Alumni and Fellows News

July 13, 2016

Alumni News

Several ISM organ alumni were in attendance at the national convention of the American Guild of Organists in Houston. Pictured at left: Russell Weismann (M.M. ‘07), Leslie Smith Teardo (M.M. ‘10), and Ryan Jackson (M.M. ‘08). More alumni photos below.

Kat Banakis (M.Div. ‘09) has been named the new theologian-in-residence at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, IL

Colin Britt (M.M. ’10) has been appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the West Village Chorale in New York City.  This fall, he will also serve on the conducting faculty at SUNY New Paltz.

Dashon Burton (M.M. ‘11) and Nathaniel Gumbs (M.M. ‘11) released a new album entitled “Songs of Struggle & Redemption: We Shall Overcome,” produced by Acis Records. The album features arrangements by Burleigh, Hayes, Johnson, and even Burton and Gumbs themselves. You can read the full album review in the New York Times here.

Stephen Buzard (M.M. ‘13) has been named Director of Music at St. James Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, effective September 1, 2016. At St. James, Buzard will be organist/choirmaster for the Cathedral Choir and principal musician of the Cathedral, responsible for leading, managing and coordinating the music program as an effective part of the Cathedral’s overall ministry.

Dominick DiOrio (M.M. ’08, D.M.A. ’12) has been appointed a tenured Associate Professor of Choral Conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

In May, Michael Peppard (M.A.R. ‘03) gave a lecture at the Yale University Art Gallery entitled “The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos.” He returns to the ISM on October 10 to speak as part of the Liturgy Symposium Series.

Josh Stafford (M.M. ’12) was honored with first place at the 2016 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition, held June 14-18, in Kennet Square, PA.  The competition drew musicians from around the world to compete for the largest cash award for an organ competition anywhere: the $40,000 Pierre S. du Pont First Prize.

Fellows News

Andrew Irving (2012-13) is pleased to announce that he has accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Religion and Cultural Heritage (with a specialization in Christianity and Material Culture) at the University of Groningen (the Netherlands). He will begin teaching this fall.

Nina Glibetic (2013-14) will be joining the Catholic University of America as Assistant Professor of Liturgical Studies, Ritual Studies, and Sacramental Theology in the School of Theology and Religious Studies.  She will begin this position in August 2017, as during this upcoming year she will be a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. Her husband and former ISM Fellow Gabriel Radle (2013-14), has been appointed for a one-year fellowship at the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies at Princeton University.

David Stowe (ISM Fellow 2012-13) has published the book project begun during his time at the ISM.  Song of Exile: The Enduring Mystery of Psalm 137 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016).  The book weaves together the 2,500-year history of one of the most famous psalms in the Hebrew Bible by examining the entire psalm, including the more obscure last stanza, and draws on historical and interview research with musicians who have used Psalm 137 in their music, including sacred harp communities. You can read more about the book here.

More ISM alumni at the AGO convention:

  • Zach Hemenway, Leslie Smith Teardo, Adam Pajan, Stephen Buzard
    Zach Hemenway, Leslie Smith Teardo, Adam Pajan, Stephen Buzard
  • Dong-Ho Lee, John-Eric Gunderson, Jieun Newland, Ryan Jackson, Russell Weismann, and Chris Lane
    Dong-Ho Lee, John-Eric Gunderson, Jieun Newland, Ryan Jackson, Russell Weismann, and Chris Lane
  • The ISM Reception
    The ISM Reception
  • ISM swag
  • ISM alums Michael Smith (l) and Andrew Sheranian (2nd from r) with Markus Maroney and Nathan Carterette
    ISM alums Michael Smith (l) and Andrew Sheranian (2nd from r) with Markus Maroney and Nathan Carterette