Check out these stories on our alumni:
• Paula Teigeler Baack (BSE 1971, MM 1973), has been the choral director for the past 7 1/2 years at Air Academy High School (AAHS), located on the grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs. The choral program had 74 enrolled in three classes when she started; today there are 168 enrolled in six choirs. The top five choirs all received Superior ratings (the highest rating possible) this past spring in both state and regional competitions. In the spring of 2014, Baack was recognized as one of the recipients of the Boettcher Foundation Colorado Outstanding Teacher Award and received a $1,000 grant for the AAHS choral program. Baack writes, "I credit the University of Nebraska for my success. I double majored in both vocal performance and music education. Both majors have served me well the past 45 years. For 25 of those years I worked with UNL student teachers as a choral director in the Lincoln Public Schools system. My hope is to continue mentoring students who have the desire to teach. I love Nebraska, Lincoln and its awesome university!"
• Christopher Barrick (DMA 2008) was recently accepted to present two performances at the North American Saxophone Alliance’s 2016 Biennial Conference to be held at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, from March 10-13, 2016. He will be giving the world premiere of James Bishops work for saxophone and piano, "Personae Dramatis." Also, he will be giving a chamber performance with pianist John Krebs titled, "Melodies Neuvo: New Works for Saxophone," which features newer works by American composers Luke Mayernik and Charles Booker.
• Donna Gunn (BME 1981, MM 1985) published her latest work, "Discoveries from the Fortepiano: A Manual of Beginning and Seasoned Performers" with Oxford University Press on Nov. 19. "Discoveries" uncovers 18th century performance practices and philosophical beliefs, makes application of the scholarship to the modern piano, and provides model lessons for pedagogical reference. A book launch party, sponsored by the Lied Center for Performing Arts, Oxford University Press and Cupcakes & More was held on Dec. 10 at the Lied Commons.
• Karl Lyden (BA 2012) is performing trombone in the band for David Bowie's new Broadway show, "Lazarus." As part of the promotion for the show, he played with Michael C. Hall and the cast on Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" on Dec. 17. A video is available on YouTube at http://go.unl.edu/0r96.
• Jessie Mhire (BA 2015) will be the general management intern at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut for the next eight months. The O'Neill is home to the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, National Puppetry Conference, Cabaret & Performance Conference, National Theater Institute and National Critics Institute.
• Benito Sanchez (BFA 2013) worked at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for a year in the independent film finance department. He recently too a new job at J.J. Abrams' production company, Bad Robot, where he assists two development executives on the feature film side.
• Joshua Waterstone (MFA 2014) is the new artistic director for the Center for Creative and Performing Arts Theater at Guilford Technical Community College in High Point, N.C.