Nicole Thomas (Music) has been accepted to the Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Academy for summer 2015. A mezzo-soprano, she was accepted from a highly completive field of more than 1,000 singers. Singers are chosen by videotaped audition and recommendation only. The first UNLV student to be accepted into this program, she also was Nevada's first…

UNLV Jazz Studies (Music) saw its performing groups invited to compete at the 58th annual Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival -- the sixth consecutive year that UNLV groups have received an invitation. The festival, which draws top student musicians from around the world, will take place this month in Monterey, Calif. UNLV's students will…

Linda Lister, Stephanie Weiss, Lillian Roberts, Xavier Brown, and Cheyna Alexander (all Music) of UNLV Opera won in two categories at the National Opera Association Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition, which took place at the national convention in Greensboro, N.C. in January. UNLV Opera won in both the graduate and musical theatre divisions.

Anthony LaBounty (Music) made his compositional debut at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 25 with the world premiere of "Psalm 92," an original work for wind symphony commissioned by Travis Pardee, director of the Foothill Wind Symphony.

UNLV Opera was named a finalist in the National Opera Association Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition, which takes place in Greensboro, N.C., in January. UNLV Opera is a finalist in both the graduate and musical theatre divisions.

Linda Lister (Music) is the 2014 winner of The American Prize in Directing, for Sancta Susanna and Suor Angelica. She was selected from applications reviewed this summer from across the United States. The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing…

Jennifer Bellor (Music) wrote a composition, "Noir," which won the 2014 Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra National Composition contest. It will be performed in Seattle on Nov. 4, featuring Grace Kelly on alto saxophone.

Linda Lister (Music) was named one of six semi-finalists for The American Prize in Directing. In addition, UNLV Opera's production of Suor Angelica/Sancta Susanna was selected as one of six semi-finalists for The American Prize in Opera Performance (university division). Winners were to be announced in July.

Anthony LaBounty (Music) was honored by election to membership in the American Bandmasters Association (ABA). In its 85-year history, the American Bandmasters Association has elected fewer than 500 total members, and currently has fewer than 300 conductors and composers on its roll. Candidates are rigorously screened via the adjudication of…

Stephen Caplan (Music) is the author of The Breathing Book for Oboe. Published by Mountain Peak Music, it has received endorsements from some of the world's leading oboe players, described as a "must-read for oboists of all levels."

UNLV Latin Jazz Ensemble and UNLV Jazz Ensemble I (both Music) won awards at the 2014 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival in California in March. The Latin Jazz Ensemble, directed by Uli Geissendoerfer, won second place in the Open Combo Division and Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dave Loeb , garnered a third place award in the College Big Band…

Jazz Studies Program (Music) received three prestigious DownBeat Magazine 36th Annual Student Music Awards in the June issue. UNLV Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dave Loeb and Nathan Tanouye, received the Large Ensemble Graduate College Outstanding Performance award along with the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Lab Band I and the Cal State…