Music Professor Awarded NEA Grant

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently announced the official list of grant recipients for the upcoming year. As the nation prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded 33 grants to support public-facing arts projects featuring performances and educational programming with U.S. military bands.

Dr. Brandon Houghtalen, Associate Director of Bands, from the Department of Music was one of the awardees. His proposal will feature a free public performance and accompanying educational panel discussion featuring the 1st Armored Division Band. The 1st Armored Division Band will perform repertoire that traces the evolution of American military band music from World War I to the present. In addition to the concert, members of the band will participate in side-by-side rehearsals with UTEP student musicians, offer an open dress rehearsal for area schools and community members, and participate in a pre-concert panel discussion to discuss the history of U.S. Army bands in American civic life.

The concert and panel discussion are scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026, at Magoffin Auditorium. Details will be forthcoming.

To learn more about the National Endowment for the Arts, visit https://www.arts.gov/  For more on Dr. Houghtalen, see https://www.utep.edu/liberalarts/music/people/houghtalen-brandon.html