ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

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.

Are you winning awards? Have a new job? Has a special event occurred in your life since you graduated from SDSU? We want you to keep an active connection to the School of Music and Dance, where many new and exciting things are taking place. Please take a few moments to keep us updated about your work and your achievements. Include your name, address, year graduated and degree(s) and most importantly, your e-mail address.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

Matthew Roehl (BM ‘10) made his San Diego Opera debut as Leopold in Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. The production opened on April 3 and played through April 12.

Melissa Sanderson (BFA Dance ‘10) took classes in Amsterdam with professional teachers from around the world at Henny Jurriens Foundation.  She also joined a dance/theater performance group called Curious Behavior which focuses on hidden performance in public space. Melissa currently resides in Texas where she has applied to Texas Woman’s University’s MFA in Dance program.

Anthony Smith (MM ‘10) had a release party for “Jazz Queens,” his new CD featuring the Anthony Smith Quartet performing original music composed for the world premiere of Jazz Queens Cast Blue Shadows, a play about the lives of Billie Holliday and Dinah Washington. Quartet members are Richard Sellers, drums, Doug Walker, bass and Peter August, sax.

Hilary Maiberger (BA ‘08) currently appears as Jasmine in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney’s California Adventure where she performs To Be Free, an original song by Alan Menken.

Amanda and Jonathan Brin (AD ‘07) members of The Hyperion String Quartet are running a new chamber music program for the large youth orchestra in Albany, NY and are coaches and judges for their sectionals and seating auditions. Amanda also is teaching at the College of St. Rose in Albany.

Erica Buechner (BFA Dance ‘06) has formed her own dance group entitled Sound Dance Company, which had its debut performance featuring original choreography on April 1 at the YouTurn Contemporary Arts Exhibition 2011, downtown San Diego. She was also selected as the 2011 Alumni to Watch in Dance and was presented with her award at the annual Honors Convocation on May 15, 2011.

Jeff Eckstein (MM ‘02) conducted L’Amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni at the Miami Lyric Opera.  The work is a rarely performed second opera of a composer who is primarily known for his one-act opera Cavalleria Rusticana. “Conductor Eckstein has a fine sense of dramatic pacing, never letting the tension level flag. His reading of the elegant Intermezzo captured the charm and zest of Mascagni’s scoring.” (Miami Herald)