2000s

ANGELA MEADE, MM ’04, VOCAL ARTS
Angela recently sang the role of Elvira in Verdi’s Ernani at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her performance was broadcast over Satellite radio available through metopera.org.

ERICA MILLER, MM ’04, DMA ’07, VOCAL ARTS
Soprano Erica Miller recently accepted a position with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, one of Germany’s top opera houses, from the end of August through next June. She will be singing the roles of Queen of the Night and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, the Cricket and the Jay Bird in The Cunning Little Vixen, the First Elf in Die Ägyptische Helena, Frasquita in Carmen, and Cugina in Madama Butterfly. She will also perform in two children's operas as Queen of the Night in Das Zauberflötchen, and as the White Rabbit in Alice im Wunderland. In addition to singing multiple performances of all of these roles, she will also be understudying Clorinda in La Cenerentola and Najada in Ariadne auf Naxos.

DANILLE NESMITH, BM ’05, STRINGS
Violinist Danielle Nesmith is the First Place Senior Division Winner of the 2008 Sphinx Competition. A major competition for young Latino and African-American soloists, Sphinx took place in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan from January 23-27. As the completion winner, Ms. Nesmith received a $10,000 cash award, a one-album recording contract with the NAXOS label, free tuition to the Aspen Music Festival this summer, and several solo performance opportunities with major orchestras. Next October, she will solo at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

ELIZABETH ROBERTS, MM ’01, WINDS & PERCUSSION
Elizabeth was recently selected through a national search for the positions of Lecturer in Bassoon at the University of Virginia and Principal Bassoon of the Charlottesville Symphony, both of which she held for seven years in a temporary contract. She was also recently won the position of Principal Bassoon with the Roanoke Symphony.

JENNIFER (HIRANANDANI) STULER, BS ’06, MUSIC INDUSTRY
Jennifer recently recorded a brand new song with Richard Harris called “Like Today Is Our Last”.

RAYA YARBROUGH, BM ’02, JAZZ STUDIES
Singer Raya Yarbrough recently released her self-titled debut album on Telarc Records. It was produced by Steve Bartek and released in February 2008.

1990s

SARKIS BALTAIAN, BM ’99, MM ’01, DMA ’07, KEYBOARD STUDIES
Pianist Sarkis Baltaian has recently accepted a full-time position at the University of Alabama in Huntsville as an Assistant Professor of Music, teaching piano.

ANTOINE DIEL, BM ’96, MM ’99, VOCAL ARTS
Through February 24th, 2008 singing actor Antoine Diel will be performing in the show Schoolhouse Rock Live! at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles. A fun, nostalgic show for those who grew up with the cartoons, Schoolhouse Rock Live! has received great reviews and has been a consistent sellout.

TEVEYA DOVBISH, BM ’98, MUSIC INDUSTRY
Teveya Dovbish recieved her MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business this past May and has accepted a position at Alfred Music Publishing as a Business Affairs Specialist.

TIMOTHY EMMONS, MM ’96, JAZZ STUDIES
Timothy is currently leading the Jazz ensemble at Occidental College in Los Angeles. He is also a member of "Jim Walker and Freeflight" with USC faculty member Jim Walker. His new book Odd Meter Bass is scheduled for a summer 2008 release by Alfred Publishing. In addition, Tim recently played bass on the score of Speedracer and the new Star Trek trailer.

VENANCIO RIUS, GRCT ’97, WINDS AND PERCUSSION
Venancio Rius was recently a guest conductor for the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. After an intense series of rehearsals, the orchestra performed a special concert of music from Spain.

1980s

MARK BARNARD, BA ’82, HUMANITIES (MUSIC)
Mark has recently published two new pieces for educational orchestra through Tempo Press/Luck’s Music Library titled American Hoedown (grade 2) and Fantasia on the Water Is Wide (grade 3). The Fantasia was featured and performed in December at the 2007 Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. He currently serves the Centerville City Schools in Ohio and directs the Centerville Youth Orchestra.

PATRICIA DIAZ, BA ’86, MUSIC
In October of 2007, Patricia was hired to play keyboards for the Las Vegas company of the Broadway hit Jersey Boys.

JILL (PALMER) RUBIO, BM ’84, MM ’86, WINDS & PERCUSSION
Jill Rubio was recently appointed adjunct flute instructor at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Along with this new responsibility, Jill will continue as the middle school band director at Potsdam Central Schools, where she has worked for the past 8 years. Her 7th and 8th Grade Band was recently chosen to perform at the New York State Band Directors Association annual symposium.

Jill is a member of the Orchestra of Northern New York and Northern Symphonic Winds, and was featured soloist on Borne's Carmen Fantasy with the group last year. She is active with the state music organization, NYSSMA, as an all-state adjudicator, and is the manual editor for piccolo, flute and flute ensemble. She and her husband, Doug, have 3 children. One will be a freshman at USC this fall!

1970s

MICHAEL EARDLEY, BM ’76
Michael Eardley, independent producer, and President of Tanglewood Productions, an audio, video and music production company in Reno, Nevada, has been elected to the Board of Governors for the San Francisco Chapter of The Recording Academy. The Recording Academy is known for its GRAMMY Awards, the primary outlet for honoring achievements in the recording arts and supporting the music community.

JOSEPH MULROY, BM ’78, COMPOSITION
Composer Joseph Mulroy’s new musical romantic comedy Born to Ride the Waves ran July 4-July 20, 2008 at the Huntington Beach Playhouse. Inspired by Dana Point's colorful past and featuring songs from Surfstory, which the LA Times hailed as "fresh, inspired, elegant, engaging, and blissfully unpretentious," Mulroy’s musical evokes a slice of coastal Southern California "the way it'll never be again."

1960s

ELISABETH MATESKY, MM ’64, VIOLIN
Elisabeth Matesky was recently invited to present a formal public address on her violin mentor, Master Violinist Nathan Milstein, for the American String Teacher's Association (ASTA) 2009 National Conference in March. She talked about many aspects of Milstein's ART including his early life in Russia, his friendship with the legendary pianist, Vladimir Horowitz, and the influence on Milstein's playing of Franco-Belgian virtuoso violinist, Eugene Ysaye.

Elisabeth Matesky also had the honor to present the Ralph Matesky Award to this year's ASTA 2009 National Solo Competition winner, cellist, Deanna Talens. The award is in memory of her late father, Ralph who was the former national President of ASTA and taught at USC. Ms. Matesky currently teaches privately at the "Elisabeth Matesky Studio for Advanced Violin and Chamber Music Studies," while continuing to perform, as well as guest teach in London.