A unique photo opportunity took place in August at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, Calif. The academy hosts an eight-week Summer School and Festival for 138 pre-professional classical musicians. In 2011, the 138 fellows were selected from a very competitive pool of 1,642 applicants from around the world. Four were current or former students of UNT, and several patrons of the academy also are UNT alumni. The front row features the four UNT fellows, and the back row features academy patrons who are UNT alumni, including former academy president David Kuehn, who is a former UNT faculty member and assistant dean, and Konnie Gault, current chair of the academy’s Women’s Auxiliary. Cindy McTee, Professor Emerita of music, attended as her composition “Circuits” was performed during the final orchestra concert conducted by Leonard Slatkin. The photo was taken in the courtyard named in David Kuehn’s honor.

Tiffany DeVries
Dean of Students, Music Academy of the West