Cadenza | Opus 35

CADENZA

UTSA DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC | FEBRUARY 2022 Opus 35

FLYING INTO FEBRUARY Love, Ligatures, and Lyrics from #UTSAMusic

CONTENTS

03 04 06 10 12 14 16 18

WELCOME A word from Department of Music Chair, Dr. Tracy Cowden

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT The former undergraduate student becomes the senior (events manager) for #UTSAMUSIC.

FACULTY BRIEF Hear about the latest and the greatest from our talented pedagogues.

LEVELING UP The department of music prepped and ready for new opportunities granted with top-tier research distinction.

VENERABLE VOLUNTEERS #UTSAMUSIC students team up with the Caroling Project to give music a whole new meaning.

POD SQUAD! Dr. Jennifer Beavers and her PH-D candidate cohost prepare for the release of their progressive-minded podcast.

STEVE AND THE SOUND Jack-of-all-trades Dr. Steve Parker displays his art in local San Antonio exhibition venue.

A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE Cindy Solis is recognized for her almost 30 years of exceptional employment.

CONTRIBUTORS: Rolando Ramon - Cadenza Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jourdan Laine Howell - Graphic Designer/Editor Rebekah Alegria - PR Assistant/Editor Jason Guzman - Graphic Designer Micah Rosenstein - Graphic Designer

Welcome to

CADENZA

Showcasing UTSA Music

FRIENDS, Welcome to the first 2022 issue of Cadenza! The new semester has begun, and we are excitedly preparing our first concerts of the year to share with you. We hope to see you in person or through our livestream, and are grateful for your support of our student and faculty performers.

As you flip through this issue, you will see notices for upcoming performances, and you will also have an opportunity learn about some of our very recent faculty accomplishments, and see why are so excited about the recent announcement of UTSA’s “Research 1” status!

In addition, we celebrate the long tenure of our recently-retired Events Manager, Cynthia Solis, while also introducing our new Events Manager, Wesley Penix, in our Alumni Spotlight!

Please keep an eye on these pages and our online event calendar for upcoming concert information. And share Cadenza with your friends and family outside of San Antonio; they can check out the livestreams of our performances on our department Facebook page! As always, we hope that all of you will take this opportunity to follow us on social media, where we post fun features on our students, faculty, and staff, link to our livestreams, and share photos and video clips of all that is taking place in the Department of Music.

Are you interested in having live music at your own event? You could hire a student group! Our Gig Service link is live on the department website! And as always, we invite our alumni to submit your news and reconnect with your UTSA Music friends by sending an update to music@utsa.edu. We hope you are as excited as we are about starting a new year, and we look forward to seeing you soon for live music at UTSA! Tracy Cowden Roland K. Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music and Chair

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: WESLEY PENIX Everyone knows the classic tagline, “Now and Forever, I am a Roadrunner,” but our February alumni spotlight feature is experiencing the phrase in a whole new light. Assuming the role of Senior Events Manager in 2021 for #UTSAMUSIC, Wesley Uchiyama-Penix is responsible for scheduling and staffing all Recital Hall recitals and concerts.

Being a composer, producer, and audio engineer, Wesley holds a B.M. in Music Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a M.M. in Composition from Texas State University and has worked with many musicians in the San Antonio and Austin areas and continues to work with aspiring musicians in his newfound career back with #UTSAMUSIC.

What inspired you to obtain your Bachelor of Music in Music Studies from UTSA? I started to heavily learn music around the time most people in the U.S., around 6th grade. Since then, music was something I knew I wanted to do.

I apparently told my mother after the first day I ever had band class was “I want to do that.” I have no recollection of that moment, but I certainly connected strongly with music early on. In my secondary education, I had amazing directors that I absolutely credit for instilling this love of music within me: Jeff Drifmeyer, Stephen Weber, and Chuck Kuentz (who was my brass methods professor at UTSA as well).

What do you think sets UTSA apart from your other alma mater, Texas State, where you obtained your Master of Music in Composition?

The professors are what really what make UTSA unique. It is not common to have internationally known music theorists, Disney music directors,

Grammy nominated performers, and fantastic musicologists all in the same faculty. Not only are they prestigious and talented, but they truly care about their students and this program. I have been lucky to not only have that at UTSA, but at Texas State as well. I will have to say, getting an undergraduate degree and getting a graduate degree are two different experiences, so it is hard to compare the two. Both universities have amazing music programs that provided me great opportunities to grow as an artist.

You are the Senior Events Manager for UTSA Music; do you have time for other creative ventures outside of the workplace?

I always make time to work on my musical projects. I typically come onto campus around 7 in the morning so I can get some composing done, if I am working on anything. I tell composers that composing should be treated the same as practicing, you have to set aside time in your day where that is the main focus. Outside of composing, I have several projects that I work on that I get contracted to work on (most of them I cannot quite reveal yet). These vary from mixing/mastering, video editing, and video producing. One that I can talk about is my second synth-pop focused album. I started my WSU-P side project sometime in mid-late 2020 when there really was not any performances being scheduled, leaving me with a plethora of unperformed work since my graduating

recital was canceled due to the pandemic. I cannot say when the album will be done, but I have been working on it for the past couple of months. I also have a group of acquaintances that I develop short video games with where I provide the music and sound design. I perform with the San Antonio Wind Symphony as a clarinet player and have been a part of that organization for about 7-8 years now.

I also perform annually at the Classic Games Fest (convention centered on retro video games) with friends, one of which is my former professor at Texas State, where we perform covers of video game soundtracks and improvise ambient tracks.

On top of all that, I consider myself an amateur ludomusicology (the study of video game music), something that I began getting involved with during my graduate studies. In the end, I am a composer and an artist, so I have an innate need to create.

Whether that is through composing or performing, this is something I feel like I need to do.

What do you remember best about being part of the UTSA Department of Music as a student?

How does it compare to now being a member of the UTSA Music Faculty?

The best aspect of being a student is that you are surrounded by so many people that have the same goal as you. I felt it was incredibly easy to find and work with your fellow musicians. This goes the same with the professors. The professors at UTSA were extremely approachable. Now being on the other side, that feeling really has not changed much. Mainly because I have maintained with many of the professors here, I was able to seamlessly transition into this new role with a level of respect for my musical and technical skills because of our prior experiences with each other.

Did you have a role model or positive influence that helped you achieve in your undergraduate studies?

Without a doubt, I would say the person with the biggest impact on me was my private lessons teacher, Larry Mentzer. He not only taught me how to be a better clarinetist, but he taught me how to be a better musician. He always pushed me further and further as a musician. He would also do it in a relaxed way. If he knew if he told me to do something, he knew that it was going to happen. I credit him for my extremely rapid development during my undergrad and I know for a fact that those experiences have benefitted me in composing as well. Of course there were other professors such as Dr. Rita Linard (former flute

professor) and Dr. John Zarco who always huge supporters during my time at UTSA. If you have any advice for students, what would it be and why?

I have said it before and I will say it again, take advantage of this time to get to know your professors. You will never have more time and opportunity to do this again. Not only do your professors want to help you with any question or quandary you have, but they are such valuable allies and colleagues post-graduation. We have so many well- known and successful individuals on faculty and staff; and these people are willing to help you. All you need to do is reach out and get involved. Whether your interest is in performing, teaching, composing, producing, audio engineering, or anything related to music, there is someone on faculty and staff that shares that same interest and is willing to work with you.

I would also say to explore your musical interests.

As you can probably tell, I have numerous musical interests, and that certainly has kept me engaged and passionate about music all this time. I do not just stay in the classical music world, I venture out in the more eclectic aspects of the classical world as well. I also work in audio engineering with recording, mixing, and mastering. I perform on clarinet, but I also perform on synthesizer, ocarina, and keyboard. Some say I am stretching myself too thin, but I find that this way of engaging with music keeps it interesting and keeps it from being stagnant.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Well...I know I will be 37 (or 38 depending on the time of the year). This question is always a tough one for me since I always see my future in branching paths. There is one path that sees me with a DMA or a PhD in composition with a professorship at a university teaching composition and audio production. There is another path I see myself working as a composer for various media (movies, TV, video games, etc.) and working with soundtrack recording and production. Another branch is me in a director’s role on various projects ranging from music director for media or ensemble director (I have always enjoyed conducting). I imagine all the while, I will be still working with universities with guest lectures and performances.

I am a bit of a dreamer, so I try and keep all opportunities open to me.

FACULTY BRIEF PREMIERE SOLOIST Crystal Jarrell Johnson, Assistant Professor of Practice, stepped in as the soloist for December 21, 2021 for the premiere of Shawn Kirchner’s folk oratorio The Light of Hope Returning. The performance took place at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on December 21, 2021 and was conducted by Rick Bjella. Crystal was joined by the San Antonio Chamber Choir and the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio.

Photo provided by Christian Cruz

DR. RACHEL WOOLF

DR. ISAAC BUSTOS

Rachel Woolf is on the roster for Northeastern State University’s annual Instrumental Day Conference February 7th in Tahlequah, OK. Dr. Woolf recently performed for the Polyphonic Spree’s 18th Annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Majestic Theater in Dallas on December 18th, 2021. If you missed this stellar festive event, it isn’t too soon to mark your calendars for the next holiday jam fest. Tickets are already on sale for the 19th Extravaganza on December 17th, 2022.

Recent Grammy nominee Isaac Bustos was a featured soloist for Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto Madrigal for two guitars with the Baton Rouge Civic Orchestra on December 4th, 2021. Bustos has several big events on the calendar this spring, starting with a solo recital for Austin Classical Guitar February 5th and 6th, and a solo recital and masterclass at California State University (Bakersfield) February 25th and 26th.

FACULTY BRIEF JAMES SYLER

PERCUSSION FACULTY Professors Sherry Rubins and Paul Millette entered 5 percussion students in the Tierras Percussion Festival held on the UTRGV campus in Edinburg, Texas. Matthew Settles, Zachary Cook, Lio Palacios, and Derek Ravizee competed in the college marimba category, and Angelina Martinez took part in the snare drum competition. There were 2 rounds and senior Matthew Settles was advanced to the finals. The competition was tough, but we are happy to announce that Matthew finished in 3rd place! There were over 40 college students from around the state of Texas competing.

Our students proudly represented UTSA with great music making! Rubins and Millette also attended the competition.

James Syler was commissioned by the Cathedral Basilica Church and the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey to compose a new choral work for the 50th anniversary of their annual Christmas Candlelight Carol Sing. In the Bleak Midwinter was premiered December 15, 2021 at the Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

GARY POFFENBARGER Gary Poffenbarger led the UTSA Boom Squad through an exciting and busy holiday season. They kicked off the string of events with a performance at the First Baptist Church of San Antonio, First Fine Arts series with over 200 in attendance. The squad was then featured on San Antonio TubaChristmas with over 100 tuba and euphonium players from throughout the state and their friends and family.

Their 2021 holiday music video “Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas” was an internet hit, with nearly 3000 views on YouTube and over 6000 views on Facebook.

Pictured left to right: Sherry Rubins, Lio Palacios, Angelina Martinez, Derek Ravizee, Zachary Cook, Mathew Settles, Paul Millette

UTSA Music presents a

FLUTE

GUEST RECITAL & MASTERCLASS FEBRUARY 3rd, 2022

Dr. Dolores August, flute Masterclass 11:30am Recital 7:30pm

UTSA Recital Hall Main Campus

UTSA Music presents an

ORGAN

GUEST RECITAL & MASTERCLASS FEBRUARY 4th, 2022

Dr. Robert August, organ Masterclass 11:30am Recital 7:30pm

University United Methodist Church San Antonio, TX

TIER 1 RESEARCH AT UTSA MUSIC UTSA has a very big reason to celebrate in 2022: we are now a Tier 1 Research Institution, a designation held by only ten universities in Texas. This elite recognition places us in good company with Rice, Texas A&M, UT-Austin, and Baylor on the Tier 1 list. Our new status will certainly entice students to consider joining the roadrunner community, and the tremendous work done by our faculty will be thrust even further into the limelight.

In honor of this important announcement, the Cadenza team wanted to highlight some of our faculty’s current research activities.

This past fall, Dr. Nicole Cherry began a critical edition of George Bridgetower’s Quintet Jubilee, Variations on Rule Britannica & God Save the King (1809) with Dr. Mark Ferraguto, Associate Professor of Musicology at Penn State. The Quintet was written for King George III’s Golden Jubilee celebration held on October 25, 1809. The project was thoroughly discussed in one of Dr. Ferraguto’s courses this fall. This is what he says about the project: “This past fall, I offered a graduate seminar at Penn State called “Critical Editing for Social Justice.” The students learned how to prepare a critical edition and collaboratively produced their own editions of short chamber works by classical-era composers who have too long been marginalized because of their racial background. One of the pieces we edited was the “Jubilee” Quintet by George Bridgetower, a British musician of African descent who collaborated with Haydn and Beethoven. We’re looking forward to continuing the work on the Bridgetower edition, and we’re very excited to collaborate with Bridgetower expert Dr. Nicole Cherry, who will contribute a foreword.”

Dr. Nicole Cherry

Dr. Cherry will visit Penn State this Spring for Penn’s Colloquium Series where she will continue their work on the edition.

Dr. S. Andrew Lloyd is engaged in two types of research vital to the continued growth of the musical arts: composing and performing. Lloyd performed a solo organ recital on January 23rd which featured the world premiere of Transfigured Permutations: Mosaic Visions of Grace by Haruhito Miyagi.

February 26th and 27th, Lloyd’s large art mass Christus will be conducted by Rick Bjella and performed by the San Antonio Chamber Choir at the University of Incarnate Word. Then, on March 22nd, his Barlow Commission Preludes: Book II will receive its World Premiere. The seven movement piano solo will be played by Hungarian pianist Éva Polgár at University United Methodist Church in San Antonio. This premiere will be bolstered by a panel discussion of the work and followed by a piano masterclass led by Ms. Polgár. The work will be heard at the University of North Texas and at Wayland Baptist.

Dr. S. Andrew Lloyd

Dr. Lloyd’s busy spring semester will be followed by a large research/performance project: the recording of his entire opus for organ works which is slated for the summer season.

Professor John Nix has a number of research projects underway, including a collaboration with Dr. Whitney Chappell, UTSA Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Linguistics on singing teacher attitudes regarding vocal fry, Dr. Joshua Glasner (voice faculty, Clarke College, IA) on perception of vibrato rate, and a collaboration with Dr. Rosemary Lester-Smith (Assistant Professor of Communication Disorders, UT-Austin). Professor Nix is also collaborating with two students, the first being UTSA graduate student Eva Alpar on singing voice changes during the female menstrual cycle, and then Natalie Cummings (doctoral candidate in voice performance, UT-Austin) on singing teacher perceptions of breathiness in vibrato and non-vibrato singing.

John Nix Known for championing faculty-guided research, UTSA Music will continue to lead graduate and undergraduate students in important musical discoveries and encourage their bold curiosity. These endeavors bolster UTSA’s newly achieved Tier 1 research status and aptly prepare our students for their future careers.

Students and Faculty Volunteer And Prove Why Music Matters

By Allyson Dawkins – January 21, 2022 On December 22 UTSA faculty and students teamed up with symphony volunteers to play Christmas carols at Methodist Hospital with an organization called the Caroling Project. The project was founded 33 years ago by UTSA viola professor, Allyson Dawkins. Dawkins has long viewed the project as a great way to mentor students and teach them about compassion, giving, and sharing their artistry.

This year the group was joined by Violin Professor Dr. Nicole Cherry and Horn Professor Peter Rubins.

And by students violist Maddie Gonzalez and violinist Adam Garza.

Dawkins has this story to share about the experience: We started out playing in the main lobby. Due to COVID restrictions we all had to be masked. Masks cover up the smiles of recognition of a favorite song. Masks also cover up the musicians’ faces when they are engaged in their art form. And although there weren’t too many people visiting the hospital, we did see many doctors and nurses passing through the lobby. We persevered playing through our favorite carols and saw many a surprised passerby whip out their cell phone to take a photo of our “flash mob” concert.

After playing for our minimal audience in the lobby we finally got to go upstairs where we could play for patients. We headed up to the oncology unit where our host, Constanza Roeder, CEO of Heart Needs Art utilizes a lot of musicians to provide a healing and meditative atmosphere. We set up around a nurses station and played some of our softer songs. A few patients stepped out into the hall to get a look at what was going on, and many opened their doors so they could hear us. On this floor we ran into Music Division Chair, Dr. Tracy

Cowden. She happens to be a board member of Hearts Need Art and was there with her portable keyboard playing holiday music for patients at bedside in their rooms.

We had started our caroling at 1 p.m. and by now it was 3:30, time for us to pack up. We had not had a break and had been on our feet the entire time. Stanzy came up to me and started telling me in a hushed voice about a patient on the oncology floor. After hearing us play at the nurses’ station, he had confided to her that it was on his bucket list to sing O Holy Night with the symphony. She told him, “Well you know what, they are here, and I think we can make that happen.” We set up in orchestra formation and waited while our guest artist had his vital signs taken. Then he came out into the hall in his hospital gown and socks, and mask, and faced us. We proceeded to play O Holy Night and he sang.

He sang in full voice as clear as a bell. Dr. Cherry soared on the solo melody along with him through two complete verses of the song. I will never forget it, the most beautiful performance of O Holy Night that I ever hope to hear. All of our hearts were full of love and awe at the power of music to lift us off this earth for a few rarified moments.

Howell Studio spring 2022 recitals

RECITAL ONE

FEBRUARY 17TH STORIES RECITAL TWO

FEBRUARY 18TH DEDICATIONS 7:30pm | UTSA recital Hall | music.utsa.edu

Get with the POD! The Society for Music Theory, along with a team of progressive-minded music theorists and composers, seek to enhance music theory’s accessibility to young artists with the launch of a brand-new podcast Written by Dr. Jennifer Beavers and Thomas Yee

P

erhaps the most prevailing criticism of music theory in the 21st century is the perception of being overly complicated, intimidating, and widely inaccessible to younger generations. Jennifer Beavers, Associate Professor of Music Theory at the University of Texas – San Antonio, is flipping that script with a brand new podcast called SMT-Pod. The new series launched on January 13th as the Society for Music Theory’s premiere audio-publication and is chaired by Dr. Beavers herself. Her co-chair, and brainchild behind the podcast’s inception, is Megan Lyons, a PhD candidate who is finishing her dissertation at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Beavers states: “This podcast is a giant step forward for the Society for Music Theory because the field has been criticized for being notably old-fashioned in approach, topic, composers, members, etc.” Dr. Beavers is excited to be leading a team of young, diverse, and creative thinking theorists and composers to make music theory research accessible, cutting edge, and interactive.

“If you’re interested in music theory, or even wonder ‘what is music theory research?’”

Dr. Beavers recommends, “This as a great place to start! At least you can listen to some interesting voices from around the world as they share their research, make music, and have some fun along the way, instead of just reading it out of a print or online journal.”

UTSA’s Thomas Yee, Lecturer in Music Theory and Composition, is functioning as SMT-Pod’s Composition Chair. In his role, he helped solicit and adjudicate the great theme and closing music for the series, which can be heard in the series preview here.

One of the things Dr. Beavers is most proud of is how forward-thinking the authors are. One of the podcasters is a senior scholar in the field, Joe Straus at CUNY, who is doing a series of 5 episodes called “Musicking while Old.” Dr. Beavers articulates, “This might seem weird to start a new audio publication with something about old age, but I think there’s a productive tension in the balance between old and new that is quite compelling! After all, most of the composers we study are quite old- or at least their mature late period was written when they were ‘old’…So how does age impact the way we think, listen, perceive, perform, and compose music?”

Dr. Jennifer Beavers – SMT Pod chair

Megan Lyons – SMT Pod co-chair

SMT-Pod’s first season will cover a wide variety of interesting topics in music- from the function of the bridge in pop music, to post-millennial punk, to how infotainment and r/reddit serve up music theory topics, to unpacking what a key really is. The first episode, which you can now stream here, unpacks what it means to be “first”. In this episode, Scott Murphy (University of Kansas) weaves together timelines from three different centuries into what is essentially an underdog story. And who doesn’t like a great underdog story?

Dr. Beavers is dedicated to broadening and diversifying the academic pipeline by exposing young musicians to great research in music theory through her new podcast. SMT-Pod can be accessed through the podcast’s website and will also be available on most audio-streaming platforms. New episodes are set to be released every Thursday, from January 13th to May 5th.

Thomas Yee – SMT Pod Composition chair

Steven Parker: SOUND TREATMENT

“A new exhibition at Sala Diaz by Austin-based artist Steve Parker, SOUND TREATMENT traces the history of bodily healing through sound. Drawing from the liturgical chants of 12th century abbess Hildegard von Bingen, anatomical votives of ancient Rome, Italian Futurist Noise Intoners, unintentional ASMR YouTube clips, and Sonic Meditations of Pauline Oliveros, visitors will encounter works that imagine new forms of sonic therapy: speaker walls made of cardboard body parts, resonant copper bells, bird sized concrete ruins, tactile brass appliances, and wearable phonograph needles.

In Death Rattle, a series of anatomical votives embedded with speakers extracted from broken electronic devices play audio samples of body processes recorded at the beginning and the end of life. These clips are layered with recordings of British author John Butler, whose soft, gentle voice has developed a significant following among the ASMR online community. Sanctus, conceived as a sanctuary for birds and people, plays four liturgical psalms written by Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century abbess and polymath whose work explored the healing potential of sound. These psalms resonate through the five brass bells of the sculptures which are then refracted by the attached parabolic dishes. Noise Intoners invite the viewer to press repurposed valves to trigger

clips of unintentional ASMR (the voice of the painter Bob Ross, a tutorial on the proper way to drink a glass of water, an unboxing of a Wii U device, and the repair of an tiny metal steam engine). ASMR is an experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin triggered by specific auditory phenomenon and is sometimes used to treat anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia. Human Stylus is a wearable device that functions like a wearable phonograph, guiding the viewer to listening intimately to the texture of the ground. This wearable sculpture is a material realization of Pauline Oliveros’ Sonic Meditation No. 5: “Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears.”

In conjunction with this exhibition, San Antonio-based artist and musician Christie Blizard will perform at Sala Diaz on Feb 17 at 7pm. Using analog synthesizers and electricity, Blizard will create soundscapes attempting to channel other dimensions.

SOUND TREAMENT is open now to the general public from 3-6PM at Salas Diaz, located at 517 Stieren St, San Antonio, TX 78210. Exhibition runs through the afternoon of March 5. Sala Diaz remains Covid-safety observant to protect our community, masks are required.”

As written by Dr. Steven Parker and originally published (January 2022) on the Salas Diaz website. To listen to an audio sample of the exhibit, click here.

A LEGACY OF EXCELENCE: CINDY SOLIS be doing my usual administrative duties while at the same time planning for events like Winterlude, Lyric Theater performances, Extravaganza, Underground, camps, etc. There was a certain routine I expected each day, but each day was also different because I worked with so many stakeholders whose needs varied day-today.

How would you say UTSA Music has evolved since the beginning of your employment to your retirement and so forth?

Before there was a football team and the Spirit of San Antonio marching band at UTSA, there was Cynthia Solis. In early August of 1992, Cindy began her long journey as the UTSA Music Events Manager and earned the added title, “Senior” as her duties evolved beyond the original job description as the department began to flourish. After almost 30 years of service to #UTSAMUSIC, Cindy retired in October of 2021. Her dedication and passion for the UTSA community lives on through the legacies and traditions still held by the department today. Between retirement and newfound hobbies, we had the chance to catch up with Cindy to reflect on her time with #UTSAMUSIC and life outside of the workplace.

What did a typical day at the office look like for you?

My days were filled with responding to requests for assistance in many different areas: booking rooms for rehearsals, meetings, lessons, etc., scheduling recitals and concerts in the Recital Hall, managing Music Convocation performances and grades, creating paper programs (pre-COVID-19), creating, and managing content for Cadenza, just to name a few. My responsibilities were very deadline-based because that’s what events are—deadlines. The Department’s calendar was cyclical and depending on the time of year, I would

Over the course of my employment, I was able to create two wonderful teams of student workers that made my job run smoother. In 1996, the then-chair Dr. Joe Stuessy allowed me to create a team of events staff that would work the 100+ yearly concerts and recitals that were too much for me to handle alone. Sometime around 201213, I approached the then-chair Dr. David Frego with the idea of creating a special team of students with graphic design and copywriting talent to assist me in promoting our events. At that time, social media was a burgeoning, new platform and we needed to create a presence and voice for the Department. Music marketing students Aaron Sanchez and Alex Flores were the first on my team and created the template for what you still see on our social media platforms today. This team was also the creative force behind Cadenza. I think the need to bring on extra hands and brainpower speaks to how the Department has grown so much over the years. It also speaks to how the Department provides many opportunities for experiential learning to our students. Many of the students that have worked on my teams throughout the years have gone on to become a graphic designer for a school district, a technical director, a college department chair, and a director of communication for a non-profit. Pretty impressive!

What were your greatest successes and accomplishments while working for UTSA Music? Did you run into any challenges?

Building a multi-faceted events management office able to provide tailored promotional and logistical services has been my greatest accomplishment, and it could not

have been done without the talented students I have worked with over the years. I am also very proud to be a walking file cabinet of alumni names and faces that has occurred organically after 29 years of working in a small, close-knit Department. Without a doubt, the pandemic was the greatest challenge that affected both my professional life and personal life. Not only were there new technological challenges and obstacles to contend with at work, but there were also struggles to maintain a sense of “normality” at home as my kitchen table became my makeshift office. Being “at work” was no longer dependent on being on or off campus, and that was stressful at times. When we returned to campus in a hybrid mode, I realized how essential my job was to the basic execution of live events. I had to re-think and adapt in order to survive and to continue to provide a high level of service.

What have your days looked like since retirement?

Any new hobbies or passions?

Was there anyone who you looked up to in the Department for guidance and inspiration? Whom and why did you feel this way?

I can honestly say that I have never held down a job. I have been employed full-time since I graduated college, but each place became a “second home” by virtue of the number of hours I spent there, and the people became a “second family” by virtue of our common mission. My advice to anyone in any workplace is to see what you do as a labor of love rather than a means to a paycheck.

Once you see your workplace as your “job” rather than family and home--it is time to move on.

There were so many! I spent nearly 3 decades working at the UTSA Department of Music…nearly half of my life. Over the course of those years, I experienced many life-changing events: my marriage, the birth and college graduation of my daughter, Jessica (UTSA, ’18), the passing of my husband, Bobby Solis, two siblings, both my parents and other beloved family members. During the highs and the lows, I could always look around and see my UTSA family ready to lend a shoulder to cry on or offer a congratulatory hug. To this day, I still consider professors emeriti Gene Dowdy, Matt Dunne, and Gary Mabry to be my dearest friends and former co-worker Victor Mendiola to be my “big brother”.

Describe the most interesting situation you encountered while working for UTSA Music.

Would a close encounter with electrocution count? One afternoon, I was assisting the Orchestra set up music stand lights for a rehearsal on the Recital Hall stage.

I plugged in one too many lights in a power strip and saw a spark and heard a crackle followed by a mini cloud of black smoke! It took me aback but once the “shock” of what happened wore off, we laughed about it. I think Gene Dowdy may still have the melted plug as a reminder of my indestructibility! Another one of my fondest memories is also orchestra-related. I went on a recruitment tour in the spring of 2018 to the Rio Grande Valley. It was an eye-opening experience. I was impressed at how much of a turn-key operation it was as we traveled from school to school in different cities watching the students unload, set up, perform, engage with the student audience members, strike the set, load up and stay motivated for the next stop. I was so proud to be a part of the UTSA Department of Music.

I didn’t stay retired very long. I have been working part time at a performing arts center in town since early October of last year. I feel very fortunate to still be working in an arts-based environment because I have always had a love of the arts—theater, especially.

Working part time is just my speed. I have time to go on my daily walks, enjoy more home cooked meals with family, attend as many theatrical performances as I can manage and spend time with my partner Ricky taking day trips and doing home projects.

What advice would you give to students and your former employees about holding a job and/or retirement?

“...the [UTSA Music] Department provides many opportunities for experiential learning to our students.”

Cindy had a fulfilling almost 30-year-long career with #UTSAMUSIC, we sincerely miss seeing her smiling face in the corner office of the music building.

“Working in the Department of Music was a unique and unforgettable experience. I learned a lot about music, musicians, and myself. I am so very grateful for my time at #UTSAMUSIC and hope that I made as much of a difference on the department as it made on me.” Cindy stated in her departing remarks.

Thank you so much for your dedication to the department and the zeal that you brought to #UTSAMUSIC. Now and Forever, you are a roadrunner!

The UTSA Department of Music Presents

UTSA SYMPHONIC BAND & WIND ENSEMBLE

Dr. John Zarco and Prof. Ron Ellis, conductor

Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 7:30pm UTSA Recital Hall

FEBRUARY DATES

06 VAS: SPANISH SONGS 5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

09 GUEST RECITAL Texas A&M - Commerce Percussion 5:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

12 GUEST RECITAL Messing and Nelson 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

15 STUDIO RECITAL Voice studio of Prof. Crystal Jarrell Johnson 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

17 STUDIO RECITAL Voice studio of Dr. Jourdan Howell 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

18 STUDIO RECITAL II Voice studio of Dr. Jourdan Howell 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

21 ORCHESTRA CONCERT

7:30 PM PM | UTSA Recital Hall

24 COMBINED CONCERT Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

25 STUDENT RECITAL Sofia Salazar Arguelles 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

27 UNIVERSITY BAND 3:00 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

28 FACULTY RECITAL Oswaldo Zapata 7:30 PM | UTSA Recital Hall

FEBRUARY 2022 STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE UPCOMING SEMESTER AT UTSA MUSIC MUSIC.UTSA.EDU

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