School of Music students and alumni report recent recordings, appointments, prestigious engagements, new career directions, and a pageant win.
Emily Acri (’20 DMA, Strings) began a new position in January 2025 as the education and community engagement coordinator at Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS). This role helps to facilitate an array of programs that SCMS offers, including the SCMS Youth Academy and the new Adult Academy, the SCMS Lecture Series, Azure Family Concerts, and many of SCMS’ summer programs, including Chamber Music in the Park, and The Concert Truck.
Pianist Alastair Edmonstone (’16, DMA Piano Performance), now on the faculty at California State University in San Bernardino, is featured on Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts, a new album released by Albion Records containing nearly 150 minutes of art songs by African American composers. The album features compositions by Black composers across generations, reflecting on cultural and societal issues. Many pieces were commissioned for or dedicated to the artists. In addition to Edmonstone, the recordings on the album feature soprano Louise Toppin (University of Michigan) and tenor Darryl Taylor (University of California, Irvine).
Alumna Jennifer Rodgers (’20 DMA, Choral Conducting) heads to Carnegie Hall in May 2026 with MidAmerica Productions for a concert featuring women and treble voices. The performance is a partnership with conductor and educator Joan Szymko and a shared evening with Rodgers' friend and mentor, UW professor Giselle Wyers. Rodgers is assistant director of choral activities and assistant teaching professor of voice at Iowa State University.
Current and former orchestral conducting students of David A. Rahbee report recent appointments. Ryan Dakota Farris (DMA, Orchestral Conducting) has begun his appointment as music director of the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra as well as the Bainbridge Symphony Youth Orchestra. Farris has also recently appeared as guest conductor with the Octava Chamber Orchestra and the Issaquah Philharmonic Orchestra.
In addition to his role as the assistant director for admissions, recruitment, and community outreach at the School of Music, Rylan Virnig (’22 MM, Orchestral Conducting) is now music director of the Federal Way Youth Orchestra and continues as assistant conductor of the Bellevue Youth Orchestras.
Daren Weissfisch (DMA Orchestra Conducting) began his appointment as music director of the Lake Union Civic Orchestra. He also serves as conductor and co-music director for Seattle Opera’s Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab for the second straight year, guiding emerging composer-librettist teams through the development and premiere of new 20-minute operas. He works closely with the young artists guiding the creative process from workshops and rehearsals to public performances featuring emerging vocal talent and instrumentalists, including members of the Seattle Symphony.
Alumna Dalma Ashby (’23 BM, Violin Performance) was crowned Miss Grays Harbor 2025 in a scholarship competition in Hoquiam, Washington in February. As well as serving as a local preliminary competition for the nationwide Miss America competition, the Miss Grays Harbor scholarship competition emphasizes community service and education, awarding winners financial support to direct toward their education. An aspiring law student whose community service initiative for the competition was Empowerment of Victims of Financial Abuse, Ashby was awarded more than $7,300 in scholarships to apply toward her education. She competes for the title of Miss Washington this summer in Olympia, Washington.
Alumna Dalma Ashby is Miss Grays Harbor 2025.