Samiyah Green (Creative Writing ’26) and Myaan Sonenshein (Creative Writing ‘25) are members of the youth slam poetry team Meta-Four Houston. Meta-Four won first place at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam in San Francisco in July. The team was coached by former Houston Poet Laureate Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean and HSPVA Creative Writing adjunct faculty Alinda “Adam” Mac.
Mia Desalos (Instrumental ’24) was selected to the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Sextet. She will perform at the Institute’s annual All-Star Concert Gala in New York in October. Desalos, who is a bassist, will also perform in the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo.
Lisa Harris (Vocal ’98) has a new installation—D.R.E.A.M. = A WAY TO AFRA—on display at DiverseWorks through September 9. Read more about Lisa’s work in Houstonia.
Justin Simien (Theatre ’01) directed Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Check out this Houston Chronicle feature, including Justin’s fond memories of HSPVA: “It changed my life.”
Jason Moran (Instrumental ’93) curated the inaugural show at the Louis Armstrong Center in Queens. Read about it in the New York Times. Jason also gave a shoutout to former HSPVA Jazz Director Robert “Doc” Morgan as part of the Kennedy Center’s Thank an Arts Teacher initiative.
Marie Bannerot McInerney (Visual Arts ’98) has a solo exhibition—Trace Me Back—at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on view through April 2024.
Dr. Jan Green Taylor (Vocal ’74) received the 2023 Texas Choir Master Award from the Texas Choral Directors Association. She also received an award for her musical accomplishments from the Community Music Center of Houston. Dr. Taylor recently retired as Professor of Music at Prairie View A&M University.
Alexandria DeWalt (Instrumental ’17) and Tanner Ellis (Theatre ’14) were honored by Houston’s Ensemble Theatre as Rising Star Legacy Honorees. DeWalt—a vocalist, flutist, and composer—is the youngest faculty member in the Ensemble Department at the Berklee College of Music. Ellis’s latest film project, Mahogany, is streaming on Peacock and Tubi.
Adam Nelson (Theatre ’87) is the founder of creative agency Workhouse. Check out this profile in Los Angeles Magazine.
Allen Gilmore (Theatre ’76) starred as the titular role in Malvolio at the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Watch this interview with Allen.
Judith Franklin (Vocal ’97) joined the pre-Broadway national tour cast of The Wiz.
Danielle Troiano (Theatre ’16) made her Broadway debut in Here Lies Love.
Brian Harris, Jr. (Vocal ’18) was selected by the New Canon Project for Rising Composers to create a new choral composition.
Rafael Pina (Theatre ’22), Ollie Grishaber (Theatre ’22), and Damon Diaz (Theatre ’22) are the founders of The Garage. This summer, they produced original plays written and performed by their fellow HSPVA alumni.
Check out this Playbill interview with Tony-nominated actor Kevin Cahoon (Theatre ’89).
Have some news you want to share? Let us know.
