Class Notes: 2010s
Below are archived updates for Music alumni graduating in the 2010s. Visit the Recent Alumni Updates page for current news.
John Anderson, '14 After completing the Ad Sales/Group Sales internship at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts during the summer after graduating William & Mary, John was hired full-time as the newest Program Assitant for internships & Community Programs. Under this position, John is responsible for managing the nationally recognizaed program and providing a variety of administrative support for the Foundation's educational initiatives. (12/4/2014)
Ro-Derrick Branch, '14 I formed a band with some fellow Tribe members Christian Weber '14 (guitar/vox), Chris Pickett '14 (bass), Kieran Ryan '15 (drums). I play keys for the band, and we released our debut EP, "From The Grave" on July 8th. It also features Gianna Baiges Parrilla '14 (vox) and Ben Weissman '14 and Walker Brough '15 (trumpet). The EP is available to stream and download.
We also received a stellar review from The Deli Magazin-DC area where we have also been nominated for artist of the month. (8/22/2014)
Erin Wagner, '13, Since completing her studies at William and Mary, Erin continued her studies, earning a Master of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a Graduate Degree in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts from the University of Bologna, Italy in May of 2016. Now, she work full time as the Center for Philanthropy Associate with The Pittsburgh Foundation, a $1 billion community foundation that is a major player in the southwestern Pennsylvania philanthropic community. In this role, she prepares research and proposals to connect donors to nonprofits and initiatives throughout the region. Erin is so thankful for the well-rounded and comprehensive education she received at William and Mary, especially through the Department of Music. (11/9/2016)
Matthew Gattuso, '11 Hey all, I am currently over halfway through doing a year of service in Little Rock Arkansas with a national education non-profit called City Year. City Year focuses on providing academic and behavior interventions through concentrated tutoring sessions with a select group of at risk students. I work in a third grade class at Mabelvale Elementary in Southwest Little Rock. In addition to the tutoring, we run both a morning and afterschool program for the kids. The 10 hour days are strenuous, but overall it is a very formative experience. Unfortunately, music has fallen to the wayside a bit at the current moment. My viola still sees some love when I get the chance though! After this program is over, I'm planning on taking next year to fully dedicate my time to preparing for grad school in music composition with the intention of going in Fall of 2013. I really hope to take some extended time to visit WM when I'm back in Virginia. I'm definitely missing my alma mater. Thanks to everyone in the music department who contributed to my experience there! Hope all is well in Williamsburg and all the best. (2/20/12)
Megan Grady, '11 Megan currently resides in Tallahassee, FL and attends the College of Music at Florida State University where she is pursuing her master's degree in clarinet performance. Beyond her time as a clarinetist, Megan is an active piano teacher, church pianist and vocal accompanist in the Tallahassee area, and is interested in pursuing a piano pedagogy certificate during her time at FSU (pending acceptance into the program). Megan also pursues her academic desires by taking ethnomusicology and arts administration courses when viable. She is looking forward to an upcoming audition with the U.S. Navy Ceremonial/Concert Band in Washington D.C. at the end of January. Megan lives with her fiance, Will, and their cat, Oscar. (1/11/12)
Jake Nelson, '11 Since graduation, I've been working in Washington in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. I cover a wide variety of issues including coordination with Europe in the United Nations; human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons; Congressionally mandated reporting on human rights, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom; and the rights of national minorities. It's been a big shift from spending dozens of hours each week in singing rehearsals, but I've loved the opportunity to apply the skills I learned in analysis and area studies at William & Mary (including in the music department) to a completely different field. I hope to return to the world of academia in the fall before continuing a career in foreign policy. (2/3/12)
Megan Banner Sutherland, '10 After completing an internship at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and working in Washington, DC, Megan finds herself back in academia persuing a master's degree in ethnomusicology at Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada. (1/10/12)
Phil Hernandez, '10 After graduation, I moved to Washington D.C., and began working in the White House Domestic Policy Council with the energy and climate change team. It's been an incredible experience thus far and I've had the good fortune of being able to work on a wide range of issues, including the Administration's new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, regulations that reduce air pollution and protect public health, and policies that support clean energy technologies. I should also note that my music degree often comes in handy - last year, President Obama named the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins as one of the 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees. I volunteered to staff Sonny during the ceremony and we bonded immediately over jazz music. At 81, he's still pretty hip (he wore pink sunglasses in front of the President and looked cool doing so) and I was very pleased that my background in music helped me to make a connection. (2/6/12)
Jonathan Weiss, '10 Studying music therapy at NYU! (10/10/12)
