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At this year鈥檚 commencement ceremony, in addition to honoring the newest class of听music Forever Buffs, Jon Kull and Tia Fuller will be f锚ted as distinguished alumni of the College of Music, as Joseph Negler, namesake of the Joseph Negler Endowed Chair in Music, is recognized for his contributions to the college.

Jon Kull (BA '85, MA '89)

Jon Kull鈥攁 self-employed composer and orchestrator in greater Los Angeles whose studies at CU focused on piano performance and composition鈥攈as contributed to some.

鈥淚n mechanical terms, orchestration involves assigning the parts of an already-written composition throughout the orchestra,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n practice, orchestration also requires a certain sensitivity and mindfulness to the composer鈥檚 preferences and the requirements of the film.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e there to serve the composer鈥檚 music, to honor and reflect the composer鈥檚 intent鈥攂ut there鈥檚 always the opportunity to put a little bit of yourself into it, too.鈥�

Continues Kull, 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty common these days to have several orchestrators on a composer鈥檚 team and I鈥檝e been very fortunate to work in that capacity for a number of excellent composers.鈥� Indeed, Kull was among a crew of orchestrators that worked with James Newton Howard and James Horner on scores for familiar blockbusters, including 鈥淭roy,鈥� 鈥淎vatar鈥� and 鈥淭he Amazing Spider-Man.鈥�

Additionally, Kull is lead orchestrator for Douglas Pipes, whose output includes terrific scores for movies such as 鈥淢onster House,鈥� 鈥淭rick 鈥榬 Treat鈥� and 鈥淜rampus.鈥�

鈥淭hose were all a lot of fun!鈥� says Kull, fondly recalling the inspirations and influencers at CU 麻豆官网鈥攁nd his subsequent completion of a film scoring program at the University of Southern California鈥攖hat propelled him on a career path he loves.

Kull describes James Newton Howard as 鈥渁n excellent composer with a great gift for blending traditional orchestral elements with electronic textures鈥� and credits the late Richard Toensing鈥攑rize-winning composer, accomplished conductor and erstwhile College of Music faculty member, serving as professor of composition and director of the then-Electronic Music Studio鈥攆or being the first 鈥渢o open my ears鈥� to such new sound textures and possibilities.

鈥淚 remember Richard asking his class to keep a journal of the music we were listening to,鈥� Kull says. 鈥淚 was really serious about the assignment and very honest in writing down what I was listening to at the time. He validated my choices, but kindly encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone. His perspective and willingness to take risks continue to inspire me.鈥�

So much so听that Kull also remains active as a composer himself鈥攊ncluding a new film score for the 1921 Buster Keaton comedy, 鈥淭he Goat,鈥� commissioned and performed live-to-picture by the Dallas Chamber Symphony in 2016.

Kull says he鈥檚 thrilled to return to the College of Music this spring and to be included among an impressive roster of distinguished alumni. 鈥淚t鈥檚 humbling and it鈥檚 a great honor for me.鈥�

Tia Fuller (MM '00)

As for Aurora native听Tia Fuller, 鈥渂eing at CU 麻豆官网 served as such a strong foundation for me,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ot only in terms of my education, but also musically, artistically and spiritually.鈥�

The accomplished sax player recalls a visiting clinician at the College of Music encouraging students to write down what they wanted to accomplish in life and where they saw themselves in 10 years. 鈥淗e asked us to expand our thinking beyond just our professional goals to also include our creative and artistic goals, our relationship goals, our financial goals and so on鈥攊n short, to consider every aspect of life,鈥� says Fuller.

鈥淚 wrote down several things and when I looked at that list 10 years later, I鈥檇 hit about 98听percent of what I wrote down. I鈥檓 blessed that my investment in the College of Music helped me to become really clear about what I wanted in life鈥攁nd to achieve my vision for my life abundantly.鈥�

Specifically, Fuller鈥攂orn to jazz musicians Fred and Elthopia Fuller, also educators and administrators for Denver Public Schools鈥攂alances the worlds of performance and education as a touring artist and full-time professor at the Berklee School of Music.

鈥淕etting my master鈥檚 at CU 麻豆官网, honing in on jazz pedagogy and performance, really brought it all together,鈥� says Fuller, who has since toured with the all-female band backing R&B celeb Beyonc茅 and played in venues spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and, of course, the United States. She also performed as featured soloist with Beyonc茅 for former President Obama at the White House, and she鈥檚 appeared on a number of TV shows鈥攊ncluding The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today Show, Good Morning America, BET Awards, American Music Awards, Total Request Live and the 2010 Grammy Awards.

鈥淭he College of Music turned out to be a safe space to learn different modes of teaching and to develop my own way of teaching,鈥� she adds, specifically noting the lasting influence of Professor of Jazz Studies and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Operations John Davis. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a master of teaching and leading big bands, which I鈥檓 now doing on a regular basis.鈥�

Concludes Fuller, 鈥淲hen I think of the College of Music, I remember little things, too. I even remember the smell of the hallways, which takes me way back to my summers participating in Mile High Jazz camps. I鈥檝e always felt鈥攁nd still feel鈥攙ery supported by the College of Music.鈥�

The dynamic saxophonist has been featured on the cover of Saxophone Today, Jazz Education Journal and JazzTimes Magazine. She鈥檚 also received numerous other awards and accolades, including winning Downbeat Critic鈥檚 Poll 鈥淩ising Star鈥� two years in a row for soprano sax, alto sax and flute.

Joseph Negler

Joseph Negler earned a degree in physics at Marist College and is a veteran of the United States Army.听He came to 麻豆官网 in 1965 to help establish and staff the IBM 麻豆官网 plant.听 After his career with IBM, Negler became involved in a number of startup companies, including Xertex Technologies, which was a spinoff company of the Robert and Beverly Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the 麻豆官网 Leeds School of Business.听A jazz enthusiast, Negler has generously contributed to student scholarships at the College of Music, where he participates in the Adopt-A-Student Program听and created the Joseph Negler Endowed Chair in Music.听He currently serves on the Music Advisory Board and the American Music Research Center Board.

is Thursday, May 10 at 3:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall.