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Spring Honors Recital March 31

Honors Recital 2014


Last updated March 24, 2015

By Tina Underwood

Honors Recital 2014

Honors Recital 2014

The Furman University Department of Music will present its Spring Honors Recital Tuesday, March 31, at 8 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall on campus. A reception follows the event.

The recital is free and open to the public and features seven outstanding students who are nominated and selected by Furman’s music faculty.

Participants this spring are:

Jessie Barnett, mezzo-soprano
Peter Dimery, saxophone
Alexander H. Helms, euphonium
Emily Lamb, viola
James Vincent Masanotti, violin
Allison Rye, oboe
Stephanie Simon, composition

Jessie Barnett, mezzo-soprano, is the daughter of Julie and Charlie Barnett of Greenville. A vocal performance major at Furman, Barnett is the student of soprano Tamara Matthews. Barnett, who attended high school at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, received vocal training from private teacher Thomas Dickenson and vocal coach Nancy Smith. Graduating in 2016, Barnett is a member of the Furman Singers and Chamber Choir, a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, and was the lead in Furman Lyric Theatre’s staging of Dido and Aeneas. Barnett recently won first place in the College Division of the Classical Singer regional competition and will compete at the national level in May. Barnett also participated in the Arezzo Music in Italy study-away program.

Peter Dimery, saxophone, is the son of Helen Dimery and Theodore Brown, Jr. of Florence. Graduating this year, Dimery is a music and philosophy major. He attended Wilson High School where his music teachers were Roderick Henderson and Leon Harvey. At Furman, Dimery is a student of Matt Olson, D.M.A. Dimery is a recipient of the Cunningham award, Lily Smith Blakely scholarship, winner of 2014 Pi Kappa Lambda Research Paper competition, and is a standards board member in Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Alexander H. Helms, euphonium, is the son of Tracy and Laurie Helms of Rock Hill. A junior music education major, Helms is a student of low-brass instructor Mike Taylor. He attended Rock Hill High School where his music teachers were Joe Gulledge, Randy Grantham and Sarita Maxwell. At Furman, Helms is Phi Mu Alpha’s Fraternity Education Officer; Furman Paladin Regiment Horn Sergeant; member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education; member of Furman’s Collegiate National Association for Music Educators; and a member of the Furman Jazz Ensemble. He plays euphonium and trombone in the Furman Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Helms was winner of the South Carolina Band Directors Association Master Recital Solo Competition in 2012, and winner of the 2014 South Carolina Music Teachers National Association Brass Young Artist competition.

Emily Lamb, viola, is the daughter of Warren and Kathy Lamb of Elizabethton, Tenn. A music theory and viola performance major, Lamb will graduate in 2016. Homeschooled during high school, Lamb’s instructor was Kellie Brown, Ed.D. Lamb’s private teacher at Furman is Anna Joiner, D.M. At Furman, Lamb has earned three semesters on the Dean’s List. She is a member of Phi Eta Sigma, and Vice President-Membership of Sigma Alpha Iota. She serves as theory department teaching assistant, was runner-up in the South Carolina Music Teachers National Association Young Artist competition, and is a member of the Hartness String Quartet.

James Vincent Masanotti, violin, is son of James Carmen Masanotti and Kathleen McKenna Masanotti of Goose Creek. Graduating this year in violin performance, Masanotti is taught by Furman’s Thomas Joiner, D.M. Masanotti attended South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities where his instructor was Paul Statsky. Masanotti has previously performed in Furman’s Honors Recital for composition. He is chapter historian for Gamma Eta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha, has served as Concertmaster for the Furman Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the Hartness Scholarship String Quartet.

Allison Rye, oboe, is the daughter of Catherine and David Rye of Dunwoody, Ga. An oboe performance major, Rye will graduate Furman this year. At Furman, her private instructor is doctoral candidate Petrea Warneck. Rye attended Dekalb School of the Arts where she was taught by Rebecca Collins (oboe), and Michael Bell (orchestra/music theory). She participated in Furman’s Music in Italy program in the fall of 2013, was awarded the Burleson Endowed music scholarship, and made the Dean’s List spring 2012-spring 2014. Rye is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, participates in the Furman Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and in chamber ensembles at Furman. In 2012, she was a finalist in Furman’s 2012 concerto competition. She attended Hot Springs Music Festival in summer 2014, and in the same year, was selected as a participant in Pedro Diaz’s English horn masterclass at the International Double Reed Society conference.

Stephanie Simon, composition, is the daughter of Jim and Mary Simon of Campobello. A junior music composition major at Furman whose primary instrument is piano, Simon is instructed by Furman Professor of Composition and Theory Mark Kilstofte, D.M.A. She attended Oakbrook Preparatory School where her teachers were Dianne Maalouf and Chris Vaneman, D.M. Simon is a recipient of the Mary Wallace Anthony Burleson Music Scholarship, and is president of the Furman Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

For more information, contact Furman’s News and Media Relations office at (864) 294-3107.

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