A Note from the School of Music
December 2, 2022
KC’s Corner
As I write on this beautiful Fall morning – my first Autumn in Utah! – I am drawn to the lyrics of the 1965 song from The Bryds, Turn! Turn! Turn! "...to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose, under heaven…a time to laugh…a time to build up…a time to gain, a time to lose, a time to rend, a time to sew.”
I have always enjoyed that song because it encourages us to accept the present and understand that we are meant to move, grow, and change in the future. It is a song of honesty and hope.
At this point, it is hard for me to imagine that less than 10 months ago, I had never set foot on this campus. The School of Music community was exactly what I imagined when I began the “what if” of applying for this position, moving away from a lifetime on the east coast, and stepping far out of my comfort zone to join the U – talented, smart, community-oriented, compassionate, and committed to students, musical rigor, and each other. I was immediately swept up in the energy that moves through this building, the kindness of strangers that quickly became colleagues and friends, and an overwhelming sense of being home. I am so honored to be here!
Since my start date of July 1, I have been busy in individual meetings with faculty, staff, students, and supporters to absorb their views on their work, the strengths of the School of Music, the areas where we can improve, and the ways in which I can support them. The answers have been reflective and honest and showcase a deep commitment to honoring the historical strengths of our School while imagining a future with new curricular initiatives, diversified experiences and community members, deeper outreach and engagement opportunities, and stronger community relationships. We are excited to be here together and deeply committed to moving forward in purposeful ways. I am eager to share updates and successes with you in future newsletters and conversations.
As we look to the upcoming holidays and all that 2023 may offer us, I will share a quote that has offered me comfort in a year of more change that I have ever experienced in my life. André Gide, French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, said, “One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” What an amazing opportunity it has been to discover new lands this year, and how thankful I am for the seasons of purpose, laughing, and building that lie ahead. To everything there is a season and what wonderful seasons we have to look forward to in the School of Music!
Kim Councill
Director of the School of Music
SAVE THE DATE
Alumni Reception to follow The University of Utah Chamber Choir performance at UMEA. Friday, Feb. 3, 2023
Alumni Updates
Larry Smith (MMU ’02, BMU ’94) was the recipient of the 2022 Arts Educator Award from the College of Fine Arts. Smith has taught choral music for 27 years, and is currently in his 25th year as
choral director at Bountiful High School. He conducts seven choirs at the school with
over 400 students participating. Under his direction, the Bountiful High choirs have
consistently received superior ratings at region and state choral festivals, and they
have performed all over the country.Smith has also performed, conducted, or accompanied
choirs throughout the world. He is currently the choir director for the Utah Ambassadors
of Music, an honor choir consisting of exceptional high school choir students from
throughout the state. He has traveled with these young musicians on eight separate
European tours. An active member of the Utah Music Educators Association, Smith served
as Choral Vice-President from 2018-2020. He is also a member of the American Choral
Directors’ Association, and is a highly sought-after clinician, adjudicator, accompanist,
musical director, and conductor.
Morgan Smith (MMU ’21), alongside current student Rachel Horman, participated in International Musicians Academy in July. They were joined by faculty Dr. Blanka Bednarz and performed in Vidin, Bulgaria
where they were featured as soloists in concertos by Dvorak and Stamitz with Sinfonietta
Vidin in Vidin's Philharmonic Hall, under the baton of Maestro Dr. Ovidiu Marinescu.
Misti Webster (MA ’22) presented her thesis “Music as Means: New Light on the Musical Education
and Accomplishments of Zitkala-Ša” at the American Musicological Society New England
Chapter Spring Meeting, hosted by Yale University, and on Sept. 1, 2021 at the Third
International Conference on Women's Work in Music, hosted by Bangor University, Wales,
UK. Webster is now working as a sessional instructor in the School of Music and preparing
to apply for a PhD in musicology. 
Evan Taylor (MMU ’20) is currently an Assistant Instructor at the African American Arts Institute
at Indiana University while he pursues his DM in Jazz Studies. Taylor will present
at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Minneapolis early next year regarding
jazz trumpet, improvisation, and developing fluidity on the horn. He frequently collaborates
with industry producers developing music for Netflix, HGTV, BET and other television
programs and has been represented as a recording artist by Warner Chappell Music since
2018. 
Seth Pendergast (PhD ’18) is an Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado State University. Pendergast
is presented research at the National Association for Music Education Biennial Research
Conference in November of 2022 and has recently published “Research-to-Resource: Two
Motivation Frameworks for Encouraging School Choral Participation” (Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, March 2022) and “Creative Music-Making with Digital Audio Workstations.” (Music
Educators Journal, January 2022). 
Alison Saporta (MMU ’21) recently performed as a soloist in “Make Music Day” for Art Song Preservation
Society of New York. In addition, Saporta recently learned the role of Susanna from
Le Nozze di Figaro with SAS Performing Arts Company and was named a finalist in the
Music International Grand Prix competition. What are you up to since your time at the School of Music? We want to hear your update.
Student Spotlight
Second year DMA student Xueji Sun (Jason) has competed in international piano competitions and won both top prizes: the Platinum Medal at the 2022 Canadian International Music Competition and First Prize in the 2022 Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition. He is a student of Ning Lu.
Additionally, third year DMA student Hongda Wu won Frist Prize in the 2022 Golden Classical Music Competition in NYC. He has been invited to play a concert at the Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall on Dec. 21, 2022.
NAfME Conference
A number of School of Music faculty, graduate students, and alumni presented at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) conference in early November. Presenters included Kim Councill (Director), Jared Rawlings (Associate Dean for Faculty & Academic Affairs, Associate Professor), Emily Mercado (Assistant Professor), Kandis Taylor, (Ph.D. candidate), Timothy McMurray (Ph.D. candidate), Emilee Knell (Ph.D. candidate), Andrew Howden (M.M. student), Erin Bailey (Ph.D. ‘21), Seth Pendergast( PhD ‘18), and Timothy Sexton (DMA ‘22).
Faculty Successes
Artivism for Earth, a project by Hasse Borup (Professor) and Elisabet Curbelo (Assistant Professor) was selected as a recipient of the 2022 inaugural Anthem Awards. The Anthem Awards honors the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies
and organizations worldwide. It hopes to amplify the voices that spark global change
and define a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action
in their own communities. Borup and Curbelo, with other prominent artists, educators
and scientists from Harvard, Stanford, University of California, Berkeley and other
universities across the country, developed the Artivism For Earth project to inspire compassionate and creative actions to the climate crises facing
the world.
Rob Baldwin (Professor, Director of Orchestral Activities) performed at the 100th Anniversary
of Timpanogos Cave National Monument Monument’s Arts in the Park Centennial Event
with a program titled, “Bardic Bach.” Baldwin played selected solo Bach movements
alternating with recited poetry selections from Sappho, Whitman, Shakespeare, and
more.
Elizabeth Titrington Craft (Assistant Professor) was recently recognized with the College of Fine Arts Faculty
Excellence in Research Award for her research and publishing work which crosses disciplinary
boundaries to explore how music conveys sociopolitical values and constructs national
identity, focusing especially on musical theater from the early twentieth century
through the present.
Matthew Durrant (Adjunct Assistant Professor) was selected by the National Park Service in 2021 to
be the Artist in Residence at Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. Durrant
wrote a brass quintet based on various features of the monument, that premiered at
the park in the corresponding locations, and gave a lecture to the public in conjunction
with the performances. Additionally, Durrant’s “Sonata for Flute and Piano” premiered
at Stephen F Austin University in January, followed by a performance at the Society
of Composers, Inc. National Online Conference in May, and has been selected as a finalist
for the 2022 American Prize in Composition (Professional Chamber division).
Haruhito Miyagi (Adjunct Assistant Professor) premiered his Barlow Endowment for Music Composition commission, “Transfigured Permutation: Mosaic Visions of Grace for Organ” in San Antonio, Texas. In August, Miyagi also premiered an orchestral work, “In memoriam: The Victims of Tóhoku Daishinsai for Orchestra” by the Orquestra Sinfônica do Teatro Nacional Claudio Santoro (Brazilian National Orchestra) at the Eixo Cultural Ibero-americano in Brasilia, Brazil.
Jared R. Rawlings (Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs), recently released his new book
"Reflections on Elizabeth A. H. Green’s Life and Career in Music Education" uncovering pedagogical insights not available in the late educator’s published texts.
Through the exploration of an extraordinary educator’s life, it offers new insights
into both the history of music education and present-day pedagogy for string instruments
and conducting.
Steven Vanhauwaert (Assistant Professor) recently released an album on Navona Records with works by French
composer Éric Tanguy. It features two solo piano works (one of which was written for
Steven), as well as his Piano Trio (commissioned for cellist Cécilia Tsan) and works
for solo violin and violin duo. The album features three World Premieres Recordings
and has already received a 5-star review on Luxembourg’s Pizzicato magazine, as well as critical praise in France and Germany. It was also a featured
album on KNCJ, KPFK, and WTUL. 
Giving
Dubbed "The Pride of Utah" since its inception in the 1940s, the Marching Utes remain a thunderous force of energy, excitement, and team spirit at the University of Utah. They have provided the soundtrack of our pride, and we wouldn’t be the community we are without them.
Today, they need your support.