Award Winning Tradition

Our music students have the opportunity to participate in nationally recognized ensembles and have performed in prestigious venues and at international festivals. Indeed, because of the award-winning traditions in the UK School of Music, the school recently has been recognized as one of ten areas of excellence within the entire university. During this rise to national prominence over the past decade the UK School of Music has seen tremendous growth and now numbers approximately 370 majors in its program, which includes comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degrees. With our outstanding music faculty and superb library system we offer every opportunity for students to get the most from their education at the University of Kentucky.

STUDENTS

Brass

• Elizabeth McDonald, Grand Prize Winner, Category I of the International Women’s Brass Conference (2006)
• Elizabeth McDonald, First Place, Tuba Virtuoso Category at the Potomac Festival International Euphonium and Tuba Competition (2006)
• George Palton, Second Place, Tuba Virtuoso Category at the Potomac Festival Competition (2006)
• George Palton, First Place, Tuba Artist Category at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference (2006)
• Tommy Johnson, Semi-finalist, Falcone International Euphonium Solo Competition (2002)
• J. D. Salas, Semi-finalist, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (2002 and 2003) and International Tuba-Euphonium Conference Tuba Solo Competition (2002)
• David Kirven, Finalist, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (1999), Semi-finalist, U.S. Army Pershing’s Own Band audition competition (1999), and Finalist, U.S. Air Force Band audition competition (1999)
• Thomas Bratten, First Place, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition (1998)
• Brian Meixner, Second Place, Falcone International Tuba Solo Competition, (1998)

Keyboard

• Mami Hayashida, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at UK (2006)
• Mira Kruja, International award for the best electronically submitted dissertation on 20th-century piano technique (2005)
• Ryan Shirar, Winner of the Kentucky MTNA Piano Competition   (2002)
• Mira Kruja, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at UK (1998)

Musicology, Music Education, and Composition

• Angela Hammond, Second Place for best student paper at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music—US Chapter’s annual conference (2006)
• Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber, National Opera Association Outstanding Dissertation Award for the 2003-2004 biennium (2005) and National Opera Association Scholarly Paper Competition (2002)
• Raleigh Dailey, Al Smith Fellowship for musical composition, $5000 (2000)
• Katherine O’Connell, Third Place, National Association of Composers U.S.A. Competition for composers under the age of 30 (1999)
• Tedrin Lindsay, Rey Longyear Prize for the best Graduate Student Paper. South-Central Chapter meeting of the American Musicological Society (1999)
• Timothy S. Brophy, Outstanding Dissertation in Music Education Award (1998)

Percussion

• Since 1994, University of Kentucky percussion students have been selected as finalists in the Percussive Arts Society International Solo Competition a total of nine times, finishing in first place five times, a record achievement matched by no other institution.
• Ellis Hampton, First Place and Robert Parks, First Alternate, Percussive Arts Society Solo Percussion Contest (2002)
• Jeremy Chapman, First Place, Percussive Arts Society International Collegiate Solo Percussion Contest (2001)
• Eric Willie, Gold Medalist award as Conductor of UK Indoor Drum Line, Percussion Independent World Class Winter Guard International Championships (2000)
• Kenyon Williams, Third Chair in Percussion, Louisville Orchestra.

Strings

• Peter Isaacson, Rebecca Kiekenapp, Peter Neubert, and Jennifer Schiller (members of the Niles String Quartet). Semi-Final round, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (1998)
• Peter Neubert, Second Place, Chamber Music Competition at the Estate Musicale a Portogruaro, Italy (1999)
  Jennifer Schiller, Fellowship, Paris Conservatory (1999-2000)

Voice

• Since 1995 the UK School of Music vocal program has produced ten Metropolitan Opera winners at the district level, four at the regional level, and one at the national.
• Christopher Conley: Puccini Award, Orpheus Vocal Competition (2006)
  
• Ann Fuchs, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2005)
• Brandy Lynn Hawkins, Encouragement Award, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2005), St. Louis Opera Young Artist (2006)
• Jennifer Coleman, performances with New York City Opera in The Magic Flute, (2003)
• Mark Huseth, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2002); Member U.S. Soldier’s Chorus
• Christy Pritchard, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2002)
• Mark Whatley, Finalist in the National Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001) and Winner, Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Corey Crider, Winner Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001) and Winner District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Patricia Andress, Winner, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2001)
• Jennifer Coleman. First Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions, (2000) and Professional Finalist, McAllister Regional Awards (2000); Assistant Professor of Voice Belmont University
• Corey Crider, Second Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000)
• Reshma Shetty, Second Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000). Reshma is now female lead in the first Broadway tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams (2006)
• Charis Strange, Finalist, Vocal Competition of National Opera Association Convention (2000); Finalist, McAllister Regional Awards (2000); Member U.S. Soldier’s Chorus
• Kim Venhuizen, Third Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000)
• Mark Whatley, Winner, Bach and Handel Aria Competition, Aspen Music Festival, (2000), First Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000), Finalist, Palm Beach Opera Competition (2000), and Finalist, McAllister Awards Regional Finals (2000)
• Shederick Whipple, Third Place, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-South Regional Student Auditions (2000), Assistant Professor of Voice, Taylor University
• Norman Reinhardt, Winner District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (2000)
• Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber, Winner National Opera Association Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2003-2004,  Assistant Professor of Music at Chesapeake College
• Patricia Andress, First Place, Nashville Region Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1999)
• Jennifer Coleman, Finalist, Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria (1999)
• Lillian Roberts, Winner, Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria (2004)
• Tina Milhorn, Winner, Young Artist Award in the Central City (CO) Opera (1999) and Finalist, Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Competition (1999)
• Justin Vickers, First Place, National Opera Association vocal competition (1999) and First Place, Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1999)
• Andrea Jones, Legacy Award, National Opera Association Vocal Competition (1999); Cast Member 3 Mo’ Divas (2006)
• Justin Vickers, National finalist, Orlando Opera’s Heinz Rehfuss Voice Competition (1998) and National Semi-finalist, MacAllister Awards for Singers (1998)
• Andrea Jones, First Place, Regional competition of National Association of Teachers of Singing (1998) and Finalist, MacAllister Awards for Singers (1998)
• Angelique Clay, First Place, District Metropolitan Opera Auditions (1997)
• Phumzile Sojola, Grand Prize Recipient of the 2000 Orpheus National Vocal Competition and a finalist at the 2005 MacAllister Awards; cast member of 3 Mo’ Tenors (2006).
• Andrea Jones, Second Place, State competition of National Association of Teachers of Singing (1997)
• Daniel Koehn, First Prize, National Society for Arts and Letters Regional Auditions (1996) and Finalist, McAllister Awards National Competition (1996)
• Greg Turay was the Metropolitan Opera Auditions national Winner (1995) and went on to win the Richard Tucker Young Artist Award (1997). Turay now sings with the Metropolitan Opera and opera companies throughout the world.

Woodwinds

• Jennifer Collins, currently contrabassoonist with the Cincinnati Symphony, National runner up, National Federated Music Clubs Collegiate Woodwind Competition (1995); Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (1995)
• Daniel Chrisman, bassoon, Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (2004), and National Federated Music Clubs Collegiate Woodwind Competition, State Winner (2003)
• Brett VanGansbeke was State winner and Southern Region third place, Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Woodwind Competition (2004)
  

ENSEMBLES

Choral Ensembles

• Since 1993 UK Choirs have been invited to appear at fourteen music education conferences. Three different choirs have received invitations
  
• UK Men’s Choir, under Jefferson Johnson, performed at the National Association of the Music Educators National Conference, Salt Lake City (2006)
• UK Chorale, under Dr. Johnson’s direction, performed at the National Cathedral (2003), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (2001), MENC Southern Division Convention (1999), and ACDA Southern Division Convention (1998)
• UK Women’s chorus, under Lori Hetzel’s direction, was featured at the ACDA National Convention in NYC (2003), MENC Southern Division Convention (2001), ACDA Southern Division Convention in Florida (2000), and went on a European tour (2005)

UK Bands

• The UK Wind Ensemble was a featured ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association National Conference (CBDNA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2003), the CBDNA Southern Division Regional Convention at Vanderbilt University in Nashville (2006), in Greensboro, North Carolina (2000), in Athens, Georgia (1997), and in Biloxi, Mississippi (1996) and the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville (2006)
• The UK Symphony Band was invited as featured ensemble, Southern Division MENC/Florida Music Educators' In Service Clinic-Conference (2005) and the featured ensemble at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville (2003)
  

Brass Ensembles

• UK Trumpet Quintet, First Place, National Trumpet Competition (2004)
• Brass Quartet, Second Place, International Tuba Quartet Competition (2002)
• The UK Trombone Choir participated in the Eastern Trombone Workshop (2000 and 2002)
• UK Trombone Quartet, one of three finalists to perform at the first annual International Trombone Association Quartet Competition (2001)
• UK Tuba Quartet, Second Place, 2001 International Tuba Quartet Competition and was a semi-finalist for this competition four other times
• UK Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble performed at the International Tuba-Euphonium Conference (1998 and 2002)

Percussion Ensembles

• UK Percussion Ensemble was named one of the three collegiate winners of the PASIC Percussion Ensemble Competition and featured at PASIC in Nashville (2004). This is the second time in a row that the group has won this prestigious invitation.
  
• UK Percussion Ensemble invited to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2002)
  
• UK Percussion Ensemble won the Percussive Arts Society “Call for Tapes” for Collegiate Percussion Ensembles (2001)
  
• UK Marching Percussion Ensemble won First Place, College Division, Winter Guard International Competition (2000)
  
• UK Drumline was named the WGI University Class World Champion (2000)

Sax and Jazz Ensembles

• The UK Mega-Sax Ensemble is a 2-time winner of the coveted Student Downbeat Awards (an international competition)
• The UK Saxophone Quartet is a 2-time winner of the coveted Student Downbeat Awards (an international competition)
  
• The UK Mega-Sax Quartet has been a quarter finalist of the International Fischoff Chamber Competition
  
• The UK Mega-Sax Quartet is a four-time winner of the "Outstanding Combo Award" at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival (one of the oldest, most prestigious collegiate competitions in the country)
• The UK Jazz Ensemble is a two-time recipient of the "Outstanding Band" Award at the Notre Dame Collegiate jazz Festival—THE oldest, most prestigious collegiate competition in the country
  
• The UK Jazz Ensemble is a two-time winner of the "Outstanding Jazz Ensemble Award" at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival (one of the oldest, most prestigious collegiate competitions in the country)
• 5 recordings from the Jazz Department have been recommended for Grammy nominations
• 5 recordings from the Jazz Department have received "4-star" reviews from Downbeat Magazine
• The UK Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at the 1999 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois
  
• UK Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at the 1996 International Association of Jazz Educator's conference in Atlanta, Georgia

 

Updated: February 8, 2008