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UNF School of Music

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UNF School of Music

The School of Music brings a focused commitment to excellence and the artistic and intellectual preparation of music students, providing a high level of professional training that is relevant to musicians pursuing musical careers in the 21st Century. The University of North Florida School of Music brings a focused commitment to excellence and the artistic and intellectual preparation of students f

or the diverse and challenging world in which we live. It aims to provide a high level of professional musical training as well as a sense of relevance regarding the value of music to our society through an active, pluralistic musical environment encompassing western European traditional art music through contemporary music including world music and jazz.

09/10/2026

JACKSONVILLE SINGS! 🎶

We’re getting ready to welcome outstanding young vocalists from across the region for Jacksonville SINGS! Honor Chorus Invitational, September 24–26 at the UNF Fine Arts Center!

This annual UNF School of Music event brings middle and high school singers together for three days of musical collaboration, growth, and inspiration. Students will work with renowned choral clinicians, build their ensemble skills, and experience the excitement of performing in Lazzara Performance Hall.

This year’s clinicians are Erin Plisco, D.M.A., Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, and Emily Reeves Bohl, M.M., Director of Choral Activities at Goose Creek High School and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Singers of Summerville. The event is led by Dr. Cara Tasher, Director of Choral Studies at the UNF School of Music, who serves as the Artistic Director of Jacksonville SINGS!

We’re excited to welcome another group of talented young singers to campus for three days of music, learning, and connection.

📅 September 24–26, 2026
📍 UNF Fine Arts Center
🎤 Middle & High School Honor Chorus

Learn more about Jacksonville SINGS! at the link in our bio.

09/04/2026

🎷 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY: MICA BETHEA

We’re excited to welcome Jacksonville-based composer, arranger, producer, educator and bandleader Mica Bethea to the UNF School of Music!

Mica is a proud UNF alumnus, earning his B.M. in Jazz Studies in 2012 and M.M. in Jazz Performance in 2016. In 2012, he was recognized by DownBeat Magazine with its Undergraduate Arranger Award, and his work was later featured in the magazine’s November 2017 issue.

As a composer and arranger, Mica’s work spans big band, jazz fusion, funk, swing and Latin styles. He has released three albums with the Mica Bethea Big Band, featuring some of the highest-level musicians in the North Florida region alongside special guests from the national jazz scene. His music has been performed by artists including Chris Potter, Rene Marie and Michael Dease, as well as UNF School of Music faculty members Dennis Marks and Todd DelGiudice.

Mica is also deeply involved in building Jacksonville’s music community. He previously owned Cue Note, a billiard room and jazz venue in Palm Coast, served on the board of the Jazz Discovery Series and now operates NFS Ranch, a 40-acre recording studio and creative space in Northeast Florida.

At NFS Ranch, Mica also co-hosts and executive produces Life’s Mixing Board, a podcast and music series exploring creativity, mental health, purpose and the realities of being an artist in North Florida.

From UNF student to accomplished composer, arranger, producer and bandleader, Mica brings both professional experience and a deep connection to the Jacksonville music community.

We’re excited to welcome Mica to the School of Music serving as one of our faculty members, and look forward to seeing what he brings to our students and the UNF music community.

Learn more about Mica and his work: micabethea.com

09/02/2026

🎸 MEET OUR FACULTY: JAMES HOGAN

We’re excited to see James Hogan step into a new role with the UNF School of Music as Visiting Instructor of Guitar in the Music Technology and Production program!

A proud UNF alumnus, James earned his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from UNF in 2000, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Since then, he has built an extraordinary career as a guitarist, producer and educator, performing and recording with some of the biggest names in music.

His credits include work with David Sanborn, Dave Brubeck, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Kurt Elling, Idina Menzel, Enrique Iglesias, Frank Gambale, Eric Marienthal and many more. He has also performed with the Jacksonville Symphony, on Broadway touring productions and at venues and festivals around the world, including the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, North Sea Jazz Festival and Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

James has performed thousands of live dates and recorded on hundreds of studio sessions, bringing firsthand experience across an incredible range of contemporary music styles.

As an educator, James has spent more than two decades teaching guitar, leading seminars and developing instructional courses for musicians around the country and internationally.

Now, he’ll bring that extensive experience to the Music Technology and Production program, giving our students the opportunity to learn from a musician who has built a career both on the stage and behind the scenes in the music industry.

We’re excited to see James take on this new role!

Learn more about James and his work: jameshogan.net

09/01/2026

🎥 Behind the Scenes!

Today, Dr. Hines sat down with UNF Marketing for a special interview highlighting Professor Lynne Arriale and her incredible achievement as the University of North Florida’s 2026 Distinguished Professor, the university’s highest faculty honor! 🎉

This special video will be featured at Convocation 2026: State of Osprey Nation on September 18 at 10 a.m.

An internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, educator, and mentor, Professor Arriale has made an extraordinary impact both on stage and in the classroom. Her career spans performances around the world, award-winning recordings, and decades of dedication to her students and the jazz community.

This distinguished honor recognizes her exceptional achievements in teaching, performance, and service, as well as her lasting influence on generations of UNF School of Music students.

We are so proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition of one of our outstanding faculty members. Congratulations, Professor Arriale! 💙🎶

08/31/2026

🥁 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY: JOHN LUMPKIN

We’re excited to welcome Jacksonville native and UNF alumnus John Lumpkin back to the UNF School of Music as a new member of our adjunct faculty, where he will teach Jazz Drum Set.

John earned his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from UNF before continuing his education at Florida State University.

A boundary-pushing artist, producer and educator, John’s work lives at the intersection of modern jazz, gospel and world music. His approach to the drum set goes beyond rhythm; he sees it as a lead voice for storytelling, drawing on the spiritual and rhythmic traditions of his Gullah Geechee heritage.

His career has taken him from Jacksonville to stages around the world, with performances and educational work spanning from Japan to Switzerland. He was also part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Artist-in-Residence Program under Wynton Marsalis at the Dr. Phillips Center.

But John’s work doesn’t stop at the bandstand. Through the Jazz Discovery Series and the John Lumpkin Institute, he creates concerts, masterclasses and educational opportunities that connect emerging musicians with mentorship while bringing meaningful musical experiences into the community.

Now, John is bringing that experience back to the School of Music where his own jazz education began.

We’re excited to have John back at UNF and look forward to the perspective, musicianship and mentorship he’ll bring to our jazz students.

Learn more about John and his work: johnlumpkinmusic.com

08/30/2026

Check out our September events at the UNF School of Music 🎶

The 2026–27 season is officially underway, and we’re kicking things off with a full month of performances, master classes, special events, and more!

Happening this September:
• Lawson Ensemble Concert featuring Scott Yoo, Alice Dade & Sydney Lee
• Cello Master Class with Sydney Lee
• Jazz Combo Night
• Master Class with Marty Beller
• Annual Conducting Symposium
• 39th Annual Great American Jazz Series: Jazz Faculty Scholarship Concert
• UNF Wind Symphony Chamber Recital
• Faculty Percussion Recital: Dr. Andrea Venet
• Classical Faculty Scholarship Concert
• Jacksonville SINGS!
• Jacksonville SINGS! Showcase & Finale Concerts

🎟️ Many events are FREE and open to the public! Come experience live music, support our students and faculty, and see what’s happening at the UNF School of Music this September.

👉 View the full September calendar and event details with the link in our bio.

08/29/2026

🎶 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY: SOPHIA JEAN

We’re excited to welcome flutist Sophia Jean to the UNF School of Music as a new member of our adjunct faculty!

Sophia is a passionate orchestral musician and educator who recently graduated from the Yale School of Music. She is also a member of the Jacksonville Symphony, bringing her professional orchestral experience right here into the UNF classroom.

Her career has already taken her to some of the country’s leading orchestral festivals and ensembles. She has performed as a substitute musician with the New York Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, Albany Symphony, New World Symphony and West Point Band, and has participated in festivals including the Music Academy of the West and Aspen Music Festival.

Sophia is also an accomplished competition musician. She was the first-place winner of the 2024 National Flute Association Young Artist Competition, where she also received the Paul Taub Award for Best Performance of a Newly Commissioned Work. She previously won first place in both the Chicago Flute Club Kujala International Piccolo Competition and the Donald Peck Flute Competition.

Teaching has always been an important part of Sophia’s work. She has served as a teaching artist and mentor through programs including Yale’s Music in Schools Initiative and Northwestern University’s Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education.

Originally from Lakeland, Florida, Sophia attended Harrison School for the Arts before earning a dual degree in Flute Performance and Cognitive Science from Northwestern University and her master’s degree from Yale.

We’re thrilled to have Sophia bringing her performance experience, teaching experience and passion for the flute to UNF students.

Welcome to the School of Music, Sophia!

08/28/2026

JACKSONVILLE SINGS! 🎶

We’re getting ready to welcome outstanding young vocalists from across the region for Jacksonville SINGS! Honor Chorus Invitational, September 24–26 at the UNF Fine Arts Center!

This annual UNF School of Music event brings middle and high school singers together for three days of musical collaboration, growth, and inspiration. Students will work with renowned choral clinicians, build their ensemble skills, and experience the excitement of performing in Lazzara Performance Hall.

This year’s clinicians are Erin Plisco, D.M.A., Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, and Emily Reeves Bohl, M.M., Director of Choral Activities at Goose Creek High School and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Singers of Summerville. The event is led by Dr. Cara Tasher, Director of Choral Studies at the UNF School of Music, who serves as the Artistic Director of Jacksonville SINGS!

We’re excited to welcome another group of talented young singers to campus for three days of music, learning, and connection.

📅 September 24–26, 2026
📍 UNF Fine Arts Center
🎤 Middle & High School Honor Chorus

Registration: https://www.unf.edu/coas/music/Jacksonville-SINGS.html

08/27/2026

🎤 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY: LISA KELLY-SCOTT

Lisa Kelly-Scott is a proud UNF alumna, and this fall, she returns to the School of Music as our Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Voice.

Lisa’s connection to UNF runs deep. After beginning her studies here in 1994, she became the first vocal member of UNF Jazz Ensemble I, helping pave the way for the vocal jazz program. She went on to earn both her B.M. in Jazz Studies and M.M. in Jazz Performance, Voice, from UNF.

Since then, Lisa has built an extraordinary career as a vocalist, composer, arranger and educator. She has received eight DownBeat Magazine jazz awards and was inducted into the Jacksonville Jazz Festival Hall of Fame in 2013 for her performance career, mentorship and advocacy within the jazz community.

Her career has taken her to major jazz festivals and venues across the U.S. and internationally, and she has performed with artists including Arturo Sandoval, Slide Hampton, Mulgrew Miller, Maceo Parker and Jane Monheit.

But perhaps what makes Lisa such a special addition to our faculty is her dedication to mentoring the next generation of musicians. For decades, she has taught, presented clinics, led workshops and created opportunities for young jazz musicians throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.

Now, she’s bringing all of that experience back to the place where her own journey began.

We’re so excited to welcome Lisa home to the UNF School of Music!

08/26/2026

THE LAWSON ENSEMBLE’S 12TH CONCERT SEASON IS HERE

The UNF School of Music is excited to welcome the Lawson Ensemble back for another season of exceptional chamber music, featuring an outstanding lineup of guest artists and repertoire throughout 2026–2027.

The season opens September 6 with Schubert’s C Major Cello Quintet, featuring violinist Scott Yoo, flautist Alice Dade, and cellist Sydney Lee.

The season continues with works by Saint-Saëns, Handel, and Mozart, along with performances featuring pianist William Ransom, violist Yinzi Kong, the UNF Chamber Singers, the world-renowned piano trio Trio Seoul, cellist Alan Rafferty, and violist Yun-Ting Kuo.

Most concerts begin at 3 p.m. at the UNF Fine Arts Center Recital Hall, with the exception of Handel's Messiah Concert, which will be at 7pm at St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, in Jax Beach.

Free tickets are available now. We hope you’ll join us for the Lawson Ensemble’s 12th concert season!

Address

1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL
32224

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4pm
Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm

Telephone

+19046202961

Website

http://www.unf.edu/coas/music

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