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.” Dr. Vianna was invited to give a clinic in the composition/arranging category. Vianna’s clinic, “Brazilian Choro for Jazz Big Band: A Guide for Jazz Composers and Band Directors,” covered an old Brazilian instrumental style that is becoming more popular among American jazz musicians in recent years. Due to a lack of quality material for jazz big band in the style, Vianna shared his experience writing his own arrangements and helping students learn this exciting music style. Faculty participation

demonstrated unparalleled contributions to the world of music composition. She has been commissioned an impressive 22 times since 2012 to write music for chamber ensembles and brass orchestras, including her groundbreaking composition “Octave 9: Pale Blue Dot,” commissioned by the Seattle Symphony for their $6.7 million-dollar performance space. Inspired by the prose of Carl Sagan, audio from the Voyager Golden Records, and the imagery of the James Webb Space Telescope, the piece combines stunning visuals

native of Memphis, Tennessee, mentored by jazz piano great James Williams. He studied composition with Donald Freund and Jonathan Kramer, and ethnomusicology with David Evans. Dr. Deacon-Joyner came to western Washington from the University of North Texas in Denton, where he held the position of Associate Professor of Jazz Studies from 1986 to 2000. He received his Bachelor’s degree in composition and Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Memphis, and his master’s degree in composition from

talked a lot about the technical aspects of camera work relating to dance films and dancing for the camera. I used the information I gained from the master class and applied it to my classwork, especially the dance film final project for Composition and Choreography. It helped me think about how to both choreograph and dance for a camera and how this is different than dancing on a stage. —Brooke Nelson ’23, Dance minor Though the circumstances of the year are not what any of us would have chosen, I

talked a lot about the technical aspects of camera work relating to dance films and dancing for the camera. I used the information I gained from the master class and applied it to my classwork, especially the dance film final project for Composition and Choreography. It helped me think about how to both choreograph and dance for a camera and how this is different than dancing on a stage. —Brooke Nelson ’23, Dance minor Though the circumstances of the year are not what any of us would have chosen, I

apply for more than one Artistic Achievement Award, which are offered in Art & Design, Dance, and Theatre in addition to Music. However, your applications will need to be entirely separate and you will need to prepare all of the necessary application materials for all areas. If you have two music interests (such as more than one instrument, voice and an instrument, or composition and an instrument, for example) our application process allows you to detail up to two music areas that you want taken

, but she might have taken her most high-profile class just this year: an “Up Close With the Masters” session with Vladimir Feltsman, one of the best-known concert pianists in the world. “Up Close with the Masters” classes are intimate work sessions put on by Portland Piano International each season in concert with its recitals. Offered to the public, for free, the classes provide young musicians an opportunity to see and hear a master teach. Burton did just that on Jan. 13. Feltsman, who was in

Dr. Edwin Powell Selected to Join WMEA’s Hall of Fame Posted by: Reesa Nelson / November 5, 2019 November 5, 2019 By Reesa NelsonMarketing & Communications ManagerHearty congratulations to our own Dr. Edwin Powell, Director of Bands and Professor of Music, on his selection for the 2020 class of the Washington Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. Honorees are selected every other year by their teaching peers and inducted at the annual WMEA conference. Dr. Powell was surprised to receive the

he talked about what inspires his musical compositions today. “I really didn’t have any particular gift in that area,” Reid said of his mother’s innate talent with the paintbrush. “But I did want to transfer what she did into music. “I found that I liked expression in modern music,” he continued. “I know there were people who didn’t like modern music, but it just seemed natural to me.” The genesis of his career in composition came in junior high, when he composed a guitar piece. He still has the

terribly important they consider themselves a part of a community and that they serve that community. I think art should serve a purpose and that should be a purpose that people can understand.” Youtz, who fittingly teaches a class called On Creativity, involves himself, additionally, in a wide variety of community engagements, including but not limited, to assistant teaching at the Tacoma Youth Symphony, and membership on a board for the building of a Chinese park on the Tacoma water front. “I’m all