As we celebrate the College of Music’s most recent graduating class, we also want to shine a spotlight on alumni accomplishments that have been shared with us over the last year:
Recent Alumni Accolades
Don’t see your information? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your accolades and updates through our Alumni Accolades form.
The What Is Noise Ensemble, featuring College of Music alumni Cholong Park (MM ’13), Justin Page (MM ’14), Joshua Burel (DM ’14), and Anastasia Christofakis (DM ’15), celebrated their 10th anniversary with a special performance at Lincoln Center last year, along with a series of initiatives including a Young Artist Competition, Composer Competition, and Album Cover Art Competition. They are now concluding their anniversary celebrations with the release of their sophomore album, Temporal Echoes, on Navona Records, a label of PARMA Recordings. The album features compositions by Ellen Taaffe Zwillich (Divertimento) as well as Joshua Burel (Temporal Echoes).
Charlene Cannon (BME ’10) was awarded the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) Oliver Hobbs Award in January. The Oliver Hobbs Award was created to recognize a band director of at least 15 years of experience who has demonstrated excellence, consistency, and an exceptional dedication to the position of Band Director. This recognition also requires regular attendance at FBA District and State meetings, Superior ratings at District Concert and Marching MPA’s, a participation and outstanding results in Solo/Ensemble MPA’s, and service to the profession. Cannon is currently the FBA Adjudication Committee Chair and Band Director at Horizon High School in Winter Garden, FL.
Ye Ji Lee (DM ’24) competed at the 2026 NATSAA (National Association of Teachers of Singing) representing the Southeastern Region and received fourth prize (the Berton Coffin Award) along with the $1,000 James Browning/Dorothy Kirsten Award for the “Singer with the Most Potential.”
Erman Turkili (DM ’11) has been elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. Türkili studied under the guidance of renowned violin professor Eliot Chapo at the FSU College of Music. He is the first musician from Türkiye to receive this distinguished honor and is among only 48 musicians worldwide elected to the Academy in the field of music. The membership of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts includes Nobel Prize laureates and leading scientists, artists, and scholars who have made outstanding contributions to their fields and to society. Türkili is internationally recognized for his work in music performance, higher education, and early childhood music pedagogy, including the development of the globally used “First Steps of a Little Artist” methodology.
Huixian Wu (DM ’24) has been appointed Program Director of the Music Department at Talladega College, where she also serves as Assistant Professor of Music/Keyboard. Wu remains actively engaged as a performer, educator, and scholar, with a particular interest in innovative pedagogy and the integration of technology and artificial intelligence in music education. Her work reflects a continued commitment to excellence in performance, teaching, and service within higher education.
Gabriela Fogo (DM ’24) has recently been appointed Concertmaster of one of Brazil’s leading symphony orchestras, the Orquestra Filarmônica de Goiás, in Goiânia, Brazil.
Alejo Rodríguez Sánchez (BM ’24) released My Elijah (Studio Sessions), a 3-track single featuring works from My Elijah, an original musical, currently under development, telling a queer love story set in a time of global conflict. Each track was composed, orchestrated, and produced by Rodríguez Sánchez and the single can be heard on all streaming platforms, along with 3 music videos on YouTube, directed by FSU College of Motion Pictures alumna, Imani Leila Kanzki.
Xixi Shen (PhD ’25) has recently accepted a full-time Lecturer position in Class Piano at the State University of New York at Fredonia.
Melody Morrison (PhD ’24) was hired in the Fall of 2025 as Lecturer of Music and Piano at Middle Georgia State University in Macon, GA. Morrison teaches all group piano classes, piano lessons, Music Appreciation, Perspectives in Music and Society, and accompanies the choir.
Jack Eaddy (BME ’22) won the American Prize in Conducting – Band/Wind Ensemble (College/University division).
Rebecca Edmiston (MM ’22, DM ’25) accepted the position of full-time Staff Accompanist at the School of Music at Liberty University. Beginning this fall, Edmiston will perform in student degree recitals, accompany vocal classes, and oversee student accompanists.
Kate Warren (BM ’19), alumna and current doctoral student, has won the Principal horn audition for the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, marking her return to the orchestra where she served as the 3rd horn from 2017-2019. Warren is also currently a graduate teaching assistant for the FSU horn studio, studying with Michelle Stebleton.
Anna McRay (MM ’18) accepted a full-time position as Collaborative Pianist and Singing Coach at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts – School of Drama.
Amy Helms (MM ’25) joins Indianapolis Opera as the Resident Assistant Director. In addition to her duties as a Production Assistant and Coordinator, Helms will also serve as an Assistant Director for all main-stage productions, Stage Director for the children’s outreach series, and Opera Cabaret events.
Dawson Franzino (MM ’25) has been accepted as a new resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
Ethan Soledad (BA ’21) is a Composition Fellow for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music conductor/composer workshop.
Aleyna Neivandt-Brown (BM ’18) recently released her third studio album, reckoning. This album was six years in the making, written and recorded in studios from Tallahassee to Texas. The album features her compositions, arrangements, audio engineering, and performance on vocals, flute, and guitars.
Micah Cheng (MM ’25) is a winner of the 2025 Ladies Music Club of Seattle Francis Walton Competition. Cheng will have a residency outreach and recital tour of locations throughout the State of Washington and perform live for Classical KING-FM 98.1 in September.
Alaba Ilesanmi (PhD ’25) recently accepted a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Minyoung Rho (MM ’19, DM ’23; MA ’24) gave an invited concert at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall on March 2, 2026. The program included Clifton Callender’s à la manière de… for solo piano.
Cale Bazley (BA ’25) has been hired by live sound giant Clair Global. Clair Global works with a wide range of clients in the live entertainment and production industry, including major touring artists, festivals, and corporations. Some of their notable clients include Usher, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Harry Styles, Robbie Williams, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Shakira. They also provide services to music festivals like Country to Country (C2C) and Boston Calling and have supported large-scale events like the MLB Draft and NFL Super Bowl. Bazley heads to Cleveland, Ohio in September for training.
Share Your Story
We know there are many more stories waiting to be told. Whether you’ve recently reached a professional milestone, received an award, or launched a new venture, we want to celebrate with you!
Submit your accolade/update now through our Alumni Accolades form.
