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Alex Welch
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Alex is a second-year undergraduate studying electrical engineering and a minor in music. He is also a member of The Mighty Sound of the South. Alex also marched in DCI with Southwind in 2019.
Besides horn playing, Alex enjoys traveling and playing video games |
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Anna Voros
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Anna is a first-year undergraduate studying music performance. She is from South Bend, IN where she participated in various musical activities such as youth orchestras, marching band, jazz bands, chamber ensembles, solo competitions, concerto performances as well as state wide programs such as Indiana All-State honors band. She is a recipient and member of the Rudi E. Scheidt Chamber players fellowship. Music is her passion and she includes it in her life whenever possible. However, when she is not playing or listening to music she is painting, reading, and spending time with family or friends.
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Breanne Tompkins
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Cobe Beck
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Cobe is a senior undergraduate studying Music Performance. He has been a member of the University’s Opera, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and its marching band, “The Mighty Sound of the South.”
Besides Horn playing, Cobe enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and discovering places that he has never been-whether it be a hole in the wall cafe or a great Memphis BBQ. |
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Dean Blish
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Dean Blish is a first year performance major from Munford, TN. He has played horn for 8 years and made All West 5 of those years. He has played the mello for just as long and spent the last summer as a member of the Carolina Crown. Outside of horn he loves to swim, play games, hangout with friends.
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Drew Wolfe
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Drew is a second year Bachelor’s student studying Music Education, who is from Southaven, MS. He was a graduate of Southaven High School. While at Southaven High School, Drew was a member of the Southaven High School Symphonic Band and Pride of Southaven Marching Band. In concert band, he received All-Superior ratings three out of his four years and was the first chair horn player his final year. Drew was also a part of the Southaven marching band when they were the 5A and overall Grand Champions at the Arkansas State Open and the Bronze Medalists at the Mississippi 6A State Championships in 2019. With his limited time at the U of M, Drew has been a part of the “Might Sound of the South” Marching Band and the University of Memphis Symphonic Band.
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Eric Sorensen
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Eric Sorensen is a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis pursuing a combined MM/DMA in Horn Performance under the guidance of Dr. Robert Fant. Before Moving to Tennessee he lived in Honolulu, Hawaii where he received his Bachelors of Music degree from the University of Hawaii. He has played with numerous orchestras including the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and the North State Symphony. He was an inaugural member of the University of Hawaii Scholarship Woodwind Quintet in addition to performing with the UH Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He was a recipient of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Grant as part of a project titled Plate Lunch: Music of the Pacific Rim. His previous primary instructors include Julia Filson, Maura McCune Corvington, and Jonathan Parrish.
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Evan Mino
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Geoffrey Sims
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James Currence
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A native of Charleston, S.C., James is a horn player and arranger located in Memphis, Tennessee. Before studying with Dr. Fant at the University of Memphis, he studied with Greg Miller at Lynn Conservatory in Boca Raton, FL, and Joseph Lovinsky at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA. James is currently the Adjunct Professor of Horn at Union University in Jackson, TN. James has also toured internationally with various groups, most recently with the Syzygy Wind Quintet during their tour of Hungary in March 2018. Past teachers include Basil Kerr and Debra Sherrill-Ward, former third horn of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
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Madeline Miller
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Madeline Miller is a sophomore horn performance major at the University of Memphis. She has been playing in the university symphonic band and wind ensemble for the past couple of years. Madeline has been playing french horn for the past four years. She had started trombone in the fifth grade before switching to french horn her junior year of high school. She also plays mellophone in the mighty sound of the south. Madeline is from Chicago, Illinois and enjoys the warmth of the south. Other than playing the french horn Madeline enjoys dawning and playing video games in her free time. She has a year-old mixed breed puppy named Brodie that she loves to go on walks with when she isn't practicing. Madeline's goals are to hopefully go to Northwestern for her doctoral degree before playing in orchestras and then teaching horn at a university.
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Matthew Fenton
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Matthew Fenton is a first-year Master's student at the University of Memphis, where he is pursuing a degree in Horn Performance. Before moving to Memphis, Matthew attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and graduated with degrees in Music and German
While at Concordia, Matthew served as section leader and principal horn of the Concordia Band and Orchestra, respectively, and has performed with these ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, Greece. Additionally, He has played in a wide variety of chamber ensembles, including horn ensembles, woodwind quintet, and brass quintets. Matthew has also performed in numerous concert settings, ranging from opera and musical theater, to the Emmy Award-winning Concordia Christmas Concerts. Outside of Concordia, Matthew has served as a section coach for the Fargo-Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies and Northern Valley Youth Orchestras, and is currently the acting principal horn of the Sinfonietta Memphis. He hopes to play in a professional orchestra and eventually teach at the collegiate level. Besides music, Matthew's interests include Classical Studies, Linguistics, and exploring all Memphis has to offer. |
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Michael “Corey” Johnson
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Corey is a second year Master’s student studying Horn Performance. Corey was born in Birmingham, AL, but got his Bachelors of Music degree from the University of North Texas. Corey played with several groups at UNT including the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Commencement Band, and several chamber ensembles. Outside of school, he has performed with the Sherman Symphony Orchestra, Allen Philharmonic, Mansfield Philharmonic, Milal Orchestra and the Corinth Symphony Orchestra. During his summers, Corey has attended the Eastern Music Festival, Sewanee Music Festival, and the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute.
Corey's YouTube Page |
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Nathan Olusemire
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Nicholas Miller
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Nick is from Cincinnati, Ohio and began playing the horn at age 11, taking private lessons for many years with Karen Schneider. After receiving a bachelor's degree from CCM with Randy Gardner, Nick took his talents to Boston where he studied at the New England Conservatory with Jason Snider. He then moved back to Ohio and worked in a brewery while performing in various small ensembles. Nick now resides in Memphis, studying at the University of Memphis with Dr. Robert Fant. In his free time, he works as a brass repair technician at Amro Music and hangs out with his dog and best friend, Gunther.
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Spencer Alfredson
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Spencer is a first year graduate student from Tomball, Texas who is studying Horn Performance. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas with a Music Education degree in May 2021. Spencer served as Principal horn in the SFA Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble during his time at SFA, performing at TMEA convention and CBDNA. He was also a member of other ensembles including Opera, The Lumberjack Marching Band, Roarin' Buzzsaws Pep Band, Class Act Brass Quintet, and the Nacogdoches Winds. At SFA Spencer served as the Sergeant at Arms for Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity from 2019-2020. Outside of music, Spencer enjoys DnD and League of Legends.
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Steven Groff
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Steven Groff is a sophomore Horn Performance major. He is in the Symphonic Band and the Marching Band. He has been playing for 8 years and prefers playing low horn. In high school, he made all-west and all-state. He also plays trombone and baritone. In his free time, he likes to watch Netflix and, of course, practice. He is very happy to be learning at the University of Memphis and is looking forward to his future at the institution. Go Tigers!
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Therese Giordano
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Originally from Albany, New York, Therese Giordano is currently a Graduate Assistant and pursuing a doctoral degree in horn performance from the University of Memphis through the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. She is a member of the Atlas Graduate Brass Quintet and former member of MemFive, the School of Music’s graduate woodwind quintet. Before moving to Memphis, Therese received a Bachelor's Degree in horn performance from The Purchase College Conservatory of Music (SUNY Purchase) in Westchester, New York. While attending Purchase, Therese was a featured soloist with Purchase Brass ensemble and served as the brass representative for the Purchase Symphony Orchestra. She was also a member of the Purchase College Contemporary Players, an elite group of students who played a series of chamber concerts to promote the conservatory and inspire young musicians to pursue a career in music.
In addition to horn playing, Therese also loves to conduct chamber ensembles and teach. From the summers of 2016-2019, she taught music theory and served as the director of the horn ensemble at Eastern U.S. Music Camp in Hamilton, New York. Therese plans to form her own professional chamber ensemble and perform in esteemed orchestras around the world. In her spare time, Therese enjoys baking, exploring new places, and traveling. |
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Tinkerbell “Tink” Fant
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Tink is the official mascot of the studio. She prefers right notes and peanut butter treats. You will always find her at studio dinners…. Usually begging for treats.
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Tyler Bjerke
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Tyler Bjerke is currently the 4th horn of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, as well as an Artist Diploma student at the University of Memphis where he studies with Dr. Robert Fant. Prior to moving to Memphis he was freelance performer and private lesson instructor in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex. He has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra, Amarillo Symphony, Allen Philharmonic Orchestra, and other ensembles. As a soloist, Tyler has performed as a Regional Artist at the 2018 Mid-South Horn Workshop, in a horn quartet with the Eastman Wind Ensemble performing Beckel's In The Mind's Eye, and with the Horn duo CB2. Before Texas, Tyler lived in Philadelphia area.
Tyler has received a Master's degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and his primary teachers were Peter Kurau and Randy Gardner respectively. |
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Yvonne Bengco
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Yvonne is a fourth-year undergraduate studying Music Education. She has been a member of the UofM’s marching band “The Mighty Sound of the South”, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra. Outside of school, Yvonne has played with the Walker Symphony Orchestra and Corinth Symphony Orchestra. She also enjoys working local music camps and playing in community bands during the summer.
Besides horn playing, Yvonne has a passion for singing. She especially loves singing karaoke and could sing Disney songs all day. Yvonne also has a love for pizza, but she’ll be careful not to eat it before singing or playing! |