Student and alumni News
Congratulations to Kramer Milan (DMA 2020) on his new position as Professor of Percussion at University of Northern Iowa!
Congratulations to Emily Strachan (MM 2018) on her new position as Operations Director for String Theory at the Hunter, General Manager for arx duo, and Operations Manager for Emerald City Music!
Congratulations to Josh Blessing (BME 2018) on being one of the winners of the Semper Pro Musica Solo and Chamber Music Competition! Josh will be performing ‘Burritt Variations’ by Alejandro Vinao at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall!
Congratulations to Sebastian Buhts (DMA 2019) on receiving the MSU Dissertation Completion Fellowship: Buhts will be conducting research in Varanasi, India on the Benares lineage of tabla performance practices
Congratulations to Alex Smith (DMA 2018) on receiving the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Award to conduct original research in Ghana!
Congratulations to Alice Pan (DMA 2017) on her solo marimba album release, “Of Love and Loss”
Congratulations to the MSU Percussion Ensemble for being selected as one of the winners of the PASIC Percussion Ensemble Competition 2017! Please check out our YouTube channel for videos of our PASIC performances.
CHAMBER GROUPS
4LoKo$' Quartet
(Alice Pan - DMA 2017, Kathryn Irwin - DMA 2018, Alex Smith - DMA 2018)
2017 - performances and master classes in Taiwan and Japan
Balanced Structure Percussion Duo - https://balancedstructurepercussion.wordpress.com/
(Kathryn Irwin – DMA 2018, Emily Strachan – MM 2018)
2018 - Ensemble Fellows at the Cortona Sessions for New Music
2017 - performances at Wichita State University and the University of Kansas, residency at Avaloch Farm Music Institute as part of Ensemble Impromptu
2016 – performances and classes at Louisiana State University, Southeastern Louisiana State University, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and finalists in the MSU Concerto Competition
Tala Rasa Percussion Trio - www.talarasapercussion.weebly.com
(James Beauton – BM 2010, Brendan Betyn – BM 2013, Steve Wulff – BM 2008, DMA 2017)
2016 – Performances and classes at the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Maryland
2016 – Presser Award given by the Peabody Conservatory
2015 – Performances and classes at Southern Utah University, University of Las Vegas, Los Angeles City College, Cypress College, University of California Santa Barara, Chapman University
2014 – Performances and classes at Interlochen Center for the Arts, California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS/ALUMNI
Michael Armendariz (DMA 2015)
Instructor of percussion and music business at New Mexico State University
PAS chapter president of New Mexico (2014-16)
Garrett Arney (BM 2010) - https://www.curtis.edu/academics/faculty/summerfest-faculty-bios/garrett-arney/
Member of the arx percussion duo - www.arxduo.com
Instructor of Percussion at the Peabody Conservatory
Instructor of Percussion at Cleveland State University
Visiting Guest Artist at Michigan State University
Carnegie Hall Ensemble ACJW Fellow - 2014-16
Artist Diploma – Yale School of Music
MM – Peabody Conservatory
Pablo Bagilet (DMA 2011)
Principal Percussionist of the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra (Santa Fe, Argentina)
Principal Timpanist of the Orquestra Sinfonica de Entre Rios (Parana, Argentina)
Professor of Percussion at the Instituto Superior de Musica de la Universidad Nacional (Santa Fe, Argentina)
James Beauton (BM 2011) - www.jamesbeauton.com
DMA – University of San Diego (in progress)
Member of RedFish BlueFish
Yellow Barn Chamber Music Festival - 2012
Winner of the Southern California Marimba Competition – 2012
MM – Stonybrook University
Mickey Bertelsen (MM 2020)
Percussionist at 338th US Army Reserve Band
BME - Central Michigan University
Brendan Betyn (BM 2013)
DMA – Peabody Conservatory (in progress)
Baltimore School of the Arts – Teaching Assistant
Colorado College Summer Music Festival - 2016
Aspen Music Festival – 2014
MM – Peabody Conservatory
Josh Blessing (BME 2018)
MM - Baylor University (in progress)
Zac Brunell (BM 2015) - http://detroitbureauofsound.com/
Director of Detroit Bureau of Sound
Manager of New Music Detroit
Member of YAK
So Percussion Summer Institute - 2014
Sebastian Buhts (DMA 2019) - https://sebastianbuhts.com/
Summer Tabla Workshop with Shawn Mativetsky, Montréal - 2017, 2018
Adjunct Professor of Percussion, Belmont University - 2015
Aspen Music Festival - 2014
Zeltsman Marimba Festival - 2010
Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar - 2008
BM & MM - Belmont University
Steve Dailey (BME 2009)
Band Director at Castle North Middle School (Newburgh, IN)
MM - Wind Conducting, Baylor University
Moose Davis (MM 2017) - http://www.stryke.org/news/2017/8/21/meet-the-front-ensemble-staff-of-stryke-percussion-piw
Cortona Sessions for New Music (Festival Participant) – 2016
Great Plains Marimba Competition, Third Prize – 2015
BM - University of Central Arkansas
Mark DeMull (MM 2011) - https://www.markdemull.com/
DMA – Peabody Conservatory (in progress)
Instructor of Percussion, University of Baltimore
Instructor of percussion, Saginaw Valley State University - 2011-13
Instructor of Percussion, Alma College - 2010-13
Performance Diploma – Peabody Conservatory
Brent Echols (BME 2014)
MM - Wind Conducting, Michigan State University (in progress)
Assistant Director of Bands at Robert E Lee High School (Tyler, TX)
Cody Edgerton (BME 2016)
Band Director at Elk Rapids High School and Middle School (Elk Rapids, MI)
Henry Eichman (DMA 2021)
Percussion Instructor, Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music School - 2018
Section Percussionist, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra - 2016-18
Modern Snare Drum Competition, Second Place - 2017
Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar - 2015
MM - University of Minnesota Duluth
BM - West Chester University
Jake Finkbeiner (MM 2009)
Band Director at Grand Blanc West Middle School (Grand Blanc, MI)
Instructor of Percussion, Alma College - 2008-09
Josh Flynn (MM 2017)
Assistant Band Director and Percussion Instructor, Northridge High School (Middlebury, IN)
Percussion Teacher, Center Grove High School (Greenwood, IN) - 2017
BME - University of Indianapolis
Daniel Gerhardt (BM 2018)
MM - University of Miami (in progress)
Caleb Goncz (BME 2016)
Assistant Band Director at Grand Blanc High School (Grand Blanc, MI)
Sam Gould (DMA 2013)
Instructor of Percussion, Grand Rapids Community College
Instructor of Music Literature, Grand Valley State University
Jake Greenwood (BME 2009)
Assistant Director of Bands at Troy High School (Troy, MI)
Former Band Director at Leslie High School (Leslie, MI)
Alina Grimm (DMA 2013)
Fine Arts Coordinator, Drake University
Percussion Teaching Artist, Drake University
National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy Paper Presentation - 2014
Tia Harvey (MM 2014, DMA 2017)
Running Start Competition Michigan State University Grant Winner – 2016
National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy Paper Presentation - 2015
Kathryn Irwin (DMA 2018) - https://kathrynirwinpercussion.wordpress.com/
Music Teacher at Sebastian Elementary School (Palm Bay, FL)
Finalist in the MSU Running Start Competition - 2018
Cortona Sessions for New Music (Festival Participant) – 2016
Eutin Opera Festival - 2014
MM - University of Kansas
BME - Louisiana State University
Liz Karney (BME 2017)
MM - University of Denver (in progress)
So Percussion Summer Institute - 2018
Percussion Director, Columbine High School (Denver, CO)
Kevin Keith (MM 2016) - http://heartlandmarimba.com/kevin-keith/
Performance Diploma – University of Denver (in progress)
Featured Performer at Electronic Music Midwest 2016
Extra Percussionist, Colorado Symphony - 2016-present
Colorado College Summer Music Festival – 2015, 2016
Wei-Chen Lin (DMA 2012)
Lein Percussion Group Member
Professor of Music, TransWorld University (Douliu City, Taiwan)
Craig Luft (2011 BME)
Band Director at Corunna High School (Corunna, MI)
Ben Mapes (BM 2014)
DMA – Peabody Conservatory (in progress)
Alice and Leary Taylor Award in Performance from the Peabody Conservatory
Chautauqua Summer Music Festival – 2015
MM – Peabody Conservatory
Denise Martaus (BME 2011)
Elementary Music Teacher for the Huron Valley School District (Oakland Co, MI)
Frontline Instructor, Redline Percussion
Kramer Milan (DMA 2020) - https://www.kramermilan.com/
Adjunct Professor of Percussion, Olivet College - 2017, 2018
Section Percussionist, Midland Symphony - 2018
Substitute Timpanist, New World Symphony - 2015-present
Vic Firth, Zildjian, and Pearl/Adams Artist Educator
Norfolk Chamber Music Festival - 2016
Aspen Music Festival - 2014
Chautauqua Music Festival - 2013
Cloyd Duff Timpani Masterclass - 2012
MM - Yale School of Music
BM - Peabody Conservatory
Emilio Monreal (MM 2017)
Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps, Battery Specialist - 2019
Assistant Band Director/Percussion Instructor, Angleton High School (Angleton, TX)
Corpus Christi FLAMM Jam Guest Artist - 2018
Joe Mundy (BME 2010)
Band Director at Pelham High School (Pelham, NH)
Director of the Manchester Community Music School NH Youth Wind Ensemble
Yun Ju “Alice” Pan (DMA 2017) – www.yunpercussion.com
Master Classes at the University of Ohio, Ball State University, University of North Alabama
First Prize Winner of the Australian International Marimba Competition - 2016
http://www.music.msu.edu/news/percussion-student-takes-honors-across-the-globe
First Prize Winner at the Taiwan International Percussion Championship – 2016
First Prize and Audience Prize Winner at the Taiwan International Percussion Championship – 2015
First Prize Winner at the White Lake Solo Competition - 2014
PASIC International Vibraphone Competition Third Prize Winner – 2013
Isaac Pyatt (MM 2020) - http://isaacpyattmusic.virb.com/home
Waterloo Region Contemporary Music Sessions - 2018
North Carolina PAS Soloist Competition, First Place - 2016, 2017
So Percussion Summer Institute - 2016
Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar - 2015
BM, Percussion & Composition - UNC Greensboro
Chuck Scheller (BME 2013)
Elementary Music Teacher Ector County Independent School District (Odessa, TX)
Natalie Sears (BME 2014)
Band Director at Pinewood Middle School (Kentwood, MI)
Geordan Sherd (BME 2010)
Middle and High School Music Teacher, Chadwick International School (Incheon, Korea)
Steve Spence (BME 2008)
Band Director at Greenfield Middle School (El Cajon, CA)
Alex Smith (MM 2014, DMA 2018) – jasmithmusic.weebly.com
Assistant Professor of Percussion, University of Central Missouri - 2017-present
Article Published - "New Musical Contexts for More Sustainably Made Marimbas" in the inaugural issue of the Percussive Notes Online Research Journal. http://www.pas.org/resources/research/PercussiveNotesOnlineResearchEdition/percussive-notes-online-research-interactive
Michigan Heritage Award – 2016
Somers Teaching Award from Michigan State University – 2015
Winner of the Hatching Competition Grant – 2015
Rasmussen Award from Michigan State University – 2015
Running Start Grant Competition Winner- 2014
UNCG Sustainable Shorts Competition – 2014
Emily Strachan (MM 2018)
String Theory at the Hunter, Operations Director - present
Emerald City Music, Operations Manager - present
arx duo, General Manager - present
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Training Ensembles Recruitment and Operations intern - 2018
Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, season intern - 2017
Yarn/Wire Institute - 2017
Sandbox Percussion Seminar - 2016, 2017
So Percussion Summer Institute - 2014
Chosen Vale International Percussion Seminar - 2013
Cloyd Duff Timpani Masterclass - 2013
BM - University of Kansas
Tomoko Taki (Performance Diploma 2014) -http://tomokotaki23.wixsite.com/tomoko-page
Solo Performer and Educator (Tottori, Japan)
Kelsey Tamayo (DMA 2014) – https://kelseytamayo.com
Percussion Professor at Drury University
Taneycomo Festival Orchestra – 2016
Interlochen Arts Camp Teaching Assistant - 2013
Ross Taylor (BME 2013)
Assistant Band Director at Clarckson Community Schools (Clarckson MI)
Front Ensemble Manager, Redline Percussion
Innovative Percussion Artist/Educator
Mackenzie Viventi (BME 2011) – www.missmackenziemusic.com
Director and Teacher at Miss Mackenzie Music (Agoura Hills, CA)
Zuri Wells (BM 2016, MM 2018)
Performance Diploma - University of Toronto (in progress)
Brevard Music Center Concerto Competition Winner – 2015
Brevard Music Festival – 2015
NANM Competition Third Prize Winner – 2014
Demetrius White (BME 2010)
Band Director Holland Public Schools (Holland, MI)
Jonathan Wright (BME 2015) - http://jonathanwright17.weebly.com/biography.html
Band Director and Music Teacher at Springfield Schools (Springfield, CO)