Aleksandr Artymenko: Bachelor of Music in Composition

Jesse Winchester: Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance

Congratulations to all of our Fall 2023 Graduates!

Samuel Cooper

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance
Bachelor of Music Education

About:
I have been playing violin ever since I was ten. It both feels like yesterday and a thousand years since I began my journey in music. For the longest time, I told everyone that I wanted to be a lawyer (let’s just say I was really good at starting arguments when I was growing up). To my mother’s dismay, I exclaimed in my junior year of high school that I instead wanted to pursue a degree in music education thanks to my wonderful music theory teacher in high school, Mrs. Teri Willmarth. If I can reach and inspire students half as well as she did, I will be proud of my efforts as a music educator.

Future Career Goals:
Although law school still lingers at the back of my mind, I think I’ll give this teaching thing a try for a few years. I’ll try not to let the pay influence my decision of whether I want to pursue a graduate degree in music or go to law school.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
It gives me goosebumps thinking about my musical growth over the course of these past 4 years. I’m eternally grateful for my experiences at MSU Denver, whether good or bad, because if there is one thing that a college education has taught me, it’s the importance of trust. Placing trust in your mentors, trust in your friends and family and chiefly, trust in yourself.

FiFi Garcia

Degree:
Bachelor of Music Education

About:
I began my musical journey at 10 years old, when I picked up the violin. I continued playing music through high school where I developed a passion for music education and was curious to learn more. At that point I knew I wanted to become a music teacher and share the wonderful world of playing an instrument with others. Upon completion of high school in 2019, I started my studies in Music Education at MSU Denver.

Future Career Goals:
My dream was to become a music teacher one day and teach orchestra. I was just offered a position to teach orchestra that I will be starting in January, and I can finally say that dreams do come true!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
It is hard to only pick a few special moments from my time because there were so many! My most memorable classes were my music education classes with Dr. Aguilar and Dr. Kish as I feel like I was prepared to think about and teach music responsively. I also enjoyed the various semesters that I got to spend in symphony orchestra and conducting classes with Dr. Matthews. Overall, I really feel like I got to know most of the staff and professors in the music department and enjoyed my time with them in classes or in collaboration.

Braden Collison

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance

Future Career Goals:
Next fall, I will be pursuing a masters degree in performance. After getting my graduate degree, I plan on pursuing a doctorate, and eventually teaching trumpet at the collegiate level. I also plan on playing in an orchestra as well as a brass quintet.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
The best experience I’ve had at MSU Denver is playing with the 7th Street Brass Quintet. It’s such a joy being able to play with musicians who all are equally as dedicated to the ensemble goals.

Jakob Garcia

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance
Bachelor of Music in Composition

About:
I grew up in Alamosa, Colorado. I started playing percussion in 5th grade. In 2014, I moved to Englewood and played timpani for 3 years in marching band.

Future Career Goals:
I plan to compose regularly and gig around. When I graduate I’m going to apply to MakeMusic to do something there. I want to keep music in my life.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
The Mendelssohn concert that the orchestra played in the spring of 2019 made me switch my major from computer science to music.

Hunter Jeffery Jennings

Degree:
Bachelor of Music Education 

About:
I began my musical journey in middle school, picking the saxophone in band class because of the music my grandfather would show me when we would visit. Ever since then I fell in love with music and wanted to pursue it deeper. My band directors then inspired me to become a teacher, so I applied for MSU Denver to study Music Education. Every semester there has taught me so much about myself and who I am as an educator, and I am so excited to finish this journey.

Future Career Goals:
I intend to teach public school for as long as possible, and whenever the time comes that I feel the desire to move on, I want to study and become a college professor to teach new education students about music education.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
Student Teaching as a whole has been the most memorable experience for me as a student. My elementary placement has taught me the most about myself and has shown me what grade levels I want to teach the most. It has allowed me to progress as an educator and even opened doors for me to become an elementary educator at Crawford Elementary.

Grant Hamilton

Degree:
Bachelor of Music Education
Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory 

About:
I began really singing in choir in 8th grade. Before that, I had sung in elementary school choirs, in musicals with my family, and other various events. Before my freshman year of high school, I had a really hard decision to make; continue with Trombone, or shift over to the choral universe. That being said, I joined the intermediate mixed choir at Chatfield and never looked back. I had some amazing mentors around me who believed in me to perform at the highest level at every opportunity.

I also had the chance to take AP Music Theory my sophomore year of high school. I had some friends in that class who I had friendly competition with on dictations and exams, which I believe pushed me to try my best in every facet of that class.

I spent a year studying Architecture and Environmental Design at CU Boulder. During that time, I joined a mixed acapella group called “Extreme Measures”. At a performance at DU with other acapella groups, I met somebody who would recruit me into the 17th Avenue Allstars, a professional acapella group from Denver. I would join the group in 2018 and have been performing with them since!

Future Career Goals:
In the future, I would love nothing more than to teach secondary choir and AP Music Theory. I am passionate about contemporary acapella and would love nothing more than to have a group compete at the ICHSA competition. I want to continue performing around the state and beyond with the 17th Avenue AllStars, continuing to grow as a musician and performer, as well as teacher and someone who inspires musicianship.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
So many of my professors had a profound impact on me during my time at MSU Denver. MB Krueger always believed in me and pushed me to do my best. All of the music theory faculty were fantastic and made it a safe space for me to always explore my options as a music theorist. Gene Roberts completely evolved my voice into something I could be proud of, and for that I will be forever grateful. Dr. Aguilar always believed in me as an educator and made sure that I was prepared for the future.

While I’m sure I am forgetting some of the amazing faculty I’ve worked with, I cannot thank the staff at MSU Denver enough for preparing me for the future ahead.

Brianna Winkler

Degree:
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Bachelor of Science in Biology

About:
I’ve always been very interested in both music and genetics and I somehow managed to find a way to include both in my academic career. I just presented my Honors Thesis, I’ve been fortunate enough to win a number of awards (including the Golich Award for Staff and Administrator Excellence, Employee of the Month at the Writing Center, and some various superlative awards from a few positions), participate in some incredible classes that allowed me to experience some incredible things (such as getting SCUBA certified and doing research underwater), and I’ve presented at a few conferences now, with the most notable being the International Writing Center Association conference in Vancouver in October of last year. Plus I’ll be graduating with Highest Honors and cum laude in a few days!

Future Career Goals:
I’m not quite sure yet, but the next step for now will be taking a gap semester to financially stabilize myself, apply for grad schools, and keep doing research (unfortunately unpaid, but I really do love what I’m doing)! I’ve been too busy to make music lately, so I’d like to begin doing that again, and I know at some point, I would like to move to the coast (not sure which coast or even country quite yet) so I can continue scuba diving and study marine biology, genetics, and coral and make music on the side. Honestly at this point in the semester, I’ll be lucky if I can figure out what I’m doing in 10 minutes, so it’s a little difficult to say at the moment. Regardless, I’m very much looking forward to the future!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
My time in Chorale and Treble Choir were personal favorites of mine, with some of the best experiences I’ve had, especially when it came to traveling and/or the occasional guest artists, and the most incredible (and oftentimes difficult) music I’ve had the pleasure of singing. I still find myself randomly humming Mozart’s ‘Lacrimosa’ from time to time. Fun fact: joining Treble Choir was what made me realize being an Early Childhood Education major wasn’t for me, and I’m glad I chose that path. I’ll also shout out Dr. Farrell’s Electronic Music Composition class because I really fell in love with the software and the music making process and getting to hear the variety of sounds that can be produced using the same software and general format. Also huge thanks to Liz Macy for putting up with my nonsense and procrastination with writing my Senior Experience paper on sampling, copyright and appropriation in music, which I’m still quite proud of!

Mary Worley

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance

About:
I began playing piano when I was 5 years old, and I haven’t stopped playing since. I fell in love with the instrument so much, I began teaching private piano lessons in 2019.

Future Career Goals:
I plan to become a certified piano teacher and possibly continue my education at CU Boulder. Overall, I hope to keep performing and teaching what I love.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
I will forever cherish the memories made in Dr. Pak’s collaborative piano classes. She taught me so much, and put on some really fun concerts. My other favorite memories include playing a piano duet of ‘Danse Macabre’ with Christie Macfarlane, and making reels for the piano page. I will miss being around so many amazing musicians and teachers at MSU Denver.

 

 

Ethan Sauer

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Strings Performance
Bachelor of Music Education

About:
I started this degree path in 2014 and am now FINALLY graduating! My background is a stubborn growth mindset being applied: I found many obstacles between me and graduating as an effective teacher, and I spent every day of these past ten years learning how to over come each one.

Future Career Goals:
I’m a teacher! I plan to teach private lessons and substitute for the next 6-ish months, all the while looking for a school I can settle into as an orchestra, guitar, piano, theory, sound painting/improv, and/or beyond teacher.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
Each of the education classes with Dr. Carla Aguilar were especially insightful for SO many reasons. In particular, Dr. Aguilar’s approach to a community based classroom and Socratic seminar helped create a warm learning environment where stimulating conversations about education and the learning process would occur. These things helped me to be successful in my program, and they will come with me as I implement them in my own classroom.

Grace Dougherty

Degree:
Bachelor of Music Education

About:
I grew up in Boise, Idaho with not much to do except sing and listen to individual songs over and over again until I had written down every piano pitch on a sticky note instead of paying $5 for an arrangement online. I moved to Colorado at 16 and entered an amazing high school choir program where I got to take AP music theory. I got to see so much growth in myself in something I loved which solidified my career choice.

Future Career Goals:
I hope to become a high school choir teacher and really focus on community and growth.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
I had such a rich theory education in Cherise Leiter and Chris Keelan’s music theory courses as well as music theory lab, which allowed me the opportunity to be a music theory tutor my junior year. I was able to grow immensely as a singer and artist with the help of my private instructor, Michelle Thompson. Lastly, I have learned more than I could have ever hoped from MB Krueger by helping to direct MSU Denver’s annual Choral Celebration, having multiple semesters of conducting with her, and spending every semester I could in her choirs, which led to me co-directing the Treble Choir my senior year. She taught me the strength there is in treating every student and colleague with respect. She introduced me to the administration and people skills I will utilize as a teacher, and taught me countless more things about pedagogy, artistry, and the importance of connection in music. I will cherish everyone in the music department at MSU Denver always.

 

Christie Macfarlane

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance

About:
I started lessons in my home country of South Africa when I was 5 years old, and my family moved to Colorado in 2015. Music is an international language, and it helped me to adjust to a whole new culture. It also opened up doors for me, such as being a part of the DJCYAS in 2019, where I played trad jazz piano and was able to participate in international music festivals in Europe.

Future Career Goals:
I am considering doing a master’s degree, as well as becoming a certified teacher and opening my own private piano studio. There is always the possibility of auditioning for a cruise ship piano role to do some traveling before I settle down!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
I loved my time at MSU studying under Dr. Jooeun Pak! She always inspired me to be the best I could be. I especially enjoyed performing in the collaborative piano concerts and working with the talented musicians at MSU Denver! One of the most memorable occasions was playing alongside Dr. Pak as guest artists in a 6 grand piano concert at CSU Pueblo!

 

Esai Falcon

Degree:
Bachelor of Music in Composition

About:
As a student of music, I’ve had various opportunities shared with me as early as primary school to study the performance of different styles of music and instruments. This carried on throughout my life within orchestra and symphonic band in middle school and into high school with the Guitar department at Denver School of the Arts. I decided to continue pursuing my studies and passion in music at Auraria campus once I began to engage with the comprehensive and accommodating curriculum offered by MSU Denver’s composition and other music programs.

Future Career Goals:
I look forward to my career in music and wherever it may take me! I’d celebrate any realization of music, especially of which that I may contribute or even compose, but it would be fun to see varying styles of music realized in different venues or to score a soundtrack for a project!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:
It’s very difficult for me to find particular occasions, every semester and concert had so many unique moments; the music department at MSU Denver has something really special where every niche is occupied with students as passionate about their music as the professors and everyone is encouraged to develop, refine, and share their taste and experiences. It was very humbling and inspiring experience to observe everyone’s share in participation, apprehension, and triumph in the academic and musical challenges in the time that I spent with my studies on campus.