Success in the School of Music

Students and faculty in the CMU School of Music started 2019 with an abundance of achievements. The school recently recognized the accomplishments its community has made so far this year.

Students

• CMU's Kairos Saxophone Quartet won the alternate spot in the Music Teachers National Association East Central Divisional Chamber Music Competition.
• CMU is sending eight student trumpeters to compete at the 2019 National Trumpet Competition.
• Parker Fritz completed an honors capstone project in which he arranged Charles Ives' Piano Sonata No. 2 for orchestra.
• Grace Pawluszka was selected as a semifinalist for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Slovakia.
• Sepehr Pirasteh's work "Motarbi" premiered as part of the Detroit Composers Project concert series. He also was commissioned for a solo cello piece to be premiered during the YInMn Project.

Faculty

• Amon Eady served as the clinician and guest conductor for the inaugural Men's Day at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and for the Choral Gala Event at the University of New Hampshire.
• Amon Eady and Ashley Allen gave a presentation at the Michigan Music Conference.
• Robert Lindahl served as pre-solo and ensemble clinician for Grand Ledge High School students. He performed with the River Raisin Ragtime Revue. Lindahl and percussion student Jeremy Wisler performed for Sacred Heart's annual SHAgala fundraiser.
• MaryBeth Minnis adjudicated the MSBOA District 12 high school Solo and Ensemble Festival. She also performed with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra.
• Neil Mueller performed nine concerts with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra.
• John Nichol presented a clinic to the Grand Ledge Saxophone Section and adjudicated the Solo and Ensemble Festival's for MSBOA District 16 and MSBOA District 10. Nichol also performed with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
• Scott Schumann's FRCE Premier Display Grant application was approved for his upcoming Texas Society for Music Theory presentation.
• Alicia Valoti is a finalist for the Provost's Award for Research and Creative Activity. She performed as principal viola for the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, gave a presentation at the Michigan Music Conference and performed in the Astraios Chamber Music series.
• Evan Ware was commissioned by the Circulo Trio for a work to be premiered at the Thailand International Composition Festival at Mahidol University in August 2019.
• Kennen White gave a clinic at Grand Ledge Schools, ran a sectional and performed with the Midland Community Orchestra,and performed with the Saginaw Bay Orchestra.

Emerita Faculty

• Nina Nash-Robertson will be enshrined on the ACDA Wall of Honor at the ACDA National Convention.

Written by Sophie Bates, University Communications intern