University of Tennessee Natalie L. Haslam College of Music

What movie would you most like to experience with a live orchestra? 🎬🎻 Fill out our survey!

The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is exploring the possibility of presenting a live-to-film concert, where a full orchestra performs a beloved movie score live while the film is shown on screen.

If you have a couple of minutes, please complete our anonymous short survey and let us know what you'd be most excited to see:
https://utk.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bOO1v6vZH4vTw90

It takes a village, and ours is pretty incredible. 🧡

Last week, the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music welcomed more than 150 middle school musicians to Rocky Top for our inaugural Middle School Band Camp. Over three days, students learned from our faculty, worked alongside outstanding student leaders, made new friends, and experienced a little Big Orange spirit along the way.

The camp concluded with performances by our 7th and 8th grade bands, giving families and friends an opportunity to celebrate all that these young musicians accomplished during their time on campus.

Programs like this are only possible because of the dedication of so many people. A special thank-you to Professors John Zastoupil and Emmett O’Leary, our exceptional student leaders, and staff members Jenny Cross, Maddy Walker, and Ashley Waller for helping make this inaugural camp such a success.

We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in the next generation of musicians, and we’re already looking forward to offering more experiences like this in the future. Thank you to everyone who helped make this week so special. 🧡

Graduate student Sophia Bennett is taking her research beyond the classroom! 👏🎵

This past March, Sophia presented her research, Trauma-Informed Pedagogies (TIP): Implementation in the Vocal Classroom, at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Regional Conference.

Her study explores how trauma-informed teaching practices can be implemented in voice instruction, challenging traditional one-size-fits-all educational models and fostering more supportive, student-centered learning environments for vocalists.

Learn more about Sophia's research by clicking the link below:
https://vist.ly/575ka

The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is proud to announce that Professor Mehrenegar Rostami, teaching assistant professor of musicology, has been elected to the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Council Advisory Board! 🎶

In her new role, Professor Rostami joins an elite group of international scholars shaping the strategic future of the discipline. From bringing global musical traditions into the classroom to helping fund vital doctoral fieldwork, her work is putting UT musicology on the global stage. 🌍

Click the link below to read the full story and learn how she’s connecting our students directly to the international music scene.

https://vist.ly/56c5g

Earlier this month at our Annual Awards Banquet, we gathered to celebrate the incredible faculty and staff who make the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music such a special place to learn and grow. Please join us in congratulating this year’s award recipients for their exceptional service and impact:

🏆 Keith Brown, Outstanding Teaching Award
🏆 Dale Disney, Outstanding Faculty Service Award
🏆 Vance Thompson, Outstanding Faculty Creative/Scholarly Achievement Award
🏆 Jenny Cross, Outstanding Staff Member Award

Thank you to all of our faculty and staff for the passion, creativity, and care you bring to the College each and every day.

How do you decode a musical blueprint from the Middle Ages? You use data. 📊🎶

Huge congratulations to Professor Dale Disney, teaching assistant professor of musicology and director of online programs, for being selected for the 2026 AMS Summer Institute at NYU. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, this intensive program explores how computational tools can revolutionize early music research.

Professor Disney will be diving into advanced tools like jSymbolic to analyze massive datasets of late medieval music, spotting hidden structural patterns traditional score-reading might miss.

Read more about Professor Disney's accomplishment: https://vist.ly/55idc

A class defined by excellence. 🎶✨

As the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music celebrates the Class of 2026, 89% of graduates earned academic honors, showcasing the incredible work ethic, passion, and support system that make this community so special. These students have truly embodied what it means to be a Music Vol. 🍊

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. We cannot wait to see where your music takes you next.

Read more about the Class of 2026 and these honors distinctions: https://vist.ly/54qyu

Happy Saturday, Music Vols! 🎶 🍊
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We want to take a moment to highlight some of our graduating seniors with a Senior Spotlight! We’re so proud of you all for all your accomplishments. 🎉 🎓
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Emma Woodward
Tristan Boh
Falynn Davis
Sherleen Mwaura
Preston Turner
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Due to popular demand, we are extending our Tennessee Middle School Band Camp registration deadline to 11:59 P.M. on Wednesday, May 13th. We would be thrilled to welcome as many middle school musicians to Rocky Top as possible for this incredible event, led by our very own Director of Bands, John Zastoupil!

Scan the QR code to register, or visit: tiny.utk.edu/bandcamp2026