Francesco Mastromatteo (DMA ’12) returns to Austin this weekend to perform in two events. On Saturday, April 27, at 7:30pm, Francesco appears with conductor Robert Radmer and the Central Texas Medical Orchestra in a benefit concert for the Capital Area Dental Foundation. Then, on Sunday, April 28, at 4:00pm, Francesco performs a solo recital for Classical Music for the World’s spring festival Embracing Freedom.
For venue, ticket and more information, visit ctmorchestra.org or www.classicalmusicfortheworld.org.

Jun Seo (MM ’11, DMA ’14) has been appointed to the Adjunct Faculty of the Music Program at the University of Illinois Springfield. In addition to teaching individual applied cello lessons, Jun will lead the UIS Cello Choir as well as teach at the UIS Community Music School. Jun begins teaching Fall 2019.
Earlier today, Hyugrai “Ray” Kim (DMA ’19) advanced to the Final Round of auditions for the position of Principal Cello in the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Led by music director Giancarlo Guerrero, the 83-member Nashville Symphony performs more than 150 concerts annually and is one of the most active recording orchestras in the US, with 29 releases on Naxos, earning a total of 13 GRAMMY® Awards and 24 nominations.
Congratulations to Eunhye Lim (AD ’18) and Cory Blais (MM ’19) for winning the First and Second Prizes of the 6th Annual Coltman Chamber Music Competition with their respective groups, the Fidelis Piano Trio and Wundertrio. Competing in the Collegiate Division in the category of Strings and Piano, the Fidelis Piano Trio performed works by Arensky and Beethoven, while Wundertrio performed trios of Mendelssohn and Shostakovich. The Fidelis Piano Trio also won the Grand Prize, which includes a 2019-20 engagement with Austin Chamber Music Center.
This weekend, on Friday and Saturday, March 29 & 30, Daniel Kopp (MM ’18) appears with Ventana Ballet in their production DISRUPT at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.
Tomorrow, on Saturday, February 23, at 1:30 PM, Seth Russell (DMA ’19) presents a master class at the Classical Music Institute’s (CMI) Cello Summit at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio. The master class is open to pre-college cellists in the San Antonio area.
On Friday, January 25, at 7:30 PM, Seth Russell (DMA ’19) performs in Beerthoven’s He-Brews: Klezmer, German and Yiddish Songs, which explores music with Jewish themes, from the celebratory sounds of klezmer, to the meditative music of Yom Kippur, to memorializing songs of the Holocaust.
This weekend, on Sunday, January 20, at 2pm, Austin Camerata presents CelloFest! at the Georgetown Public Library. Artistic Director Daniel Kopp (MM ’18) brings together twelve cellists for a celebration of the cello. Former and present Longhorn Cellists include: Christina An (DMA ’20), Matt Armbruster (MM ’17), Cory Blais (MM ’19), Ray Kim (DMA ’19), Kelvin Lee (MM ’19), Matthew Gustavson (MM ’20) and Seth Russell (DMA ’19). Works will include Julius Klengel’s Hymnus, Astor Piazzolla’s Fuga y Misterioso and Heitor Villa-Lobo’s Bachianas Braseileras No. 1.