Rice Trumpet Studio student Greg Haro has submitted this report on the studio, its leadership, and its recent appointment successes.

"Marie Speziale, thirty-two year veteran of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and chair of the brass department at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Houston, Texas, has developed a distinctive music program that challenges its students in all musical environments.  The brass studio at the Shepherd School of Music regularly practices and performs in the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Brass Choir, Contemporary Ensemble 20/21, Chamber Ensembles, Degree Recitals, individual Studio Recitals, Master Classes, Studio Classes, Brass Orchestral Repertoire Colloquium, and also various outreach and inreach programs.  The Shepherd School is also unique, because of its competitive size that enables its musicians to embrace every musical opportunity the Shepherd School has to offer.  During Ms. Speziale’s tenure, the Rice Trumpet Studio has been comprised of six or seven members that were pursuing either undergraduate or graduate degrees in trumpet performance.  The following are the recent appointments of the Rice Trumpet Studio:

Recent Employment Appointments:

• James McClarty – President’s Own United States Marine Band:  Section Trumpet
• Ryan Barwise – Syracuse Symphony:  2nd Trumpet
• Lacey Hayes – Orchestra Teatro Lyrico Italia:  2nd Trumpet
• Zebediah Upton – Beijing Symphony Orchestra:  Principal Trumpet
• Carl Lindquist – US Naval Academy Band:  Section Trumpet
• Oscar Garcia Montoya – Florida Grand Opera & Miami City Ballet:  Principal Trumpet
• Michael Sapienza – New World Symphony

Recent Festival Appointments:

• Joseph Cooper – Spoleto Festival USA
• Greg Haro – Aspen Music Festival and School
• Lacey Hayes – Orchestra of the Americas and Spoleto Festival USA
• Ryan Gardner – Spoleto Festival USA
• Christopher Scanlon – Tanglewood Music Festival and Spoleto Festival USA
• Zebediah Upton – Tanglewood Music Festival
• Ryan Barwise – Tanglewood Music Festival

As a result of the unparalleled leadership and musical direction of Marie Speziale, current students and recent graduates of the Rice Trumpet Studio have succeeded in a wide range of professional contexts."

Greg Haro is a senior undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.  For the past three summers, Mr. Haro has attended the Aspen Music Festival and School.  In his third summer, he was awarded the American Academy of Conducting Fellowship.

Links:
Maria Speziale at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Shepherd School of Music home page