Hixson-Lied Graduate Fellows

Brian Garbrecht is a multidisciplinary artist and third-year graduate student in the School of Art, Art History & Design. In 2022, he received his BFA from Northeastern Illinois University.

His current work mixes video, photography, sound, archives and installation to explore the ideas of memory, popular media and identity.

Taryn Sakry is a printmaker from Crooks, South Dakota. In 2021 she received a BFA in graphic design with a minor in history from Minnesota State University in Mankato. Continuing her education at MNSU, she received an MA degree in Printmaking in 2023. 

Sakry’s work questions the bounds of reality and its influence on the self through visual metaphors and research into the genre of Magical Realism. She primarily works in relief, intaglio, and silkscreen.

She is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking.

Born in Tijuana, Baja California, Andrea Alvarado Troncoso received a bachelor's degree in music - viola performance from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She has played in chamber music ensembles, orchestras and festivals in Mexico, the U.S., Austria, Italy and Germany. 

Additionally, Alvarado has been active in collaborating with pop and rock artists from Latin America and beyond, such as Michael Bublé and Café Tacvba. Alvarado completed both her Master’s degree as a Fulbright scholar and a Professional Performance Certificate at the Pennsylvania State University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in viola performance, with the prestigious Mexican scholarship Fonca-Secihti.

Ramón Araújo is a conductor, educator and composer whose career spans more than two decades of teaching, performance, and leadership in both university and community settings. A doctoral candidate in orchestral conducting at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, he also holds graduate degrees in music theory and composition, as well as in band conducting, from Texas Tech University, and a Bachelor of Arts in music education from Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico.

Araújo has served as an associate professor at Union College in Nebraska and at Antillean Adventist University, where he directed orchestras and bands and taught across the music curriculum. He has been invited as a clinician and guest conductor at music festivals in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Midwest, including presentations at the Midwest Clinic and the DEUP Convention. His performance activities include conducting with the OAKBOW Concert Band at venues such as Busch Gardens, Dollywood, the Ryman Auditorium, and EPCOT Center.

An active composer and arranger, his works have been performed by ensembles ranging from university orchestras to choirs and symphonic bands, with recent premieres including “The Western Monarch Trail” (2024). 

Julia Beck is a second-year Ph.D. student in piano pedagogy at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where her research focuses on developing pedagogical approaches for students with hearing loss, with an emphasis on vibrotactile learning and adaptive instruction. A native of Minot, North Dakota, she earned her bachelor’s degree in violin and piano performance from Minot State University before completing her M.M. in piano pedagogy and performance at UNL. She currently studies under Dr. Brenda Wristen and Dr. Mark Clinton.

Beck has a strong interest in teaching students with hearing loss, vision loss and other sensory disabilities, and is passionate about fostering creative, diverse and accessible approaches to teaching in both small group settings and private lessons. Her research has been recognized nationally at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP) for two consecutive years, including posters Teaching Students with Hearing Loss(2023) and Feeling the Soundboard: Harnessing Vibration Intensity for Hard-of-Hearing Piano Instruction (2025). She is also a cofounder of Dakota Piano Camp, an immersive piano experience for elementary age children in rural areas throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas.

In the future, Beck hopes to use her experiences as a performer, researcher, and educator to not only advance teaching for music students with hearing loss, but also advocate for more inclusive and accessible approaches to learning in music curriculums and programs.

Nathan Bjoin is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in jazz performance (percussion) from the Glenn Korff School of Music. He received his Bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas, and his Master’s degree in jazz performance from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.

During his studies at the University of North Texas and the Frost School of Music, he performed with multiple collegiate big bands, combos, and vocal jazz groups. He also regularly performed around various venues in Dallas and Miami. During his Master’s studies, he performed with the Frost Sextet, which is the premier jazz ensemble for the Frost School of Music. The sextet had the honor of receiving Downbeat awards for best soloists and best original composition, as well as having the privilege of traveling to New York City to perform at the famed Dizzy’s Jazz Club, as well as giving clinics and masterclasses around high schools around the city.

Bjoin has been a GTA at the Glenn Korff School of Music throughout his D.M.A. studies, where he has served as an assistant to multiple jazz classes, as well as directing and teaching the Repertory Jazz Band, Jazz History and Percussion Skills courses. His current research entails the pedagogical approach to drum set method books. His approach is to apply additional concepts to what is written on the page of a drum set book using different comping patterns, groove patterns, reading exercises, etc.

Michel Drake is a second-year Doctoral of Musical Arts Student in jazz studies. Drake grew up in Southeastern Ohio where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in music from Muskingum University. Some ensembles/organizations Drake performed professionally around the region with were The Muskingum Valley Symphonic Winds, The Zanesville Memorial Concert Band, The Rich Simcox Big Band, The Dave Schubach Big Band, The Hillbound Gypsies, The Rusty Knights Big Band, and The Renner Theatre. Drake also ran a private teaching studio in Southeastern Ohio and served as the Director of The Rusty Knights Big Band From 2017-2022. 

Drake earned his Master’s Degree in music performance from Kent State University in 2024. Drake won 2^nd place in the University’s Concerto Competition in fall 2023, performed and took part in multiple masterclasses and premiered several new original compositions. He was also nominated to perform in the All State Intercollegiate Jazz Ensemble. 

In Nebraska, Drake serves as an avid student leader and member of the musical community at UNL. He is currently involved with Capital Jazz Society and Arts Incorporated in Lincoln, as well as NOMA in Omaha and looks to expand his involvement musically with other organizations. Drake plans to continue teaching, performing, and is hoping to present research and performances over the next year. 

Emma Heaton is an emerging vocalist, voice teacher and researcher who is currently pursuing Ph.D. studies in vocal pedagogy at Nebraska. Her current research investigates muscle tension and vocal fold adduction in singers. Her undergraduate and master’s studies in both Toronto and London, Ontario, were in the field of voice performance.

Passionate about the performance of early and new music, Heaton has recently been heard as an alto soloist in Bach’s Cantata BWV 12 and Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and has participated in the premiere of Anna Hostman’s opera, “Cells of Wind.” Both her previous education and her experiences teaching voice in a private studio setting have led her to become fascinated with the structure and function of the human voice. At UNL, she looks forward to continuing to explore the possibilities of inclusive, singer-centered and science-informed voice pedagogy.

James Lawhn is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in saxophone performance at the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he studies with Dr. Paul Haar. He earned a Bachelor of Music with distinction and a Master of Music with honors from the University of Kansas, where he studied under Vince Gnojek and Dr. Geoff Landman. While at Kansas, he served as the graduate teaching assistant for the saxophone studio, providing instruction in applied saxophone and woodwind methods, coaching saxophone quartets, and conducting the KU Saxophone Ensemble.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, Lawhn is a dedicated performer and educator. He has appeared as a soloist with the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble and currently performs as the soprano saxophonist of the Westbrook Saxophone Quartet. He teaches applied saxophone at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, has served on the faculty of the Midwestern Music Camp at the University of Kansas, and has worked as a saxophone clinician at Union Adventist University.

Evan LeBouef is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)  in Jazz Studies with an emphasis in Jazz Composition in the Glenn Korff School of Music. A native of Texas, Evan's musical journey began in high school, where he arranged for his school band and composed for his own rock and jazz groups. He earned both a B.A. and M.M. in Music from Lamar University, as well as a Professional Certificate in Jazz Composition and Arranging from Berklee College of Music.

Evan works closely with UNL’s composition and jazz faculty and regularly travels across the country to conduct clinics and collaborate with jazz ensembles and programs of all levels. His research interests include the influence of guitar effect pedals on popular music and the effective orchestration of diverse musical genres within the jazz idiom.

Jennifer Lochhead has a growing career as both a performer and a teacher. She is originally from St. Joseph, Missouri, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in cello performance from the University of Missouri in 2023, studying under Dr. Eli Lara. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in cello performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying under Dr. Karen Becker and serving as a graduate teaching assistant. 

As a performer, Lochhead played with the Columbia Civic Orchestra for three years, serving as assistant principal, and has substituted with both the Missouri Symphony Orchestra and Hastings Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Odyssey Chamber Music Series. She was co-principal of the University of Missouri Philharmonic Orchestra and currently serves as co-principal of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Symphony Orchestra. Lochhead has also played in
masterclasses with Richard Harwood and Amit Peled. She was also accepted into the 2025 Arianna Chamber Music Festival in St. Louis, Missouri, and received a scholarship to attend. As a teacher, Jennifer began her career in 2021, teaching private cello lessons at the Saint Joseph Arts Academy in her hometown, and later went on to teach cello lessons for the Community Music Program at the University of Missouri. 

Lochhead was also a teaching artist at the Missouri Academy of Music and the Missouri Symphony Conservatory, coaching both cello sectionals and chamber music. Additionally, she has also taught at the Missouri String Project and served as the assistant librarian intern for the Missouri Symphony. After completing her Master’s degree, Lochhead hopes to continue performing and teaching and hopes to share her joy for music and passion for teaching.

JoAnne Lundahl is a clarinetist from Wakefield, Nebraska, currently pursuing a D.M.A. at the Glenn Korff School of Music, where she is studying with Dr. Diane Barger. Lundahl received her undergraduate education at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska, where she studied with Dr. Karl Kolbeck and graduated with degrees in Pre-K-12 music education and music performance. 

Lundahl completed her Master of Music degree at the University of South Dakota, where she studied with Dr. Luis Víquez. While studying at USD, she assisted with the clarinet studio, The SOUND of USD Marching Band, the wind bands and the orchestra program as a graduate assistant, and had the opportunity to serve as the clarinet faculty member for the University of South Dakota Summer Music Camp from the years 2021-2023. 

Performance opportunities include being selected to represent Wayne State College at the Nebraska Music Educators Association Showcase Recital in 2018, principal clarinet for the Nebraska and South Dakota Intercollegiate Bands, two-time winner of the Cherokee Iowa Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Concerto Competition, two honorable mentions in the University of South Dakota’s Concerto Competition and winner of the South Dakota MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition in 2022.

Tianning Ma is pursuing a DMA in vocal performance in the Glenn Korff School of Music. He received his Master of Music in vocal performance at Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Como and his Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Jilin College of Arts. He has been a voice teacher at Wuhan Bellman Music and Art Center and Wuhan Xuanli Art School. 

He performed in several operas at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Como, including Radames in “Aida” and Luigi in “Il tabarro.” He has also had several concert and festival appearances, including the Massy Opera Festival.

Born in Costa Rica, Ruth Moreno Calderon recently graduated from her Master’s degree in oboe performance from The University of Southern Mississippi with Dr. Galit Kaunitz. Prior coming to the United States, Moreno Calderon studied music performance at The University of Costa Rica with M.M. Jose Angel Abrego. Moreno Calederon is currently pursuing her DMA degree at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Dr. William McMullen.

She has performed with several ensembles such as the Young Orchestra of Costa Rica, Mahler Ensemble, The University of Costa Rica Wind Ensemble, The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, William Carey Orchestra, The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Meridian Symphony Orchestra, among others.

While she was an undergraduate student at The University of Costa Rica, Moreno Calderon received an Academic Excellence Award for the 2019 Academic period. She was also a recipient of the University of Southern Mississippi Dean’s List in the same year.

Baritone BinBin Ni, originally from China, is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He previously earned a Master’s degree in opera performance with distinction from the Royal Northern College of Music in the United Kingdom and graduated at the top of his class with a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the Xi’an Conservatory of Music.

Ni has been recognized with numerous awards at international competitions, including First Prize at the NATS Midwest International Vocal Competition (U.S.), a Silver Prize in Art Song and a Bronze Prize in Opera Aria at the Urbani International Vocal Competition (Italy), as well as First Prize at the Hong Kong International Piano Open Competition and the Comprehensive Music Skills Competition in China. As a performer, he has performed in China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy.

Brenna Sherman is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she serves as the graduate teaching assistant to Dr. John Bailey. She holds a Master of Music degree from The Pennsylvania State University, where she was the flute teaching assistant to Dr. Naomi Seidman, and a Bachelor of Arts in music and music education from Luther College. While at Luther, she was honored with the Presser Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding achievements in music education.

A dedicated educator and performer, Sherman began her career teaching middle school band in her home state of Minnesota. She has performed with ensembles such as the Medalist Concert Band and the Penn State Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and she continues to be an active performer across the U.S. and internationally. Her performance venues include the renowned Musikverein in Vienna, Austria.

Sherman has recently earned several accolades, including first place in the International Charleston’s 20th Century Music and World Music competitions. In 2024, she was awarded the Outstanding Recital of the Year by UNL for her exceptional artistry and musicianship.

Dmitrii Tulupov is a violinist pursuing a Master of Music in violin performance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he serves as a graduate teaching assistant. He holds a Bachelor of Music in performance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. His experience includes performances as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player with university ensembles and international festivals, as well as recognition in national and international violin competitions.

He began performing with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra as a high school student, gaining early orchestral experience. During his undergraduate studies, he also taught privately and in school programs, working with students on technical development, musicality, and performance preparation. His background combines performance, competition and teaching.

Mason Nicks is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in lighting design at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. Nicks completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, where he designed the lighting for many productions including “Urinetown” and “Endgame.” Nicks is working towards the Master of Fine Arts to be able to teach lighting design at the collegiate level. 

Breeanna Pierce is a second-year Master of Fine Arts candidate in costume design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her time spent in the U.S. Army as a public affairs specialist provided training and experience in communications, photography and graphic design — skills she later used to serve her home communities in Northwest Iowa working as a journalist and volunteering at community theaters.

In 2023, she earned her Bachelors of Science in arts administration, emphasizing in music, and Bachelors of Arts in theatrical design and production from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. Her theatrical experience has ranged the gamut from design and dramaturgy to directing and performing, while pursuing research interests like the analysis of the relationship between audience and performer, the dialectical cross-section between psychological therapy and the theatrical arts, and the performing arts as a community builder.

Hannah Schoen is in her second year in the Master of Fine Arts program for costume design here at Nebraska. Before coming here , she got her Bachelor of Arts degree in musical theatre at Heidelberg University in Ohio where she designed 5 shows (“Puffs,” “Midsummer Night’s Dreams,” “Wendy and Peter,” “Top Girls” and “Dangerous Liaisons”).

She has also worked at The Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Ivins, Utah, with wardrobe and stitching positions the past three summers. Currently she is working on the fall play “POTUS” coming to the Nebraska Repertory Theatre in November. She has learned to refine her design and building skills to pursue a career as a costume designer or teach costume design to other students.

Erin Sugg is a first-year Master of Fine Arts student in costume design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is from Morgan Hill, California, and River Forest, Illinois. As a child, her dad and grandma, respectively, taught her how to draw and sew, which helped to develop her creativity and interest in fashion. In May 2023, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in fashion and fibers at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During her degree, she took classes in costume design, which sparked her interest in pursuing it as a career. 

From July 2023 until June 2024, she lived in Germany courtesy of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals Fellowship. She took an intensive German course in Cologne before moving to Leipzig for her remaining nine months in Germany. She spent a semester taking Masters-level art history courses in German at the Universität Leipzig. Additionally, she was an assistant at the Leipzig International Art Programme and interned in the costume department at the Leipzig Opera. Following her return to the U.S., she spent five months in Sitka, Alaska, working as the costume designer on four productions at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Over this past summer, she designed costumes for BRAVO Performing Arts (Oak Park, Illinois) and the Schaumburg Community Theater (Schaumburg, Illinois).

Stephen Venditti is a second-year MFA candidate studying technical direction in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. While studying for his undergraduate degree in Business Management at Cedarville University, Venditti fell in love with the art of theatre and began to invest many hours of personal time to learn more about technical production. He has contributed to over 30 productions and concerts over the past six years gaining a wide array of skills and experience.

Seeking to combine his degree in management with his experiences in theatre, Vendetti has chosen to focus on technical direction as the intersection of classroom understanding and practical experience. He hopes to deepen his understanding of theatre at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to one day serve his community in a professional capacity, bringing stories to life on the stage.