Alumni News
Josh Bryan
Josh Bryan graduated with a music performance degree in the spring of 2003. In May of 2002, he was named a Buder Scholar receiving a special scholarship from the Buder foundation. He was the first percussionist to receive this honor. He also won the concerto competition performing Concertino for Xylophone and Orchestra by Toshiro Mayuzumi and performed with the orchestra in the fall of 2004. In addition to his music degree, he completed a Computer Science degree in the spring of 2005 and is currently working in Chicago as a Software Engineer for ItsYourDomain.com.
Junior Recital – May 3, 2002
Senior Recital – January 31, 2004
Marcello Casagrande
Marcello Casagrande, a native of Londrina, Parana – Brazil, studied percussion at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music and at the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra’s Academy of Music. He received his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the State University of Londrina. In 2004, he was the teaching assistant of Tierry Miroglio at the Internaitonal Music Festival of Londrina. Marcello has studied with Ney Rosauro, John Boulder, Carlos, Tarcha, and Luiz D’Anunciacao.
Professionally, Marcello has performed with numerous orchestras. In addition to his orchestra appearances, he has appeared as a studio musician and recitalist. More recently, he presented a feature concert at the International Percussion Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico as a member of the MU Graduate Percussion Quartet. Marcello graduated in May 2007 with a Master’s of Music degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Missouri-Columbia under the guidance of Dr. Julia Gaines.
Master’s Recital – February 3, 2007
Christine Conklin/Souza
Christine Conklin/Souza graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music degree in music performance in 1998. While at MU, she was a McNair Scholar during the 1996-97 school year and worked with Dr. Gaines as her advisor on a project titled "A History and Listing of Contemporary Marimba Repertoire with an Analysis of Selected Standard Pieces." She also received an honorable mention award in the SAI Alumni competition in St. Louis in February of 1998. She received recognition as an alternate in the MU Concerto Competition that April performing Paul Creston’s Concertino for Marimba. She received a teaching assistantship in percussion at the University of Oklahoma to pursue a Master’s and she then continued that relationship to pursue and finally complete her DMA in the spring of 2004. She is currently on their faculty teaching world music classes. She also plays regularly with the Oklahoma Philharmonic Orchestra.
Junior Recital – February 15, 1997
Senior Recital – April 18, 1998
Kevin Danz
Kevin Danz graduated with a Master’s of Music degree in music performance in 1999. He received a teaching assistantship in the band area to teach and write for the Marching Mizzou drumline. While at MU, he was selected to participate in the All-Collegiate Jazz Ensemble for a performance at the Missouri Music Educators Association conference in January of 1998. On September 26 of 1998, Kevin was asked to perform with the Jimmy Dorsey Band for a special performance at the Missouri Theatre. During the spring of his final year at UMC, he auditioned and won the spot of the drummer in Walt Disneyworld’s New Animal Kingdom Tarzan Rocks show. He auditioned against almost 200 drummers. He played this show for the entire run of eight years and has made quite a name for himself in the Orlando area. He continues to play with different bands in the Orlando area.
Website - http://home.earthlink.net/~kevindanz/
Master’s recital – March 13, 1999
Anna Diebold
Anna Diebold is currently the Assistant Band Director at Pattonville High School in St. Charles, Missouri. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in music education in the spring of 2006. In the spring of 2005, Anna won the spot as one of three drum majors for Marching Mizzou. She was the first place winner of the Missouri Music Teacher’s Association percussion competition in November of 2005.
Non-degree recital – April 3, 2005
Rusty Elder
Rusty Elder received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in music education in 1998 and a Master of Music degree in Music History in 2000. He has worked in the music department at Stephens College ever since and occasionally teaches music history classes at MU.
Will Green
Will Green graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education in May 2007 and has joined the National Guard Reserve Band.
Non-degree recital – April 30, 2006
Nathan Griffin
Nathan Griffin graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education in May 2004 and is currently the Director of Bands in the Brentwood School District, Brentwood, MO. He teaches 5th - 12th grade instrumental music including band classes for all grades, guitar class, percussion class, and a jazz class in the high school.
Adam Hall
Adam Hall graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in music education in December of 2005 and is continuing his Master’s of Music degree at MU. He was the first place winner of the Missouri Music Teacher’s Association percussion competition in November 2004. He will continue work on his Master’s degree while teaching music in the Columbia Public Schools.
Senior Recital – April 27, 2005
Amy Hinkson
Amy Hinkson graduated with a Master’s of Music degree in music performance in the spring of 2004. She interviewed and accepted the job of Percussion Specialist/Middle School Band Director for a school district in Alma, Arkansas beginning the fall of 2005. She and her husband had a baby boy named Jack in March of 2007.
Website: www.hinksonfamily.blogspot.com
Master’s Recital – April 3, 2004
Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor’s of Music degree and a Teaching Specialist Certificate. He was a concerto winner in April of 1999 and performed Concerto for Percussion by Darius Milhaud with the University Philharmonic Orchestra in the fall of 1999. He moved to Boston and accepted a position with Grover Pro Percussion as a member of their production staff. He has worked with Grover for the past five years and has moved up in the company to now assist the CEO. He married Sarah Philbrick, MU 2000.
Non-degree recital - April 25, 1999
Non-degree recital with Nathan Spurling – April 19, 1997
Jeff Kile
Jeff Kile graduated in the spring of 2005. He is the Head Band Director at Lake of the Ozarks High School in Osage Beach, Missouri and was recently married in December 2006.
Mark Knorr
Mark Knorr graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education in December 2006.
Gabe Marshall
Gabe Marshall is a Health and Nutrition Major but has been a very successful percussionist during his time at MU. He served as the drumline section leader for two years and was in the snare line of the Cadets of Bergen County drum corps in the summer of 2004. He will be attending Berklee College of Music this coming fall to pursue drumset studies.
Nathan Miller
Nathan Miller graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music degree in music performance in 2001. As an undergraduate, he auditioned and received the honor of performing Marimba Spiritual by Minoru Miki on the School of Music Showcase concert on April 25, 2001. He returned to MU to work on a double Master’s degree in music performance and music history. He won the concerto competition in the spring of 2005 and performed with the orchestra in the fall of 2005 performing Ney Rosauro’s “Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra”. He was also a finalist in the 2005 NAFTZGR competition held in Wichita, KS last May. He was a member of the Graduate Percussion Ensemble that was selected to perform at the 12th International Puerto Rico Percussion Festival in August of 2005. He was a semi-finalist in the International Tromp Percussion Festival held in The Netherlands in the Fall of 2006. He graduated with a double Master’s in Percussion Performance and Music History in May of 2007.
Master’s recital – October 29, 2006
Senior Recital – March 18, 2001
Junior Recital – November 19, 1999
Ricardo Souza
Ricardo Souza graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in music performance in 1997 and Master’s of Music degree in music performance in 1999. In the spring of 1999, he was selected as one of the BMI Composition Contest Grand Winners receiving a $2500 prize for his short piano composition. Ricardo then went on to pursue a DMA at the University of Oklahoma and completed the doctorate in 2006. He has been on the OU faculty for two years teaching some percussion and world music classes. He and Christine Conklin (MU 1997) were married in December of 2003.
Master’s Recital – April 3, 1999
Senior Recital – July 18, 1997
Kirby Spayde
Kirby Spayde graduated with a Master’s of Music degree in music performance in the spring of 2004. He is the Assistant Band Director at Odessa High School beginning the Fall of 2004.
Master’s Recital – April 26, 2005
Nathan Spurling
Nathan Spurling graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music Education in the spring of 1997. He returned to MU to work on his Master’s degree in music education and is just a few credits short of completing that degree. During his Master’s degree, he was a teaching assistant with the band area with the responsibility of teaching and writing the music for the Marching Mizzou drumline. Sincce then he has taught band at Christian Fellowship School, Branson High School and is now the Director of Bands and Choir at Marionville R-9 Schools.
Non-degree recital with Ian Hunter – April 19, 1997
Mandy Sullentrup
Mandy Sullentrup graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education in May 2007 and is currently the Band Director in Monroe City teaching grades 6-12.
Brian Tate
Brian Tate graduated in May 2007 with a Masters of Music in Percussion Performance at the University of Missouri-Columbia under the guidance of Dr. Julia Gaines. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education with an emphasis in instrumental music from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 1995. Previous teachers include Thomas Wubbenhorst, Christopher Holliday, and Bob Burke.
Prior to returning to MU, he served as Assistant Director of Bands at Oakville High School and District Percussion Specialist for the Mehlville School District and more recently as Associate Director of Bands for the Poplar Bluff School District. In addition, Mr. Tate has been an active composer, arranger, and adjudicator for marching bands throughout the Midwest.
Mr. Tate is currently principal timpanist and personnel manager for the Missouri Symphony Orchestra. In the past, he has served as a percussionist for the St. Louis Wind Symphony, the Mighty Mississippi Concert Band, the St. Louis Chamber Winds, and the Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corps. Locally, he is a regular performer for the Odyssey Chamber Series. At MU, Brian received Honorable Mention in the 2003 Concerto Competition and as a member of the MU Graduate Percussion Quartet, he presented a feature concert at the 12th Annual International Percussion Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2005.
Non-degree recital
Master’s Recital – April 23, 2006
Bob Thalhuber
Bob Thalhuber earned both a Bachelor’s in Music Education and a Bachelor’s in Music (with emphasis in percussion performance) from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. His musical involvement in the Las Vegas community included performing in the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the UNLV Symphony Orchestra, the UNLV Percussion Ensemble, the Las Vegas Desert Chorale, and the UNLV Wind Orchestra. At the same time, Bob was teaching and arranging music for numerous high schools around Las Vegas. More recent performance credits include the University of Missouri Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the University of Missouri Graduate Percussion Ensemble, and the Missouri Chamber Orchestra. Bob has been a former member of two well-respected drums corps, the Glassmen (1998) and the Phantom Regiment (2001). Bob has performed throughout much of the United States, Japan, and more recently, the International Percussion Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bob is currently the Assistant Director of Bands at Rock Bridge High School and graduated with a Master’s of Music degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Missouri-Columbia in December 2006 where he studied with Dr. Julia Gaines.
Master’s Recital – July 28, 2006
Alumni that I have no idea of their whereabouts or jobs:
Ed Pledge
Phil Norath
Steve Patterson