michael Stern at the IRIS Orchestra Gala. Joshua Bell performed 3 concerti for violin and orchestra. McCain also performed as guest 2nd trombone with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra where he sat in between two of his former teachers in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony. [2] On March 1st he led a brass masterclass at Bufalo State University. McCain hosted Italian trombonist Peter Steiner February 18-19 and the Pickett Blackburn company on March 6. He also received a favorable review of his latest CD, Trombone Czar: Te Extended Version in the international Brass Herald journal. Seven theorists from Texas State participated in the annual meeting of the Texas Society of Music Teory February 23-24 in Dallas. Dr. Nico Schüler presented a paper that evaluated current software for automatic and semi-automatic onset detection in recorded music performances and discussed expressive timing in several performances of the beginning of Beethoven’s piano sonata op. 2 no 1. At this meeting, Dr. Cynthia Gonzales began her three-year term as President of the Texas Society for Music Teory. Alumnus Dr. Jose Garza presented an excellent paper “What Dwells Beneath the Surface: Rhythm, Meter, Culture, and Meaning in Contemporary Metal Music” that featured his dissertation research. He earned his Ph.D. in Music Teory from Florida State University in December 2017. [3] STUDENT ACCOLADES Texas State students participated in the Clarinet Fiesta CD Recording Project, performing and recording two world-premiere arrangements: Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante K. 297b and Schumann - Concert Piece for Four Horns arranged for four clarinets (Eb, Bb, Basset Horn and Bass Clarinet). Our Texas State students shared the stage with some of the top clarinetists from around the world: Philippe Cuper, Principal Clarinet of the Paris Opera and Professor of Clarinet at the National Conservatory of Versailles; Andre Moisan, Bass Clarinet & Saxophones of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Professor of Clarinet at the Montreal University, Canada; David Gould, Bass Clarinet & Clarinet of the American Ballet Orchestra, New York, NY, and Mitchell Estrin, Clarinet Professor of the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, current president elect of the International Clarinet Association. Te CD will be produced by Mark Custom Recordings, Inc. Student performers included Amy Gravel , Austin Vogelman , Brittany Hernandez , Noah Ornelas , Shane Lemanski , Robert Malave , Vikas Chopra , Jackelyn Pecero , Nathan Snyder , Rebecca Martinez , Eryn O’Sullivan , Allyn Hartman , Kristen Hutchins , Steven Gres , Emely Chacon , Joseph Trevino , and Kevin Rodriguez . Four Texas State music students made the list of winners for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Texoma Region musical theater competition: • Upper College MT Men 2nd Place: Reese Landis (Junior) • Lower College MT Women 3rd Place: Annisha Mackenzie (Sophomore) • Lower College MT Men 2nd Place: James Adamson (Freshman) • Lower College MT Men 2nd Place: Garrett Douglas (Sophomore) All of these students are now eligible to compete for a spot in NATS National Semi-Finals for musical theater. Jenna Quiroz won frst place in the Southwest region conference of the American Choral Directors Association undergraduate conducting competition. Trumpet students had the opportunity to meet and interact with trumpet great Craig Morris as he performed recently as a guest artist in the Performing Arts Center. ALUMNI ACCOLADES Michael Martinez (MM ’17) recently won 1st prize in the American Trombone Workshop’s National Tenor Trombone Solo Competition in the 3rd division. Martinez is a frst-year DMA student at the Eastman School of Music. SCHOOL ACCOLADES Te Texas Music Educators Association 2018 Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio featured a strong presence by the School of Music. Outstanding performances by Texas State ensembles drew huge audiences and presented sublime artistry: • Texas State Jazz Ensemble directed by Utah Hamrick , with Russell Haight , soloist • Texas State Horn Ensemble directed by Caroline Steiger • Texas State Chorale directed by Joey Martin and Craig Hella Johnson with Vanguel Tangarov , Lynn Ledbetter , Ames Asbell , Karla Hamelin , Utah Hamrick , Kari Klier , and Soon Cho Ames Asbell , Caroline Steiger , John Lopez , Mary Ellen Cavitt , and Kyle Glaser gave well-attended, impressive expert clinics. Amanda Soto , John Denis , and students of Rebecca Tast presented intriguing research posters. Texas State’s very popular college exhibit booth and fabulous Alumni Reunion were coordinated by Krystyn Jensen . Adah Jones , Caroline Steiger , Charles Hurt , Lynn Ledbetter , KeithWinking , Jordan Stern , and Ian Davidson provided expert judging or coaching of All- State sections. College of Fine Arts and Communication | 15