Department Archives: School of Performing Arts

Theatre professor Steven R. Chicurel, DMA, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Estill Voice International at the Sixth Estill World Voice Symposium at Harvard University, August 2013. The Estill Lifetime Achievement Award “recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of voice. Recipients of this award have served as role models to […]

Jeremy Hunt has released four new educational apps to the Apple Store. His IPA Sing, French Diction, German Diction, and Italian Diction are instructional tools for singers. They are all currently available for iOS 6.1 or later on the Mac App store.

Richard Drexler features prominently on Low Standards, the latest release from renowned jazz musician Jeff Berlin. Drexler plays piano and bass alongside Berlin, one of the world’s most influential electric bass players. They are joined by famed drummer Mike Clark. The album, along with Drexler’s performance, has been received warmly in a multitude of reviews. […]

Kyle Schmidt (B.M.E. Trumpet) won 1st Place in the Drum Corps International Individual and Ensemble Competition. The event was held during the DCI Grand Championships on August 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Schmidt was one of 37 brass soloists vying for first place. There were 16 trumpet players in the competition. Schmidt performed […]

Josh Hobbs won a place in the prestigious Dallas Wind Symphony Fanfare competition. Hobbs is a graduate student studying composition in the Master of Arts in Music program. UCF made an impressive showing with two winners. A piece by Josh’s teacher Christopher Marshall was also selected. The Fanfare Competition boasts entries from composers around the […]

This August, Jeff Rupert performed in Brazil at the I Love Jazz Festival Internacional. The festival boasts an attendance of more than 10,000 visitors each night. Rupert appeared with the Happy Feet Big Band and the Judy Carmichael Group on August 10 and 11 in Belo Horizonte. Rupert also performed in the studio during his […]

The latest issue of Orlando Weekly features research on “Music and the Brain” by UCF faculty members. The work began with a course by Dr. Kiminobu Sugaya, a UCF professor of neuroscience, and Juilliard-trained violinist and UCF professor Ayako Yonetani. The course lead to lectures, performances, and a symposium as well as involvement from the […]

Whether it’s an exciting baseline, a somber melody or a crescendo that makes your heart flutter every time, we’re all aware of the power music can have over our emotions. But is it capable of curing diseases? Could it be the reason for a murder or a suicide? Could it cure Parkinson’s disease? These are […]

Sophomore Greg Zabel has won the Central Florida Jazz Society 2013 Scholarship. Zabel was one of seven finalists following a preliminary round consisting of a recorded performance. Four of the finalists were UCF students. Zabel will receive a $2000 prize that he expects to put toward the purchase of a new bass and amp. When […]

Flute players Adriane Hill and Nicholas Buonanni are entering their final semester at UCF. During their time at UCF, they have been highly active performers, and their efforts have been recognized with numerous awards. Both students are studying with Nora Lee García in the flute studio and had the opportunity to perform in master classes […]