The Award-winning Traditions of the
School of Music at the University of Kentucky

Our music students have the opportunity to participate in nationally recognized ensembles and have performed in prestigious venues and at international festivals. Indeed, because of the award-winning traditions in the UK School of Music, the school recently has been recognized as one of ten areas of excellence within the entire university. During this rise to national prominence over the past decade the UK School of Music has seen tremendous growth and now numbers over 400 majors in its program, which includes comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degrees. With our outstanding music faculty and superb library system we offer every opportunity for students to get the most from their education at the University of Kentucky.

STUDENTS

Brass

• Alexandre Ferreira, DMA in Trombone performance at UK, is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship (2009).
• Elizabeth McDonald, Concerto Winner, Aspen Summer Music Festival (2008)
• John-Morgan Bush, Second Prize in the international solo competition of the 40th International Horn Society Annual Symposium in Denver. This award was the top honor in student category since the panel decided not to award the first prize (2008)
• Elizabeth McDonald, First Place in the Artist Division Tuba Solo Competition at the Leonard Falcone International Tuba-Euphonium Festival (2007)
• Elizabeth McDonald, Grand Prize Winner, Category I of the International Women’s Brass Conference (2006)
• Elizabeth McDonald, First Place, Tuba Virtuoso Category at the Potomac Festival International Euphonium and Tuba Competition (2006)
• George Palton, Second Place, Tuba Virtuoso Category at the Potomac Festival Competition (2006)
• George Palton, First Place, Tuba Artist Category at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference (2006)
• Tommy Johnson, Semi-finalist, Falcone International Euphonium Solo Competition (2002)
• J. D. Salas, Semi-finalist, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (2002 and 2003) and International Tuba-Euphonium Conference Tuba Solo Competition (2002)
• David Kirven, Finalist, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (1999), Semi-finalist, U.S. Army Pershing’s Own Band audition competition (1999), and Finalist, U.S. Air Force Band audition competition (1999)
• Thomas Bratten, First Place, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (1998)
• Brian Meixner, Second Place, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition, (1998)
• Stephen K. Bottom, Trumpet Category Winner, Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition and Second Place - International Trumpet Guild Mock Orchestra Competition (1994)
• Stephen K. Bottom, First Place Winner - National Trumpet Competition and Second Place - International Trumpet Guild Solo Competition (1995)

Jazz

• Five UK Jazz students won three prestigious DownBeat magazine 31st Annual Student Music Awards: David Harper (only college winner of the Classical Soloist category); Angie Ortega (co-winner of the Jazz Vocalist category); and UK Mega-Sax with David Harper, Joe Carucci, Chris Strange, and Brad Grable (co-winners in the College Jazz category) (2008).
• Angie Ortega, winner of the Big Phat Jam Online competition (2007)

Keyboard

• Clint Davis, piano performance major, was selected to present the 15th annual Edward T. Breathitt Undergraduate Lectureship in the Humanities at UK (January 2009).
• Zachary Ullery was appointed Assistant Organist/Choirmaster at the American Cathedral, Paris, France  (2008)
• Kim Scott, piano, American Scandinavian Foundation Award for research in Finland (2007)
• Laura Goepper, First Place Winner at the KMTA Bluegrass Young Artist Piano Competition (2007)
• UK Piano Duo Laura Goepper and James Friley, First Place at the KMTA Bluegrass College Piano Ensemble Competition (2007)
• Mami Hayashida, piano, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at UK (2006)
• Mira Kruja, International award for the best electronically submitted dissertation on 20th-century piano technique (2005)
• Ryan Shirar, Winner of the Kentucky MTNA Piano Competition (2002)
• Mira Kruja, piano, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at UK (1998)

Musicology, Music Education, Music Theory, and Composition

• Nikos Pappas won the dissertation completion fellowship from the ACLS/Mellon Foundation and the Dena Epstein Award from the Music Library Association. He has also received two Reese Fellowships, one from the American Bibliographic Society and the second from the American Antiquarian Society (2008)
• Eric Strother (Ph.D Musicology) and Kevin Kehrberg (Ph.D Musicology) won Appalachian Research Fellowships at Berea College (2008). Kehrberg also received the Longyear Fellowship and the 2008 Endowed Doctoral Fellowship of UK Association of Emeriti Faculty. Kehrberg published an article on Gospel Music in Performance! The Newsletter of the Society of American Archivists’ Performing Arts Roundtable. His article on Albert E. Brumley appeared in The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture (Little Rock, 2008).
• Russell Kahmann, doctoral student in music theory, presented a professional paper at the annual meeting of Music Theory Society Midwest, May, 2008.
• Rachel Nozny, masters student in music theory, presented a professional paper at the annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Music Theory Society, April, 2009.
• Yawen Ludden (Ph.D Musicology) presented research related to culture and opera at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University, at the 13th International Conference of the European Foundation for Chinese Music Research at Bard College, and lectured at the Shanghai Normal University. Her paper proposal ("Music, Culture, and the Cultural Revolution: From Beijing Opera to Model Opera") has been accepted for presentation at the national AMS meeting in Philadelphia (2009).
• Laura Pita (Ph.D Musicology) was invited to lecture on Caribbean music at Truman State University, and published an edition of the piano music of Teresa Carreno in collaboration with Juan Francisco Sans. She is writing four articles for the New Grove Dictionary of Music.
• Ann Niren has an article in the new Dictionary of Composers and Musicians of the Twentieth Century, to be released by Salem Press.
• Paige Lush (Ph.D Musicology) published an article on Native American music in Americana: The Journal of American Popular Culture (2008).
• Marshall Pinto (Ph.D Musicology) presented professional papers on the music of Brazil at the Symposium on Latin American Choral Music (2008).
• Christine Carucci (Ph.D Music Educations) gave a presentation on the music of American composer Marvin Roth at the International Double Reed Society Conference at Provo, UT (July 2008).
• Tedrin Blair Lindsay won the 2007-2008 Kentucky Arts Educator Award from the National Society of Arts and Letters
• Nikos Pappas was the first doctoral student from a southern university in the last twenty years to win the prestigious American Musicological Society 50 Fellowship (2007)
• Angela Hammond, Second Place for best student paper at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music—US Chapter’s annual conference (2006)
• Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber, National Opera Association Outstanding Dissertation Award for the 2003-2004 biennium (2005) and National Opera Association Scholarly Paper Competition (2002)
• Raleigh Dailey, Al Smith Fellowship for musical composition, $5000 (2000)
• Katherine O’Connell, Third Place, National Association of Composers U.S.A. Competition for composers under the age of 30 (1999)
• Tedrin Lindsay, Rey M. Longyear Prize for the best Graduate Student Paper, South-Central Chapter meeting of the American Musicological Society (1999)
• Timothy S. Brophy, Outstanding Dissertation in Music Education Award (1998)

Percussion

• Since 1994, University of Kentucky percussion students have been selected as finalists in the Percussive Arts Society International Solo Competition a total of nine times, finishing in first place five times, a record achievement matched by no other institution.
• Brian Archinal, one of only fifteen musicians from around the globe selected for the Northeastern University Fusion Arts Exchange (NU-FAX), an educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (2008)
• Ellis Hampton, First Place and Robert Parks, First Alternate, Percussive Arts Society Solo Percussion Contest (2002)
• Jeremy Chapman, First Place, Percussive Arts Society International Collegiate Solo Percussion Contest (2001)
• Eric Willie, Gold Medalist award as Conductor of UK Indoor Drum Line, Percussion Independent World Class Winter Guard International Championships (2000)
• Kenyon Williams, Third Chair in Percussion, Louisville Orchestra.

Strings

• Niles Quartet, First Place in the college division of the Macauley Chamber Competition (2008), invited to study at the Banff Festival, and coached with members of the Juilliard String Quartet in New York (2008)
• Peter Isaacson, Rebecca Kiekenapp, Peter Neubert, and Jennifer Schiller (members of the Niles String Quartet). Semi-Final round, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (1998)
• Peter Neubert, Second Place, Chamber Music Competition at the Estate Musicale a Portogruaro, Italy (1999)
• Jennifer Schiller, Fellowship, Paris Conservatory (1999-2000)

Voice

• Since 1995 the UK School of Music vocal program has produced fourteen Metropolitan Opera winners at the district level, four at the regional level, and one at the national.
• Christopher Conley and Amanda Balltrip, Winners, District Metropolitan Auditions (2008)
• Afton Battle, Winner, District and Regional Metropolitan Auditions (2008)
• Brandy Lynn Hawkins, Winner, Tennessee District Metropolitan Auditions (2007)
• Hannah Smith, Winner, Kentucky District Metropolitan Auditions (2007)
• Christopher Conley, Winner, Kentucky District Metropolitan Auditions (2007)
• Christopher Conley: Puccini Award, Orpheus Competition (2006)
• Brandy Lynn Hawkins: St. Louis Opera Young Artist  (2006) and Encouragement Award, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2005)
• Amanda Balltrip, Encouragement Award, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2006)
• Ann Fuchs, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2005)
• Lillian Roberts, Winner, Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria 2004
• Mark Huseth, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2002), Member U.S. Soldier’s Chorus
• Norman Reinhardt, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2002), Member Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Studio
• Christy Pritchard, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2002)
• Mark Whatley, Finalist in the National Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001) and Winner, Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Corey Crider, Winner Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001) and Winner District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Patricia Andress, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Jennifer Coleman. First Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions, (2000) and Professional Finalist, McAllister Regional Awards (2000), Assistant Professor of Voice Belmont University
• Corey Crider, Second Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000)
• Reshma Shetty, Second Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000). Reshma is now female lead in the first Broadway tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams (2006)
• Charis Strange, Finalist, Vocal Competition of National Opera Association Convention (2000) and Finalist, McAllister Regional Awards (2000), Member U.S. Soldier’s Chorus
• Kim Venhuizen, Third Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000)
• Mark Whatley, Winner, Bach and Handel Aria Competition, Aspen Music Festival, (2000), First Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000), Finalist, Palm Beach Opera Competition (2000), and Finalist, McAllister Awards Regional Finals (2000)
• Phumzile Sojola, Grand Prize Recipient of the 2000 Orpheus National Vocal Competition and a finalist at the 2005 MacAllister Awards, Cast member 3 Mo’ Tenors.
• Shederick Whipple, Third Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000), Assistant Professor of Voice, Taylor University
• Norman Reinhardt, Winner District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2000)
• Patricia Andress, First Place, Nashville Region Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1999)
• Jennifer Coleman, Finalist, Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria (1999)
• Tina Milhorn, Winner, Young Artist Award in the Central City (CO) Opera
• (1999), and Finalist, Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Competition (1999)
• Justin Vickers, First Place, National Opera Association vocal competition (1999) and First Place, Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1999)
• Andrea Jones, Legacy Award, National Opera Association Vocal Competition (1999)
• Justin Vickers, National finalist, Orlando Opera’s Heinz Rehfuss Voice Competition (1998) and National Semi-finalist, MacAllister Awards for Singers (1998)
• Andrea Jones, First Place, Regional competition of National Association of Teachers of Singing (1998) and Finalist, MacAllister Awards for Singers (1998)
• Angelique Clay, First Place, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1997)
• Andrea Jones, Second Place, State competition of National Association of Teachers of Singing (1997)
• Daniel Koehn, First Prize, National Society for Arts and Letters Regional Auditions (1996) and Finalist, McAllister Awards National Competition (1996)
• Greg Turay was the Metropolitan Opera Auditions national Winner (1995) and went on to win the Richard Tucker Young Artist Award (1997). Turay now sings with the Metropolitan Opera and opera companies throughout the world.

Winds

• “Up Top,” UK’s student clarinet quartet, won first place in the 2009 Macauley Chamber Music Competition (Spring 2009).
• Seth Morris (BM ‘07, flute) won the 29th annual Pappoutsakis Competition in Boston (Spring 2009).
• David Harper, saxophone, collegiate winner: Student Downbeat award in classical soloist category (2008)
• Kristen Goguen, bassoon, won second bassoon position in Triad Chamber Orchestra (2008)
• Brett Van Gansbeke, bassoon, was State winner and Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (2004)
• Daniel Chrisman, bassoon, won “A” sub list audition for Philadelphia Orchestra (2008), and won Austin Symphony Contrabassoon audition (2007), Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (2004), and National Federated Music Clubs Collegiate Woodwind Competition, State Winner (2003)
• Jennifer Collins, bassoon, won audition Contrabassoonist with the Cincinnati Symphony (2007), Aspen Festival Concerto Competition winner (1996), National runner up, National Federated Music Clubs Collegiate Woodwind Competition (1995), Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (1995)
• Laura Mohr, bassoon, won audition for third bassoon/contra in Baton Rouge Symphony (1998)

ENSEMBLES

Bands

• The UK Wildcat Marching Band performed at the opening ceremonies of the Ryder Cup in Louisville (2008)
• The UK Wind Ensemble was invited to perform in China as part of the US-China Cultural and Education Foundation (2008), was chosen as a featured ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association National Conference (CBDNA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2003), the CBDNA Southern Division Regional Convention at Vanderbilt University in Nashville (2006), in Greensboro, North Carolina (2000), in Athens, Georgia (1997), and in Biloxi, Mississippi (1996) and the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville (2006)
• The UK Symphony Band was invited as featured ensemble, Southern Division MENC/Florida Music Educators’ In Service Clinic-Conference (2005) and the featured ensemble at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville (2003 and 2008)

Brass Ensembles

• UK student horn quartet "Cors d'Amour" won the Horn Quartet competition at the International Horn Society's annual Southeast Horn Workshop (Spring 2009).
• The UK Thoroughbred Brass Quintet won Second Place in the International Brass Chamber Music Society Competition (2008)
• UK Trumpet Sextet, Third Place the National Trumpet Competition in Washington DC (2008)
• UK Trumpet Quintet, First Place, National Trumpet Competition (2004)
• Brass Quartet, Second Place, International Tuba Quartet Competition (2002)
• The UK Trombone Choir participated in the Eastern Trombone Workshop (2000 and 2002)
• UK Trombone Quartet, one of three finalists to perform at the first annual International Trombone Association Quartet Competition (2001)
• UK Tuba Quartet, Second Place, 2001 International Tuba Quartet Competition and was a semi-finalist for this competition four other times
• UK Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble performed at the International Tuba-Euphonium Conference (1998 and 2002)

Choral Ensembles

• Since 1993 UK Choirs have been invited to appear at twenty music education conferences. Four different choirs have received invitations
• UK Men’s Choir, under Jefferson Johnson, performed at the ACDA Southern Division Convention in Louisville (2008), at the National Association of the Music Educators National Conference, Salt Lake City (2006) and at the inaugural convention of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) in San Antonio, TX (2006)
• UK Chorale, under Dr. Johnson’s direction, performed at the Kennedy Center (2009), toured The Bahamas Under The Auspices Of The Minister Of Culture  (2008), performed at the National Cathedral (2003), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (2001), Carnegie Hall (2001), MENC Southern Division Convention (1999), and ACDA Southern Division Convention (1998))
• UK Women’s Choir, under Lori Hetzel’s direction, will make their second European tour in June 2009. The ensemble was featured at the MENC National Convention in Milwaukee (2008), ACDA Southern Division Convention in Louisville (2008), ACDA National Convention in NYC (2003), MENC Southern Division Convention (2001), ACDA Southern Division Convention in Florida (2000), and went on the choir’s first European tour (2005)

Jazz Ensembles

• The UK Jazz Ensemble has twice been invited to perform at the annual Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois (1993 and 2007)
• The UK Jazz Ensemble is a two-time recipient of the "Outstanding Band" Award at the Notre Dame Collegiate jazz Festival—THE oldest, most prestigious collegiate competition in the country
• The UK Jazz Ensemble is a two-time winner of the "Outstanding Jazz Ensemble Award" at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival (one of the oldest, most prestigious collegiate competitions in the country)
• 5 recordings from the Jazz Department have been recommended for Grammy nominations
• 5 recordings from the Jazz Department have received "4-star" reviews from Downbeat Magazine
• The UK Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at the International Association of Jazz Educator's Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (1996)

Opera Theatre

• UK Opera Theatre performed as part of Our Lincoln at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC (2009).
• UK Opera Theatre and UK Symphony Orchestra’s world premiere recording of Thomas Pasatieri’s Hotel Casablanca on Albany received a full-page laudatory review in Opera News, Fanfare magazine, and American Record Guide (2008)
• Gave the first university performance of Thomas Pastateri’s Hotel Casablanca and recorded the opera with Albany Records (2007)     
• UK Opera Gala produced by Kentucky Education Television was nominated for a Regional Emmy by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) (2006)
• Gave the first university performance of Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince (2005). This production won the 2005 National Opera Association prize for Best Production in Category II (Colleges and Universities).  James Rodgers and Tedrin Blair Lindsay were cited in the award as director and musical director.
• Recorded Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land with Albany Records (2001)

Orchestra

• UKSO was the recipient of a 1.2 million dollar endowment created by Maker’s Mark specialty edition bottles with Coach Rich Brooks’s signature (April 2009).
• UKSO performed with legendary violinist Gil Shaham, thanks to collaboration with the Singletary Center (February 2009).
• UKSO performed as a major part of Our Lincoln at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC (February 2009).
• UKSO Released a CD of George Frederick McKay’s Epoch on Naxos’s American Masters Series (September 2008), which has received glowing reviews from two national publications and was the number one downloaded classical album on Naxos’s website shortly after its release.
• Governor Beshear joined the stage with the UKSO to perform Aaron Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait (Fall 2008).
• Performed with Arlo Guthrie in a sold out performance at Carnegie Hall and released a CD with Arlo: In Times Like These (2007)

Percussion

• UK Chamber Percussion Group performed by invitation on Focus Day at the 2008 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas on November 5 (2008)
• UK Percussion Ensemble was named one of the three collegiate winners of the PASIC Percussion Ensemble Competition and featured at PASIC in Columbus (2007). This is the third time in a row that the group has won this prestigious invitation.
• UK Percussion Ensemble was named one of the three collegiate winners of the PASIC Percussion Ensemble Competition and featured at PASIC in Nashville (2004)
• UK Percussion Ensemble invited to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2002)
• UK Percussion Ensemble won the Percussive Arts Society “Call for Tapes” for Collegiate Percussion Ensembles (2001)
• UK Marching Percussion Ensemble won First Place, College Division, Winter Guard International Competition (2000)
• UK Drumline was named the WGI University Class World Champion (2000)

Saxophone Ensembles

• The UK Saxophone Quartet was invited to perform at the International Saxophone Symposium (2006)
• The UK Mega-Sax Ensemble is a 4-time winner of the coveted Student Downbeat Awards (an international competition)
• The UK Saxophone Quartet is a 2-time winner of the coveted Student Downbeat Awards (an international competition)
• The UK Mega-Sax Quartet has been a quarter finalist of the International Fischoff Chamber Competition
• The UK Mega-Sax Quartet is a four-time winner of the "Outstanding Combo Award" at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival (one of the oldest, most prestigious collegiate competitions in the country)

FACULTY AWARDS

• Cliff Jackson was named vocal Coach of the Year by ClassicalSinger magazine (Summer 2009).
• Everett McCorvey was recognized as a Kentucky Star Awards winner (April 2009) and was interviewed on the national Bob Edwards Show (Spring 2009).
• Ron Pen won the Distinguished Service Award of the Society for American Music at the society's Annual Meeting. This recognizes Professor Pen as one of the outstanding scholars in the field of American Music (March 2009).
• Noemi Lugo received a Fulbright to research and perform in Brazil during 2009-2010 (March 2009).
• Beth Glixon received a post doc in musicology at Yale University (Spring 2009).
• The OSLANDAILEY combo of Miles Osland, saxophone, and Raleigh Dailey, piano, were featured in an article and CD for Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Saxophone Magazine. (2008)
• The Kentucky Jazz Repertory Orchestra (Professors Miles Osland & Dick Domek, co-conductors) released its second CD titled Flying Home (2008)
• Everett McCorvey, elected to the UK Board of Trustees (2008)
• James Campbell, named to the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame (2008)
• Noemi Lugo, University of Kentucky Provost’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching (2008)
• Lori Hetzel, “A Teacher Who Made a Difference” UK college of Education (2003 and 2008)
• Jonathan Glixon, one of four UK Research Professorships that UK awards each year (2008)
• James Campbell, Provost's Distinguished Service Professor of Music (2007)
• James Campbell, “A Teacher Who Made A Difference,” UK College of Education  (2007)
• Everett McCorvey, elected to serve on the board of directors for the National Assembly of State Art Agencies (NASAA) (2007)
• Irina Voro, University of Kentucky Provost’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching (2005) and Kentucky Music Teacher’s Association, Teacher of the Year Award (2004)
• Lori Hetzel, University of Kentucky Great Teacher Award (2000) and Central Kentucky Music Educator’s Association College/University Teacher of the Year (2004)
• Miles Osland, UK Research Fellowship recipient (2003)
• Lori Hetzel, finalist for the Sarah Bennett Holmes Award (2003)
• Ron Pen, University of Kentucky Provost’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching (2002), Finalist for the Acorn Award sponsored by Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education (1996), Great Teacher Award, UK Alumni Association (1994), and Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Fine Arts UK (1992)
• Everett McCorvey, Acorn Award Recipient, chosen by the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education (1998). The prestigious Acorn Award goes to only one Kentucky Professor chosen from any university in the state of Kentucky who exemplifies excellence, innovation and creativity in teaching and research. He also received the outstanding faculty award from the University of Kentucky Lyman T. Johnson Alumni Association for 1998.
• Kate Covington, University of Kentucky Provost’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching (1995)
• Miles Osland, University of Kentucky Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Teaching (1992)

Updated: June 1, 2009