April L. Prince
April L. Prince received her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia and her Ph.D in musicology from the University of Texas at Austin under the late K.M Knittel.
April L. Prince received her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia and her Ph.D in musicology from the University of Texas at Austin under the late K.M Knittel.
Steven Menard holds a bachelor’s degree in trombone performance from Northwestern University, and a master’s degree in performance from the San Francisco Conservatory. In 2003, he spent several months in Vienna, Austria studying independently with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Primary teachers include: Michael Mulcahy, Mark Lawrence, Richard Erb, and Timothy Schneider.
Natalie Mannix is an avid trombone soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer and educator. Currently Associate Professor of Trombone at Towson University, she is also Principal Trombonist with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and Ash Lawn Opera Orchestra. Natalie was a member of the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC for over 9 years where she performed with the brass quintet and as soloist with the concert band in addition to the ceremonial band.
Vivek Virani is a PhD candidate in ethnomusicology at UCLA, completing his dissertation with the guidance of Daniel Neuman, AJ Racy, Timothy Taylor and Aamir Mufti. His dissertation explores how songs of South Asian devotional poet-saints are used to negotiate issues of culture, religion, and society at the regional and national levels. His broader interests in ethnomusicology include music and spiritual expression; music and community-building; music, religion and nation; and Indian classical music.
Allen Hightower has been appointed Director of Choral Studies at the University of North Texas beginning in the fall of 2016. Dr. Hightower is the first holder of the Weston Noble Endowed Chair in Music, at Luther College, where he serves as conductor of the renowned Nordic Choir and Artistic Director of Christmas at Luther. As Luther's Director of Choral Activities, he gives leadership to a choral program that includes four conductors, six choirs, and over 530 singers.
Elizabeth Chappell taught orchestra for seventeen years in the Austin Independent School District in Austin, Texas. Twelve of those years were in Title One programs and this experience sparked one of her research interests, equity of access to music education in urban public schools. Dr.
Diego Cubero’s research interests include Schenkerian analysis, Romantic aesthetics and the music of Brahms. His dissertation expands upon the common notion that Brahms’ music sounds autumnal, bringing an important aspect of the composer’s reception history in dialogue with key tenets of Romantic philosophy and with a close analysis of the music.
Brad Bennight completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in harpsichord at the University of North Texas where he studied with Lenora McCroskey and Christoph Hammer. Mr. Bennight has performed with many period-instrument ensembles locally and throughout the U.S., including Texas Camerata, Orchestra of New Spain, Mercury Baroque, La Folia Austin, Denton Bach Society, Camerata Ventepane, Texas Early Music Project, as well as at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston with Christopher Hogwood and as pianist and harpsichordist with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.