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The College of Music once again celebrated the incredible success of our trumpet studio at the 2026 National Trumpet Competition: In sum, 13 members of our trumpet studio competed in multiple categories; in addition to two ensembles, nine of our soloists advanced to the live rounds. Six of the eight semifinalists in the Graduate Solo Division represented CU �鶹ӰԺ—Sydney Hoehl (MM ’26), Henry Lesser (MM ’27), Amy Millesen (DMA ’27), Will Reynolds (DMA ’27), Charlie Smith (MM ’27) and Leilani Spurlock (MM ’26); our college swept the Graduate Solo Division for the second consecutive year with Spurlock earning first place, Smith taking second and Reynolds finishing third! Sophomore Kaden Blake (BM ’28) reached the top 12 in the Undergraduate Solo Competition and, in the Military Band Division, Noah Solomon (BM ’24) and Millesen placed first and second, respectively. Congratulations to Professor of Trumpet Ryan Gardner and our trumpet students and alums, and Associate Teaching Professor of Collaborative Piano Suyeon Kim who performed with all the soloists!

On April 25, 2026, a percussion concert produced and arranged/transcribed for percussion ensemble by freshman percussion student Max Adams also featured guest artist and CU �鶹ӰԺ Associate Professor Steve Lamos (English), a world-class drummer currently touring the United States and Europe with his band, American Football.

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(Caribou Current)

Mark Bennett (MM ’26) is principal trombone of the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.��

Blake Clawson (MM ’26) was awarded the�� in the college/university choral division for his work “.” This national honor recognizes Clawson’s exceptional artistry and achievement in composition–celebrating his creative excellence and contribution to contemporary choral music.��

Nicholas Felder (DMA ’26) was named winner of the��.��

Jameson Foster’s (PhD ’29) conference paper, “Fiddling and Troll magic in Norway,” won the Aurora Borealis prize from the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies. He presented the same paper at the 2025 Society for Ethnomusicology Conference in Atlanta. Foster, an ethnomusicology PhD candidate, was awarded a mobility grant from the Norwegian Minister of Culture to conduct ethnographic research at Viking markets—medieval reenactments—where he will learn more about the music produced at these events and the people who dedicate themselves to studying and practicing the Viking age in Sweden and Denmark.

“Joining the Wave: A Case for K-Pop in the Music Classroom” by Christy Go (PhD ’26) was published in the Music Educators Journal, a peer-reviewed practitioner journal sponsored by the National Association for Music Education.��

Ashley Hawk (DMA ’26) competed in the Frederick Fennell Conducting Competition in Modica, Sicily, Italy: She was one of 25 finalists invited to this prestigious international competition for wind band conductors.��

Nick Mailes (DMA��’28) was selected as one of three trombonists nationally for the inaugural�� this summer. Additionally, his article—“Unsung Bebop Trombonists: A deeper look into the history of trombone and its involvement in the bebop era”—was published in the International Trombone Association Journal.

Sawyer Payne—a cellist from Conifer, Colorado—has been selected as the next Sher Distinguished Musician Scholar in the College of Music, joining current sophomore Willem Rowher (double bass), juniors Nate Bonin (horn) and Danny Kaminski (jazz bass) as well as seniors Jude Dow-Hygelund (piano) and Cian Kreuger (jazz sax). Congrats to Sawyer on his full-ride scholarship funded by John and Anna Sie! We’re excited to welcome another very talented musician as part of our incoming class of first-year Music Buffs this fall.

Will Reynolds (DMA ’27) is principal trumpet of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.

Alice Del Simone (DMA ’26) was appointed assistant professor of voice at the University of Richmond starting in August.

Benjamin South (DMA ’27) will join Florida Southern College as tenure-track assistant professor of musical theatre this fall.