BYU School of Music Journal December 2023 by BYUSchoolofMusic

Journal

Sharing the Light December 2023

The Scrooge in All of Us In Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is a wretched man, to be sure. He is unkind, unforgiving, unloving, and unwilling to accept love or kindness from others. Consequently, he lived a life filled with darkness and loneliness. That is, until his former and deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, visited him on Christmas Eve to warn him of the future that awaited him should he continue on his current path. That fateful and life-changing night of visits from Christmases Past, Present, and Future changed Scrooge as he was shown his past and present mistakes and was given a singular opportunity to alter his future. In essence, Ebenezer was shown the light! For the first time in a very long time, he could see goodness in others and himself and he set out immediately to change his ways and overcome the ills of his previous life. So, too, were the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem shown the light when the heavens opened “and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9–10). Jesus was born and with Him came all the light everyone would ever need! Perhaps all of us have had a little Scrooge in us at times. Perhaps we all have been unwilling to forgive or have been unkind to those around us. And, perhaps, we have all suffered from lonely walks in darkness. We need only recall His words and choose to follow: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Be of good cheer and embrace the Light of the World! With Appreciation,

Mark Ammons

Contents Recent Events ..................................................................... 2 Upcoming in December...................................................... 3 Behind the Scenes of The National Parks’ Orchestral Album................................ 6 Q&A with New Full-time Faculty ....................................... 11 The New Music Building in 360 Degrees............................ 18 Two Graduate Students Direct Women’s Chorus................ 25 Faculty Accomplishments.................................................... 29

Edited, written, and designed by Sarah Griffin Anderson and Zoey Diede

Recent Events November 10 BRAVO! For Heroes Proved: Veterans Day Celebration Tony-nominated Broadway star Derek Klena (Anastasia, Moulin Rouge!, Wicked) and the BYU Wind Symphony gave a patriotic tribute to celebrate Veterans Day and honor veterans’ service.

November 14 Men’s Chorus + Concert Choir The BYU Concert Choir and Men’s Chorus presented impressive repertoire in their recent concert. The Concert Choir performed several pieces that meditated on the fears, sorrows, hope, and redemption of life, tributing Zachary Mongie, a member of the ensemble who lost his life to suicide. Among other songs, the Men’s Chorus showcased a section called, “Stone Cold Sober: Music for the Milk and Cookie Bar” to end the concert.

November 17 BYU Opera Scenes The BYU vocal students entertained the audience during the Opera Scenes concert, performing hit scenes from operas both classic and new that were handpicked to showcase their best sound. It was a perfect introduction for those new to opera! 2

Photo © BYU Photo

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Photo via arts.byu.edu

11.17-18 7:30 PM CONCERT HALL, MUSIC BUILDING

November 28 Mountain Strings and Folk Music Ensembles Mountain Strings, BYU’s traditional and contemporary folk music ensemble, performed a variety of music styles from the American tradition, the British Isles, and Canada. The band consists of seven talented musicians who play various instruments—including fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bass, piano, banjo, accordion, cello, flute, pennywhistle, harp, and percussion.

American

FOLK CELEBRATION Photo via arts.byu.edu FEATURING BYU Mountain Strings AND

THE AMERICAN FOLK ENSEMBLE DIRECTED BY

MARK GESLISON AND LINDSAY DAVIS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 7:30 PM

Music Building Recital Hall

Upcoming in December December 8–9 Celebration of Christmas BYU Singers, Concert Choir, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, and BYU Philharmonic present

Photo via arts.byu.edu 12•8•23 | 7:30 p.m. 12•9•23 | 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Concert Hall, Music Building

TO VIEW LIVESTREAM SCAN HERE

Photo via arts.byu.edu

The BYU combined choirs and the Philharmonic orchestra presents this wellloved annual concert celebrating the sounds of the holiday season. Tickets for this event are sold out, but you can watch the live stream here.

December 12 Jazz Combos’ Combined Concert This concert features BYU’s mainstream jazz combos, each playing two selections in a wide variety of styles—from bebop to bossa nova and American Songbook to funk. Attend this concert for free in the Recital Hall or stream it live. 3

December 12 University Chorale This performance features a variety of selections from BYU’s two non-auditioned choirs. Buy tickets for this event or watch the live stream.

LOVE DIVINE Paul Broomhead and Samantha Gordon, conductors

December 14 Jazz Ensemble: Christmastime Jazz!

Photo via arts.byu.edu

UNIVERSITY CHORALE DECEMBER 12 TUESDAY | 7:30 CONCERT HALL

This jazzy Christmas feast is sure to help you make the season bright and keep your spirits light! Buy tickets for this event or watch the live stream.

A MOST SPIRITED

Jazz Ensemble Directed by Mark Ammons

12•14•23 | 7:30 PM

Photo via arts.byu.edu Concert Hall, Music Building

Can’t make it to the concert?

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Photos courtesy of The BYU School of Music

Behind the Scenes of The National Parks’ Orchestral Album By Zoey Diede

Before Sam Clawson graduated from the commercial music program in April 2023, he pursued a dream to compose for one of his favorite bands: The National Parks. Sam learned how to arrange, compose, and remix music while at BYU, and he hoped to arrange orchestral versions of songs from the band’s new album 8th Wonder. Through his wife, Sam connected with Brady Parks, lead singer of The National Parks. He decided to shoot his shot and proposed the possibility of orchestral arrangements to Brady. Sam was pleasantly surprised at the good that came from this simple text. Brady admitted that the band had already considered making orchestral arrangements, but they hadn’t found someone who was a good fit for the style and feel they wanted for their music. Sam sent the band some samples, and things took off from there. 6

Sam had “always dreamed of doing something like this,” and always felt like an orchestra “adds a grandeur” to pop “I had always songs. He yearned to be involved in dreamed of doing making that happen for The National something like this.” Parks. He wanted the pieces to sound cinematic, grand, and big. Sam said –Sam Clawson that during his four-month writing process, assigning instruments to parts in the song was difficult yet rewarding. It took multiple rounds of trial runs and required help from professors. Sam eventually found the right sound for each of the four arrangements. At the time, Sam was a member of the BYU Philharmonic and enlisted the ensemble to help with the recordings. With the money he received from the experiential learning grant, he was able to pay each of the players for their work. Sam couldn’t get the music to the players in advance, but he was amazed at how well the musicians sightread the music—and not just the notes, but the expression, too. During the recording sessions, the band and several producers came to hear the Philharmonic work. Of the band, Sam says, “They were just wonderful. Before every song, they would come in and talk about the meaning of each song and what they were hoping to come out of the orchestra being added to that song. So it was a really cool experience.” Sam recalls one of the producers being blown away by the Philharmonic, saying they were just as good as any professional studio musicians. In the state-of-the-art Y Studio, producers and professors callaborate on the production of the arrangements

One of the sweetest moments of the project for Sam was when Brady Parks shared the intended meaning and feeling behind the song “Great Sky.” Brady wrote the song about his deep relationship with God and how he Members of the National Parks talk about the music finds God in nature; the musiwith BYU Philharmonic musicians. cians seamlessly translated that emotion into their recording. Music can be used to reflect and strengthen testimonies. Similarly, Sam has found that his testimony and connection to God has come, in large part, through music. “Not even just sacred music,” Sam says, “but all kinds of music.” Sam’s goal as a musician is to “use [his talents] to bring a little light, a little happiness into somebody’s life.” After the arrangements were released, an Instagram user posted that the orchestral versions “healed” her. This touched Sam and helped him remember his entire goal as a musician. “That was my whole dream with this because that’s definitely what music’s done for me,” Sam says. When Sam started school at BYU, he didn’t feel like he was anything special. But he learned to grow his talents and stick with what he loved, and much good has come from that. So to all music students, he says to shoot for the stars, because BYU “can make your dreams a reality.” Listen to Sam’s arrangements of The National Parks’ album here and check out his Instagram @clawmanmusic!

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Q&A with New Full-time Faculty By Sarah Griffin Anderson

This semester, the BYU School of Music welcomed five new full-time faculty members to its ranks: Christina Castellanos (assistant professor, flute), Nathan Haines (director of orchestras), Randy Lee (associate professor, trumpet), Keenan Reesor (assistant professor, musicology), and Christian Tran (assistant professor, oboe). In this Q&A-style article, you’ll get to know these fantastic professors and learn their insights about music! What non-classical artists do you listen to consistently? Castellanos: Billie Eilish

Haines: Cory Wong and Jacob Collier Lee: The band MUSE Reesor: The Beetles Tran: Lianne La Havas, The Wallows, and Flowerovlove What is your favorite Christmas carol? Castellanos: “O Holy Night” Haines: “Joy to the World” Lee: “Gloria in excelsis Deo” Reesor: “Sussex Carol” Tran: Holst’s version of “In the Bleak Midwinter”

What do you like to do outside of making music?

Castellanos: I love to spend time with my kids. My favorite part of the day is having dinner, even if it’s 10:00 p.m., with my kids, watching something on TV, just hanging out. And hiking, I love hiking. Haines: Biking and writing. I also enjoy disc golf and I’m an amateur chess player. I’ve already challenged a few School of Music faculty to a chess game. Dr. Reesor is very good! Lee: I like to get into nature, get into the mountains. I like to play disc golf. In Florida, I tried to get into surfing, but I’m not very good at it. Reesor: It sounds mundane, but I’m a major homebody. I really enjoy spending time with my immediate and extended families. The activity is far less important than being with my family. Tran: I like running. I’m very slow, though. I’m a backof-the-pack runner, but I enjoy it. I think it’s my form of meditation.

What advice would you give to students hoping to pursue musical careers?

Castellanos: It’s important to network, but it’s more important to be genuine about friendships and connections that you make. You can play really well, you can practice really well, but being a genuine person is just as important as being a good musician. Haines: Play your instrument well. The most time that I had to practice was while I was an undergraduate. I look back on those years now with fondness and appreciation. I know that in the moment, practicing can be such a grind, but it’s so important to spend

that time to meditate, to ponder, to work with your instrument, to work with your craft. Lee: Say yes to everything. Get a lot of experience working with a lot of people and playing in different genres of music. The more versatile you are as a musician, the better you are and the more opportunities you will have. Reesor: I would advise students to allow themselves to be driven by their love for music and for people, rather than their own vanity or ambition. No matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who has done something better than you have. But no one knows everything, no one can do everything, so it’s important to know who you are and to cultivate your ability to say what you have to say. That’s where our potential to contribute really lies. Tran: Try to find balance in your life. When you’re trying to do something at a really high level, it’s really easy for it to become all-consuming. When our whole life revolves around one thing, be it playing the oboe or something else, it can be easy for something really small to throw you off. But by keeping your life wellrounded and keeping things in perspective, you’re able to meet all of those inevitable challenges with a lot more grace. What is a goal or vision you have while at BYU?

Castellanos: I would love to do some recordings. That’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and having the resources here is really exciting. I also have a goal for my students. We’re working on some flute choir pieces to play at the National Flute Association Convention in 2024. It’s a thirty-minute program, and we’re trying to incorporate performers from all departments of the fine arts. 13

Lee: Helping produce great artists that can have a positive impact in the arts and bring greater light and joy into the world. I think the arts need to have positive forces doing good things and being out there pointing people towards God. I want to help my students find that passion for themselves and be good forces in the world. Reesor: To use the talent God has given me to bless other people. I really hope for my tenure here to magnify God’s gracious gifts of talents to all of us and to show others how to use talents to lift and enrich the lives of others. What activity outside of music helps you recharge artistically?

Castellanos: I tend to have my head down a lot when I’m working or practicing, but I have to remind myself that when I get outside or exercise, I always feel much better. And spending time with my kids helps me put everything in perspective. They help me remember what life is all about. Tran: Reading has been really important for me. I’m always inspired by wonderful musicians and listening to recordings—that makes me excited to do music. But when I hear the great stories that people are telling, true or fiction, it reminds me of the purpose of creating is connection, and it helps me think about music in a different way.

What is your go-to practice technique when you’ve got little time and lots to do?

Tran: If I don’t know the music, the first thing is listening to the music with the score. While I’m listening, I’ll mark places that will be difficult to line up with the ensemble or that just look difficult to learn. And I’ll

organize all of the music that I’m learning into different levels of hardness. I’ll never start with the hardest music, just because that would probably be a little unmotivating. So I’ll start somewhere in the middle and work into the hardest stuff. And if there is time at the end, I’ll look at the easy things. But I think just making sure that we’re using our time where it’s most needed is the most important. Who is your favorite composer? Why?

Haines: Whatever I’m conducting at the time. I will always have a soft spot for Mahler, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, you know—all of the greats. But more and more I’m trying to find living composers that I can appreciate. I really like the music of Jessie Montgomery and Zhou Tian, a Chinese American composer. Reesor: My personal favorite is Bach because he achieved such an incredibly high synthesis of emotional expression and technical achievement. But I would also say that Mozart and Beethoven are unsurpassable in their own way. I think that other composers have had something so unique to say and said it so well that you simply can’t compare them to anyone else. There’s no better-than. There’s only possibly as good in a different way.

The mission of the School of Music is to seek truth through great music. What does that mean to you?

Castellanos: Music is everything. It’s my whole life. But I do feel like I feel the Spirit the most when there is a musical number in church or when I’m playing. It’s the way I like to share my testimony. I vocally share my testimony, but I prefer to share it through music because I think that’s the way to people’s hearts. 15

Haines: For me, truth through music is found by embodying the human experience through the music that we create—the ups and downs, the triumphs and the failures, the heartache and the joys are all wrapped up in different styles and genres of music. Music is humanity’s way of expressing ourselves, and music is that layer that provides meaning beyond what language can provide. Lee: There is truth and beauty in great music, and I love to promote that in not only how I play, but in the music that I choose to perform. I love to perform music that is uplifting and has beauty, and that’s not just crazy and random and chaotic. This is part of my quest working with modern composers that write beautiful music. I think that kind of [beautiful] music reflects the order of the heavens in a way and can uplift others in the art. Reesor: For as long as I can remember, music has been the most constant source of spiritual truth in my life. I have a bright testimony of Christ and the restored gospel, but there is truth in music that defies description in word. There are degrees of reverence, of compassion, of faithfulness, and spiritual struggle in music that cannot be captured by words. Tran: I think it goes back to remembering that performing music, interpreting music, is creation. When I’m interpreting a piece, I’m looking for the message that the composer is putting across, and what my reaction to it is, and I’m trying to be truthful about that in my interpretation. I’m crafting my interpretation in a way that not only puts across the truth of the composer but my truth of how I interact with that music.

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The New Music Building in 360 Degrees By Sarah Griffin

It’s been almost a full year since the BYU School of Music moved into the new Music Building. Every square inch of the building was built and designed to accommodate a wide variety of music acoustics. Thanks to a recent article from Y Magazine, we’ve got a 360-degree view of the building’s best features. Let’s take a look!

The Lobby With east-facing windows, the lobby boasts one of the best views of Y Mountain that this campus has to offer. The windows span three stories and the hanging, candle-like lights create a bright, welcoming space. During the day, visitors might enjoy a spontaneous concert in the lobby from soloists or student quartets. In the evening, the lobby acts as a reception space for patrons attending concerts in the building’s performance spaces. Click the video below to view a 360 view of the lobby.

The Concert Hall The vineyard-style Concert Hall sits in the heart of the music building and spans all four floors. There isn’t a bad seat in the 18

hall—acoustically or visually. Even though the Concert Hall seats 1,000 audience members, the farthest anyone can sit from the stage is 15 rows back. Wood panels above the stage and around the edges of the hall are customizable to create the perfect acoustic atmosphere for each group on stage. Concerts are intimate, inclusive experiences for performers and audiences alike!

Studio Y When the HFAC was built in 1964, the field of commercial and computer music might not have warranted extensive teaching and rehearsal space. For years, commercial music majors and instructors packed into the HFAC’s tiny Studio Y for instruction and recordings, often standing shoulder to shoulder. Now, the new Studio Y comfortably seats 24 students who can observe control boards via large display monitors mounted on the wall. The studio is also outfitted with a dedicated studio space for recording. Complete with isolation booths and adjustable acoustic paneling, the room can fit large and small ensembles alike.

The Recital Hall The Recital Hall is a dedicated performance space for smaller ensemble and solo recitals. Though smaller than the Concert Hall (seating just over 250), the Recital Hall is also an intimate concert space. Built with acoustics in mind, the Recital Hall fosters clear, undiluted sound, and even operatic soloists need no microphone to fill the space with their music.

The Choral Hall For decades the School of Music has boasted a thriving choral program. But in the Harris Fine Arts Center, choirs rehearsed in the Madsen Recital Hall, often sharing the space with other classes and scheduled performances. Now, all five BYU choirs have a dedicated rehearsal space of their own, complete with a loft organ transported from the HFAC. The Choral Hall comfortably sits over 200 students, with ample room for even the largest choir—the 180-man Men’s Chorus—to rehearse.

Practice Rooms If you ever happened to pass through halls lined with practice rooms in the basement of the HFAC around noon, a cacophony of sounds would have greeted your ears. The fugues of trumpets and tubas used to blend with the measured scales of violins and violas. Now, if you pass through the brightly-lit halls of the fourth floor of the Music Building, few streams of notes will leak into the hallway. Within the practice rooms, outfitted with sound-absorbing panels, students enjoy a quieter practicing atmosphere.

The North and South Ensemble Rooms The North and South Ensemble Rooms were designed specifically to accommodate the larger performance ensembles at BYU—the BYU Philharmonic and the BYU Symphony. The rooms boast tall ceilings—but they’re not just for show. The extra cubic space provided by the tall ceilings protect the ears and hearing of students and faculty by allowing sound to travel upward and away from the musicians.

The Box The Box replicates the dimensions of the theater stage planned for the new Arts Building. This allows students preparing for operas and performances to rehearse in a space similar to their anticipated performance space. Equipped with specialty lighting and surround-sound speakers, the room also doubles as a versatile performance space for multidisciplinary concerts and electronic music performances.

Stats at a Glance

Total square footage: 170,950 Performance halls: 2 Rehearsal halls: 5 Classrooms: 11 Recording studios: 1 Midi studios: 5 Faculty offices: 70 Student practice rooms: 64 Pianos: 200 Performing groups: 40 Music majors: 435 Performances per year: 175–200

You’re an

outstanding musician. We’re a

premier music program. Let’s make beautiful music together. Come and feel the joy of making great music and great friends. BYU offers three programs for talented musicians ages 14–18: BYU Musicians’ Institute followed by BYU Musicians’ SummerFestival.

summerfestival.byu.edu

Registration opens December 6

CHORAL AND VOCAL INSTITUTE

MUSICIANS’ INSTITUTE

MUSICIANS’ SUMMERFESTIVAL

visit summerfestival.byu.edu for more information June 11–22 June 11–15 June 16–22

From left to right: Dr. Andrew Crane, Brian Pappal, Stevie Dugdale, Dr. Dan Forrest, and Dr. Brent Wells.

Two Graduate Students Direct Women’s Chorus By Zoey Diede

When Stevie Dugdale and Brian Pappal were asked to meet with Dr. Crane and Dr. Wells in April, they had no idea they were being considered for a unique learning opportunity. But when they were summoned to co-conduct the Women’s Chorus while Dr. Poulter was on maternity leave, Brian and Stevie eagerly accepted the invitation and regarded it as a symbol of trust. Brian says that he “had no idea any of this was in the works.” What a precious opportunity! So during the Fall semester, the pair eagerly began working with the choir.

Coming to BYU After graduating in music education from BYU in 2017, Stevie Dugdale moved to Missouri with his wife and kids. He knew he wanted to do a graduate program at some point in his life—it wasn’t a matter of if, but when. Stevie wanted to return to BYU, valuing the time he spent getting his undergraduate degree there. Of his love for BYU, Stevie said, “It was never an option to go anywhere else.” Brian Pappal’s journey to Provo had a few extra twists and turns. After working for years as a church music director in Pennsylvania and then North Carolina, Brian felt as if his career path had “run its course.” He was referred to the choral conducting graduate program at BYU and toured the university. Being an older student and not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he felt “doubly oddball” and out of place. Despite this, he gave BYU another chance and spent one more day in Provo. The second day was much better; “My first impression was completely wrong… I was 25

myself, and I loved it,” said Brian. So he auditioned and was admitted to the program.

Working Together Even though Stevie and Brian come from divergent backgrounds, the two have learned how to work well together. Brian says, “We’ve been nothing but supportive of each other.” They both view building each other up and trusting each other as an important part of the job. Stevie says, “We have very different styles, but we ultimately want the same thing.” In an attempt to meet the choir’s common goal, class time is planned by the minute to ensure the songs get their required practice time. Both directors plan rigorously to make sure they respect each other’s time and the needs of the choir. “The focus was never about us,” Brian says. Both conductors agree that the best part of their job “The focus is spending time with the was never choir. They find it fulfilling about us.” and rewarding to meet choir –Brian Pappal members, learn about their lives, and assist in boosting them through music. Stevie indicated that the most challenging part of the job is balancing his many responsibilities. The directors must spend many hours planning rehearsals, answering emails, communicating with arrangers, coordinating events, organizing tech and lights, copying music, and much more. His tip to balance his work responsibilities, family life, professional gigs, and school schedule is to stay organized: “Thou must calendar,” he jokes. Keeping his event schedule organized helps his mental health and overall well-being. When calendaring, Stevie prioritizes “actionable items” to guarantee tasks receive the time and weight they require. A difficult but inspiring aspect of Brian’s work is the vulnerability it takes to be a conductor. He says you must “be willing 26

to own your failures or mistakes.” When mistakes are made during rehearsals or performances, the conductors are willing to learn. Brian shares that the choir did not have their music memorized for their concert in November. He says, “That was a good learning experience for me. … Ultimately, [I had to] just go, ‘Okay, now what do we do?’” Navigating his time as a Women’s Chorus director has been full of chances for growth and problem-solving.

Learning Life Lessons Brian and Stevie are dually thankful for the opportunity they’ve had to be involved with Women’s Chorus this semester. It has been a blessing professionally for them both. Stevie says, “Whatever job comes at me in the future, I feel prepared, which is a cool place to be.” This experience has helped Brian find his passion—he wants to be a collegiate choral conductor when he graduates. “I love working with college students and trying to make good music… It’s such a fascinating time [of life],” Brian says. Not only is there a profes“I always sional reward, but also an feel better emotional benefit to this when I leave job: “I always feel better rehearsals.” when I leave rehearsals,” Stevie says. There are huge –Stevie Dugdale benefits to conducting the chorus full-time—most graduate students have the opportunity to conduct only a handful of songs. “This is an experience you can’t replicate by conducting [a few songs] because I have felt like we are [Women’s Chorus’s] directors—we’re not just graduate assistants,” says Brian. The two conductors have found belonging with the Women’s Chorus and have treasured the chance they had to conduct a college-level choir.

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28 Visit BYUArts.com for more details!

Faculty Accomplishments

Photo via music.byu.edu

Dr. Jihea Hong-Park: This summer, Professor Jihea Hong-Park appeared as a guest artist at many universities, institutions, and festivals in South Korea. Her solo and chamber performances were broadcast on Orfeo TV, Korea’s premier classical music channel. She also spoke about her experience as an Asian American pianist and anti-racism efforts in classical music in a podcast interview entitled, “Can Music Change the World? With Pianist Jihea Hong-Park.” This fall, she appeared as a keynote speaker at the Utah Music Teachers Association’s (UMTA) annual state conference and gave lecture presentations at the Curriculum Development Collective and Grand Valley State University. Dr. Brent Wells: This year, Dr. Wells has published four peer-reviewed works: two arrangements (“In Christ Alone” and “Ao Bao Xiang Hui”) and two original pieces (“The Four Horsemen” and “When All Falls Silent”). A fifth arrangement from Dr. Wells, “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly,” was accepted for publication via peer review. Dr. Wells was also invited to curate the “Brent Wells Choral Series” with Gentry Music Publications, one of several publishing houses under the Fred Bock Publishing Group umbrella.

Photo via music.byu.edu

Dr. Jaren Hinckley: Professor Hinckley’s composition, “Hive Mind” was featured by the Utah Clarinet Choir, made up of numerous clarinetists from BYU, the Utah Symphony, the Ballet West orchestra, the Orchestra at Temple Square, and students and faculty from almost every university in Utah. The Amicitia Duo (Diane Barger, clarinet professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Denise Gainey, clarinet professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham) commissioned and premiered a trio for E-flat clarinet, B-flat clarinet, and piano, written by Professor Hinckely. The Trio Etoiles (a clarinet faculty trio from the University of Memphis: Robyn Jones, clarinet; Daryn Zubke, bassoon; and Jonathan Tsay, piano) also performed Professor Hinckley’s composition “Hinterlands” in their concert at ClarinetFest. Dr. Brian Blanchard: In May, Professor Brian Blanchard performed with the New York Philharmonic at the newly opened David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.

Photo courtesy of Brian Blanchard

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Email us!

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The BYU School of Music seeks truth in great music. We strive to lead in the composition, performance, teaching, and understanding of music and to serve the university, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the world through this divine gift.