Isabella Byrd (Theatre ’05) has been named
the lighting designer for the West End’s highly anticipated production of Cabaret, starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley. The production is expected to open in London in November.
JoBeth Umali (Instrumental ’02) will offer (online) therapeutic drumming courses for seniors, as part of the team at Respectful Beats.
Jarvis Manning (Vocal ’05) received Grammy recognition as a featured artist on the 2020 Grammy-nominated Original Broadway Cast album of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.
Both Jason Moran (Instrumental ’93) and Robert James Francies (Instrumental ’13) will return to Houston in Da Camera’s upcoming 2021/2022 season. Francies also has a new album out, Purest Form, which you can read more about here.
Dr. Lumumba Seegars (Vocal ’05) won the 2021 Dean’s Award from the Harvard Business School. Dr. Seegars will be joining the Harvard faculty as Assistant Professor in the Organizational Behavior unit.
Another great profile of Paul Cornish (Instrumental ’14) and his residency at the 18th Street Arts Center. You can catch the concert he gave as the Make Jazz fellow here! (And another nice interview here, with additional links!)
Jorge Garza (Vocal ’87) opened a the new Garza Studios in Houston’s Second Ward.
The New York Times covered Lemonada Media, the podcast network founded and operated by Stephanie Wittels Wachs (Theatre ’99), for their podcast “No One is Coming to Save Us.”
Dominique Hammons (Instrumental ’12) will give a concert on June 18th to benefit the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, KS.
Almost-alumna Jaylenn Holmes (Instrumental ’21) recognized Kinder HSPVA Assistant Principal in an article from The Buzz Magazine: “Mr. Sean Tellez is our Assistant Principal at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He truly fights for diversity and makes the students truly feel welcomed. I always felt that he was in my corner and I am very appreciative of all the help he gave me over the years. Whether it was a simple chat to clear my head or asking him for reference letters for college. He truly cares about his students.”
