Graduate Students

Name: Alexander Reid

Hometown/State: Riggins, Idaho

Major(s): currently pursuing M. M. in bassoon performance and B. A. in German

Career goals: was invited to join the Air Force Band of the West, San Antonio, TX, January, 2009, as bassoonist of the Southwest Winds Woodwind Quintet and the Concert Band, as well as to compose and arrange music for the band.

Alternative Career Goals: audition for United States Navy Band, Washington D. C., October, 2008.

Other things we should know about you: work toward D. M. A. in bassoon performance, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.  Holds a M. M. in composition, University of Colorado, Boulder and B. M. in composition, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX.  Studied with Wilfred Roberts, Paul Rafanelli, Steve Vacchi, Frank Ticheli, Richard Toensing, Sydney Hodkinson.  Received ASCAP scholarship and composition award at SMU.  Compositions performed by U. S. Navy Band, Washington D. C., Navy Band Great Lakes Brass Quintet and Woodwind Quintet, SMU Wind Ensemble, McCall Bassoon Ensemble, and Mid-Columbia Symphony.  Attended Aspen Music Festival several times. Was bassoonist at Navy Band Great Lakes and has performed with many other groups, such as, Oregon Mozart Players, Spokane Summer Mozart Concert, and is scheduled to perform with the UI faculty this fall.   

Name: Kelsey Plummer  

Hometown/State: Hayden, Idaho

Major(s): Material Science Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering,  Instrumental Performance

Instrument Make / Name:  Fox 222 D+ / George

Career goals:  Day job - engineer (i.e. make the first perfect plastic reed, no more reed making!)  Night time - teach lessons and play in a symphony

Alternative Career Goals:  first to discover living Bigfoot
 

Name: Laura Kennedy

Hometown: Spokane, Washington

Major: Instrumental Music Education

Instrument Make / Name:  Renard 240 / "the Red Baron"

Career goals: Music teacher/ band director

Alternative career goals: Reality TV star and world-renowned air bassoonist

Other things we should know about you: I have the ability to appear and disappear without notice.
 

Name: Paul Taylor

Hometown/State: Missoula, Montana

Major(s): Music Composition and Music Education (Instrumental/Vocal)

Instrument Make / Name: Fox 220 / Red

Career goals: Write music professionally and teach at any level

Alternative Career Goals: I'd be a mountain man, like the kid in the book "My Side of the Mountain"

Other things we should know about you: If you can make yourself laugh, you will never be unhappy, just a little weird.
 

Name: Paul Hanes

Hometown: Port Angeles, Washington

Major: Applied Music - Oboe and History (Pre-Law major)

Instrument Make / Name:  Fox/Renard

More to come!

Sophomores

Name: Ben Wilson

Hometown: Tualatin, Oregon (near Portland)

Major(s): Mechanical Engineering

Instrument Make: Fox Renard 222

Career goals: Become a mechanical engineering for a car company

Alternative Career Goals: Become the head clown of Barnum and Baily's Circus

Other things we should know about you: I can touch my nose with my tongue.
 

Freshmen

Name: Tyler Chen (more to come)

Hometown: Kennewick, Washington

Major(s):  Music Education: Instrumental/Vocal, Music Composition

Instrument Make:  Play UI Fox

Career goals: Start as a high school teacher, eventually progressing to be a university professor on oboe and/or bassoon; compose professionally; and run a reedmaking business on the side.

Alternative Career Goals: Discover the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything; as we already know, the answer is 42.

Other things we should know about you: I can do the splits. On command, even