Perhaps one of the most rewarding ways to close out a school year is by being honored with the respect and admiration of your teachers. That鈥檚 why every year, the faculty of the College of Music name one Outstanding Student from each undergraduate class.
As Spring Semester 2016 comes to a close, meet the students being recognized this year. 听
Julieta Garc铆a
Freshman, vocal performance
It鈥檚 not easy to come to a new city to attend college. It鈥檚 especially challenging when that city is in a different country than the one you grew up in.
But first-year vocal performance major Julieta Garc铆a took the life change in stride, making the most of every opportunity in her first year away from her home country of Mexico.
鈥淭he best part about being here is that it鈥檚 a dream come true,鈥� says Garc铆a. 鈥淚 come from a small town where not many people get into music.鈥�
Garc铆a says though she is heavily involved in music in her hometown of Zamora, Michoacan, the immersion she鈥檚 experienced in Boulder has been unlike anything she ever got to experience before. 鈥淚 get to interact with so many cultures every day. I try to absorb everything I can from all the wonderful faculty and my classmates.鈥�
Over the summer, Garc铆a plans to go back home and continue her work with music in Zamora, conducting choirs and singing in the city鈥檚 cathedral. She鈥檚 also combing her network to find scholarship help and support.
Garc铆a says one of the most important lessons she鈥檚 learned in her first year at the College of Music is not to compare herself with others.
鈥淚 come from a very competitive environment,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always compared to other people. But here, they make a point to find the uniqueness in every voice and every talent and every person.
鈥淚 want to deeply thank my teacher, Patrick Mason, and the other faculty for considering me for this high honor,鈥� she says.
Jade Espina
Sophomore, vocal performance and music education
Some people make juggling two majors, performing in an opera, being active in a sorority and learning a third language look like a walk in the park.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been so much on my plate this year that I didn鈥檛 stop to reflect on everything I鈥檝e done.鈥�
Nor did sophomore Jade Espina realize that anyone was paying attention to her many accomplishments.
The vocal performance and music education double major says she had heard about the Outstanding Student award, but she didn鈥檛 know when it was given out.
On the day she found out she had won the award, she immediately called her parents.
鈥淭hey were so excited. It was just a warm feeling.鈥�
Originally from Fort Smith, Arkansas, Espina grew up playing violin and piano and now studies voice with Jennifer Bird. She says the biggest lesson she鈥檚 learned in her two years away from home is how to make big decisions on her own鈥攊ncluding performing in 鈥淒ialogues of the Carmelites鈥� and 鈥淪t. Matthew Passion鈥� and participating in Middle School Ensemble in the same semester.
She says she couldn鈥檛 have done all that鈥攊n addition to being one of the Anderson Voice Competition winners鈥攚ithout the support of her friends at school and her family back at home. 鈥淚 know that I鈥檓 never alone, and that鈥檚 especially important since I鈥檓 from out of the state.鈥�
This summer, Espina will travel to Italy with the 鈥�Music and the Performing Arts: Renaissance in the XXI Century鈥� program.
鈥淪o far I鈥檓 the only vocal major,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to the chamber music opportunities while I鈥檓 there.鈥�
Next year, she begins diving into more choral education classes, in addition to continuing to learn Italian and starting on French.
鈥淚 grew up speaking Spanish, and while it鈥檚 definitely important to know many languages as a singer, I鈥檓 looking forward to learning French for myself too,鈥� says Espina.
Jordan Pyle
Junior, oboe performance
It鈥檚 been a wild year already for Jordan Pyle. And this summer, things won鈥檛 slow down much for the Fort Collins native.
鈥淚n May I鈥檓 traveling to Dallas to take lessons with, principal oboe of the Dallas Symphony,鈥� Pyle begins. 鈥淭hen I鈥檒l be studying with, principal at the Metropolitan Opera.
鈥淭hen at the end of June, I鈥檒l be working with Professor [Yoshiyuki] Ishikawa at the International Double Reed Society Conference. He鈥檚 the technology coordinator and records all the performances at the conference.鈥�
Her summer adventures begin mere weeks after Pyle stepped in at the last minute to perform with the Colorado Symphony earlier this month.
In addition to being named Outstanding Student for the junior class, Pyle received a scholarship from the and will serve as Presser Scholar her senior year. She says she鈥檚 excited to close out her four years at CU-Boulder strong.
鈥淚 love it here. It鈥檒l be kind of sad to graduate, but it鈥檒l be great to see the culmination of four years.鈥�
Pyle says the atmosphere of the College of Music鈥攑articularly the passion and commitment of the faculty鈥攊s what she鈥檒l remember most fondly about her time here.
鈥淓veryone is very supportive. I never had an experience when a professor didn鈥檛 have time for me,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲hen I was in the honors competition, one of the woodwind professors spent an hour and a half with me before the final round, telling me what I could improve. I also really enjoyed working with Kris Shaffer on the German Lieder research project.
鈥淭his is a special place. There are so many outstanding people in the college. It鈥檚 very flattering to receive this award and I鈥檓 honored.鈥�
Chas Douthit
Senior, music education with choral emphasis
Not all college music programs invite undergraduates to participate in full-scale operas. But in his four years at CU-Boulder, Chas Douthit has played roles in four.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful opportunity,鈥� he says. 鈥淯ndergraduates and graduates can work together, which raises the bar and gives everyone a chance to learn and improve.鈥�
Douthit, who will receive his BME with a Choral Music Emphasis on May 6, has always been involved in performing at the College of Music, whether as Alidoro in Eklund Opera鈥檚 鈥淟a Cenerentola鈥� last fall or in the chorus of 鈥淭he Pirates of Penzance.鈥� He says the best piece of advice he could give to a young music student is to take advantage of every opportunity.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 been really fun for me is staying curious about a lot of different things,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here are so many resources here to help you learn about a wide breadth of things.鈥�
One of Douthit鈥檚 favorite activities has been singing with vocal jazz ensemble Table for Five.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in the group for two years and it鈥檚 been wonderful to build a relationship with the other members as friends and musicians,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 satisfying to come to a group where everyone has a voice in where the music is going.鈥�
And while his schedule became busier this past semester as Douthit began student teaching full time, he says it鈥檚 been rewarding and exciting to be in front of a classroom every day.
鈥淪tudent teaching is a great way to learn by doing. It鈥檚 really challenging but I鈥檓 learning a lot.鈥�
In addition to taking voice lessons with Patrick Mason, Douthit also learned valuable teaching skills as a learning assistant for School of Education professor. 鈥淵ou should always get to know your professors whenever you can. They鈥檙e here to help you鈥攁nd they want to get to know you too.鈥�
Douthit will address fellow graduates at College of Music commencement next week. As he and his classmates enter the professional world鈥擠outhit hopes to land a full-time teaching gig in the next three to five years鈥攈e says they must keep in mind that learning doesn鈥檛 end with your diploma.
"You have to be humble, and not let the differences between your actual self and your ideal self bring you down,鈥� he says. 鈥淚've learned that you must love and be kind to yourself exactly where you are in your learning."
This summer, Douthit will perform in CU NOW鈥檚 Composer Fellows鈥� Initiative. He also plans to commit himself to his band, in which he collaborates to write and perform original rock music, and teach at a summer camp.
To be eligible for the Outstanding Student award, students have to be on track to graduate with honors (3.7 cumulative grade point average or higher).
