School of Music: Summer Wrap-Up 2024

This summer has been vibrant and eventful for the Georgia State University School of Music community, showcasing our students, faculty and alumni in a variety of exciting ways. Here’s a look back at the highlights:

"Maestra" Documentary Featuring Dr. Tamara Dworetz

Dr. Tamara Dworetz, GSU's Director of Orchestras, was featured in the compelling documentary Maestra. The film highlights women conductors in a male-dominated field, exploring their journeys and challenges. Stream Maestra now here or catch it on major streaming services later this fall.

"Rejuvenation" Thriller Featuring GSU Students

The suspenseful thriller Rejuvenation, executive produced by Tom Luse, is now available on Tubi and Amazon Video on Demand. The film showcases contributions from GSU students Royal Teague (MM Composition, '23) as the composer and William Tate (BS Music Production & Audio Recording, '25) as a sound mixer. Click here to stream on Amazon or here to stream on Tubi.

Grants and Recognitions

Several notable achievements and awards have been recognized this summer:

• Dr. Ben DuPriest received the CETLOE Mini-grant award for his work on identity, place-making and belonging. His project aims to redesign the music history course “Rhythm & Blues, Rock, and Rap” to highlight Atlanta and Georgia's role in the development of popular music in the U.S.
• Dr. Mark McFarland was awarded the $2,500 Internal Grant Tenured Scholarly Support Award for his groundbreaking book, The Musical Relationship Between Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky.
• Dr. Lara Saville Dahl, our Graduate Director and Woodwind Area Coordinator, received the Exceptional Service Award from the Provost for her outstanding contributions and leadership.
• Professor Al Thrash was honored with the Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award for Non-Tenure Track (NTT) faculty, recognizing his exceptional contributions in scholarship, teaching and service.

Faculty Transitions and New Additions

This summer brought exciting changes and additions to our faculty:

• Clinton Smith was officially appointed as the Opera Music Director & Vocal Coach.
• Jessica Stinson transitioned to a full-time Applied Instructor of Violin position.
• Meghan Stoll has been appointed as the new Associate Director of Choral Activities.
• David "Dos Dias" Bishop, a Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer, joined our music industry program.
• Daniel Tancredi, a distinguished double bass player with experience performing alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the English National Opera, was welcomed as our new double bass instructor.
• Andrew Ryker joined us as a Lecturer in Voice. An award-winning baritone and nationally recognized stage director, Andrew brings a wealth of experience mentoring students and directing productions at prestigious venues like the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera.
• Dr. Alexis Lee, a cellist actively involved in the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and The Atlanta Opera Orchestra, is our new instructor of cello.
• Aaron Kruziki, a Juno Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and seasoned educator, has joined the Jazz Studies faculty. He is skilled in saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and more, with performance experience at major jazz festivals worldwide.

Additionally, Dr. Chester Phillips has been appointed as the new Dean of the College of the Arts and Dr. Stuart Gerber has been appointed as the Interim Director of the School of Music.

Student Achievements

• Madie Hendrix, recent graduate (AC, ’24) and soprano, was selected for the prestigious Bel Canto in Tuscany program in July. Madie will receive voice lessons, coachings and masterclasses while performing in concert and opera scenes in Italy.
• José Antonio Montañez González, a recent graduate voice performance major, will sing the main role of Don Basilio in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at the Prague Summer Nights Festival, performing at historic venues and participating in lessons and masterclasses.
• Abigail Forester, Kiley Carpenter and Anthony Menardi participated in FIO ITALIA with Prof. Kathryn Hartgrove, engaging in language instruction, coaching and performances at the Festival of International Opera in Italy.
• Flynn Allen, a graduate soprano and Madison Chambers, an undergraduate mezzo soprano, were accepted into the Chicago Summer Opera Program. Flynn performed in Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul, while Madison took the stage in Handel's Giulio Cesare.
• Grant Erie was a finalist in the Orchestra Bass Trombone Competition at the Southeast Trombone Festival.
• Josias Muñiz and Gabe Mavis, both undergraduate trombonists, participated in the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, where they took part in advanced orchestral training. Josias also won the festival's Concerto Competition. Meanwhile, Joi Richardson, a graduate voice performance soprano, was selected for the OperaFest at the Sewanee Music Festival, where she received private coaching, attended masterclasses, and performed in various settings.
• Dylan Mantione participated in The Sō Percussion Summer Institute (SōSI) at Princeton University. This prestigious two-week program brings together ambitious composers and performers to learn and perform in a hands-on environment with Sō Percussion and their collaborators.
• Fish Brosmer, an undergraduate trumpet player, clinched a spot in the prestigious Aspen Music Festival's seven-piece trumpet section for its 2024 edition. Fish’s impressive journey also includes participation in acclaimed programs like the Prague Summer Festival and the National Symphony Summer Camp at the Kennedy Center.
• Jackson Allred, one of our outstanding graduate orchestral conducting students, was personally invited by the Aspen Conducting Faculty to audit the prestigious Conducting Academy at the Aspen Summer Music Festival this summer, led by the renowned Robert Spano.
• Incoming graduate wind band conducting student Braeden Weyhrich was awarded The Gena Branscombe Project 2024 Conductor's Scholarship.
• Levi Adkins, a graduate voice performance tenor, was selected as a young artist with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, one of the top young artist summer programs in the US.
• Elizabeth Daly and Trevor Kytola, pursuing their MM in Choral Conducting, were accepted to the prestigious ChorWorks summer program at Duke University, focusing on Baroque music and advanced conducting techniques.
• Current wind conducting graduate student Meeka Sivilay and wind conducting graduate alumna Tina Christiansen were selected as Conducting Fellows for the 2024 Reynolds Conducting Institute at the Midwest Convention. They were among 12 conductors selected from an international pool of over 200 applicants.

Notable Performances and Opportunities

• The GSU Jazz Combo performed at the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Grant Park, with Dr. Gordon Vernick. The combo has also been selected to perform at the 2025 Jazz Education Network (JENS) conference.
• The GSU orchestral conducting studio observed an Atlanta Symphony rehearsal with Maestro Robert Spano conducting Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and had a one-on-one conversation with the Maestro about the piece and conducting.
• Joe Gransden (B. Mu. ’94) brought his joyful and dynamic big band to Dizzy’s Club in New York. The award-winning 17-piece outfit included faculty and alumni from GSU—Gordon Vernick (trumpet), Chris Otts (lead alto saxophone), Vinnie D'Agostino (baritone saxophone) and Geoff Haydon (piano).
• Robert Ambrose, Director of Bands, served as a clinician at the UMN-TC Wind Band Conducting Workshop, one of the top conducting pedagogy programs in the nation.
• A generous grant from Dolby Laboratories enabled GMEA to host a Music Technology Professional Development event at our School of Music, the first of its kind in Georgia.
• Alex Freund had an outstanding summer, performing with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra at the Ojai Music Festival and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Yucatán in Mexico. He also participated in the Varna International Music Festival in Italy, where he performed Verdi’s Requiem and Don Giovanni in Rome, Vicenza, and Asiago, alongside GSU trumpet students Aiken DelAguila, Nikolas Sweet, Adams Hollis, and Douglas Escobar. Additionally, Dr. Freund served as a guest artist and teacher at the First International Trumpet Festival in Bauru, Brazil, organized by GSU alumnus Victor Pires, performing with the renowned Phil Smith.
• Bill Mann recently showcased his talents at the International Trombone Festival, performing as a soloist, with his duo "The Brews Brothers," and as part of the ensemble "Trombones in Middle Earth." Following the festival, Dr. Mann traveled to Salvador, Brazil, where he performed both as a soloist and with The Brews Brothers Duo at the 30th Brazilian Trombone Festival.

Alumni Achievements

• We’re proud to celebrate GSU Alumnus Jay Sessoms, who was recently awarded the 2024 Spivey Hall Children's Choir Program Outstanding Music Educator award! Congratulations, Jay and best of luck on your new adventure at David T. Howard Middle School!
• Luiz Marques Barcellos, a 2023 PhD graduate in music education from Georgia State, was hired to the music education faculty at Penn State University. Dr. Barcellos is set to inspire and educate the next generation of musicians and we are incredibly proud of his achievement.
• GSU alumna Chelsea Cook was featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show, discussing her impactful work with the Orff Schulwerk Approach in elementary music education.
• Wind conducting alum Ellie Neufeld Pires spent the summer in Brazil where she guest conducted the Municipal Band of Barau, taught a conducting workshop as part of a summer music festival, and guest conducted soloist Phil Smith on the inaugural Festival International de Trumpet.
• Alumnus Justin Murray has been appointed the conductor of the Wind Symphony with West Seattle Community Orchestras.
• Alumna Claire Salli has been appointed as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Texas A&M International University.
• Alumna Joycelyn Jackson participated in the National Flute Association's Young Artist Mentorship Program last year and served as a US Air Force Band Diversity Fellow over the summer.

As we move forward into the new academic year, we celebrate these achievements and look forward to more successes and growth within our School of Music community. With the launch of our 2024-2025 season brochure, we are excited to share the extraordinary music-making that awaits. Here’s to an inspiring and dynamic year ahead!