President's Honor Recital

Dear University Community,

When our Conservatory of Music was established more than a century ago as the School of Music, it was one of the first of its kind in California. Since then, it has been a vital part of our liberal arts tradition and a source of inspiration for many. Thanks to the Conservatory, we are privileged to have opportunities to enjoy performances by our talented students.

Since 1983, the President's Honor Recital has provided a public showcase for the most outstanding performers in the University of Redlands Conservatory of Music. This diverse cohort of undergraduate and graduate students represents the best of our program.
 
On Thursday, February 20, at 7:00 p.m., five of the University's most accomplished students will perform at the 43rd Annual President's Honor Recital at the Memorial Chapel on the Redlands campus. Admission is free, and the recital is open to the public. No tickets are required to attend.

• Jase Gooden '26 is in his third year towards completing his bachelor’s degree in trombone performance, and his bachelor's degree in music education. Jase performs in the University's Wind Ensemble, University Orchestra, Studio Big Band, Brass Quartet, and Brass Quintet. In addition to trombone, Jase sings with the University Choir, Chapel Singers, and Vocal Octet. Beyond his music studies, Jase also works as a stage manager for the Conservatory of Music and Redlands Symphony Orchestra and is a freelance trombonist and vocalist.
• Luchi Jiang '26 is a first-year master's student studying violin performance under Samuel Fischer. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in music from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music in 2022. At Redlands, she serves as one of the co-concertmasters of the University's Symphony Orchestra and plays in the first violin section of the Redlands Symphony Orchestra as a student musician. As an orchestral violinist, Luchi has performed in renowned venues worldwide, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, multiple famous concert venues in China, and the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Center of the Arts in Orange County.
• Emma Lindman '25 is a senior working towards a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in piano performance. Studying piano since the Fall of 2021, Emma enjoys the challenge of incorporating contrasting influences of a Nicaraguan and Dutch heritage into her personal artistic expression as a pianist and performer. She is a recipient of the four-year Mary E. Lehigh piano scholarship and was recognized by the Inland Empire Piano Festival and at the CAPMT Honors competitions. Academically, at the top of her class, Emma's name has appeared on the Dean’s List for Academic Excellence for seven consecutive semesters.
• Madelyn Olsen '27 is a second-year saxophone performance major performing as lead alto saxophone with the University's Studio Big Band and principal saxophone with the U of R Wind Ensemble. An award-winning musician, Madelyn also serves as a Bulldog Ambassador and Editor-in-Chief of the Redlands Bulldog newspaper. She plans to continue her studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with the ultimate goal of becoming a professional performer and educator.
• Ryan Vickrey '26 is in his third year of horn performance at the University of Redlands, studying under Adam Wolf. Ryan has enjoyed being a soloist with the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, playing in the SCSBOA Honors Orchestra for three years, and visiting Vienna and Prague with the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra. In addition to playing the French horn, Ryan is the administrative intern for the Redlands Symphony Orchestra, a residential assistant for the first-year community on campus, and a music instructor for Rancho Verde High School, Citrus Hill High School, and March Middle School.

I hope you will join us for this special evening celebrating the talent, dedication, and artistry of our students. Their performances are a testament to the excellence of our Conservatory of Music and the enduring power of music to inspire and connect us all.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Krista L. Newkirk
President