Alumni News

Karen Yeh, Master of Music (Cello) ‘15

Photo: Jei Romanes

Cellist Karen Yeh appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live with Christina Aguilera in a performance of “Loyal Brave True” from Disney’s Mulan (watch at youtu.be/aeKZHscSMdE). Yeh, who recorded songs by Harry Gregson-Williams for the movie’s soundtrack, performed as part of a string quartet, alongside musicians performing on traditional Asian instruments such as the guzheng (Chinese plucked string instrument) and taiko (Japanese ceremonial drums). Based in Los Angeles, Yeh has appeared in solo, chamber, and orchestral concerts throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. She has played in venues ranging from symphony appearances in Carnegie Hall to sold-out pop concerts at the Dolby Theatre. She is a recording artist for the motion picture industry and can be heard in the new Charlie’s Angels, It: Chapter 2, and Bad Boys For Life soundtracks.

Alexandria Jackson, Bachelor of Music (Voice) ‘19

Soprano Alexandria Jackson was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a Master of Music degree in Voice at Southern Methodist University. Jackson will begin her studies in Fall 2020, under the guidance of Barbara Hill Moore. While at Southern Methodist University, Jackson will take part in opera productions and coachings, and will also audition for competitions, young artist programs, and music festivals. Jackson appeared in several UC Santa Barbara Opera Theatre productions, including W.A. Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and the North American premiere of Franz Lehár’s The Mock Marriage at the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Jackson also competed in numerous competitions, winning first place in the New Century Singer - California and Whittier New Century Singers competitions, among others.

Michael Vitalino, Doctor of Philosophy (Music Theory) ‘14 and Master of Music (Choral Conducting) ‘13

Michael Vitalino ‘14 was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Potsdam, where he teaches courses in Music Theory, Aural Skills, Counterpoint, and Tonal Analysis. Vitalino has presented research on Liszt’s song revisions at the Society for Music Theory (SMT) in addition to several regional and international conferences. His recent presentation at the SMT Music and Disability Interest Group addressed accommodating disabilities within aural skills pedagogy. His publications include articles in Indiana Theory Review and Notes, and a forthcoming chapter in Nostalgia and Video Game Music: Hearing our Past in the Present (Intellect Books).

Leslie Cain, Doctor of Musical Arts (Keyboard) ‘17

Leslie Cain was appointed to a faculty position in the Classical Instrumental division of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where she will serve as an Artist-Teacher of music theory, musicianship, chamber music, and accompanying. NOCCA is Louisiana’s only dedicated arts conservatory, offering pre-professional training to the state’s most promising high school students. During her time at UC Santa Barbara, Cain emphasized the study of French repertoire, culminating in her Doctor of Musical Arts document exploring the connection between the music of Maurice Ravel and the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. She is an alumna of the Conservatoire américain de Fontainebleau, the storied institute of French music held each summer at Napoleon’s château in Fontainebleau, France.

Vincent E. Rone, Doctor of Philosophy (Musicology) ‘14

Vincent E. Rone joined the faculty of Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, where he now teaches courses in music history and music theory. Vincent also co-edited the anthology Mythopoeic Narrative in The Legend of Zelda, published by Routledge, with his colleague Anthony Cirilla. Rone and Cirilla write of the anthology: “The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most popular and recognizable examples in videogames of what Tolkien referred to as mythopoeia, or myth-making...By using mythopoeia as a touchstone concept, the essays in this volume explore how The Legend of Zelda series turns the avatar, through which the player interacts with the in-game world, into a player-character symbiote wherein the individual both enacts and observes the process of integrating worldbuilding with storytelling.”