The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business announced that it has named Pat McMakin Director of Studio Operations at Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios. Pat, a 1978 alum of Belmont’s Music Business program and founding Chair of Belmont’s Music Business Advisory Board, will take the helm the first week of March.
Ocean Way Nashville, designed by award-winning recording engineer Allen Sides and purchased by Belmont in 2001, is the No. 1 tracking room in Nashville and a world-class teaching laboratory that also serves an impressive client roster including Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Bob Seger, Three Doors Down, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, matchbox twenty, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Stevie Nicks and Gretchen Wilson, as well as successful Belmont alumni Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack and Brad Paisley.
With more than 30 years of successful music industry experience as a recording engineer, record producer, and songwriter, McMakin has worked with a wide variety of artists including Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Brooks and Dunn, Lonestar, Brenda Lee, N’Sync and countless other artists, producers and songwriters. Joining Ocean Way Nashville after 25 years as studio manager, producer and engineer at Sony Tree Studios in Nashville, Tenn., McMakin brings both expert industry experience and intimate knowledge of Belmont to his new role.
Of his new leadership position, McMakin comments, “I’m looking forward to joining a world class team at one of the world’s premiere recording facilities. There are many great legacy studios that have come before and Ocean Way Nashville aspires to play a vital role in the continuing story that Nashville has been a part of since the inception of modern recording. As a part of Belmont’s Curb College, I am also looking forward to helping turn out the world’s finest recording engineers for the future.”
Curb College Dean Wesley Bulla reiterates McMakin’s enthusiasm, “I’ve known Pat for years and think he’ll be a great asset to the Curb College. He will help push the facility into the future of the recording business and the curriculum toward setting the standard for audio engineering education.”
Ocean Way Announces New Director of Operations
Belmont Makes Impact on Grammy Night
Nashville’s biggest victories from this year’s Grammy Awards, a 50th anniversary celebration, involved some significant Belmont connections in both the classical and country categories.
With participation from a number of Belmont School of Music faculty members, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra’s recording, Joan Tower: Made in America, won Grammy Awards for Best Classical Album and Best Orchestral Performance. In addition, Tower, who will be speaking at Belmont March 10, won a 2008 Grammy for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for Made in America. Tower’s visit will include a morning lecture and an evening performance of her works by Belmont Camerata Musicale, in celebration of her 70th birthday.
In addition, alumnus Brad Paisley (‘95) won Best Country Instrumental Performance for his song “Throttleneck” and performed his hit song “Ticks” on the Grammy live telecast. Long-time Belmont Bruins basketball supporter Vince Gill, who has a room named in his honor at the Curb Event Center, won the Grammy for Best Country Album for his highly-acclaimed, four-disc set These Days.
Hare Earns Academic All-District Honors
For the third consecutive year, Belmont University senior Justin Hare has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Men’s Basketball First Team. The 6-2 guard from Cleveland, Tennessee sports a 3.87 GPA in his chosen major of exercise science and health promotion. He plans to attend medical school upon graduation in May. Hare, who also earned Second Team Academic All-America honors last year, joins former Bruin greats Adam Mark and Wes Burtner as the only Belmont players ever to have received Academic All-District and Academic All-America distinction.
“Justin has displayed a consistent excellence on the floor and in the classroom since the day he arrived at Belmont,” Belmont head coach Rick Byrd said. “He is a great representative of our team and our university, and we are proud of this third straight selection to the Academic All-District First Team.”
Commercial Music Showcase Features Best of Music Program
The Belmont School of Music presented the 16th Annual Commercial Music Showcase Mon., Feb. 4 in Massey Concert Hall. The free, one-hour concert featured the best solo performers, arrangers, instrumentalists, background vocalists and crew in the Commercial Music Program.
Senior Mary Maples made her second appearance in the Commercial Music Showcase. The Cookeville, Tennessee native will receive her degree in Commercial Music with a Music Business emphasis in May. Mary’s performance focused on classic and modern R&B: Aretha Franklin’s “Until You Come Back to Me,” Chaka Khan’s “Your Love Is All I Know” and Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry on Their Own.”
Prestonsburg, Kentucky native Kory Caudill is a senior Commercial Music Major with a Piano Performance emphasis. He performed Bruce Hornsby’s “Spider Fingers,” traditional hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and Stephen Still’s “Love the One You’re With” and received a standing ovation.
Bryant, Cox Elected TIRSA Leaders
Angie Bryant, director of the Beaman Student Life Center, was elected as the State Director for the Tennessee Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (TIRSA) this past January at the annual TIRSA conference. This two-year position oversees the state chapter within the national organization and represents the state at national and regional conferences. As State Director, Bryant will also provide TIRSA professional and student members with opportunities for professional growth and development, networking and additional program enhancement opportunities through annual conferences, state tournaments and other activities.
In addition, Caroline Cox, graduate assistant for Group Fitness at the Beaman Student Life Center, was elected as the Student State Representative for Tennessee. As student rep, Cox will play an important role in the success of the student membership within TIRSA and NIRSA and will represent the state at conferences. Cox follows another BSLC graduate assistant, Daniel Lawrence, as his year of service comes to an end.
Kaemmer Presented Individual Arts Award
Fiddler David Kaemmer (’00) was recently presented the Individual Arts Award by the Sierra Vista Arts and Humanities Commission in Arizona for his work benefiting fiddle players everywhere with an annual fall fiddle contest. The mission of the commission is to promote “a cultural climate which stimulates arts and arts education, fosters cultural events, encourages local arts organizations and furthers programs for creating an esthetic environment.”
Tompkins to Be Inducted into Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame
Al Tompkins, Broadcast/Online Group Leader at the Poynter Institute and an advisory board member for Belmont’s New Century Journalism program, will be inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame on April 1. The seven new honorees will join 153 other journalists inducted into the Hall of Fame since its 1981 inception. Tompkins will be speaking in LCVA 117 at 10 a.m. on Mon., Feb. 25 on the topic “If Everybody Has YouTube, Why Do We Need Journalism?”
Hensley Appointed Director at Marriott Marquis
Alumnus Keith Hensley (’88) was appointed Director of Sales & Marketing at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta’s largest hotel. The 24-year industry veteran will oversee development and execution of all marketing initiatives for the hotel, which debuts the results of a $138 million dollar renovation this summer. Hensley, who holds a BBA in Hotel Management from Belmont, was formerly the Director of Sales & Marketing for Marriott Hotels & Resorts in Memphis.
Message from Dr. Fisher Regarding Union University
As I’m sure you all know, our friends at Union University were hit by a devastating tornado last evening that has destroyed much of the campus housing and damaged several academic buildings. Thankfully, no lives were lost and injuries appear to not be life-threatening. There will be a host of people and organizations that rise up to be a part of Union’s recovery and it is our intention that Belmont will be one of those organizations.
We envision that the recovery needs will be both immediate and long-term. Several of our leaders met with me today and we are developing an assistance plan that we will offer. We have already invited President Dockery to tell us what we can do. Several of our leaders have been in contact with their counterparts at Union with offers to help. We are seeking contact with the TBC Emergency Response Team to learn how we will be able to partner with them in this tragedy. Trustee Jon Roebuck has offered the Woodmont Bus for transportation. I am sincerely touched by the spirit that is being expressed. VP for Spiritual Development, Dr. Todd Lake, and the Campus Ministry Team along with the Dean of the School of Religion, Dr. Darrell Gwaltney, are coordinating our campus-wide efforts to participate in this recovery.
We send this message to not only let you know what we are doing (as several of you have inquired) but to also invite your ideas and best thinking as to what else we might be able to do. Please don’t hesitate to make suggestions to Dr. Todd Lake at laket@mail.belmont.edu or Dr. Darrell Gwaltney at gwaltneyd@mail.belmont.edu, and we will see that all of your ideas receive attention.
We often feel helpless when confronted with such devastation and feel as if there is nothing we can do. I hope we will push past that response to realize that there is always some helpful action that we can take if we are willing. Please pray for the people of Union University along with all the others that were impacted by these storms.
Bob Fisher
Belmont Names New Dean of College of Arts and Sciences
Belmont University has named Dr. Bryce Sullivan the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Sullivan currently serves as chair of the Department of Psychology and Director of the interdisciplinary Gerontology Program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). He will begin his new position at Belmont June 2, 2008.
“I am very excited to be joining the Belmont community,” Sullivan said. “The College of Arts and Sciences presents an unparalleled opportunity due to its centrality to the university’s vision of bringing together the best of liberal arts and professional education. Through cooperation with other units on campus, the college plays a crucial role in providing a challenging educational experience that liberates students from a shortsighted focus on the here and now. I plan to work with the faculty and staff in all programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to ensure that Belmont’s students have the finest educational opportunities possible. My goal is to help foster an intellectually rich learning environment that is built on Belmont’s history of preparing students to transform the world.”
Belmont Provost Dr. Dan McAlexander said, “Dr. Sullivan possesses an exceptional record as a scholar, teacher and university leader. He brings to this position extraordinary energy and a bold vision for the Arts and Sciences, which are at the heart of every great university. We are delighted that leaders of Bryce’s caliber continue to join Belmont University’s academic leadership, and we all look forward to working with him.”
During Sullivan’s seven years as SIUE’s Psychology Department Chair, the department enjoyed a period of increased growth and prominence, with a 36 percent enrollment increase while the tenure-track faculty increased in strength by 37 percent. Research productivity also increased 120 percent for peer-reviewed articles and 300 percent for conference papers under Sullivan’s leadership. In 2006, based on the department’s Senior Capstone, Sullivan crafted the submission that led to his department and the university receiving the Council for Higher Education Accreditation Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes, the only academic department to receive this national award in the inaugural year of its existence.
