Faculty Achievements

By Alissa Galyon Alexander van Duuren, associate professor of trombone in the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, was recently awarded the UT Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development’s ASCENT Program grant, and joins only a handful of UT faculty for this transformational award in its inaugural year. With the grant, van Duuren aims to provide a performance opportunity rarely offered by universities: a live-to-film concert,…

By Alissa Galyon Denin Slage-Koch, assistant professor of jazz guitar in the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the UT Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development’s ASCENT Program. He joins a select few UT faculty for this transformational award in its inaugural year. With the grant funding, Slage-Koch will compose, record, release, and promote an album of original music with fellow UT jazz faculty and prominent guest guitarists, with aspirations of earning international acclaim and major…

Written by Eliza Simikian The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is proud to announce that Mehrenegar Rostami, teaching assistant professor of musicology, has been elected to the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Council Advisory Board. Professor Rostami, an expert in the music of Central Asia and the Middle East, began her three-year term in October 2025. …

Written by Eliza Simikian The Natalie L. Haslam College of Music is proud to announce that Professor Dale Disney, teaching assistant professor of musicology and director of online programs, has been accepted into the 2026 American Musicological Society (AMS) Summer Institute. The two-week residential program, “Studying Early Music with Computers: Tools, Formats, and Strategies,” will be…

By Miles Standish Fuller Lyon, distinguished lecturer, assistant director of bands, and associate director of marching and athletic bands in the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, was selected to compete in the Warsaw Wind Band Conducting Competition at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland. The Warsaw Wind Band Conducting Competition is an incredible opportunity as it challenges conductors with a mix of classical masterworks…

Written by Eliza Simikian Each summer, the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, brings together some of the finest classical musicians from around the world. Among the world-class artists performing at this year’s festival were two members of the University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music faculty: mezzo-soprano Renée Tatum, assistant…

Written by Eliza Simikian Renee Tatum, acclaimed mezzo-soprano and faculty member at the University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, will take center stage in Knoxville Opera’s 2025–26 season opener, performing the title role in Bizet’s Carmen.  The production, set to open this weekend (October 24 and 26), marks a major milestone in…

Written by Eliza Simikian James Fellenbaum, associate professor and director of orchestras at the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, was invited this summer to conduct at the Hollywood Bowl for Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. The Hollywood Bowl is one of the most iconic and prestigious outdoor music venues in the world, known for…

The music of Juan Carlos “JC” Quintero, director of music business and communications in the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, continues to resonate with listeners worldwide. Two of his albums recently reached the No. 1 spot on Amazon’s Best Sellers list for Latin Jazz and remain strong on the charts. As of September 12,…