Cheers to the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance Class of 2024! This year, approximately 130 students will be graduating, with roughly a third achieving advanced degrees, including 12 earning doctoral degrees.
SOMD will hold its ceremony in Beall Hall on June 17 at 1 p.m. Students may also attend the University of Oregon ceremony at 9 a.m. on June 17 in Autzen Stadium.
Commencement 2023 in Autzen Stadium
Please enjoy the stories of a few of our 2024 graduates below.
Daniel Dyer
Hailing from Silverton, Oregon, Daniel Dyer is a first-generation university student and will graduate with his BM in Tuba Performance in June.
Photo by Sierra Rose
“During his four years at UO, Daniel’s artistry has developed splendidly,” Professor Mike Grose said. “He plays with a tremendous sense of phrasing and beautiful tone. He has been complete joy to work with.”
Daniel has earned several professional credits while a student at SOMD. He has worked with Orchestra Next since 2021 and won the principal tuba position for the 22/23 season, performing the Nutcracker and Stravinsky’s Petrushka with the Eugene Ballet. He has also subbed with the Eugene Symphony, Newport Symphony, and Salem Pops Orchestra.
At UO, he has also played in the UO Wind Ensemble, UO Orchestra, the UO Teuph (Tuba Euphonium) Ensemble, and various chamber ensembles. He is also very involved in “Salt Company,” a campus ministry.
“When I was a senior in high school, I decided to only apply for the University of Oregon because of the strength I saw in Mike Grose as a tuba teacher and mentor,” he said. “I figured at the time, if I couldn’t get a scholarship, I would try to pursue something useful like engineering or underwater basket-weaving. Luckily for me, it worked out, and I have become so much stronger as a musician because of the programs, faculty, and community the UO SOMD has to offer!”
The SOMD also introduced Daniel to his future wife, Annie Liu, whom he met while in UO Wind Ensemble.
In 2022, Daniel enlisted in the Oregon National Guard and has since been working with the “Oregon’s Own” 234th Army Band.
Upon graduation, he will complete his training in Virginia Beach at the Army School of Music.
After that, he and Annie will move to New Jersey where she will begin her PhD at Princeton and he will continue taking auditions, freelancing, and teaching.
Shelby Laird
After two years in Eugene, Shelby is graduating with her master's in choral conducting.
She had a busy winter term auditioning for six DMA programs around the country. After receiving five offers, she is heading to the University of Georgia!
Shelby is originally from Hays, Kansas and graduated from Northern Arizona University with her bachelor's in choral music education. She taught high school choir for three years before coming to the University of Oregon.
"My time at the UO has truly been impactful on so many levels,” Shelby said. “I have grown as a person, conductor, musician, student, and educator."
She is in the UO Chamber Choir, University Singers, and Repertoire Singers, in addition to working as the Eugene Symphony Chorus Manager and an event manager at the Jazz Station.
“Shelby is an outstanding music educator who will share her talents generously with the world," Dr. Sharon Paul said. "Whether she is singing, conducting, cheering on her peers, or playing a competitive game of cards, Shelby brings her best to everything she does and inspires those around her to do the same!”
In the future, Shelby sees herself conducting at the collegiate level.
Meaghan Wottrich
Meaghan Wottrich is a dance major who enrolled at the SOMD as a transfer in 2022! “Even though my time here was shorter than normal, I gained so much amazing knowledge and made so many wonderful connections!” she said.
Her professors agree! “Meaghan’s care for her dance peers shines through her leadership, creating a sense of camaraderie and unity within the classroom, rehearsals, and on stage,” said Assistant Professor of Dance Hannah Thomas.
The one thing Meaghan will miss the most after graduation is spending time with her friends on campus. “Sometimes we would be here for 12+ hours because of classes, rehearsals, performances, etc., and while the days were long, they went by so fast because I was with my friends!” she said.
After graduation, she will pursue a DanceAbility Teaching Certification, enhancing her expertise in teaching dance to dancers of all abilities.
“The SOMD has prepared me for my post-collegiate life in a multitude of ways,” Meaghan said. “The incredibly diverse array of classes that the dance major requires allowed me to learn about many different aspects of the dance world and showed me multiple ways in which I can incorporate dance into my life post-graduation.”
Annie Liu
Annie Liu is leaving an inedible mark on the UO School of Music and Dance. Graduating with a master of arts in musicology and a master of music in bassoon performance, she is touted by all her teachers as a student who has talent, ambition, and integrity.
“We have rarely encountered a graduate student with such intellectual and creative dynamism, versatility, and integrity as Annie Liu,” Annie’s advisors, Dr. Steve Vacchi and Dr. Zach Wallmark, said. “She has also been a strong leader and an exemplary citizen of the SOMD during her three years of graduate study here.”
Annie is completing her musicology thesis on the politics of vocal timbre in twentieth-century Chinese popular music and has presented her work at major national and international conferences including appearances in Tokyo, Ghent, and Denver.
She is an empirical music researcher with specializations in behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging methods. Her scientific research is in press for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Music & Science, and she has earned a New Media and Culture Certificate for her research.
Annie performs at a fully professional level on the bassoon and contrabassoon. She has been a leader in the UO School of Music and Dance’s (SOMD) large instrumental ensembles, chamber ensembles, and Collegium Musicum.
She has also performed with the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players, and Eugene Concert Choir. At the SOMD, Annie has been a strong leader during her three years of graduate study, including service on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, SOMD Graduate Committee, and as a musicology graduate employee.
As she heads off to Princeton University for her PhD in musicology in the fall, she reflects on her growth at the SOMD. "I have received incredible mentorship and training that allowed me to pursue my passions and develop my research interests in a supportive community,” Annie said. “I am deeply grateful for my experiences here and the confidence I have gained as I enter my next career phase."
Emily Milius
Emily Milius is wrapping up her dissertation this term and will graduate in June with her PhD in Music Theory!
Photo by Tom Chamberlain
In July, she is moving to Maryland for her new job as Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
"I am ecstatic about joining the Peabody community because my new colleagues are all extremely inspiring and kind, and the students are so engaged and ready to learn more about music (also, the buildings are so pretty!)," Emily said. "The SOMD community at the University of Oregon prepared me to be chosen for this job, first and foremost, by encouraging me to be me and explore the topics that I am super excited about, and additionally by helping me at every step of my application, interview, and negotiation processes."
"Emily was such an important presence at UO during her time here, whether she was teaching aural skills labs, sharing her fascinating work at conference run-throughs, or serving as student rep on the THEME committee," Dr. Drew Nobile, Associate Professor of Music Theory, said. "We’re all extremely proud of her accomplishments and look forward to seeing how her research and career progress in the years to come!"
Over the past school year, Emily was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Mallory Wood
Mallory Wood is graduating with her MM in flute performance in June and heading straight to the mountains of Colorado!
There, she will pursue her DMA in flute performance (with an assistantship) at the University of Colorado Boulder with Christina Jennings.
"After these two years of studying at the SOMD, I have substantially grown as a musician, leader, and individual," Mallory said.
Mallory is originally from Rowlett, Texas and graduated with her BM in flute performance from Texas Christian University.
At the University of Oregon, she is a member of the UO Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed and subbed with the Eugene Ballet, Eugene Concert Orchestra, and Eugene Symphony.
Additionally, she is a Graduate Employee in the Dean's Office, SOMD stage manager/usher, and social media director for Orchestra Next.
"Mallory is a talented player who has become a major contributor to our community," assistant professor of flute, Dr. Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington, said. "Whether working in the Dean's Office or performing as a leader in ensembles, she stands out as a vibrant artist who wears many hats. But more importantly, her bright energy is one that will be greatly missed."
Mallory's ultimate goal is to become a flute professor who also performs in an orchestra.
Jessica Hovermale
Jessica Hovermale is graduating from the Clark Honors College with majors in dance and planning, public policy, and management; a minor in nonprofit administration; and a certificate in teaching dance. Jessica is from Corvallis, OR.
The School of Music and Dance has played a major role throughout her four years. “During my time in the dance department at UO, I have been pushed out of my comfort zone in dancing, leadership, and life through movement, research, and connecting with those around me. The SOMD has helped me grow as both a person and an artist,” Jessica said.
This spring, she is defending her honors college thesis where she is exploring how choreographers develop, communicate, and embody their movement.
While at the UO, Jessica has been involved in the dance department as president of the Dance Oregon student organization and as a dancer in the Student Dance Collective.
She has trained at programs with NW Dance Project, the Carmel Dance Festival with Ballare Carmel, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Openspace, and Flockworks. She also works for the City of Eugene’s Cultural Services Department where she helps with the city’s National Dance Week programming.
Reflecting on her experience, Jessica says she will miss her peers the most. “I’ve loved getting to make friends in the department and am so grateful for the opportunity to dance with them.”
Associate Professor Shannon Mockli says Jessica, too, will be missed! "Jessica is passionate about arts administration and has dedicated her energy to providing incredible learning opportunities for students at the University of Oregon and is committed to making arts happen within the Eugene community through her work with Eugene Cultural Services,” Mockli said. “As the Dance Oregon president this year, she organized open masterclasses with local professional dance artists and facilitated student travel to the American College Dance Association Northwest Conference, continuing the legacy of Dance Oregon as a vital student group on our campus."
Emily Bopp
Emily Bopp is a graduating master’s student studying musicology from Spokane, WA.
During her time at UO, Emily participated in THEME, an academic music colloquium, that was “an incredible resource for professional development and great clerical practice while I was its Graduate Employee. More than that, though, the Chamber Choir connected me to wonderful people, challenged my musicianship, and set great examples in scholar leadership that I’ll definitely carry with me as I step into the working world. I have an amazing cohort full of kind, intelligent, fun, and supportive people. Getting to do grad school in this community is the biggest blessing,” she said.
After graduation, Emily plans on applying to work in K-12 music education.
Emily’s advice to current and incoming students is “Invest in your community! You don’t have to be overly involved in a bunch of student organizations, but taking time to connect with people around you and people important to you is the best form of self-care during the academic grind.”
Emma Jones
Emma Jones is a voice performance major whose operatic career is off to a great start! From Hillsboro, Oregon, she has already made her mark on the professional stage in Eugene.
"The SOMD has prepared me for my future career by really honing my discipline and giving me a lot of experience in the professional music field that I never would have been able to get otherwise!" Emma said.
Her professional credits include the title role in Cascadia Chamber Opera's production of The Banshee and the Second Knabe in Eugene Opera's production of Die Zauberflöte.
"My experience at the SOMD has been so incredible!" Emma said. "I’ve made amazing friends, performed world class music with wonderful musicians, and gotten to work with faculty members that have shaped me as a musician in ways I never expected."
Emma is also a soloist with the Women's Choral Society and has sung several roles with UO Opera, including the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, Zerline in Don Giovanni, Charlotte in a Little Night Music, and Cinderella in SOMD's Elementary Outreach.
"Emma is a young, talented actor-singer that does not back away from a challenge!" Senior Instructor Dr. Karen Esquivel said. "Her smarts, her willingness to take on outrageously difficult music, and her very effective communication of the text are her hallmarks."
After graduation she will continue taking voice lessons in Portland with Ruth Dobson, and she plans to audition for regional opera companies.
Lauren Haendler
Lauren Haendler is a music education major graduating with her bachelor’s in music education.
Next, she will pursue her master's in vocal performance and eventually become a high school choir director. Once she lands a teaching gig, she wants to join a choir or perform opera.
“It’s crucial to me as a teacher that I’m also a competent performer,” she said. “Especially as a young woman, when I first enter the classroom, students tend to view me as an older sister, but I’m finding that I’m gaining respect from my students through my competency.”
While it's obvious to her now that she is meant to teach music, in high school she was on her constitutional law team and imagined becoming a civil rights attorney.
At the time, she was also heavily involved in music – taking voice lessons, performing in musicals, and participating in choir.
As she approached graduation, her choir director and SOMD alum, Karen Bohart, encouraged her to consider a career in music education.
“My senior year of high school, she asked why I hadn’t considered being a music teacher and I hadn't ever given it any thought!” Lauren recalled. “I didn’t even think that was a possibility, but once I thought about it, I said, ‘Oh, that fits.’”
Lauren is the President of UO's Collegiate National Association for Music Education (NAfME) chapter & most of her time leading up to graduation has been spent teaching choir at Springfield High School. “It’s really exciting to teach there and I love those kids!” she said.
Evelynn Tykla
Evelynn Tylka is double majoring in accounting and general music with a violin performance specialization.
She has received ten scholarships during her time at UO for music, business, and general studies.
After graduation, she plans to study for her Certified Public Accountant exams and will be working full-time as an asset management associate within business tax services for KPMG Chicago.
Evelynn is from the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and is involved on campus through the University of Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Volunteer Income Tax (VITA), and Beta Alpha Psi.
VITA is a volunteer group for business students aimed at helping low-income members in the community file their income taxes which she has been a part of for two years now.
Evelynn has been a member of the UO Symphony Orchestra for four years, performing twice a term at the Beall Concert Hall and the Hult Center for the Performing Arts.
“What made my experience at the UO most special was joining the wonderful communities within the School of Music and Dance and Business,” she said. “Creating meaningful connections helped me progress academically more than I would have ever imagined.”
“The biggest piece of advice I would give to incoming and current students would be to attend club meetings you’re interested in and connect with your professors in office hours. I was able to join the activities I’m involved with by just having an open mind and going to events that interested me. And academically, connecting with your professors outside of class time will greatly improve your attitude towards your work and help you develop more complex thinking skills.”