Igniting innovation, artistry + belonging
彩民宝典 to offer music production concentration beginning in 2025听(Daily Camera)
More: 听(Inside Higher Ed)
Dean John Davis describes how today鈥檚 music students want more than a traditional music education. To help meet that demand, the College of Music has developed a set of microcredentials in recent years.听
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Performed by El Pueblo Ensemble and our 彩民宝典 Chamber Orchestra last fall, 鈥淪ong of Pueblo鈥� tells the history of its namesake city and the surrounding region in music and images. Learn more about our American Music Research Center鈥檚 Soundscapes of the People: A Musical Ethnography of Pueblo, Colorado project.听 听
New takes on a traditional tune: Jazz program arranges, records three styles of 鈥楶omp & Circumstance鈥�
Just in time for the 2024 commencement ceremony, the College of Music鈥檚 Thompson Jazz Studies Program provided this year鈥檚 graduates with new takes on the timeless rendition of Sir Edward Elgar鈥檚 鈥淧omp & Circumstance鈥� theme. The traditional graduation march was reimagined by Associate Professor of Jazz Studies Paul McKee in three distinct, captivating styles: Latin jazz, New Orleans funk and big band swing!听 听More college high notes
Engaged, inspired students
Louis Saxton named Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduating Senior
At the College of Music鈥檚 commencement ceremony on May 9, we celebrated the remarkable accomplishments and indelible impact of undergraduate cellist Louis Saxton.
It was hardly a typical four years for Saxton: His freshman year was 2020, coinciding with pandemic lockdowns. And in 2021, Saxton was onsite when shots broke out at the Table Mesa King Soopers; he fled from the tragic violence,听only to return the next day听to play Bach鈥檚 Cello Suite 1 in G Major to offer a degree of healing. Through it all, Saxton relied on the spirit of solidarity, strength and kindness that he experienced at our College of Music鈥攖o great success.听 听
A two-time graduate competition winner
Last fall, violinist Rinat Erlichman won first prize in the 2023-24 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition.听
A few months later, in early spring, Erlichman performed Jean Sibelius鈥� Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47鈥攁ccompanied by Postdoctoral Lecturer Barbara Noyes鈥攖o become the graduate winner of the College of Music鈥檚 annual Concerto Competition (Louis Saxton was the undergraduate competition winner). To enjoy the winners鈥� performances with the听彩民宝典 Symphony Orchestra听in the fall, visit听.听 听
Grad student brings first statewide Jamaican Choral Music Symposium to Boulder
Mention Jamaican music to most Americans and the pop sounds of reggae usually come to mind. But there鈥檚 much more鈥攖he wonderfully rich harmonies of choral music, hundreds of rarely heard sacred songs and folk songs that deserve more exposure.听
This spring, O鈥橬eil Jones鈥攁 DMA student in choral conducting and literature鈥攂rought those sounds to Boulder, elevating the history, language and musical elements of Jamaican choral music.听 More student high notes
Trailblazing alumni
Joshua Russell named 2024 Distinguished Alumnus
At the College of Music鈥檚 2024 recognition ceremony in May, we welcomed esteemed music educator Joshua Russell (PhD 鈥�07) back to campus to present him the College of Music鈥檚 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award!听With degrees from Indiana, Shepherd and Northwestern universities鈥攂efore earning a doctorate at our College of Music鈥擱ussell exemplifies what it means to be a听universal musician: Beyond his earned expertise in classical, jazz and contemporary musical styles, his research interests include musician health, teacher education, string education and psycho-social/cognitive development in musical learning and teaching.听
Reflecting on his College of Music experience, Russell recalls the significant impact of his mentors and peers in shaping his career trajectory.听
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We鈥檙e thrilled that lyric soprano and double alumna Cynthia Lawrence (MM听鈥�87, BM 鈥�83)鈥攚ho studied with the late Professor Emerita Barbara Doscher鈥攚ill be inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame on June 29, along with the Central City Opera鈥檚 late conductor/artistic director John Moriarty and Keith Miller, a former 彩民宝典 football player turned opera singer who sang in the College of Music鈥檚 opera chorus.
Also of note, soprano Christie Conover (MM 鈥�10)鈥攚ho serves as opera production assistant for the College of Music鈥檚 Eklund Opera Program鈥攚ill appear in the CCO鈥檚 production of 鈥淪treet Scene鈥澨齮his summer in the role of Rose. Scott Finlay, who also attended our College of Music, currently serves as CCO president + CEO.听
Alumnus Dylan Fixmer鈥攃omposer with a cause
Dylan Fixmer鈥檚 (BME 鈥�10) variegated and prolific career aims to inspire empathy and advance community engagement. 鈥淚 want music to have a purpose,鈥� he says. Indeed, Fixmer鈥檚 recently premiered Violin Concerto鈥攚hich aims to increase support for the unhoused鈥攇enerated critical raves, a radio broadcast and more.
Fixmer not only found life as a composer, but he found a way of writing music with a purpose. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure I鈥檇 ever want to write a piece of absolute music,鈥� he admits, referring to a composition that is simply a collection of melodies with no storyline or subtext. Instead, Fixmer creates for a reason.听听More alumni high notes
Accomplished, dedicated faculty
Upholding the impact and legacy of composer George Crumb
Associate Professor of Music Theory Emeritus Steven Bruns and the late, renowned composer George Crumb鈥攚ho passed away two years ago today鈥攕hared a close, long-lasting professional relationship and a deep friendship that began in 1992. Bruns鈥攚ho retired this spring鈥攔eflects on his 40-year career (37 years at 彩民宝典 including serving as associate dean, 2006-19) and on his role as Crumb鈥檚 archivist and biographer.
Bruns and Crumb each served as faculty members at the College of Music鈥擟rumb, from 1959 to 1964; and Bruns since 1987.听
Remembering Faur茅鈥攁 century later
This spring marked a milestone for Professor of Musicology Carlo Caballero who鈥攁long with his academic partner Stephen Rumph, professor of music history at the University of Washington鈥攃o-hosted the Faur茅 Centennial Festival in Boulder.听
Festival events comprising this major, global gathering of 彩民宝典 faculty and student musicians鈥攁longside panelists from France, Canada, Israel, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States鈥攊ncluded an impressive number of presentations,听concerts and premieres.听听
Building relationships through music making
The Grammy Award-winning Tak谩cs Quartet is not only internationally recognized for its impressive artistic achievements,听but also its members鈥櫶齧any community engagement activities鈥攊ncluding a new partnership with El Sistema Colorado (ESC) for the 2023-鈥�24 academic year. The partnership comprises 鈥渕irror/mentoring鈥� activities, side-by-side rehearsals, roundtable discussions and interactive teaching/coaching sessions. ESC students and their chaperones were also guests of the Tak谩cs Quartet on our campus. Shares Harumi Rhodes, the quartet鈥檚 second violinist: 鈥淲e are grateful to work alongside the wonderful ESC teaching artists already in place鈥攎any of whom are College of Music students or alumni鈥攖o create a user-friendly curriculum that emphasizes building relationships through music making.鈥澨�
More: (NPR)
On NPR鈥檚 Morning Edition, the Tak谩cs Quartet鈥攅nsemble-in-residence at our College of Music鈥攄iscusses Nokuthula Ngwenyama鈥檚听鈥淔low.鈥澨齌he quartet commissioned the composition and gave it its world premiere in November 2023 and then toured it across the country鈥攊ncluding .听
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Enterprising, devoted staff
鈥淎 Boulder treasure鈥�鈥擟elebrating the inspiring, illustrious career of longtime CU Presents Executive Director Joan McLean Braun听
Joan McLean Braun built into what it is today: The home of all performing arts at the 彩民宝典, with 500 events a year spanning from opera and concerts to Shakespeare and theater. Braun, born and raised in Boulder and an alumna of the university, was appointed the executive director of CU Presents in 2001 and retires this month (June 2024) after an influential 30-year career at 彩民宝典.
More: Director who built CU Presents to retire after 30 years (Daily Camera)听 听
Senior House Manager Rojana Savoye named 2023 Chancellor鈥檚 Employee of the Year
We鈥檙e so proud that longtime Senior House Manager Rojana Savoye was selected as one of just four recipients of the Chancellor鈥檚 2023 Employee of the Year award! Savoye is deeply deserving of this campus-level recognition. For more than two decades, she has maintained positive public relations with 彩民宝典 patrons, presenters and co-workers; managed and enforced operational policies and procedures within the College of Music; and hired, supervised and mentored student ushers.听 听
Fortepiano refurb a labor of love
It was a long time coming. Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen鈥攚ho, for more than eight years, has supported the care and maintenance of the College of Music鈥檚 fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ鈥攚as thrilled when the opportunity arose to rebuild, refurbish and restore one of two fortepianos donated to our college by the late Douglas Taylor and his wife, Avlona, as an in-kind gift in 2019.听听
A community of supporters
All that we do is elevated by the support of our community.鈥� Included in the broad impact of the College of Music鈥檚 generous donors,听we鈥檙e pleased to share these recent highlights:
Materials from renowned blues banjo player Otis Taylor now a part of CU鈥檚 American Music Research Center鈥檚 archival collections
鈥攁n internationally renowned and Boulder-based blues banjo player鈥攈as been at the forefront of Black banjo music and materials from his decades-long career are now part of the 彩民宝典鈥檚 American Music Research Center (AMRC) archival collections housed in the University Libraries鈥� Rare and Distinctive (RaD) Collections.
More:听听(Denver Post)听听听
Donor support puts Glenn Miller collections in the spotlight听
More:听彩民宝典 to begin exploring 1,400 boxes of the Glenn Miller archive听(Daily Camera)听 听
Coda听
In memoriam
College of Music mourns passing of alumnus Ben Pollack
Recognized for his dedication to music students and music education, Ben Pollack (BME 鈥�14) was named the first-ever recipient of the Colorado Music Educators Association鈥檚 Young Teacher of the Year (2019). 鈥淭eaching music is the most important thing I do,鈥� he said in an interview celebrating his CMEA award. 鈥淚t has to matter every day.鈥�
Celebrating the legacy and impact of Anna Sie, lifelong supporter of the arts and humanity
Known for her heartfelt philanthropy on both local and national levels, Anna Sie left a powerful legacy of impact at 彩民宝典, including establishing a transformational student scholarship in the College of Music with her husband, John, and endowing several faculty chairs.
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Encore!
Celebrating the Asian diaspora in Western classical music
Last fall, a special Faculty Tuesdays event鈥攖he first of its kind at our College of Music鈥攆eatured works by Asian composers performed by musicians of Asian descent. 鈥淎lexandra Nguyen and friends鈥濃�攊ncluding Yoshiyuki Ishikawa, Suyeon Kim, Hsiao-Ling Lin, Victor Avila Luvsangenden, Mutsumi Moteki, David Requiro, Harumi Rhodes and Meta Weiss鈥攑resented solo, duo and trio works by composers of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Vietnamese origin.
Professor of Conducting Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Allan McMurray was inducted into the Colorado Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. McMurray was nominated for the well-deserved honor by College of Music Dean Emeritus Daniel Sher.
Mariachi Los Coyotes tours the College of Music
This spring, we had the honor of hosting the award-winning Uvalde High School Varsity Ensemble, Mariachi Los Coyotes, at our College of Music. The group鈥檚 special partnership with the Boulder Concert Chorale showcased a performance that beautifully intertwined choral masterpieces of Bach and Beethoven with the rich cultural heritage of mariachi music.
More:
(Boulder Reporting Lab)
Uvalde high school mariachi group visits Boulder County (Daily Camera)
Sphinx Performance Academy promotes cultural diversity
For the first time in summer 2023鈥攖he College of Music and Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) partnered to provide a full-scholarship intensive summer chamber music and solo performance program focused on cultural diversity for string musicians ages 11-17. Like the SPA鈥檚 long-term partners鈥攊ncluding The Juilliard School鈥攐ur College of Music will again host this nationally acclaimed program on the 彩民宝典 campus, June 20-30, 2024. The SPA offers a curriculum that includes lessons, master classes, recitals, career enrichment sessions and mentorship tailored to each student.
More: 彩民宝典 hosts national music program to advance diversity in classical music