Joey Berrios - Chief Editor, Graphic Designer, Photographer
Alissa Esper - Asst Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator
Suzanna Bridges-Keese - PR Assistant, Editor
Sebastian Forestier - Graphic Designer
Welcome to
Welcome to
CADENZA
Showcasing UTSA School of Music
Friends,
Welcome to the December issue of Cadenza! We had a great time sharing the Winterlude concert series with you last week, and we are grateful for your support and presence at our performances all through this fall semester! This issue includes a photo spread highlighting a few of the events that made this fall so special. We are looking forward to celebrating our graduates at commencement on December 14th!
While this issue may be brief, I would like to point out the list of concerts coming up in Spring 2025 – it’s not too early to mark your shiny new calendars! Also, our Alumni Spotlight this month features band director Bobby De Leon, Director of Bands at O’Connor High School here in San Antonio. This issue also includes a feature article on the extensive collaboration between our Lyric Theatre program and UTSA Architecture on the recent production of Don Giovanni. We are proud to highlight such interdisciplinary collaborations that give our students careerready skills and high-level artistic experiences!
As we wind down the semester, we extend our sincere wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a bright and happy new year. We hope you are as excited as we are about all that is happening in the School of Music, and we look forward to seeing you in 2025 for live music and dance at UTSA!
Dr. Tracy Cowden
Roland K. Blumberg Endowed Professor in Music Director of the UTSA School of Music
DECEMBER 2024 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Bobby De Leon, UTSA 2018
BOBBY DE LEON
B.A. in Music Education, 2018
December’s alumni spotlight is focused on Bobby De Leon, the director of bands at Sandra Day O’Connor High School. He graduated from UTSA in December 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a certificate in Saxophone Performance.
For De Leon, his decision on UTSA as his place for pursuing his music education was the comfort and safety within the environment, and he felt welcome to meeting the music faculty as well as having conversations with them that didn’t feel forced.
“The campus felt friendly and welcoming as well,” he reflects. “One big reason I also chose to study at UTSA was because of their Mariachi program. It had been a huge part of my life and few universities had successful programs. Mariachi Los Paisanos offered many great opportunities that I felt other places wouldn’t have.”
The alum recognized how this decision ultimately shaped his career path in the most positive way, giving him opportunities that he may not have received at other university programs.
“I still played the Maslanka 4s, the Wine Dark Seas, experienced our first bowl game, was the Head Drum Major of a phenomenal marching band, competed nationally in mariachi, et. cetera,” he notes. “I feel all of the experiences I got at UTSA are the reason that I am currently the Director of Bands at a 6A High School. Everything happens for a reason and it’s not about where you go but how you take advantage of where you’re at.”
His focus in his area of study was the leadership aspect of music education. De Leon mentions how inspiring students through education and encouraging the next generation of educators was intriguing to him and drove this focus.
“I quickly dove into the SOSA leadership family as well as the leadership roles of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha,” he states. “Yes, I still focused on my craft as a saxophonist and learning new teaching techniques along the way, but I feel it is extremely important that you learn how to inspire your students around you and teach them how to be the best versions of themselves.”
For De Leon, this passion grew as his time went on even after graduating from UTSA. In the three years after his opportunity to create the UTSA Drum Major and Student Leadership Camp with Professor Ellis, he could see the impacts it has already made in the communities involved. Looking back on some of the impactful experiences he had during his time at UTSA, De Leon reflects on the 2016 Spring Wind Ensemble he took part in.
NOW AND FOREVER I AM A ROADRUNNER
“The ensemble broke new barriers musically and had a fantastic connection to the Third Symphony by James Barnes,” he states. “Truly a piece of music that we all dove into together and came out as better musicians and people connecting with the story it brings.”
He also discusses another musical experience that grew him as a young musician. “The 2017 season with SOSA was the year where I felt my job was ready to pass on,” he states. “Everything we wanted to accomplish, we did, and everything I got out of being the Head Drum Major, I did. The connections I built that year led me to where I am today and as someone who put so much into SOSA, it’s extremely rewarding seeing where they are at now.”
When asked if there were any professors he looked up to, De Leon reflected on his professor, Ron Ellis. He mentions that the opportunities Ellis gave him were what helped him develop into the educator he is today. “Ron Ellis is someone that I will always look up to and someone that I will always admire,” he reflects, admirably. “He put so much trust into myself and Beau Bujol in starting the UTSA Drum Major and Student Leadership Camp… The philosophies and style that he brings is something that I have bought into 100% and try to emulate in my program every day. He has now become not only a great mentor, but a life-long friend, and someone I can call anytime to ask for advice on this band thing… but he truly does not know the impact he has made on my life and I hope to even be as close to a great educator and human-being as him.”
De Leon’s music degree has helped him through creating expectations for himself as an educator as well as the performance opportunities he received as an undergraduate through shaping him into a fantastic musician. “They have allowed me to create those standards for my own ensembles,” he notes. “Surrounding myself with great musicians at UTSA allowed me to push my standards which is something that I still do as an educator. Being able to cover mariachi, choir, multiple instrument families and more have allowed me to be a well-rounded musician. Also, special shoutout to the Wind Lit. course with Professor Ellis. You will be surprised when entering the band directing world how little people know about music other than the UIL standards.
As for advice for current music students at UTSA who prepare for life after graduation, De Leon mentions the importance of not losing sight of why you may become an educator, for those pursuing music education degrees. “It’s always for the kids,” he states. “Are your kids happy? If they aren’t, then don’t be afraid to adjust your philosophies and try new things. Some times we get so lost and point the finger but do not realize multiple are pointing back at us. Our job as educators in this time of life is to make sure that we can keep inspiring people to appreciate the arts.”
He also reflects on the importance of taking leaps of faith and trusting the process. “If you begin to wake up everyday unhappy with where you’re at in life, then don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith and trust that you are going to be ok,” he states. “I recently took that leap and landed in a place that I can see myself for many years. Know where you want to be and push yourself to get there. Anyone can do it. Trust yourself, trust the process and trust your people.”
- Suzanna Bridges-Keese
Bobby De Leon, O’Connor High School, 2022
Happening Around The Nest
UTSA Lyric Theatre and UTSA Architecture Collaborate on Mozart’s Classic Don Giovanni
This October, UTSA’s School of Music brought to life one of the most celebrated operas in history, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, in a production that thrilled and mesmerized. Perfectly timed for the Halloween season, the opera told the story of the infamous cavalier whose scandalous escapades led him to a dramatic and fiery end. Audiences were captivated by Mozart’s masterful melodies and the gripping narrative that followed Don Giovanni’s path of destruction and his ultimate confrontation with fate.
Directed by Jourdan Laine Howell, Associate Professor of Instruction, Voice, and UTSA Lyric Theatre, this production highlighted the incredible collaboration between faculty and students. The UTSA Orchestra was conducted by Maestro Troy Peters, whose leadership brought Mozart’s timeless score to life with precision and passion.
The students who played Leporello and Donna Anna, two of the main characters of this story, were delighted to reflect on the experience of bringing them to life for modern audiences who saw the performance.
Joshua Moncada Zoll, bass, played Leporello, the servant of Don Giovanni. For those who don’t know, Leporello and Don Giovanni are often seen as complementary characters, two versions of a similar persona separated and differentiated by social status and class. Zoll reflects on his preparation to perform this role. “I focused on daily repetition, mainly,” he states. “During the production of the show, I spent pretty much all of my free time, you know, like it didn’t matter if it was only a few minutes or a few hours even – it was my life at the time.”
For rehearsals, Zoll states that he and his fellow peers would meet often to practice, particularly interactions between their respective characters, preparing to seamlessly portray the story. “We brainstormed together about how they would interact with each other—how they spoke, their gestures, and even how they touched,” he states.
As for many actors or performers, there are challenging aspects of performing a character or piece as well as rewarding ones. For Zoll, his hardship was memorization, but regardless, his reward was being able to see himself in his character through his performance. “There was so much music, but we felt like we only had a few months to prepare,” he notes. “ But I did feel like I played myself instead of just a character.” Something that Zoll learned and was surprised about Mozart through this performance was the length of the pieces he wrote, in particular, this opera. “Mozart really knew how to drag things out,” he jokes. “We made a ton of cuts—a whole load—but the show still ended up being about three hours long. You can definitely feel the shifts in mood and tone throughout the different scenes. For example, it has a very Baroque feel during Osso Corso when Don Giovanni stabs the Commendatore at the beginning, but by the end, it feels a bit more Romantic—big and dramatic.”
Emily Densmore, Don Giovanni, 2024
Emily Densmore, soprano, played Donna Anna, the daughter of the Commandant of Seville, and the target of Don Giovanni’s attention. For her preparation to portray this character, she often paid attention to the details – in particular, how being a woman was like in society during the 18th century.
“I’m sure you can imagine it’s very different in the way you talk and the way you approach people and the way you even stand up,” she reflects. “And so I think that bringing in those details is really an important way to live in the character and really let it blossom for the audience to see. So that was sort of the first thing I did was sort of think about those nuances of, you know, being a woman during that time period.” For Densmore, a challenge and reward simultaneously was attempting to emulate the feelings of a woman from a past society. She wanted to fully commit herself and is proud of her work. “It’s such a thrilling and rewarding experience,” she states. “There’s a real sense of pride in thinking, ‘Wow, I was able to embody this character, and the audience could see it, my director could see it.’ Even though it’s hard to make those choices, it’s incredibly exciting. That’s one of the most amazing things about being part of live theater.” Reflecting on collaboration with her peers, Densmore used her experience as a master’s student with years of theater under her belt –Shakespeare one of the many – and tasked herself with the responsibility of leadership. “I carry a lot of experience and responsibility because there are moments where I’m working with people in the show that are much younger than me, and it’s been a great teaching opportunity,” she reflects. “There were a lot of times where I’d say, ‘Hey, I think it would be really awesome if we did this,’ and everyone would be like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s great,’ or, ‘No,
‘Oh yeah, that’s great,’ or, ‘No, let’s do something different.
What was so amazing about this production was how open-minded everyone was to new ideas. There were so many times we’d have a scene, and we’d just talk, like, ‘Do you think we should do this? Do you think we should do that?’ It really culminated in such a safe space for everyone. That’s so important because making those decisions is vulnerable and can be awkward, but creating a safe space is how you make the magic happen.” As for adding any personal touches to connect with the modern-day audience,
(Left to Right) Vanessa Segovia, Bernadette Fernandez, Ana Mariñelarena,
Alania Cordero, Deeana Jaini-Malave
(Left to Right) Madeleine Phipps, Antonio Zubillaga, and Dylan Ramirez.
Happening Around The Nest
Densmore notes that although she added a few things, most of them came from the director, Dr. Howells.
“There were certain moments where we call it in theater, breaking the fourth wall, which is when you do an action or look at the audience and invite them into the story,” she notes. “I had a moment where my betrothed—my soon-to-be husband—was in a situation with Don Giovanni. He’s just standing there, and he had the opportunity to whip out his sword and put Don Giovanni in his place, but he didn’t. I look at him, and then I look at the audience, like, ‘Did you guys just see that? He could have fought him this whole time.’ Little moments like that—some directors hate it, some love it—but when it’s tasteful, it can be really fun to invite the audience into the story, like, ‘Oh, come on, you guys saw that too.’”
Densmore also reflects on the importance of authenticity when acting. “For me, I just tried to be really authentic, and I think that’s what makes an acting connection happen.,” She notes. “Being raw and real—just showing the emotion—the audience can feel that. In those moments, I’m not going to beef it up or try to be theatrical. I’m just feeling what I would feel if this happened to me. That authenticity is definitely palpable to audiences.”
The singer states that this was her first Mozart role that she’d ever sung – a huge feat for any vocalist. “It’s a big deal when you sing something by Mozart,” she notes. “That’s what made this production so incredible because a lot of these singers may not have an opportunity like this again.”
Something that surprised Densmore about Mozart while preparing and performing this production with her classmates is how much Mozart infused dramatic themes into his work, like Don Giovanni. “He loves drama,” she jokes. “Honestly, it’s almost like a reality show. You have these characters convening, and then another character shows up and surprises them. It’s all this in-and-out trickery. What it is, really, is high drama.”
Featured set designs by students from the School of Architecture plus Planning in UTSA’s Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design complemented the performances, enhancing the immersive experience for all in attendance. John Bagarozy and Mauricio Avendano are professors at the UTSA School of Architecture and Planning, both heading and collaborating on the unique interdisciplinary project with the UTSA Lyric Theatre to design and build sets for a production of Don Giovanni.
Bagarozy, who has experience in design-build projects and collaborative work with other departments, served as a guiding force in this endeavor, leveraging his prior collaborations with the College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA). Avendano, on the other hand, brought fresh enthusiasm and expertise as this project marked his first design-build experience as a professor, following his own background in architecture and design. Together, they mentored sophomore architecture students, helping them bridge the gap between conceptual design and practical execution.
Franceska Lugo, Don Giovanni, 2024
When asked what inspired the partnership, Bagarozy shared how it stemmed from a connection with COLFA in 2021. “Coming out of the pandemic semesters, we were doing some work online collaboratively. I designed an exhibit space for music and art students—a performance gallery. Jourdan [Howells] and I built a relationship from that,” he states.
Bagarozy brought Avendano into the project to help navigate challenges unique to working with sophomore architecture students. “This was my first design-build project as a professor,” Avendano reflects. “Being on the other side of it was exciting and a fun challenge.”
Designing the sets started much like a client meeting, as the professors indicate. “Jourdan gave us her vision— modern, contemporary, abstract. From there, the students began researching set types and how they work in performance spaces,” Avendano explains. “It was important for the set to convey the story’s essence, not just replicate it,”
Bagarozy adds, “The students really leaned into the material study, especially for the larger walls. They spent hours prototyping techniques, like using paper-mâché to achieve the desired texture. That hands-on engagement was one of the most innovative aspects of the project.”
The students faced challenges typical of a real-world project, from tight budgets to transporting sets between campuses. Avendano stresses that the collaborative aspect of the project was crucial to its success. “The prototyping phase was key,” Avendano reflects. “They had to figure out how these conceptual ideas could be turned into reality, considering both assembly and transport.”
As students navigated their roles within the group, leadership emerged, and they took ownership of the various challenges the project presented. This teamwork was essential for overcoming obstacles such as how to assemble and transport the set pieces from the downtown campus to the main performance venue. “We split them into groups, and some naturally became project managers,” Avendano shares. “They took ownership of tasks, often showing up early or staying late to ensure everything was performance-ready.” Bagarozy notes how working with limited resources pushed creativity.
“In school, budgets are theoretical, but here, they had to wrestle with a real one,” he states. “It forced them to think critically about materials, costs, and even how to make something look like something else.” To ensure the designs captured Don Giovanni’s essence, the architecture students immersed themselves in the opera. “We played the entire piece during studio classes to keep it fresh in their minds,” Bagarozy explains. “They had to balance Jourdan’s vision for specific scenes while also exploring their own creative interpretations.” One standout design element was the representation of social dichotomy in Don Giovanni’s world.
“The forms of the walls shifted across the stage, symbolizing the change from peasant life to luxury,” Bagarozy reflects. Ultimately, the collaboration provided students with a deeper understanding of what it takes to bring an artistic concept from paper to reality. “They learned to make with meaning,” Avendano states. “In architecture, projects are often theoretical, but here, every design decision was grounded in how it would be built and function in real life.” The experience also gave them a rare opportunity to work directly with a client—Jourdan, the director—helping them realize the complexities of real-world projects and the intersection of artistic vision and structural execution.
Alejandro Cuellar (left) and Jared Kellman-Medina (right)
“They saw firsthand that the process from paper to build is far from perfect,” Avendano reflects. “This project taught them to adapt and find creative solutions.” For Bagarozy, watching the students collaborate and grow was rewarding.
“Turning 34 minds into one cohesive process is hard, but seeing them take ownership at such a young stage in their careers was incredible,” he states.
Ultimately, this cross-disciplinary effort brought Don Giovanni to life in a way that highlighted both architectural ingenuity and operatic drama—a fitting union for Mozart’s high-stakes, theatrical world. The most rewarding part of this collaborative experience for both Bagarozy and Avendano was witnessing the entire process unfold.
Bagarozy shares that seeing how various ideas from different students and groups came together into a single cohesive set was a significant highlight. He emphasizes the camaraderie that developed between the students, noting that it’s rare to see such a large group working so well together. Both professors were able to experience their work from a completely new perspective.
As Bagarozy notes, “It was incredible to see our set performing, to see our students’ work come to life, and to interact with it as if we were part of the world the students created.” Avendano agrees with Bagarozy’s sentiments and also adds that the opportunity to showcase the students’ work in a gallery was another exciting aspect of the project. He stresses how much more rewarding it was for the audience to appreciate not just the final product but also the journey that led to it.
“It was great to have that gallery, as it gave people the chance to connect the dots between the designs and what they saw on stage,” Avendano says.Despite the inevitable challenges, the students overcame them as a team, creating a final product that they could all be proud of. Through this unique opportunity, both professors were able to show the depth of student contributions, while also giving the audience a chance to see the creative process up close.
Jourdan Laine Howell, an Associate Professor of Instruction in Voice and director of the UTSA Lyric Theatre, was initially drawn to Don Giovanni because of the talent and technique of her students.
“We had the voices to pull it off—it’s a big sing, but we had singers capable of beautifully managing the roles,” Howell notes.
When discussing the complex themes within Mozart’s opera, Howell shares that she rarely alters what the composer or librettist had in mind to suit modern audiences.
Don Giovanni Cast, UTSA Recital Hall, 2024
Bernadette Fernandez (left) and Abraham Gomez (right)
“Shows like Giovanni have been performed in theaters across the globe for hundreds of years because they are inherently excellent,” she says. “All I need to do is tell the story with as much honesty as possible, and Mozart will take care of the rest!”
Howell and her collaborators, including orchestra conductor Dr. Troy Peters and Justin Chappell, navigated the opera’s dark comedic tone by bouncing ideas off one another. “The three of us play off of one another well, often coming up with ideas to bring out the comedy for the audience—the audience needs some laughter in this opera!” she explains.
A standout aspect of Howell’s production was her addition of a new character not found in the score—Elvira’s maid. “We included a character who is not in the score,” Howell reveals. “She helped provide some commentary on the action and helped show Giovanni’s darker side. Maddie Phipps is an excellent actress and handled that supernumerary role well.”
But perhaps the most insightful guiding of Don Giovanni came in her work with the lead, Jared Kellman-Medina, who played the title role. The two started discussing the character back in spring 2024. Howell recalls, “We talked through options for the arc of the character, covering the reasons why Giovanni is who he is. That helped a great deal to have established a backstory prior to rehearsals.” Reflecting on the overall process, Howell found working with her team the most rewarding part of the experience.
“Working with Troy and Justin and Anna was the best,” she notes. Still, she acknowledges the challenges that came with the production, particularly the strain of directing a large-scale opera. “The opera was a heavy lift. I probably won’t take another big show on for a while, at least not without more resources and support. We are a ‘make it work’ team, and we do that well, but we need more resources to give students the opportunities they need.”
The production was notably shaped by an exciting collaboration with the UTSA architecture department, whose students designed and built the entire set. “What I love about opera is that there is a place for everyone,” Howell says. “John and Mauricio’s students had the chance to think about art and music in the development of their plans. They were able to approach design through a medium they might not have considered before—opera.” For many of these architecture students, Don Giovanni was their first exposure to the opera world, and the experience of seeing their work come to life on stage was a rare and rewarding opportunity.
Howell expresses her pride in their efforts, stating, “They gave the singers an environment to play in, and the combined efforts produced a show of which I am quite proud.” The entire production, from the rich voice work to the innovative set, exemplified how an interdisciplinary team can elevate a classic work like Don Giovanni while allowing students from various disciplines to experience the thrill of seeing their contributions celebrated in a live performance.
- Suzanna Bridges-Keese
Dr. Jourdan Howell (left) with Dr. Troy Peters (right), UTSA Recital Hall, 2024
