November_CollegeNews24

College of Fine Arts and Communication | 15 Nico Schüler presented the paper “Black Operatic Musical Theatre in the USA: The Beginnings Rediscovered” at the 2024 International Conference of the German Society for Music Research in Cologne, Germany. At the same conference, he also presented a research poster on “The Harlan Trio (1930-1933) and Its Contributions to Historical Performance Practice” and a collaborative research paper (with two German music scholars) on “Cooperation and Competition in the Field of International and Intergenerational Music Research.” At the 11th International Conference of the Carl Stumpf Society, Schüler co-presented a paper on “Performed and Perceived Timing of Performances of J. S. Bach’s Partita in A Minor (BWV 1013).” STUDENT ACCOLADES Garrett Douglas received the Graduate College’s Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in the Humanities and Fine Arts for “Rediscovering Three Texas Women Composers and Their Music: Zulema Garcia (1870-1907), Stella Kaiser (1873-1953), and Julia D. Owen (1868-1964).” Douglas used genealogy databases, newspaper databases, as well as physical and digital archives to reconstruct the lives and works of these Texas women composers, including analyses of their music. Nico Schüler served as his thesis advisor. The TXST Mariachi Nueva Generación won first prize in the 30th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza National Group Competition—the largest, longest-running, and most com- petitive student mariachi competitions in the world—on December 6. The ensemble competed against groups from the University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston, Uni- versity of Texas at San Antonio, Texas Christian University, Texas A&M International University, Harvard University, and University of the Incarnate Word. As a result of their victory, TXST Mariachi Nueva Generación opened for the world-re- nowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán at the final concert of the Extravaganza in San Antonio’s Lila Cockrell Theatre. In other news, junior mariachi music education major Elma García was a semifinalist in the Mariachi Extravaganza Na- tional Vocal Competition. Congratulations to our voice students who participated in the Texoma NATS Regional Conference Classical Student Auditions at Sam Houston State University from November 7-9, 2024! [3] After a competitive audition process, the voice area took fourteen talented students to the auditions: Mason Asberry , Sara Barringer , Abraham Cruz , Xitlaly Garcia , Isabella Gonzalez , Addison Kaye , Charlotte Lovaas-Haynes , Maria St. Clair , Anissa Santa Cruz , Katelyn Segarra , Cindy Tannos , Brissa Trondle , and Jenna Winslow . We are proud to announce the following semifinalists in their categories: Mason Asberry , Junior Tenor/Baritone/Bass, student of Prof. Myra Vassian Sara Barringer , Junior Treble, student of Prof. Daveda Karanas Abraham Cruz , Graduate Tenor/Baritone/Bass, student of Dr. Christopher Besch Isabella Gonzalez , Junior Treble, student of Dr. Christopher Besch Addison Kaye , Senior Treble, student of Prof. Daveda Karanas Charlotte Lovaas-Haynes , Junior Treble, student of Prof. Myra Vassian Anissa Santa Cruz , Freshman Treble, student of Dr. Suzanne Ramo Evelyn Toscano , Sophomore Treble, student of Dr. Suzanne Ramo Brissa Trondle , Senior Treble, student of Prof. Daveda Karanas A special congratulations to the following finalists who placed in their categories: Mason Asberry – 3rd place in Junior/Senior American Negro Spirituals, student of Prof. Myra Vassian Maria St. Clair – 2nd place in Junior Treble, student of Prof. Daveda Karanas Katelyn Segarra – 4th place in Senior Treble and finalist for the Barbara Hill Moore Award, student of Dr. Suzanne Ramo Many thanks to our collaborative pianists, Dr. Michael Leavitt and Dr. Eric Thompson , for their invaluable support throughout this process.