UNLV School of Music

The UNLV School of Music proudly celebrates Director Dr. Isrea L. Butler on his recent performance with the Gateways Brass Collective as part of Carnegie Hall Citywide in Times Square, NY.

A distinguished performer, educator, and arts leader, Dr. Butler continues to exemplify the excellence, leadership, and artistry that define the UNLV School of Music. We are proud to see him representing UNLV on one of the world’s most iconic musical stages.

Gateways Brass Collective

• Courtney Jones, Trumpet
• Herbert Smith, Trumpet
• Larry Williams, Horn
• Isrea L. Butler, Trombone
• Jerome Stover, Tuba

Dr. Isrea Butler's brass quintet was featured by Carnegie Hall Presents in Time Square!

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Gateways Brass Collective The Gateways Brass Collective, resident ensemble of the Gateways Music Festival, unites leading musicians of African heritage to uplift and engage communities. Equally at home in classical, jazz, and contemporary styles, the quintet members have performed with leading ensembles, from the Chicago and...

The Cullen Skink Rag is composed by Anthony LaBounty (UNLV Music) who encountered the chowder on his first visit to Scotland in Summer 2025.

New Composition "Cullen Skink Rag" Sent to Royal Scottish National Orchestra The Cullen Skink Rag, out now, is a musical ragtime composition paying tribute to and inspired by the Scottish culinary favorite Cullen Skink, a seafood chowder born of the Scottish coastal town of Cullen. The Cullen Skink Rag is composed by Anthony LaBounty (UNLV Music) who encountered the chowder....

The UNLV School of Music is proud to partner with Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival & Summer Academy, founded by UNLV School of Music alumna Shakeh Ghoukasian, for its 2026 season, taking place June 6–13, 2026, across UNLV and prominent Las Vegas cultural institutions.

Now entering its third season, the Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival & Summer Academy celebrates musicians who were educated and mentored in Las Vegas and have gone on to perform on international stages. Each summer, these artists return home to teach, perform, and inspire the next generation of young musicians - a mission that aligns deeply with UNLV’s commitment to artistic excellence, mentorship, and community engagement.

UNLV’s partnership honors Ghoukasian’s achievements as an alumna of the UNLV School of Music and supports her vision to create a festival rooted in Las Vegas while reaching a global audience. As part of this collaboration, students from the UNLV School of Music will receive full and partial scholarships to attend the festival’s Summer Academy, reinforcing UNLV’s dedication to accessible, high-level arts education.

“We are proud to support Desert Roots Rising Stars and to celebrate Shakeh Ghoukasian’s remarkable work as a UNLV alumna,” said Dean Nancy Uscher, Dean of the UNLV College of Fine Arts. “This partnership reflects the powerful impact our alumni continue to make in the arts and the meaningful opportunities they create for the next generation of musicians.”

⭐Festival Locations:
UNLV College of Fine Arts – Doc Rando Recital Hall
Barrick Museum of Art (UNLV) – Faculty Concert No. 2
Rita Deanin Abbey Museum – Faculty Concert No. 1

⭐Concerts & Events:
Faculty Concert No. 1
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
Rita Deanin Abbey Museum

A program pairing world-class chamber music with the museum’s art installations, highlighting the synergy between visual and musical expression.

Faculty Concert No. 2
Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
Barrick Museum of Art (UNLV)

Presented in partnership with the UNLV College of Fine Arts, this concert will reflect the artwork currently exhibited at the museum and showcase Desert Roots faculty artists.

Rising Stars Student Concerts
Friday, June 12, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – Student Chamber Concert, Doc Rando Recital Hall
Saturday, June 13, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – Doc Rando Recital Hall, UNLV

Two showcase performances featuring Summer Academy students performing alongside faculty artists.

⭐Summer Academy:
Running concurrently with the festival, the Desert Roots Summer Academy offers an immersive week of intensive study for talented pre-college and collegiate string and piano students. Participants engage in:

Daily private lessons and chamber music coaching

Masterclasses with world-renowned artists

Performance workshops and seminars

Opportunities to perform in student showcase concerts

Full and partial scholarships are awarded to outstanding UNLV and local students, continuing Desert Roots’ commitment to accessible, high-level music education in Nevada.

⭐UNLV Alumni Artists
Peter Goomroyan, violin

Jeremy Russo, cello

Shakeh Ghoukasian, violin — Founder, Desert Roots Rising Stars

Dr. Alexandria Le, piano — 2026 piano faculty

Tyler Gordon, conductor, bass

⭐Mission
To nurture the next generation of artists through mentorship, performance, and collaboration — rooted in Las Vegas and reaching globally. The Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival & Summer Academy is a proud partnership between Desert Roots Rising Stars, the UNLV College of Fine Arts, and local art institutions, uniting music and visual art in celebration of community, talent, and education.

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