Trisha Dunlevy, BM piano performance (2023), will pursue a master’s of music in collaborative music (piano) at the University of North Texas this fall. Dunlevy was a winner of the 2023 Concerto-Aria Competition and performed as soloist in the first movement of the Grieg Piano Concerto in a minor with the TU Symphony on the President’s Concert on April 24. Dunlevy is an outstanding cellist and has performed in the TU Symphony Orchestra and in numerous chamber music groups over the past four years. She presented her senior piano recital on May 3.
Madyson Mitchell, BM vocal performance (2023), will pursue a master’s of music in vocal performance at the Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University this fall. Mitchell was a 2022 winner of the TU Concert-Aria Competition, a 2020 first-place winner of the Laven Sowell Collegiate Vocal Scholarship presented by the Hyechka Music Club of Tulsa, and was a place-winner for three years in a row in her divisions of NATS, Oklahoma District. She performed her senior vocal recital on March 10.
Jennifer Ripley, BA music and accounting double major (2023), will pursue her CPA license and work as a tax associate at Grant Thornton in Tulsa. Ripley was principal cellist of the TU Symphony for four years and plans to continue playing cello with the hopes of joining a symphony, teaching, and possibly even pursuing a master’s of music in cello performance in the future. Ripley was a winner in both the 2019 and 2023 TU Concerto-Aria Competitions.
Kyleigh Taylor, BM music composition (2023), will pursue a master’s of music in film composition degree at the Seattle Film Institute this fall. Taylor has received many accolades and won national and international awards for her film scoring and game scoring projects. She was also a frequent winner/finalist in TU Bela Rozsa Composition Competitions. Taylor presented her senior composition recital on April 14.
Bryson Miller, BME vocal (2023), will begin his teaching career at Jenks West Intermediate School this fall. A student of Brady McElligott, Miller was a valuable member of Cappella Chamber Singers, played viola in the TU Symphony, and participated in several musical theater productions on campus.
Cole Cribbs, BA music (2023), plans to teach piano and bass privately and work as a freelance composer/musician.
Caden Meador, BM composition (2023), plans to take a gap year to work and prepare to attend the Seattle Film Institute to pursue a master’s of music in film composition degree in the near future.
Hayden Iskander, BM piano performance and composition (2014), will pursue his DMA in composition at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University this fall.
Isaiah Feken, BM vocal performance (2014), has been busy with opera summer performances at Central City Opera and serving as teaching associate of voice and director of opera at Drake University.
Abigail Raiford, BM vocal performance (2017), has been hailed as a “Tulsa Favorite” by Tulsa Opera and will return to star as Mabel in their upcoming performance of Pirates of Penzance this October. This past season, Raiford debuted with Tulsa Opera as Elvira in Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri, earning a rave review in the Tulsa World that praised her comic acting and described her soprano voice as “powerful and luxurious.” She sang her first Carmina Burana in Atlanta in April, was a 2023 Tulsa District winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and a Finalist/Encouragement Award recipient in the 2023 Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition in New York. Raiford is represented by Insignia Artists Management.
Caitlin Norton, BM vocal performance (2020), is completing her master’s of music in choral conducting at Georgia State University and will be working toward an artist certificate in choral conducting at GSU in the fall. As a student of Brady McElligott, Norton was a winner of the 2020 TU Concerto Aria Competition.
Ariel Rodriguez, BM vocal performance (2020), will pursue a master’s of music in musicology at Florida State University this fall. Rodriguez was a winner of the 2020 TU Concerto Aria Competition as a student of Judith Raiford. Rodriguez was also accepted into the master’s of music in choral conducting program at Georgia State University thanks to her studies with Kim Childs.
Samuel Athey, BA music (2021), is the author of six fantasy novels in a series called, “Kings of Reality.” The books are available for purchase on Amazon.
Caleb Ricketts, BM vocal performance (2021), is now program director at Arts at 302 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. A student of Kim Childs at TU, Ricketts also sings professionally as staff tenor at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tulsa.
Carson Kientz (BSBA ’22), former baritone in Cappella Chamber Singers, is now audit associate at FORVIS, a Top 10 public accounting firm and will soon be CPA certified. A former student of Kim Childs, Kientz sings professionally as staff baritone at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tulsa.
Jessi Rhinehart, BM vocal performance (2022), is pursuing a master’s of music in vocal performance at the University of Kansas. Rhinehart has a graduate assistantship and is enjoying her applied lesson teaching assignments and singing roles with the KU Opera Theater. Rhinehart was a student of Judith Pannill Raiford.
Abigail Williams, BM vocal performance (2022), is pursuing a master’s of music in vocal performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Williams is thrilled to be studying with her teacher’s teacher, renowned vocal pedagogue Joan Patenaude Yarnell. Williams was a student of Judith Pannill Raiford.