Natalie L. Haslam College of Music

Archives for April 2025

Convocation Spring 2025: Celebrating Talent and Achievement

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Last Thursday marked a special occasion as we gathered to honor the accomplishments of our talented Natalie L. Haslam College of Music students throughout the academic year at our biannual convocation. Attendees were treated to captivating performances, showcasing the top three winners of the Exhibition for Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURECA). 
 

The highlight of the event was the recognition of our exceptional graduating undergraduate and graduate students, who were awarded for their outstanding contributions in their major. Additionally, undergraduate students were applauded for their noteworthy achievements, while new members of Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society were duly acknowledged. The event also served as a platform to commend the 2024-25 student ambassadors and unveil the incoming 2025-26 student ambassadors. 

Congratulations to all students honored during this event!  

Outstanding Undergraduate Seniors 

  • Brass – Cameron McKenzie 
  • Keyboard – Guanrong Huang 
  • Music Education – Jaydon Headrick (not pictured)
  • Music Theory/Composition – Siena Fulton (not pictured)
  • Musicology – Avery Noe 
  • Percussion – Chang Gao 
  • Strings – Brooke Lafontant 
  • Voice – Vivian Hirst (not pictured)
Dean Jeff Pappas with Cameron McKenzie. 
Dean Jeff Pappas with Guanrong Huang. 
Dean Jeff Pappas with Avery Noe. 
Dean Jeff Pappas with Chang Gao.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Brooke Lafontant.

Outstanding Graduate Students

  • Brass – Ben Makins 
  • Jazz – Jase Conley 
  • Keyboard – Tianran Gao 
  • Music Education – Amanda Fintak 
  • Music Theory/Tech/Composition – Tiffany Eady 
  • Musicology – Evie Andrus 
  • Percussion – Christopher Rosas 
  • Strings – Jackson Alderman (not pictured)
  • Voice – Meghan Krish 
  • Woodwind – Rafael Puga 
Dean Jeff Pappas with Ben Makins.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Jase Conley.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Tianran Gao.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Amanda Fintak.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Tiffany Eady.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Evie Andrus.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Christopher Rosas.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Meghan Krish.
Dean Jeff Pappas with Rafael Puga.

Presser Scholar Award 

The Presser Foundation based in Haverford, Pennsylvania has established an award at the University of Tennessee known as the Presser Scholarship. This scholarship is presented annually to a music major, who is a rising senior with a high-grade point average and at least 1/3 of their classes outside the field of music. The award is voted on by the entire faculty. The student recipient is known as the Presser Scholar. 

  • Avery Noe 
Avery Noe is the recipient of the pretigious Presser Award.

Gerald W. Barnes Woodwind Award 

The Gerald W. Barnes Fund for Excellence in Woodwinds was established by the Arkansas Community Foundation to provide an annual award to a student of excellence in woodwinds at the University of Tennessee. The sole criterion for this award is excellence.   

  • Rebecca Deal 
Rebecca Deal is the recipient of the Gerald W. Barnes Fund for Excellence in Woodwinds.

Exhibition for Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURECA) 

1st Place – Yarema Melnyk, Violinist (Freshman Violin Performance) 

2nd Place – Braden Bruce, Vocalist (Sophomore Vocal Music Education) 

3rd Place – Levi Gayso, Euphonium (Freshman Instrumental Music Education) 

Dean Jeff Pappas with 1st Place Winner – Yarema Melnyk, Violinist
Dean Jeff Pappas with 2nd Place Winner – Braden Bruce, Vocalist
Dean Jeff Pappas with 3rd Place Winner – Levi Gayso, Euphonium

Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society – New Members 

Pi Kappa Lambda is an honor society, the only music organization recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. It was dedicated by its founders to the fostering of scholarly interest in the theoretical and historical aspects of music, and the pursuit of eminent achievement in performance, composition, music education, and research.                                                                             

  • Evelyn Andrus 
  • Ashton Arndt 
  • Julia Avery 
  • Andrew Brittain 
  • Andrea Byrd 
  • Rebecca Deal 
  • Shandy Dice 
  • Carson Duckworth 
  • Evan Gill 
  • Anna Hutchinson 
  • Dawson May 
  • Meredith McNabb 
  • Emma Poppert 
  • Nicholas Horner 
  • Ben Strobel 
  • Preston Turner 
Several students were inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society.

2025 – 2026 Student Ambassadors 

The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is thrilled to welcome our next class of Student Ambassadors for the 2025 – 2026 academic year: 

New Ambassadors 

  • Elijah Ailey 
  • Larsen Buck 
  • Shandi Dice 
  • Virginia Klenske 
  • Sherleen Mwaura 
  • Emily Stewart 

Returning Ambassadors 

  • Caleb DeLong 
  • Sydney Flenniken 
  • Isaac Hair 
  • Reagan Imwalle 
  • Ally McNabb 
  • Ella Pinchock 
  • Phil Troutman 
  • Matthew Walker 
New ambassadors for the 2025 – 2026 academic year

2024-25 Student Ambassadors Recognition 

The following students served as Student Ambassadors for the 2024 – 2025 academic year, and will either be graduating this year or completing their final semester as Student Ambassadors in Fall 2025.  

  • Faith Nevarez  
  • Rose Capooth 
  • Christian Carroll 
  • Carson Duckworth 
  • Emma Poppert 
We’d like to recognize our 2024 – 2025 Student Ambassadors who will be graduating this May, or completing their final semesters as Student Ambassadors in Fall 2025.

Aamir Walton named Senior Director of Advancement at the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music 

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The University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music has named Aamir Walton as its next senior director of advancement. With more than a decade of fundraising experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector – and a track record of securing millions of dollars in philanthropic support – Walton is poised to build upon and elevate the college’s growing advancement efforts. 

Walton most recently served as director of development for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, where he was tasked with launching a new regional portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting from zero prospects, he quickly rose to become one of the Center’s top performers – ranking in the top eight for face-to-face contacts and top three in dollars closed. Since 2020, Walton has closed more than $6 million in gifts, increasing both major gift asks and gifts closed in the region by 50% annually. 

Photo of Aamir Walton

Before his role at Iowa, Walton was an advancement officer at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, supporting the Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Education. There, he increased regional solicitations by 150% over three years and helped secure multiple principal gifts of $1 million or more. 

Walton’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the college, which was named in 2024 in honor of one of the university’s most generous benefactors, Natalie L. Haslam. His hiring marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as the college continues to build its identity, visibility, and network of support. 

“I am thrilled that Aamir is joining us as the college’s next senior director of advancement. He’s an incredibly dynamic fundraiser and has proven strong leadership in higher education development efforts,” said Jeffrey Pappas, founding dean of the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music. “We already have a strong base of support and advocates for the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, and I look forward to working with Aamir to expand and deepen those relationships.”   

Throughout his career, Walton has served as a self-described generalist, building relationships across entire regions rather than within a single academic unit. Seeking a more focused and mission-driven role, he was drawn to the college’s vision and purpose. 

“I really felt called to this position,” Walton said. “Not only was it an exciting opportunity to join a new College of Music, but the musical community and cultural opportunities in Knoxville spoke to me and my family. I was raised around music in my church, and my wife and I are now at a point where we want to immerse our young children in the arts. The mission of the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is deeply personal to me, and I’m excited to contribute to its continued success.” 

Walton will officially begin his role on May 1. The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music looks forward to welcoming Walton to Rocky Top and partnering with him in furthering its mission to inspire and educate through music.