University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts

Creative Alumni

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UK Grad Student Singing in Met’s ‘Porgy and Bess’

Singing on the Metropolitan Opera stage is a lifelong dream for many young opera vocalists, and one University of Kentucky doctoral candidate, Makeda Hampton, is among the chosen few currently performing at America’s most prestigious opera house. But for this previous math and chemistry student, a dream to perform didn't take center stage until a bit later.

Read the story on UKNow >>

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CFA alum publishes inspirational children’s book

Congrats to Chrissy Herren (Arts Administration and Theatre), author of UNDER THE ANGEL TREE. Illustrated by Lexington artist Erin McGuire Thompson, the book tells the story of Eileen, a little girl who is bullied by her friends only to discover the special magic that lives inside each of us.

The book is available on Amazon >>

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WILD C.A.T. (Composing, Arranging, Teaching)

By Nathan Williams When students receive a degree in Music Education, the traditional career path might be to teach at a local public middle or high school. However, students at the University of Kentucky often take the path less traveled. Ryan George (BM Music Education ‘02) is one such example.

Currently residing in Austin, Texas, Ryan is an active arranger and composer. His work, ranging from music for the concert stage to music for marching ensembles, is performed regularly throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. While at UK, Ryan was involved in the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra as well as the Wildcat Marching Band.

His most recent project was to compose “TimeStamp,” commissioned by the UK School of Music through the generous support of former UK President Lee T. Todd, Jr. and First Lady Patsy Todd. “TimeStamp” is being performed by the Faculty Brass Quintet on a tour through six states.

Visit Ryan’s website to learn more about him and his work >>

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Home for Christmas

By Nathan Williams, CFA Recruiting and Alumni Affairs Whenever University of Kentucky students, staff, faculty, and supporters attend an arts event in Central Kentucky, it’s very common to see a familiar face. On December 14, the Lexington Philharmonic’s “A Cathedral Christmas” ended up being an impromptu University of Kentucky School of Music reunion for many. When patrons began entering the Cathedral of Christ the King, they saw several familiar faces within the orchestra as well as the Lexington Singers – Catherine Clarke Nardolillo (DMA, 2013), Margaret Karp (Lecturer of Violin and Viola), Jason Dovel (Associate Professor of Trumpet) and even Andrew Miller (BMME, 2015). After being away from Lexington for a few years, it was great to catch up with Andrew!

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE GRADUATING FROM UK in 2015? After graduating from the University of Kentucky, I pursued my Masters in Conducting at the University of Louisville which led me to my first position as Director of Choral Activities at Henderson County High School. Although I enjoyed holding that role for two years, I accepted a position as Director of Choral Activities at Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, KY. In this position, I coordinate liturgical opportunities and choral opportunities for my ~50 male choir students. Most of my efforts are focused on creating relationships between college music programs and students at Covington Catholic. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT PERFORMING NEXT TO OTHER UK WILDCATS? As a result of my participation in UK’s Men’s Chorus and the a capella group, acoUstiKats, I always enjoyed being under the baton of Dr. Johnson. He had such an influence on my education at UK as well as my professional career. Receiving this solo opportunity from Dr. Johnson and the Lexington Philharmonic was beyond amazing as it gave me the opportunity to return to Lexington and perform alongside some of the best vocalists and instrumentalists from around town! Moreso, getting to perform next to Michael Preacely brought back memories from my time at UK because while I was an undergraduate student, Michael was pursuing his Masters in Music. Just like everyone else who hears him sing, I never get tired of listening to Michael’s voice. It was really cool to look out into the orchestra to see so many familiar faculty members from when I was a student at UK – Margaret and Benjamin Karp, Maestro Nardolillo, David Elliott, and more. WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS FOR THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS? I plan on staying at Covington Catholic for several more years. My position here allows me to focus on receiving a lot of great teaching experiences while also emphasizing the importance of the performing arts in and around Northern Kentucky. Within the next 10 years or so, I would like to begin a DMA in Conducting or PhD in Music Ed with a goal of teaching in higher education. My dream role is to manage student teachers while working with conducting students.

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Telling stories through design

We checked in with recent alum Lucas Southworth (Digital Media and Design, Theatre) about his position at Xavier University. He is the "Electronic Media Specialist" in Enrollment Management. He calls himself a “jack-of-all-trades” for different media requests, from postcards to flyers to email graphics to web updates to photo and video work.

The work I do at Xavier is really diverse, but the Digital Media and Design program really prepared me for that. Students in DMD are able, and really are expected, to take a wide variety of design classes, from photography and video making to typography and web design. This gave me a solid and wide base of knowledge that I am applying to this position. So when my boss comes to me and says "Hey Lucas, do you have any experience editing video?" or "Do you know anything about coding?" I am able to answer YES with confidence.

One assignment that I think of often came from Mia Cinelli's Typography class. She had us find a print piece in the wild somewhere that we thought had poor typography, and then recreate the piece to fix these issues. This process of dissecting a design's weak points and building it back up from there is something I try to apply every time I create a new draft of my work.

My Theatre degree is also helping out daily! Not only in directly applicable skills (a sizable chunk of my practical video editing experience comes from my time and classwork in Projection Design) but in more subtle ways as well. A lot of the work I do boils down to telling a story effectively, and storytelling was what my time in the Theatre department was all about. 

Lucas has a word of advice for current students:

Pursue what you are interested in. It was a scary for me when I realized I wanted to add a second major in my junior year, but I was surrounded by a very supporting group of professors and advisors in both the Theatre and Digital Media and Design programs who made the process work as smoothly as possible, and adding that major is directly what got me my current job.

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A dreamer of dreams: CFA alum travels to the Wonka Chocolate Factory

Audrey Belle Adams (’19 B.M. Music Performance)

Anything is “Wildly Possible” when you become a UK Wildcat. Whether that is becoming an entrepreneur, working for an international business, pursuing a graduate degree, or portraying the role of Mrs. Gloop in Roald Dahl’s new musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its National Tour! Audrey Belle Adams, originally from Louisville, Ky., was a 2015 All-Tech Music Scholar at UK. Throughout her time in the Opera Theatre program, she was seen on stage during It’s a Grand Night for Singing, Ragtime, The Barber of Seville, The Old Maid and the Thief, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Audrey also performed regularly with the Lexington Theatre Company during their production of Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, and Concert with the Stars.

“I talk about UK and Lexington every day to colleagues in New York, and I get prouder sharing my experiences and opportunities I had at UK every single day. The attention and appreciation of the arts is very much alive and well in Lexington and I could not be more grateful that I learned and performed with some of the greatest while in Kentucky. The UK Opera Theatre and The Lexington Theatre Company were fundamental in my undergraduate training, and are the reason why I have the confidence to be living up in New York working, and "pounding the pavement". I love my Kentucky home, and I am thankful for the arts community that surrounds it.”

www.audreybelleadams.com

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Theatre alum shares his passion for theatre across the globe

"UK is a special place. I feel an obligation, a duty and an honor to give to the institution that laid the foundation of what I've become today," Todd Lacy said. "I love the idea that I am helping them make theatre. I spent so much time in college collaborating with students to make great work, and it can sometimes be a struggle with limited resources.”

Read Todd Lacy’s story here and see how his theatre expertise has take him from New York to Australia and everywhere in between.

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Theatre alumna honored for costume designs for film

Congratulations to Kris Deskins (Theatre ’93 and ‘00) on her multiple costume design awards for the film “Cemetery Tales: A Tale of Two Sisters.” Click to read more about Deskins’ awards>> 

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A heart full of love for the big apple

Erin Reed secured her dream job before graduating with an Arts Administration degree last spring. After interning with the organization, Erin works as Account Coordinator at Marathon Digital, a New York social media company that represents Broadway shows.

Click here to find out what Erin thinks about working in NYC!

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Daria Smith ‘18 is designing a bright future!

Daria Smith graduated in the Spring of 2018 with a BS in Digital Media and Design and within months was hired as Graphic Designer of Exhibitions for the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. She recently finished a project called “Let’s Eat!” and the exhibition and Daria’s designs were featured on the public tv show “Tennessee Crossroads” and the Channel 5 News’ segment “Talk of the Town. Check out that segment here

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Protect and Inspire: Alums in the Military

By Nathan Williams, CFA recruiter

When students enter college, music degrees are typically put on the back burner because “you can’t have a successful career after going to music school.” We have several alumni and current students who have successful careers as a result of their music degree from the University of Kentucky. They are combining their passion for the arts with their desire to serve our country into one career! Sabrina Musick, Abby Rutledge, Daniel Cox, Kevin Dejuan Anderson, and Cody Williams are just a few CFA alums who are advocates for joining a military band. We had the pleasure of catching up with some of them!

Sabrina Musick – 2016, B.M., Music Education

Corporal Musick is a trumpet instrumentalist and Administration Clerk in the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band in San Diego, Calif. As a member of this band, Musick performs in a number of different ensembles such as the ceremonial band, concert band, and the 3rd MAW Brass Quintet. Musick plans to become a drill instructor in her next enlistment while aiming to become a Drum Major.

“I decided to join the military because I wanted to spend a little more time with my instrument after I graduated from UK. The military gave me a chance to focus on my instrument while continuing to develop my leadership skills as a non-commissioned Officer.”

Semper Fi

Follow the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band on Facebook

Abby Rutledge – 2017, B.A., Music

Seaman Rutledge graduated Navy Boot Camp in 2019 and is completing her Hospital Corpsman Basic A-School training in San Antonio, TX. Upon graduation, she will be rated as a Hospital Corpsman - the enlisted medical staff of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. After graduating from UK, Rutledge spent two years on the road as a staff member with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (La Crosse, WI).

“At the end of the 2018 season, I discovered the Navy, specifically the Hospital Corpsman rate, somewhat by accident, but my untapped passion for medicine and serving a greater purpose had been lingering in the back of my mind for quite some time. As a Hospital Corpsman, I will have diverse opportunities to serve: in military clinics and hospitals, onboard Naval ships, and alongside Marine ground units, just to name a few.”

Rutledge hopes to complete her Masters degree during her first enlistment and plans to continue her Naval career by either working to earn the title of Independent Duty Corpsman or commissioning as a Medical Service Corps Officer in her graduate field of study. Hooyah!

Cody Williams – 2018, B.M., Music Education

Sergeant Williams is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant while pursuing his Masters in Music Performance. You will see him around campus performing with the Tuba/Euphonium ensemble and running with the West Sixth Run/Walk club.

“I joined the guard as a musician so I could make some money performing and to use the educational benefits to come back to get my bachelor's degree. I perform with the Diamond Brass Quartet, the Single Barrel Brass Band, as well as our concert and ceremonial marching band. I've held the rank of Sergeant since 2016 and additionally I work for unit recruitment trying to find musicians to come and join us.”

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UK Theatre alum reimagines Harriet Tubman’s story

Courtesy University of Kentucky Public Relations and Strategic Communications

This weekend film and African American history enthusiasts alike will head to the movies to see the first major biopic on the country’s most well-known “conductor” of the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman.

One of those viewers excitedly anticipating “Harriet” is University of Kentucky theatre alumna Lacresha Berry, who wrote her own one-woman show on the American icon.

UKNow recently caught up with Berry to talk about her time at UK, “Tubman” and other projects on the horizon.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE Q&A

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UK Music takes over The Met

by Nathan Williams

The Metropolitan Opera is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, dancers, and…Wildcats?! Last week, 8 University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts alumni took over the stage and orchestra pit during the return of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”  

“One of America’s favorite operas returns to the Met for the first time in nearly 30 years. James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront, vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion, and heartbreak of its inhabitants. “If you’re going to stage Gershwin’s opera, this is how,” raved the Guardian when the new production premiered in London in 2018. David Robertson conducts a dynamic cast, featuring the sympathetic duo of Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the title roles and an all-star ensemble.”

Seth Morris (Principal Flute, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) was recently seen at the Singletary Center for the Arts back in September 2018 where he performed Mozart’s Flute Concert with the UK Symphony Orchestra.  

This production of Porgy and Bess will run from September 23, 2019 through February 1, 2020. Tickets can be purchased here.

School of Music Alumni in The Met’s Porgy and Bess:

Reginald Smith, Jr. - 2012 and 2013 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Performance)

Christine Mabel Jobson – 2012 (Master of Music Performance)

Karmesha K. Peake – 2007 and 2009 (Master of Music Performance)

Denisha Leshai Ballew – 2008 (Bachelor of Music Performance)

Andrea Jones-Sojola – 2001 (Master of Music Performance)

Markel Deshaun Reed

Makeda Danielle Hampton

La’shelle Quinette Allen

Seth Morris – 2007 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education)

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CFA Alum and East Jessamine High’s Dee Walker awarded Extra Credit Teacher of the week by Forcht Bank and WLEX. 

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Black and 25 in America by Jeremy Gillett

UK Alumni posted a great Q and A with actor, playwright, and UK alum, Jeremy Gillett whose one-man play, Black and 25 in America hits the stage this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 in the College of Fine Arts Guignol Theatre.

https://ukalumniblog.com/2019/09/06/jeremygillett/

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Nik Dumas Loves His Job!

Nik. L. Dumas, UKY Arts Administration Masters (online) 2018.

Nik Dumas, Artistic Administrator for Opera Idaho, shared his experience as a student in UKY Arts Administration online Mater’s program. “One of the many highlights of studying in the Arts Admin program was the amount of flexibility I had. Not only was I ale to comfortably work full-time, but I was able to make time for things I enjoyed as well. Another great point aout the program was the immediate feedback that I received.” 

Dumas said that he appreciated the expertise of all the Arts Admin professors he worked with, and in particular, his academic advisor, Jill Schinberg, who helped him realize that he had a “knack” for working in the arts.

When asked what advice he would give to his 18-year-old-self, he stated: “It’s okay if your plan doesn’t work out...it’s not failure; it’s a learning experience.”

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Shane Swezey (MM Music Therapy '13) - a finalist for 2020 Florida Teacher of the Year award!