September 2015 Alumni Class Notes

Dan Bell

Dan Bell

Dan Bell, ’88, M.M. Performance, Trumpet, is director of Bands at Cheyenne Mountain Junior High in Colorado Springs. Dan has taught for 27 years in the Colo. districts of Fort Lupton, Rangeview HS in Aurora, and Cheyenne Mountain as a high school assistant and junior high band director. In his career, he has conducted over 40 honor bands in Colo. and Wyo. and has had his ensembles perform for the Colorado Music Educators Clinic/Conference nine times.

 

John Lindsey

John Lindsey

John Lindsey, ’09, B.M. Vocal Performance, Tenor, was recently accepted to compete in the International Competition for Wagner Singers this summer in Bayreuth, Germany. The competition, held every three years, selects singers from a worldwide-pool of applicants and invites them to Bayreuth for the preliminary round. John is one of 36 singers selected after examination of professional development and pre-screening recordings.

Heston McCranie

Heston McCranie

Heston McCranie, ’09, B.M. Performance, Cello, is currently working toward a Ph.D. in Music Education at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She teaches string techniques for the university and is part of some exciting research projects on improvisation and creativity. Beginning fall 2015, she will begin a position as the primary orchestra director for the Atlanta International School. She also performs with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra and takes every chamber music opportunity she finds.

 

Zachary Garcia

Zachary Garcia

Zachary Garcia, ’13, B.M. Music, Tuba, is the director of Bands for the Thunder Valley K-8 School in Frederick, Colo. He also performs in the Longmont Concert Band, Wither Without Orchestra, Flatirons Jazz Orchestra, and freelance with a handful of other side groups while running a private studio of low brass students at the Guitars, Etc. music store in Longmont.

Mila Gates

Mila Gates

Mila Gates, ’08, Communication Studies and Marching Band Member, Flute & Trombone, recently opened her own event and wedding planning business in Denver.

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