Convocation Spring 2025: Celebrating Talent and Achievement
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)
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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
