Sam Skelton
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

Sam has performed and/or soloed with The London Symphony Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony, The Atlanta Pops, The Peachtree Pops and The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.

Lizz Wright
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

A steward of American music, acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright reclaims her legacy by launching an independent record company, Blues & Greens Records.

Kenny Banks
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

Kenny has appeared on BET and the Image Awards. He has performed at the inauguration and the United Nations Ceremony for President Barack Obama and appeared in notable places such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Philharmonie in Berlin.

Joe Gransden
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies, ’94)

His 16 Piece Big Band debuted their new holiday album “The Christmas Song!” A trumpeter, crooner and instructor, Gransden is one of Clint Eastwood’s favorite musicians.

Dave Engelhardt
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

One of David’s most influential periods was performing and touring with the GRAMMY-Award-winning Zac Brown Band. David composed horn lines and performed saxophone on several songs in the “Live at the Fabulous Fox Theater” DVD, released on Atlantic Records that sold well enough to be CERTIFIED GOLD.

James King
(M.Mu. Jazz Studies)

Jimmy King has toured, performed and recorded with Grammy-award-winning artist Bruno Mars, playing the trumpet and performing background vocals in three world tours.

Gary Motley
(M.Mu. Jazz Studies)

Gary has performed with notable artists of the jazz world ranging from Dave Brubeck to Regina Carter and Kenny Barron and was featured on NPR’s Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland.

Marcus Printup
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

He won the prestigious International Trumpet Guild Jazz Trumpet Competition.

Kevin Bales
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

He was already an accomplished pianist, with classical chops refined since the age of 10. So accomplished he was invited to audition for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of its most storied conductor Robert Shaw, at age 16.

Oliver Santana
(M.Mu. Jazz Studies)

Grammy Award Winner Saxophonist for his participation on the Album, Covered: Alive In Asia (Israel & New Breed).

Darren English
(M.Mu. ’14)

He is a 2020 & 2018 Global Peace Song Award Winner (Jazz category – jury and public voted in LA, California), a 2018 honoree of the Atlanta Georgia GSU 40-UNDER-40 Most Influential & Innovative Award, the two-time recipient of the Fine Music Radio (FMR) Award.

Coy Bowles
(B.Mu. ’04)

Member of 3x Grammy-Winning Zac Brown Band, Multi-Instrumentalist, Songwriter, Producer, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Children’s Book Author & Creator of Coyco Creative, LLC.

Sonny Emory
(B.Mu. Jazz Studies)

At first Emory played the drums on guitarist Bruce Hampton’s 1987 album Arkansas and then upon keyboardist Joe Sample’s 1987 LP Roles. Emory also went on join the band Earth, Wind & Fire during 1987.

Chris Otts
(M.Mu. Jazz Studies)

He won the Second Annual BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship. In 2019, Otts joined the jazz faculty at Georgia State University School of Music.

Jarius Cliett
(M.Mu. ’17 Voice)

Master of Music focused on Vocal Performance from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Music from The University of Alabama.

Maria Valdes
(B.Mu. ’12 Voice)

Her voice has been praised by some of the most respected music critics in the nation.

Gabrielle Beteag
(M.Mu. ’18 Voice)

She is one of the five Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions winners.

Alisa McCance 
(B.Mu. ’02 Voice)

She shared the stage with country music’s top stars and is gearing up to launch a new album.

Clay Hilley
(M.Mu. Voice)

Praised in The New York Times for his “vocal heft, clarion sound and stamina,” by de Volkskrant for a “sublime” voice, in the Financial Times for his “extraordinary energy and stamina,” American Clay Hilley appears at the world’s leading opera houses and concert venues in the most challenging heldentenor repertoire.

Cleyton Pulzi
(M.Mu. Voice)

Brazilian tenor, Cleyton Pulzi is renowned for his musicality and nobility of tone. His most recent performance was at the Tampa Opera (Florida) where he was a soloist in the concert for the 100th birthday of maestro Anton Coppola conducting it himself.

Cullen Gandy
(B.Mu. Voice)

Cullen was a 2012 Metropoltian Opera National Council regional finalist in the competitive New York/Eastern Region.

Greer Lyle
(B.Mu. Voice)

Her awards include Encouragement Awards at the 2017-2020 Georgia and Arkansas District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Encouragement Awards at the 2018 Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta and 2017 Madame Rose Mobile Opera Competition and Winner of the 2017 Atlanta Music Club Scholarship Competition.

John Irvin
(B.Mu. Voice)

Irvin attended Boston University’s Opera Institute, where he was awarded the Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award. His credits include Chevalier de la Force (Dialogues of the Carmelites), Paolino (Il Matrimonio Segreto), Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) and Nick Papadakis (The Postman Always Rings Twice).

John Tibbetts
(B.Mu. Voice)

Baritone John Tibbetts, cited for his “unexpectedly rich voice” and “reverberating tones” by Palm Beach Post, is accomplished on the recital, concert and operatic stage.

Magdalena Wór
(M.Mu. Voice)

Polish-born mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór is a winner, finalist and recipient of many prestigious national and international competitions and awards, including Marcello Giordani and Moniuszko International Vocal Competitions, Marcella Kochanska Sembrich National Vocal Competition and Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, among others.

Samuel Ferreira
(M.Mu. Voice)

He won the Atlanta Opera Guild Voice Competition and Opera Music Club Competition, received 2nd prize in the Georgia NATS Competition and was a finalist in the Honor’s Recital Georgia State University Competition. His most relevant award was the Encouragement Award by the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Wesley Morgan
(M.Mu. Voice)

“Fresh voiced young tenor” (parterre.com) Wesley Morgan has been praised by conductors, stage directors and audiences for his “ringing tenor” and “gift for suave phrasing” (Greenville News).  Of Wesley’s Opera in the Heights debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, BroadwayWorld.com said, “Wesley Morgan’s polished tenor instrument is put to great use with this score.”

Kaitlyn Costello
(B.Mu. Opera)

American mezzo-soprano Kaitlyn Costello is quickly making herself known to the opera world and was recently recognized by Opera News as “a promising young singer.”

Kyle Guglielmo
(B.Mu.’07)

He performs the role of Ponchel in Piedmont Opera’s Silent Night.

A J Putman
(B.Mu. ’10 Music Technology)

Has firmly established himself in the rap and hip-hop production community. He is a head engineer from Means St. Studios, often working with Atlantic Records artists. AJ is also a personal engineer for the multi-platinum artist ‘A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.’ His work has taken him to studios in Hawaii, Toronto, London, Los Angeles and New York and he has already garnered gold and platinum certifications.

Ibilola Fayemi
(B.Mu. Music Technology)

She has completed her degree in music technology and is now moving on to the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music to pursue graduate work in music industry studies. Lola’s primary interest is in music supervision for motion pictures.

Georgia Ekonomou
(M.ME)

Georgia Ekonomou is the Artistic Director and Conductor for the Atlanta Junior Chamber Orchestra, Southern Division Representative to the NAfME Council for Orchestral Education, former advisory committee member for the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and former member of the ASTA National Membership Committee.

Krissi Davis
(Ph.D. Music Education)

In 2019, Ms. Davis began her 15th year in education as the orchestra director at Grady High School in Atlanta Public Schools, where she was named the 2019-20 Teacher of the Year.

Randall Coleman
(M.Mu Music Education)

He is the Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  At UTC, Professor Coleman is the conductor of the UTC Wind Ensemble and the Marching Mocs.  He also teaches conducting and band organization classes.

Curtis Bryant
(M.Mu. ’80)

He won second prize in The American Prize in Composition and launched a new album, “Chamber Music for Cello and Piano,”  with Jeffrey E. Young.

Carlos Simon
(M.Mu. ’10 Orchestral Conducting)

He secured a $15,000 grant from the American Composers Orchestra. In 2020, he became a recent addition to the faculty of Georgetown University.