STUDENT HIGH NOTES

Trumpet studio wins BIG at National Trumpet Competition
Photo: The College of Music’s history-making, all-female trumpet ensemble (left to right): Master’s students Leilani Spurlock (MM ’26) and Sydney Hoehl (MM ’26), Professor of Trumpet Ryan Gardner, and undergraduates Elise Ehlert (BME ’26), Katherine Votruba (BME ’28) and Gwen Milette (BM/BME ’27).

Congratulations to Professor of Trumpet Ryan Gardner, Associate Teaching Professor of Collaborative Piano Suyeon Kim and the entire CU Boulder trumpet studio for advancing to the live rounds and competing at the 2025 National Trumpet Competition! The studio’s tremendous success included several top-place finishes, a sweep of the Graduate Division and our all-female ensemble winning first place in the Small Ensemble Division. This represents a monumental success for the studio and an historic “first” in the competition. LISTEN

“Our students inspire me with their artistry, musicianship and execution,” says Gardner. 

2025 Concerto Competition winners announced
By MarieFaith Lane

On April 6, the College of Music’s annual Concerto Competition culminated in two exceptional students earning first-place honors in their respective categories: Undergraduate violist Finn Cruit (BM ’25) and graduate pianist Ohad Nativ (PhD ’29). As a result of their achievements, they'll perform with our CU Boulder Symphony Orchestra next season.

Grants support student projects promoting equity and wellness
Jan. 17, 2025
By Kathryn Bistodeau 

At the CU Boulder College of Music, student ingenuity and creativity know no bounds. Two graduate students—Nicholas Felder, a DMA student in music composition and Ian Gunnarschja, a master’s student in saxophone performance and pedagogy—received grants supporting their innovative projects advancing equity in music and wellness among neurodiverse musicians, respectively. Note: In November 2024, as part of the Museum of Boulder’s Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History interactive exhibit, “Con-nect” featured Nicholas Felder.

Musicology doctoral candidate explores new research in Japan thanks to CAAAS Graduate Student Fellowship
Dec. 11, 2024

“Motivated by the interdisciplinary approach to musicological studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, my pursuit of new knowledge and the invaluable guidance of my advisor, Dr. Austin Okigbo, who encouraged me to explore new frontiers, I began to explore new and unresearched areas of African cultural expressions,” says musicology PhD student Ubochi Igbokwe. [...] “My research aims to illuminate the patterns of African migrations in the 20th/21st centuries and their influence on the global dissemination of music and expressive cultural forms.”

2024-25 Ekstrand Graduate Student Competition winners announced
By Kathryn Bistodeau

On Nov. 19, the Koa String Quartet—the College of Music’s graduate string quartet in residence—performed selections from works by Joseph Haydn and Kevin Lau to win the 2024-25 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition. Comprising violinists Kisa Uradomo and Leah Pernick, violist Thomas Chafe and cellist Heewon Lee, the quartet studies with our Takács Quartet. Saxophonist Joel Ferst won second place and the audience favorite prize; other finalists included pianist John-Austin King, baritone Andrew Konopak and violinist Laura Pérez Rangel.

Alan Mackwell (DMA, music composition), a student of Professor of Composition + Composition Chair Carter Pann, is a winner of the 73rd Annual BMI Composer Award.

Corey Nance (MM ’26, trombone) is serving on the International Trombone Festival's new Student Advisory Board.  

Meet Willem Rohwer—2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient
By Kathryn Bistodeau

Freshman Willem Rohwer—who comes to the College of Music from Edwards, Colorado—is our 2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient. Rohwer is pursuing a degree in double bass performance studying with Associate Professor of Double Bass Susan Cahill.

Ethan Stahl (DMA ’26) won second place in the piano division of the Naftzger Young Artists Auditions and Awards.