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The Fall semester is underway. Music is playing in the rehearsal halls, and students and faculty are working together in classes. The start of a school year is really a magical thing in a School of Music. This is my 26th start of a school year at USF and I must say that this one has a sort of special feel to it. I’m looking forward to see how it all plays out over the next several weeks!

The semester kicked off with our second annual School of Music cook out. This year we were troubled by some rain and thunder, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone as you can probably see from the pictures below! Again, this fun event served as a great welcome to the year for students, faculty, and staff!

The School of Music faculty also began by approving some really important curricular changes that will impact all our undergraduate degree programs. Our main goal is to provide students with significant choice in selecting coursework, placing them front and center in determining their own curricular path. Each undergraduate program will have unprecedented freedom for students, including a revamped Bachelor of Arts in Music Studies program that will include almost 50% elective courses.

I will have more information on all our music making and curriculum restructuring in coming editions of Hitting the High Notes!

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The USF Clarinet Ensemble recently returned from a successful performance at the International Clarinet Association’s annual conference. This year was the 50th anniversary of the association and it was a great honor to be invited as one of the featured university ensembles. The students played exceptionally well and the group performed to a full house. The USF Clarinet Ensemble would like to thank the School of Music and the College of The Arts for supporting this trip and performance.

Did you know our Community Music Project offers music lessons and classes taught by our world-class music faculty and music majors at huge discounts? There's no audition necessary and it's open to everyone! Plus, we now offer a 10% discount to all USF students, faculty, and staff! Some offerings include our Community University Singers at USF Tampa (Mondays) and USF St. Pete (Wednesdays) and a Video Game Music Orchestra that will perform music from the Mario Kart soundtrack. The program is open to a wide range of instrumentation, including brass, woodwinds, strings, keyboards, and percussion. The VGM Orchestra is available to musicians aged 14 and up. Rehearsals are held weekly for 10 weeks at the USF School of Music in Tampa. Click here for more information.

Congratulations Holly Drive!

The USF Popular Music Ensemble just released the single Caged Bird through Smiling Tiger Records on all streaming platforms.

All Music Alumni are encouraged to join us for Homecoming Weekend October 13th - 15th. We are celebrating the 25th year of the Herd of Thunder and will welcome former HOT Directors Mike Robinson and Marc Sosnowchik back for the weekend. HOT Alumni can march in the Alumni Band for the USF vs. FAU football game, and there are a variety of other events with something for everyone.

Our very own Da Bull Reed Camp group photo was featured on Instagram, August 7, as part of Fox Products Feature Friday!

In an exciting new partnership, the University of South Florida Jazz Program, the Tampa Jazz Club, and the recently opened New Tampa Performing Arts Center have announced a series of jazz concerts for 2023-2024.

Thursday, September 14: 8:00pm

New Tampa Performing Arts Center - 8550 Hunters Village Road in New Tampa.

The USF Faculty Jazz Ensemble Presents "An Evening of Jazz Classics"

The USF New Tampa Jazz Series season opener presents a concert from the stellar performers from USF's Jazz Faculty, including Jazz Studies Director Jack Wilkins-saxophone, Tom Brantley-trombone, James Suggs-trumpet, Pablo Arencibia-piano, LaRue Nickelson-guitar, Mark Neuenschwander-bass, and Dave Rudolph-drums. This concert will showcase this all-star group performing some of the great classic works from the jazz tradition.

Thursday, November 16: 8:00pm

New Tampa Performing Arts Center - 8550 Hunters Village Road in New Tampa.

Guitarist Dave Stryker with the USF Jazz Faculty Ensemble

A prolific recording artist, Dave Stryker has more than 30 CDs as a leader, with his latest release being As We Are. His musical collaborators have included Jack McDuff and Kevin Mahogany, as well as a decade with Stanley Turrentine, and the band he co-leads with saxophonist Steve Slagle. Gary Giddins in the Village Voice called him "one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” Stryker will be joined by USF Jazz Faculty, including Jack Wilkins-saxophone, Mark Neuenshwander-bass, Pablo Arencibia-piano, and Dave Rudolph-drums.

Emmanuel Kaghondi joins the School of Music where he has been tasked with teaching course in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Previously Kaghondi worked as a Lecturer at Tumaini University Makumira in Tanzania where he taught courses in music education, African music & ensemble, music technology, compositional practices, and research. His academic pursuits pivot around curriculum innovation, the seamless integration of technology, and engaging in cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary collaborations. In his scholarly explorations, Kaghondi delves into the intricate tapestry of music cultures and epistemologies within the Global South, effectively seeking to establish a meaningful curriculum link between academia and the community.

Latoya McCormick-Hutchinson joins USF as a joint member of the Theater and Music faculties. Her responsibilities at USF include directing the Musical Theater, teaching Choral Techniques, conducting the University Singers, and co-teaching Acting the Song. She earned an MA degree with an emphasis in Music Education from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Music Education degree with an emphasis in Piano from Florida Southern College. Prior to coming to USF she taught choral music and music theater in elementary, middle, and high schools. She is an active musical director and actress throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Asher Carlson joins the faculty to teach Foundations of Music Education, Progressive Music Education, and clarinet. His duties within the clarinet studio include private lessons, studio classes/masterclasses, and conducting the USF Clarinet Choir. An active orchestral and chamber musician, Carlson’s musical pursuits have taken him on tours across the continental United States, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Ireland, and Kenya. He currently holds positions as Principal Clarinetist of the Venice Symphony (FL), Principal Bass Clarinetist of the Tallahassee Symphony (FL), and performs with the Candlelight Processional Orchestra at EPCOT in Walt Disney World. An advocate of new music, he has composed, arranged, commissioned, and premiered dozens of works for clarinet and bass clarinet across the globe.

Devin DeDon is no stranger to USF having just finished her master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting last spring. She now serves as the Assistant Director of Athletic Bands, and teaches courses in Issues in Music, and Music in Culture. Before going back for her masters, Mrs. Dedon taught middle school band in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. She is an active performer in the Tampa Bay area, having been a core member of the Florida Wind Band since 2016. In addition, she maintains an active private horn studio and is the conductor for the Bay Area Youth Symphonic Winds Ensemble.

Dr. Jonathan Godfrey joins USF as an Adjunct Professor of Guitar following over a decade of establishing himself as one of the region’s most in-demand classical guitarists and session musicians. He has performed with members of the Sarasota, Jacksonville, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras, EnsembleNewSRQ, the Choral Artists of Sarasota, and numerous regional college and semi-professional ensembles. He holds prizes from several performance and composition competitions, including grand-prize from the Boston GuitarFest Composition Competition for his Sonatina for guitar solo, which was praised as “invitingly poetic” by the Boston Globe. He regularly concertizes alongside his coloratura-soprano wife Jenny Kim-Godfrey as the duo Corda Voce, programming jazz, cabaret, and popular songs alongside their own unique classical arrangements.

Congratulations to the following faculty members who were recently promoted by USF.

Ya-Hui Cheng (Music Theory) – Tenured Associate Professor

Jennifer Bugos (Music Education) – Full Professor

Clint Randles (Music Education) – Full Professor

Tom Brantley (Trombone) is getting the band back together. The 2023-24 season marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of Rhythm & Brass. For 23 years, the group toured extensively in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Thailand and the Middle East. And now, after a seven-year hiatus, they are celebrating their musical and creative camaraderie by coming together to revisit old classics while simultaneously exploring new musical directions.

"Beyond Category" was a term the great Duke Ellington used as the highest form of praise for those artists who transcended normal boundaries. Since their inaugural season in 1993, Rhythm & Brass has lived up to the ideal of a musical presentation that is not bound by time, geography or culture. With the unique ability to incorporate influences as divergent as Josquin Des Prez, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, Florence Price, Johann Sebastian Bach, Maria Schneider and, of course, Duke Ellington, Rhythm & Brass searches for the commonality in these influences and weaves them all into a single concert experience.

As part of their group, Amici, fellow USF woodwind faculty members Dr. Francesca Arnone (Flute) and Professor Amy Collins (Oboe) have commissioned close to a dozen pieces for flute and oboe and their auxiliary instruments as well. They challenge composers to write for unique combinations of instruments including, alto flute, piccolo, oboe d’amore, and English horn. The group has performed across Florida (including an upcoming residency at the state capital which will feature the commissioned work of Alyssa Morris and state capital artist-in-resident, Christopher Still), throughout the US, and abroad.

This past May, Dr. Arnone and Professor Collins traveled to New Jersey to work with composer Amanda Harberg on a piece arranged for Amici entitled Crossroads. Originally written for flute and clarinet, Amanda worked closely with Arnone and Collins to arrange it for flute and English horn. Amici, along with Amanda on the piano, did a soft premiere at Presby Montclair Iris Gardens in Montclair, New Jersey. The group recently performed the world premiere at the National Flute Convention in Phoenix, Arizona on August 3rd.

Amici has more premiers coming up including two commissioned works inspired and in response to the USF Contemporary Art Museum exhibit, "Native America in Translation" curated by Wendy Red Star. Marble & Blood by USF's Aural Theory professor, Justin Giarrusso for flute and oboe; and Code Talking by William Linthicum-Blackhorse for flute and English horn/oboe d'amore.

It is Amici's hope to explore the various colors of the underrepresented instruments and to commission composers to take the journey with them.

In July, Dr. Tina DiMeglio (Associate Director of Bands) spent a week at Ft Myer in the nation's capital with the US Army Band "Pershing's Own" as a guest conductor and conducting workshop participant. Throughout the week, she rehearsed and performed with the band, collaborated with other conductors and army band musicians, and gained access to manuscripts and other exclusive documents at the Library of Congress Music Division. The US Army Band musicians, officers, and workshop organizers were welcoming and made it a very positive week of music-making.

Over the summer Victor Fung (Music Education) presented at a conference in the philosophy of music education in Norway and a music education research symposium in South Korea. He also gave lectures at Guangzhou University and Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, both in China. The picture was taken during his lecture for students and faculty at the College of Music and Dance, Guangzhou University in June.

Prof. Allyssa Jones (Vocal Ensembles) has been commissioned to compose a collection of works for New Voices New Orleans, a new community youth chorus under the direction of Trey Pratt. Pieces will celebrate the intersection between classical and folk music as performed and preserved by Black concert musicians in the early 20th century.

Andrew Karr (Horn) has become a minor celebrity in Tampa this summer for climbing Florida's highest points. To find out why, read here.

Dr. Eunmi Ko (Piano), Dr. Kevin von Kampen (Percussion), and Dr. Katherine Weintraub-Pearce (Saxophone) recently returned from South Korea where they presented a concert of new works by young Korean composers. Supported by Arts Council Korea, CAMP performers collaborated with six composers on new ensemble works highlighting climate change. The works implement the use of modern musical instruments alongside traditional Korean instruments.

Simon Lasky (Keyboard Skills) signed to independent jazz label Ubuntu Records, over the summer, and recorded a new album of his jazz compositions with his Tampa Bay based Octet. Co-produced by USF alumni Alejandro Arenas (bass), and featuring current USF faculty members James Suggs (trumpet), Jack Wilkins (tenor sax) and Aaron West (alto sax) it will be released this fall. The full group will be performing Simon's new music in concert at The Palladium in St. Pete on Sunday September 24th at 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased here. To keep in touch with Simon's recordings and concerts, visit: https://simonlasky.com/.

Dr. Clint Randles (Music Education) has been named the Chair of the FMEA Contemporary Media Committee this summer and have been a regular part of the planning of the Digital Music Showcase, All-State Popular Music Collective, and the Crossover Festivals.

Dr. John O. Robison’s (Musicology) spring activities included concerts, guest lectures, and presentations at prestigious conferences. On April 14 he performed a solo lute and archlute solo recital at Kansas State University in collaboration with KSU soprano Patricia Thompson. Providing a historical overview of early European instrumental music, the invited was featured as part of the KSU Hale Library Concert Series. While at KSU he also gave two lectures on Chinese composers Wang Xilin and Zhu Jianer for KSU graduate students. From May 9-13 Dr. Robison was also an integral part of the 24th International CHIME Conference held in Portugal (Lisbon, Mafra). Considered the worldwide platform for the study of Chinese music, the theme of the CHIME conference was Chinese Musical Instruments, with his presentation on “The Role of Chinese Instruments in Zhu Jianer’s Orchestral Music” being well received. On May 19-20 he was at Rutgers University for the Asian Classical Music Initiative International Conference, where he presented a paper on “Zhu Jianer’s Final Contribution to the Symphony: Ethics, Responsibility and Humanity in Symphony no. 9."

Kenrick Wagner’s (Contemporary and Commercial Music) exceptional dedication and engaging presentation style have earned him recognition as a 2023 TOP 20 presenter in the nation by the National After School Association.

With a passion for hip hop and music education and a commitment to enriching the lives of young learners, Kenrick's innovative approach to after-school programming has undoubtedly left a lasting impact.

Dr. Katherine Weintraub-Pearce (Saxophone) traveled to Washington D.C. in August to complete an album of arrangements of video game music with her saxophone quartet, Project Fusion. While there they presented concerts at the D.C. church St. Mary Mother of God and the Library of Congress.

This summer, David and Joanne Williams traveled to California and did some great hiking in Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. They also enjoyed some great rest and relaxation!

Zadda Bazzy (PhD, 2010) was recently selected for an award by the North Carolina Symphony. She was nominated by her school principal in the spring. In June 2023, the selection committee surprised her at their last staff meeting of the year, and they announced that she was the recipient for the Maxine Swalin Award for Outstanding Music Educator. Details can be found here. She will attend a concert on November 17 to receive the award on stage. It is a great honor!

Jared Finkel (Music Studies & English, 2020) graduated with the MA degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University this past May. In August, he accepted a position with The Florida Orchestra as Artistic Operations Coordinator. Jared is excited to be back in the Tampa Bay area to have the opportunity to work for such a respected organization, and most importantly, shed his garnet clothing for green.

Ginger (Hill) Lagemann (Music Education, 2004) lives in Colorado where she recently performed a clarinet solo, Immer Kleiner by Adolf Shreiner, with her local community band on an April Fool's concert. She is also in her 4th year playing bagpipes and having a blast doing competitions over the summer. She writes that she is “missing all my Florida music peeps and glad to see everyone thriving.”

Congratulations to the Sokołowski Trombone Project, an ensemble of current and alumni USF SOM students who won the International Trombone Association’s Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition, and thus gave a featured performance at the International Trombone Festival in Salt Lake City in June. To make this even more special, their concert was immediately preceded by a performance by world renowned trombonist, Joe Alessi.

Members of the Sokolowski Trombone Project include:

Trombones:

Filip Sokolowski – Jazz Studies, 2023

James Wall – Music Performance, 2021, MM Performance 2023

Kamyl Alicea – Music Education - 2021

Nathan Petersen – Music Performance - 2022

Rhythm Section

Julian Pernett- Piano – MM in Jazz Studies - 2024

Noel Reyes- Bass – Jazz Studies - 2022

Rod Alnord- Drums – Jazz Studies - 2020

Patrick Cooper (PhD, 2021) has been incredibly blessed in 2023 with a new baby girl, Cora, and a tenure-line faculty position at Florida International University in Miami, FL. Baby Cora arrived 8/16/23, just in time for daddy to miss all of his new faculty orientations and benefits consultations. Mommy and baby are both happy and healthy. The Cooper family is looking forward to their new lives in Miami!

Michael Frazier (Composition, 2014) has been appointed Assistant Professor of Composition at Oberlin Conservatory after a two year stint as a visiting professor. Frazier specializes in acoustic, electronic, and electroacoustic music and is invested in exploring a musical language that has a connection to a broader history of Black creative artistry. Beyond composition, Frazier’s interests in music and sound include the unique and personal expression of one’s musical voice, engagement with topics and aesthetics outside one’s musical familiarity or awareness, and the capacity for a music that can be approached by listeners of all backgrounds. For more information, read Professor Frazier's biography on our website.

Gina Rand (Music Ed 2022) is beginning her first year as the middle school band director at The Conservatory School at North Palm Beach. She is also a marching band woodwind and visual technician at her alma mater, Palm Beach Central High School. In addition, she is serving as the Vice President of Membership for the Fort Lauderdale Alumnae chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota for this coming year.

In April, the Tampa Brass Band, which includes several USF SOM alumni, made their second appearance at the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. The band is led by Music Director Tina DiMeglio (USF Associate Director of Bands) and President, Founder, and Solo Euphonium Aaron Campbell, (Music Ed, 2012).

USF alumni in the band include Phil Beatty, Aaron Campbell, Angel DeArmas, Stacey Jones, Lionel Martinez, Daniel Melendez, Brendan Sweeney, Juan Tellado, Zach Wadsworth, and Maerosa Whiteside. Special recognition to Aaron Campbell for winning first prize in Euphonium/Baritone Technical, and Phil Beatty for winning second prize in Tuba Technical.

Do you have important life information you would like to share (advanced degrees, new jobs, exciting performances, awards or recognitions, marriages, births, etc.)? If so, we want to populate this section with information about you. Please submit your name, USF degree earned/graduation year, and one or two sentences to mccutchen@usf.edu.

Alfonzo V. Kimbrough, Third year, Ph.D. in Music Education with cognate in Wind Band Conducting

I am a Graduate Assistant with the USF Heard of Thunder "HOT" Marching Band. I am also involved with several research projects which investigate innovative strategies to reduce achievement gaps in school-based music. In between my studies, I am a part time instructional assistant for a local private school band in Tampa.

I love the fact that the USF School of Music not only provides a high-quality education, but really prepares its students to get a job after graduation. I also appreciate the intimate classroom settings and the open-door policy of our professors. It is something that is not found at many Universities across the country.

From my coursework, I've really gotten to enjoy listening to symphonic band music from the 1960-80's. My true passion is old school R&B music like Erika Badu, Angia Stone, Common and Donell Jones. I am also a hip hop generation kid, so of course I have LL Cool J, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem on my playlist.

Fun facts about me. First, I am the first in my family to go to college and the only one who ever had a taste of music. I grew up wanting to be an architect, but they cut the class at my high school which led me to take band instead. In my free time, I still love to start building projects and want to someday restore a classic car.

My name is KaleyAnna Raabe and I’m a grad student. I’m a violinist pursuing my Masters in chamber music.

I’m teaching private lessons at the Tampa Bay Music Academy. I’m also actively performing in the Tampa area, mainly in chamber ensembles.

I chose USF for music study because I loved the faculty.

I’ve recently started listening to Hardanger fiddle music! The instrument is a Norwegian folk violin that has extra resonating strings. My interest began out of my family connection since I am half Norwegian. I’m now learning how to play the instrument and diving into the world of folk music!

I sing in a women’s barbershop quartet called Duly Noted! We travel to perform, teach, and compete internationally and placed 7th in the women’s international competition last year!