Trevor Simpson (Music Technology) was awarded the first place prize in the Pop/Rock category of the Student Recording Competition at the 125th Audio Engineering Society Conference in San Francisco (a very significant honor, with applicants from all over the world). According to the AES, “The Audio Engineering Society, now in its sixth decade, is the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology. Its membership of leading engineers, scientists and other authorities has increased dramatically throughout the world, greatly boosting the society's stature and that of its members in a truly symbiotic relationship."

Allison Sontz (Certificate, Clarinet) has begun an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at the University of Great Falls (Montana). She continues her work as Principal Clarinet in the Montana Symphony, and clarinetist in the Chinook Winds Quintet.

Tomoko Bajo (Certificate, Clarinet) has begun work in the M.Mus. program at the Eastman School of Music, studying with clarinetist Jon Manasse.

In June, Ariana Lamon-Anderson (Certificate Program, Clarinet), Mischa Salkind-Pearl (Certificate, Composition) and Masako Kunimoto (Certificate, Percussion) attended the Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice at the New England Conservatory. They worked with renowned musicians Steven Drury, Aki Takahashi, and Jo Kondo.

Rachele Sills ('07, Music Performance, Violin) was a Fellow at the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado. She is currently studying at the Boston Conservatory.

Daniel Roberts (Music Education, Electric Guitar) and his band began recording their first CD of ten songs. Dan reports that the influences on the music include: Coldplay, Maroon 5, Toto, The Police, Eric Johnson, and Peter Gabriel. He hopes to have all of the recording, mixing and mastering done by Christmas

Talya Schenk (Music Performance, Viola) attended Karen Tuttle's Coordination Workshop at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she had brief opportunities to work with such leading teachers as Jeffrey Irvine (CIM) and Carol Rodland (New England Conservatory, Eastman). She also participated in George Taylor's (Assistant Professor at Eastman) viola technique workshop. Talya’s busy summer continued with participation in the Quartet Program (founded by Charles Castleman, string chair at Eastman), where her quartet participated in a master class with Karoly Schranz (2nd violinist of the Takacs Quartet). She also interned with the National Philharmonic, assisting the director of the Summer String Institute.

Sam Garrett (VPAM, Guitar) completed a six-week national tour of the USA and Canada with his group, Yukon during the summer of 2008.

Meg Mizumoto (Music Performance, Violin) and Michael Herder (Music Performance, Violin) were both interns at the Endless Mountain Music Festival in Pennsylvania during the summer of 2008. They sat side by side in an orchestra with professional musicians.

Marcus Simmons (Music Performance, Voice) went to Citta della Pieve, Umbria, Italy for six weeks during the summer of 2008 where he worked with the International Opera Theater as a musical/ technical intern. The company began rehearsals and performed a completely new operatic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. During the production, Marcus was a rehearsal pianist, music coach/teacher (teaching the lead, for whom he was an under-study), and worked as an assistant stage manager and technical director.

Casey Hively (Music Ed., Choral) performed the lead role of 'Clorinda' in Monteverdi's opera Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, at Carroll Community College this past summer.

Jason Loiland (VPAM, Piano) attended the University of North Texas Jazz Workshop this past summer. He worked with many faculty there, but most often with the Professor of Jazz Piano, Stefan Karlsson.

Michelle Ko (Music Performance, Flute) performed as Principal Flute with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony in June. She has subsequently been invited to continue as a member of this orchestra.

Ruby Wang (Music Performance, Violin) attended the Strings International Music Festival at Bryn Mawr College, which included studies with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Joe Martone (Music Performance, Composition, Bass) attended the Alba Music Festival (Italy) in May as a student composer and had the chance to work with David Froom, Elliott Miles McKinley, and Jeffrey Mumford. The trip was sponsored by St. Mary's College of Maryland. At the end of the festival, he performed his composition e.e. cummings Songs with soprano Jenna Vorhees, which was very well received. Joe reports that he had the opportunity to hear a full orchestral concert almost every night in various locations around Alba - though most concerts were held in the Chiesa de San Domenico, a cathedral built in the 13th century, which is a great place for a loud orchestra! There were many guest composers and performers including the Orchestra of the State of Romania and the Orchestra of the Royal Scottish Academy

Hirotaka Kato (Certificate, Voice) completed his masters degree at Peabody, and is currently in the Graduate Performance Diploma program at Peabody.

Naoko Makino (Certificate, Jazz Piano) completed her masters degree in jazz at Towson University in May. She is back in Japan teaching jazz piano at a university in Tokyo.