As the School of Music and Dance forges into the future, it is important that we keep in touch with our past. As an alumni of San Diego State University and the School of Music and Dance, you remain an integral part of our academic family. We want to know about your activities, careers, and special events that take place in your artistic lives! We have included a special link so that you may keep us updated and share your experiences with faculty, staff, and fellow alumni.

Caleb Goh (Artist Diploma in Voice '07) has been hired as dance teacher at La Jolla Country Day School, La Jolla, CA. He teaches movement to Middle and Upper School students, and serves as dance coach for the school's musical theater production as well as a dance show. "Students learn to find beauty in a variety of dance expression, be it anger, peace, joy or amusement."

Johnny Hochgraefe (MA Musicology '07) is singing with the Portland Gay Men's Chorus. He recently performed in "Movie Madness," featuring medleys of Disney themes, movie dance numbers, cinematic love songs, and various solo and ensemble offerings.

Sam Rabourn (BA '04) Shortly after graduation, Sam spent two years circumnavigating the U.S. on a bicycle, www.samrabourn.com. He now lives in Sacramento where he is finishing a teaching credential program through Chapman University. In addition, Granite Bay High School hired him as their new pit coach. Sam is also a snare drummer for the San Francisco Renegades Drum and Bugle Corps (www.renegades.org).

Colleen D'Agostino (BA '06) - her band "The Material" made the top 3 finalists out of 4,000 on MTV's Dew Circuit Breakout. They recently performed as part of NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) at the Anaheim Convention Center, and will be on tour this summer.

Chris Klich (MM '05 - Jazz Studies) is an adjunct professor at Grossmont College, teaching jazz history. He performs a monthly show at Claire de Lune coffeehouse in North Park in addition to playing several gigs around town.

Jake Blackshear (BM '02, MM '06 - Jazz Studies), currently living in San Francisco, released a CD in December 2006 (available on iTunes)
and started blackshearmusic.com for wedding/event music booking.

Marissa Nunes (Outstanding Student in Dance, 2007) performed in the Jhon Diaz piece "Concourse Dance" as part of the 2007 Trolley Dances produced by the Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theater. She also continues to run her after school dance program Marissa's Dance Studio in San Ysidro.

San San Blain (MM 2006) is the mother of four sons, and recently got Orff certified. She is currently a math teacher at Poway High School.

Brandon Jagow (BM 2004) is the Director of Instrumental Music at St. Augustine HS in San Diego. He has also been arranging music for the Marching Aztecs and Pep Band since 2003. Eight of his arrangements can be heard on their latest release, Aztec Action.

Kevin Tinkle (BM 06') recently received his Teaching Credential from Sacramento State and is currently Band Director at Selma High School, Selma,
CA.

Jessica Cooper (BM Performance '98; Outstanding Student in Music) currently resides in Boston, MA where she is an adjunct faculty member in voice at University of Mass, Boston. She also performs with Boston Baroque, Boston Cecilia, and most recently Boston Secession. She will be a soloist at the Boulder Bach Festival in March, '08, performing the St. John Passion. In September, Jessica gave birth to a baby girl, Zoe Elizabeth Marie Carey.

Ingrid Williams (BS Kinesiology pre-Physical Therapy and Dance) has been accepted into Chapman University's Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. She hopes to "...incorporate my dance knowledge by maintaining the physical health and function of artists and others in
the performing arts."

Cory Hibbs (BM Music '02) received an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Award for his orchestral piece "Last Year, In New England." The piece is available at www.coryhibbs.com

Colin Mason (BM Jazz '93) is chair of the Department of Performing Arts at Temple College in Temple, Texas. He has toured across the US with Indian tabla artist Sandip Burman and has also toured in China with the Elision Saxophone Quartet. He completed a DMA in Music
Education with Jazz Emphasis from the University of Texas, Austin in 2005.

Anna Carney (MM Performance '88) is Assistant Lecturer in Music at Texas A&M University where she teaches saxophone, music theory and music appreciation. She also teaches clarinet at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX and maintains a private clarinet studio.
Anna's active performing career includes concerts in New York and Pennsylvania this fall.

Arthur Esposito (BM Jazz Performance) is an Academic Advisor at University College, Virginia Commonwelath University, in Richmond, VA. Arthur coordinated the creation of a multi-media lecture series focused on the concept of a Virtual Majors Fair. He is also an adjunct faculty member in the music department, teaching music appreciation for general education students, music history surveys for music majors and a jazz improvisation course for non-jazz music majors. Art performs with the Richmond Philharmonic, and Richmond Jazz Society's outreach ensemble.

Julie Ann Ballard (1997 M.M. in Piano Performance, 1994 B.A. in Music)
Julie Ann Ballard is graduating with Honors in 2007 from USC with a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education, and minors in Music History, Choral Composition and Music Industry. Her dissertation is entitled: A content analysis of the music in ten selected piano methods published in the United States for the elementary-aged beginning piano student in private lessons. After graduation, Julie will consider pursuing a Ph.D. in Music History from USC, or Piano Literature from Juilliard, and will continue working on her published piano method series for children.

James Paul Sain (MM Composition 86') was named "Alumni of the Year" (2006) for the SDSU School of Music and Dance. He is currently Associate Professor of Composition at the University of Florida. Be sure to visit his professional site: http://jamespaulsain.com

Eric Nedelman completed his Ph.D in Music Theory from UCSB (July 2005). His dissertation topic, Performance Analysis of David Tudor’s Interpretations of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Klavierstücke, has gained interest by both Tudor and Stockhausen. Eric is currently creating instrumental works for film and TV while working at DKW Musicworks as a composer, arranger, and recording engineer.

Jay Easton (BM Woodwinds 98'; MM Woodwinds 01') recently completed the DMA in Woodwind Performance at the University of Washington in June 2006. His dissertation, Writing For Saxophones: A Guide to the Tonal Palette of the Saxophone Family for Composers, Arrangers and Performers is being published in book form in September by fellow SDSU alumnus Ward Baxter. The book includes a CD with an unprecedented variety of recorded examples featuring the entire saxophone family from piccolo through subcontrabass being played in solo and ensemble settings. Visit www.jayeaston.com.

Kimberly Hulbert's a cappella music organization Sweet Adelines recently had four of its members, A Cappella Gold, win Nabisco's contest to reinterpret the Oreo cookie Jingle. Under Hulbert's leadership, the San Diego Chorus won the International Gold medal in October 2002. Kimberly is currently a Ph.D. candidate in musicology at Claremont Graduate University in Pomona. Her newest endeavor is becoming the Musical Director of the Pacific Coast Harmony Men's Chorus in La Jolla.

Marjorie Martin writes that her production of A Moon for the Misbegotten (co-produced with The Old Vic Theatre) will star Kevin Spacey for its official opening in London on September 27, 2006.

Meghann Veynar has accepted a position as the Production Manager for the San Diego Chamber Orchestra.