Clay Hunn, Board Chair
Nathaniel Brickens, Vice President
Professor of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, teaches trombone and serves as director of the internationally acclaimed UT Trombone Choir. He holds a D.M.A. from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.M. from the University of Michigan, and a B.M. from Southern University. In recognition of his teaching, he has received several citations including being nominated for a 2013 UT Regents Outstanding Teacher Award, a 2012 Blunk Memorial Professorship, and the UT Senate of College Councils 2009 Professor of the Year Award; and was the recipient of a 2009 College of Fine Arts Distinguished Teacher Award, a 2006-07 Dad’s Association Centennial Teaching Fellowship and a 2005 Texas Exes Excellence in Teaching Award.
Alexa Capareda, Artistic Collaborator, Production, & Marketing
Alexa Capareda received her early training in classical ballet and contemporary dance at the Philippine High School for the Arts in her native Philippines. After moving to Texas, she trained professionally at Ballet Austin. She continued her studies in Canada at Ecole Superieure de Ballet Contemporain de Montreal before joining Mario Radacovsky’s Balet Bratislava in Slovakia, where she had the privilege of performing Jiri Kylian’s Falling Angels and Six Dances. She began exploring her own choreography before leaving Europe, winning 3rd prize at the 2013 Festival of Choreographic Miniatures in Serbia. Maria and the Mouse Deer, her new ballet for BA2 based on Philippine folk stories, was awarded a Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts and received seven B. Iden Payne nominations.
Barbara Shack, Vice President and Secretary
Barbara Shack is the Executive Assistant to Austin Mayor Steve Adler. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida, where her lifelong commitment to the arts was kindled. Her past experience includes serving as Vice President of Shack Productions where she produced concerts for a national list of clients, and owning and operating a high-end floral business. In 2002, she moved to Austin, where she served as Executive Administrator at Ballet Austin before joining the Mayor's office in 2015. In her free time, she takes advantage of Austin’s cultural opportunities.
Jose Lozano / Magic Spoon Productions, video
Since graduating from the University of Texas in 2007 with degrees in Radio-Television-Film and Journalism, Jose has worked in the media production industry primarily as a photographer, video content creator, producer, and artistic director. In addition to his personal creative endeavors with Magic Spoon Productions, he is also the Managing Director of PhotoHouse Films.
Steve Parker, Artistic Director
Steve Parker is an artist, musician, and organizer based in Austin, Texas. He is the recipient of the Rome Prize, the Pollock-Krasner Award, the Tito’s Prize, a Fulbright, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is currently a McKnight Visiting Composer with the American Composers Forum.
Parker’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Colossal, and Design Milk, among others. He is Executive Director of Collide Arts, curator of SoundSpace at the Blanton, and Associate Professor at UTSA. He holds degrees in Math and Music from Oberlin, Rice, and UT Austin.
This project has been financed in whole or in part by the City of Austin’s Elevate Grant Program, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, New Music USA, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc, and the Mid America Arts Alliance.