New Hire: Alexander Lapins

Dr. Alexander Lapins will serve as the Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium this year at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Dr. Lapins will be taking a leave of absence from Northern Arizona University in order to fulfill this lecturer position at UT-Knoxville. His duties include teaching applied lessons, teaching chamber music, and playing in the faculty brass quintet. Dr. Lapins grew up in northern Virginia and earned degrees from James Madison University, the University of Michigan, and Indiana University. He has taught at Northern Arizona University since 2009, and for four years preceding that, he taught at Indiana State University and the University of Indianapolis. He was previously a busy freelancer throughout the Midwest and has been on hundreds of diverse recordings and has performed with many professional orchestras, bands, and chamber groups. Dr. Lapins is a Miraphone artist.

New Hire: David McLemore

Dr. David McLemore is the new full-time Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at Central Washington University. Beginning in Fall 2015, his responsibilities will include teaching undergraduate and graduate applied tuba and euphonium lessons, low brass methods classes, and music appreciation. He will also rehearse and perform with the faculty brass quintet and conduct the Tuba/Euphonium Choir. Prior to his appointment at CWU, he served as Adjunct Instructor of Music at Young Harris College. McLemore completed his D.M.A. in Tuba Performance at the University of Georgia. Prior to this he earned an M.M. in both Tuba and Chamber Music Performance at the University of Michigan, as well as a B.M. in Tuba Performance from the University of Southern California. His primary tuba teachers include David Zerkel, Fritz Kaenzig, Jim Self, Warren Deck, Norm Pearson, and Richard Pasko. David has enjoyed much success as a soloist, competing and winning prizes in several high-profile solo competitions. He won 1st Prize Tuba Artist at the 2010 International Tuba Euphonium Conference, 1st Prize Tuba Artist at the 2012 Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Festival, 1st Prize Brass at the 2012 MTNA National Young Artist Solo competition, and more recently 1st Prize Tuba and Grand Prize at the 2014 International Women’s Brass Conference solo competitions. Additionally, David won 3rd prize Tuba at the 2014 Jeju International Brass Competition.

New Hire: Irving Ray

Irving Ray is the new Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch, Texas. He will begin teaching at Brookhaven in Fall 2015, and his duties will include teaching tuba and euphonium applied lessons and coaching the low brass chamber ensemble. Irving completed his Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) at Sam Houston State University in 2010 and his Master of Music (M.M.) in Euphonium Performance/Conducting in 2012 at the University of North Texas where he serves as a teaching fellow in the euphonium studio. He is currently finishing his Doctorate of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Euphonium Performance/Music Theory at the University of North Texas. Irving is a founding member of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet (NTEQ), an emerging professional ensemble that commissions new works for the euphonium quartet and gives performances across the United States. As a soloist, Irving was a Euphonium Artist finalist at the 2013 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. His primary teachers include Frank Troyka, Dr. Matthew McInturf, Dr. Henry Howey, Don Little, and Dr. Brian Bowman.

New Hire: Vince Kenney

Vince Kenney recently accepted a position as Instructor of Low Brass at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. He will begin his appointment in Fall 2015, and his duties will include teaching applied tuba, euphonium, and trombone. In addition to these duties, Vince will continue to serve as Instructor of Music at North Central Texas College and as a Teaching Fellow for the euphonium studio at the University of North Texas. In 2012, Vince completed his degrees in Music Education (B.M.E.) and Euphonium Performance (B.M.) at the University of Illinois. He completed his M.M. in Euphonium Performance at the University of North Texas in 2014 and is currently pursuing his D.M.A. in Euphonium Performance at the same institution. Vince actively tours the country as a part of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet and with this group, is engaged in arranging, commissioning, and premiering new works for euphonium quartet in a variety of musical settings. As a soloist, Vince has been a finalist in numerous national and international competitions, most recently being the bronze medalist of the Euphonium Artist Division of the 2014 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. Vince’s primary teachers include Ed Risinger, Mark Moore, Don Little, and Dr. Brian Bowman.

New Hire: Matthew Hightower

Matthew Hightower is the new Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. His duties there include teaching applied tuba and euphonium lessons, conducting the tuba/euphonium ensemble, and teaching the low brass methods course. Prior to accepting this position at TAMUK, Hightower was the Adjunct Instructor of Tuba and Brass Chamber Music at Murray State University. He completed a B.M. in Music Education at Murray State University, an M.M. in Tuba Performance at Indiana University, and a D.M.A. in Tuba Performance at The University of Texas at Austin. His primary tuba teachers include Ray Conklin, Daniel Perantoni, and Charles Villarrubia. Some performance highlights include appearances with Austin City Limits Brass Quintet, Bloomington Camerata Orchestra (IN), Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, Evansville Philharmonic, Victoria Symphony (TX), and David Baker’s 21st Century BeBop Band. Hightower is also an award-winning composer. In 2010 he was the recipient of the annual Kentucky Music Educators Association Collegiate Composition Contest prize. His works are published by Potenza Publishing and Cimarron Music Publishing. As a tuba soloist, he was the silver medalist in the Tuba Artist competition at the 2013 Falcone Festival.