Class Notes
Eastman School of Music
1963
William Anderson ’65E (MM) writes that he was inducted into the hall of fame of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance last fall. He earned his PhD in music from Michigan in 1970.
1970
Geary Larrick (MM) writes that he’s published an article, “Priorities in Percussion,” in the winter 2011–12 issue of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Journal.
1979
Jeff Briggs was a winner of the National Academy of Music’s 2011 International Music Prize for Excellence in Composition for two of his works: 3rd String Quartet and Celebration for Orchestra. Two more of his works were named finalists in the competition: Ecliptic—3 Pieces for Marimba Quartet and Two Poems of Hyam Plutzik. . . . Elizabeth Bankhead Buccheri (DMA) writes that she made her third appearance as piano soloist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Beyond the Score series last fall. She continues as head of the collaborative piano program at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.
1980
Composer and percussionist John Arrucci has recorded his debut CD, Metaphors (Twin Lakes Productions). It consists of nine original compositions written for piano, bass, and drums, accompanied by bass marimba, vibes, cello, alto flute, and flugelhorn. John adds: “As a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar to Brazil (1983–84), it gives me great pleasure to be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD to Rotary International’s ‘Polio Plus’ campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.”
1986
Terry Rhodes (DMA), professor and chair of the music department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been named the senior associate dean for the fine arts and humanities. She’ll begin her new role on July 1. A soprano, Terry teaches voice and directs the University of North Carolina Opera. In 2011, she also won a University Diversity Award from North Carolina for increasing faculty diversity in the music department.
1992
Susan Sievert Messersmith (MM) writes: “I’ve published my first book of music, Heavenly Descants for Trumpet on 118 Hymn Tunes (Heavenly Descants Publications). I cross-referenced all 118 original trumpet descants with the harmonies from five different hymnals and am very excited to offer both C trumpet and B-flat trumpet editions.” Susan is an adjunct faculty member at Charleston Southern University, where she teaches trumpet and conducts the brass choir. She was a member of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for 14 years. Now she’s a member of the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, both in Virginia. She adds: “I performed in the 2011 Symphonic Voyages Orchestra on the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship on a 12-night trip to the Caribbean!”
1995
Robert Paterson has released a CD, The Book of Goddesses (American Modern Recordings), containing three new compositions featuring the harp. The Classical Recording Foundation awarded him its 2011 Composer of the Year Award for the work.
2008
Emily Shewan Britton (MM) and her husband, Joshua, welcomed their first child, Zavier Paul, in September. Emily is stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., where she’s principal horn in the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band and performs with the Heritage Brass Quintet.
2010
Heather Wagner (DMA) married Iván Rivera last May at Browncroft Community Church in Rochester. Kate Schmid Wolcott ’06 was in the wedding party. Also in attendance were Steve Picazo, a student at the Warner School, Jeremy Wolcott ’07, ’10 (MA), a doctoral candidate in physics at Rochester, Nicole Asmussen ’11 (PhD), Abbie Tippie ’10 (MS), a doctoral candidate in optics at Rochester, Crystal Asmussen ’08E (MA), a doctoral candidate in music theory at the Eastman School, Shannon Gianotti ’05N, ’09N (MS), Alan Heins, a doctoral candidate in optics, and Lindsey Cooper.
