About Us
The SoundWaves Festival is back for its seventh season with more incredible music to share with the vibrant community of Corpus Christi! Born and bred on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus, the festival has grown into a celebration that strives to connect people of South Texas in their love of contemporary music.
Previous guest composers include Viet Cuong, Miguel del Aguila, Lauren Bernofsky, Ricardo Lorenz, Jenni Brandon, and others.
Meet The Organization Team
Caitlin Beare (she/her)
- Began learning clarinet in a homeschool band at the age of 8.
- As a music student, her travels took her to the Great Wall of China, concert halls in Cuba, and the Swiss Alps.
- Has an affinity for contemporary classical music and wrote her doctoral dissertation on nontraditional clarinet techniques. Ask her about multiphonics and air sounds!
Rachel Messing (she/her)
- Broke her shoe walking off stage during a concert and came back on with the strap duct taped to her foot.
- When she was 15, her youth orchestra performed at Esterhazy Palace, where the illustrious Classical composer, Franz Joseph Hadyn, worked for nearly 30 years.
- There is oboe reed thread on every chair and table leg at her parents’ house.
contact: rachel.messing@tamucc.edu
Carrie Pierce (she/her)
- Started her career as a cellist at the tender age of four. One year later, she won an art prize at her school for a self-portrait of herself and her cello with the descriptive caption "I don't like cello lessons." Luckily, she persevered and fell in love with not only performing, but teaching.
- As an established performer and teacher, she considers it a great honor to perform and work with children in underserved communities, from outreach programs in Corpus Christi to orphanages in India.
- She has been a Professor of Music at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi for the past eleven years.
contact: carrie.pierce@tamucc.edu
Design
Joshua Duttweiler (he/him)
• Designer, artist, and educator (serves as Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi).
• His multi-disciplinary practice encompasses personal, collaborative, and client-based projects focused on social justice and community building.
• Joshua holds a BFA in Applied Design from Houghton College and an MFA in Graphic Design from Boston University.
• His multi-disciplinary practice encompasses personal, collaborative, and client-based projects focused on social justice and community building.
• Joshua holds a BFA in Applied Design from Houghton College and an MFA in Graphic Design from Boston University.