Moores School of Music

We are thrilled to announce that bassoonist Graydon Harrison has been awarded First Prize in this year’s competition, proudly co-organized by the Texas Music Festival and the Houston Symphony.

As part of his grand prize, Graydon will take the stage with our Festival Orchestra on June 27 for the season finale. Additionally, he will be featured as a soloist in one of the Houston Symphony’s performances during the 2026–2027 season.

Congratulations, Graydon 🎉🎉🎉

📣 UH Choirs Shoutouts!

We’re proud to showcase the accomplishments of our alumni and current students—discover their achievements!
 
1. Saleel Menon has two recent articles: co-authored article in Choral Journal (“Playful Pedagogy: Applying Elementary Music Strategies in Secondary Choirs”) and in the Bulletin for the Council for Research in Music Education (“Troubling Binaries, Imagining Futurities: Toward Nonbinary Thinking in Music Education in Polarized Times”).
 
2. Kaitlin DeSpain also had an article in the same issue of the Choral Journal, “From Principle to Practice: Woman-to-Woman Mentorship in Choral Conducting.”
 
3. Travis Falknor won a Tommy Tunes award for Outstanding Musical Director. Each year, Theatre Under the Stars honors the outstanding achievements of high school musical theatre students through the Tommy Tune Awards. The awards recognize excellence both onstage and behind the scenes, inspiring students to pursue their artistic dreams, providing professional-level feedback, and strengthening Houston’s cultural community.

4. Matthew Lyon Hazzard had his new major work, Finding Light, premiered in Oregon. The work will also be performed at Carnegie Hall in June.
 
5. Franco Basili has been named the new Artistic Director of the Conejo Valley Choral Society in California.
 
6. Emily Premont Alejandro, Frankie Espinoza, and Charnele Pendarvis (all three UH alumni) conducted the Region 13 Honor Choir.
 
7. Current DMA student Keith Lathrom has been appointed as Director of Music at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Houston succeeding Dr. David Henning.

✨New faculty announcement!✨

We are thrilled to announce Moores School of Music’s new Professor of Practice in Flute, Julee Kim Walker!

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A native Houstonian, Korean-American flutist Julee Kim Walker is the newly appointed Professor of Practice in Flute at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston, starting Fall 2026. She previously spent 14 years as Professor of Flute at East Texas A&M University. She is an active performer, passionate music educator & pedagogue, and a dedicated mentor & arts administrator.
 
An esteemed teacher, Dr. Walker was twice the recipient of the Paul W. Barrus Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching at ETAMU, and is sought-after as a clinician, adjudicator, and masterclasses teacher and lecturer all over the world, to include University of North Texas, CU Boulder, Shanghai Normal University in China, the Raffaele Trevisani Summer Masterclass in Italy, and Sao Paulo State University in Brazil. She has also performed in Austria, Italy, France, Croatia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and China.

Dr. Walker performs regularly with FlutAria! trio and with several ensembles in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex such as the Fort Worth Symphony, Plano Symphony and Irving Symphony, and has also performed with Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Winds, The Dallas Opera, New Orchestra of Washington, Fort Worth Opera, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and Dallas Theater Center. As soloist, she has performed with the Dallas Asian Winds, American Wind Symphony Orchestra, Southeastern Symphonic Winds, East Texas A&M University Wind Ensemble and Banda Sinfônica de Cubatão in Brazil.

juleekimwalker.com

The Texas Music Festival is off to a fantastic start as our students have finished their first week of study and performances. 🎉

Here are the exciting concerts you can look forward to during TMF Week #2!

✨New faculty announcement!✨

We are so excited to introduce Ben Carroll, our new Professor of Practice in Horn at the Moores School of Music!

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Ben Carroll is an award-winning hornist and music educator based in Dallas, Texas. He currently performs as 2nd horn in the Plano Symphony Orchestra, Principal horn of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra, and 3rd horn in the Irving Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Ben has worked with a variety of esteemed ensembles, including the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and Dallas Winds. Ben has also made Festival appearances in the Cactus Pear Music Festival, Taoyuan Band Festival, Hot Springs Music Festival, and Miami Music Festival.

As a dedicated mentor, Ben is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. He is Adjunct Instructor of Music for Horn at Texas Woman’s University and a Teaching Fellow at University of North Texas. In the summer, Ben serves on the brass instructional staff for the Santa Clara Vanguard, a renowned drum and bugle corps based in Santa Clara, California.

A Texan through and through, Ben earned degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Pat Hughes. He currently studies with Dr. Stacie Mickens at University of North Texas, where he is completing his Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.).

🎉 Congratulations to current MSM student Nathan Vilhena K**k! 🎉

Clarinetist Nathan Vilhena K**k was selected from more than 450 applicants to study and perform alongside world‑renowned musicians at the Sarasota Music Festival, held June 1–13.

Ranked alongside Aspen and Tanglewood, the Sarasota Music Festival is one of the nation’s most selective classical training programs. Past Fellows have gone on to hold concertmaster and principal positions with major American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan is among just 40 college‑age musicians chosen through a rigorous audition process to perform side‑by‑side with faculty in orchestral and chamber settings—gaining invaluable insight into the artistry and professionalism of today’s leading classical performers.

👏 Way to go, Nathan!

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Hailing from Laredo, Texas, Nathan Vilhena K**k is a multifaceted musician and educator dedicated to performance, pedagogy, and interdisciplinary collaboration. A Doctor of Musical Arts student at the University of Houston, Nathan studies with Yevgeny Dokshansky and serves as a Cindy Mitchell Scholar in convergence research.
Nathan holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of North Texas and has appeared as guest principal with the Chautauqua and Rockford Symphony Orchestras. Additional performance credits include the New World Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, and Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Nathan is also featured on Stacy Garrop’s oratorio Terra Nostra.
Honors include finalist recognition in the International Clarinet Association Young Artists Competition and an artist grant from Stagetime. A passionate educator, Nathan has taught throughout Illinois and Texas and has been published by the Texas Music Educators Association. Outside of music, interests include dancing and gymnastics.

Previously an Affiliate Artist, we are SO excited to announce that Brent Phillips will be our new Professor of Practice in Trombone this upcoming school year! ✨

Congratulations, Mr. Phillips!! 🎉

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A highly accomplished trombonist, Brent Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge, exceptional performance, creative innovation, and pedagogical expertise to his craft. His extensive experience includes performing with renowned orchestras such as the Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Houston Grand Opera. He holds the position of principal trombone with the Abilene Philharmonic and Waco Symphony Orchestra. He was assistant principal trombone and soloist with the historic “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, and served for 20 years as a faculty member at Baylor University.

Mr. Phillips is a faculty member at the Round Top Festival Institute since 2012 and has continues to solo and perform each summer on Festival Hill in Round Top. An active recitalist, clinician, and adjudicator, Mr. Phillips is a highly sought-after musician who has been a featured artist at every major conference and workshop in the trombone discipline.

Mr. Phillips’ acclaimed work can be heard on three solo albums, four chamber music albums, and two recordings with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Japp van Zweden. His performances have taken him on national and international tours with the Dallas Symphony, U.S. Marine Band, Baylor Brass, and Stentorian Consort.

The impact of Mr. Phillips’s teaching is evident in the success of his students. Many of his students have secured prestigious positions in U.S. orchestras and hold teaching posts at major universities. Their continued success in orchestral jobs and their consistent placement in national and international solo and chamber competitions attest to Mr. Phillips’s exceptional pedagogical skills and his ability to nurture the next generation of talented musicians.

Mr. Phillips is a founder and the director of the Mountain Light Music Festival in Pagosa Springs, CO. The annual summer festival is the synthesis of years of teaching, pedagogy, creative programing, and networking, combined with his lifelong love of wilderness.

The first week of the Texas Music Festival is almost here! 🎉Check out what exciting events are kicking off our 2026 season!