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Motifs: July/August 2018
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Jill Libman (IAC/NMC 49-55) has been an active real estate agent for over 30 years, serving the residential real estate community in the sale of cooperatives, condominiums, townhomes and 1031 Tax Free Exchanges. Libman represents both buyers and sellers in the New York City market. Libman’s seven summers at Interlochen molded her life, and she still attends all Interlochen events in the New York City area.
Suzanne Kelly (IAC/NMC 62, IAA 62-66), a charter student at the Academy, was in the first graduating class to complete all four years at Interlochen Arts Academy. Suzanne has been a violinist in the North Carolina Symphony since 1973. This summer, she will perform in the Santa Fe Opera orchestra for her 45th and final year, having performed more than 140 different operas with the company.
Daniel McCarthy (IAC/NMC 69, IAA 70-74, IAC St 73, IAC Fac 95-06) was the recipient of the American Prize in Chamber Music Composition in the Professional Division. He has previously won the American Prize for orchestral, wind ensemble and choral music. Dan defended his title as the U.S. Midwest Taekwondo Senior Champion in Form (Poomse) and Breaking.
Wendy Woodside (IAC/NMC 70-72, IAA 73-75) is a makeup artist and esthetician in the Chicago area. Her business is known as wendycityfaces, and provides bridal, print and television makeup, plus skin care correction treatments. Wendy’s work is currently on the cover of the July/August issue of ChicagoStyle Weddings Magazine for the third time. Other career credits include CNN, MSNBC and ESPN programs, Michigan Ave Magazine and hundreds of happy brides!
Dr. Howard “Rusty” Edwards (IAC/NMC 72, IAA 72-73, IAC St 73) has written lyrics for Dougie McCance (Red Hot Chilli Pipers). He is the Executive Producer of albums by Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Thana Alexa, Bobby Vega and Partials. His hymns have been published in Church of Scotland and Church of England hymnals. He also received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.
Jeffery Zook (IAC/NMC 76-79, IAA 80-82) celebrates his 26th year as piccoloist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is Professor of Flute at Oakland University and Visiting Professor this fall at Western Michigan University. He recently performed the Hovland Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra at the National Flute Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Elizabeth Sanders (IAC/NMC 84-85) was featured in Profile Magazine for her work as Panasonic’s Chief Counsel of Transactions, Mergers and Acquisitions.
Christian Matijas-Mecca (IAA St 91-97, IAC St 97), Professor of Dance and Music at the University of Michigan, Matijas-Mecca authored "The Words and Music of Brian Wilson" (Praeger) in 2017. This study of the Beach Boys co-founder covers the entirety of his creative work as songwriter, performer, producer and collaborator over Wilson's 50-plus year career. Matijas-Mecca cataloged Wilson's work on an online discography titled WilsonSingerSongwriter. His latest book on psychedelic music will be published by Greenwood in early 2020.
Brian Katona (IAC 92) recently won an Emmy Award for Best Musical Composition for his score to the short documentary film, “The Builder,” which was directed by David Kuznicki (The Town That Disappeared Overnight, A Hope for Hartly) and written by Matthew Russell (A Hope for Hartly, The Glove Forewarned). “The Builder” tells the story of a 91-year-old veteran struggling to maintain his grip on the past. The film also won the Emmy for Best Short Format Program at the 49th Annual NATAS Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award Ceremony in Indianapolis on June 23.
Gary Gatzke (AS 92, 94, IAC 95, IAA 96-98, ICA Staff 06-13) was recently named Interim Executive Director of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. Gary will maintain his position as Director of Development of the TSO during the interim period. He also serves as principal double bass of the orchestra, a position he has held since 2006.
Kyle Taylor (IAC 94-95, IAA 95-96) and Amanda (Novak) Gaylord (IAA 95-98, IAC St 12, 14) were reunited after 21 years at last year's Alumni Reunion Weekend in October, and recently got engaged on May 13 of this year. He proposed to her at their home on the riverfront of the Little Betsie River in Thompsonville, Michigan.
Onnesha Roychoudhuri (IAA 99-00) released a new book, “The Marginalized Majority,” on July 10, 2018.
Donna Yoo (IAC 00-01) was appointed as the Director of Admissions and Alumni Affairs at the Yale School of Music in the fall of 2017. She previously served as the Director of Communications and Alumni Affairs at the same institution.
Rebecca Manson (IAC 02-05) opened her first public sculpture, Come Closer and the View Gets Wider at Tribeca Park on July 9. The sculpture will remain in the park for one year. It is an eight-foot diameter orb made of tiny porcelain parts, and it was produced with a Windgate Project Grant.
Youndgo Lee (IAA 02-05) joined the International Paralympic Committee in July as Broadcast Manager after having worked as the Broadcast Services Project Manager during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee.
Julie Eicher (IAC 02-04, IAA 07-08, IAC St 09) performs this summer as Lise in An American in Paris at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. She is reviewed as “stunning onstage, channeling the innocence of the movie's Leslie Caron with a large dose of the young and beautiful Audrey Hepburn and an amazing resemblance to actress Anne Hathaway. Her voice is melodic and sweet, and her dancing a vision of beauty. Your heart will melt when hearing her moving number, ‘The Man I Love.’”
Austin Stewart (IAA 03-05) was named Artistic Director of Arbor Opera Theater.
Meggie Cramer (IAA 04-07) recently accepted the role of Associate Director, Alumni Major Gifts at Rush University Medical Center and is tasked with raising funds from Rush Medical College, College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences and Graduate Medical Education alumni. Additionally, she has been selected as Vice Chair of the recently-created Boston University Young Alumni Advisory Council, leading the strategic vision of engagement, philanthropy and affinity for those BU alumni up to 15 years post-graduation.
Amanda (Gray) Strickland (IAC 08) received a master’s degree in Molecular Pathology in 2015 from Texas Tech University and passed the American Society of Clinical Pathology National Certification. Since then, she has been employed at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio as a Senior Research Associate with Dr. Ruth Ruprecht. Her team recently published an article, “Anti-HIV IgM protects against mucosal SHIV transmission,” in AIDS 2018 Vol. 32, No. 11 on their quest to find an AIDS vaccine.
Sebastian Zinca (IAC 11, IAA 12-13) will be moving to Finland in the fall to pursue his master’s in orchestral conducting at Sibelius Academy. Zinca is the only master’s candidate selected by the Academy this year.
