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Meet Willem Rohwer—2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Meet Willem Rohwer—2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/18/2024 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

We’re pleased to announce freshman Willem Rohwer as our 2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient!

Rohwer comes to the College of Music from Edwards, Colorado, to pursue an undergraduate degree in double bass performance studying with Associate Professor of Double Bass Susan Cahill. “She’s absolutely wonderful,” Rohwer says. “I had the opportunity to take a couple lessons with her over the summer and her approach to teaching is through a fresh lens.”

At CU Boulder, Rohwer hopes to explore different musical ensembles, genres and styles to find his own niche. “Developing my own musical opinions and character are really something that I want to find here,” he says.

Rohwer first learned about the scholarship through an email inviting him to an additional audition. He had just a few weeks to prepare and utilized an unusual tactic: “I had figured out that one of the most helpful things for me was to play in different locations throughout my house and throughout my town instead of just in my room,” he says.

“You can hear different things. I practiced in my living room and then I practiced in a closet and then I practiced outside.”

The traveling practice paid off and Rohwer was offered the four-year, full-ride scholarship funded by John and Anna Sie.

“You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for a week, I was really happy to hear that I would be able to go here and that I was so wanted.”

Rohwer is also part of the Music Buffs Living Learning Community—a program that brings together music loving students to collaborate and create. “It’s so exciting to be a part of this community because everyone I meet is eager to do exactly what I want to do, which is jam out with people my age who have different ideas about music,” he says.

Additionally, Rohwer wants to develop another passion of his: Space.

“I’ve always been fascinated with astrophysics and space,” he says. “I think music and astrophysics relate because they both have to do with exploring—with music, there’s such an infinite space ahead of you where you can explore how everything sounds.”

He adds, “When you’re playing music, it brings you to a space that’s so separate from time, stress or any of the other happenings of daily life. The same feeling that I get in that musical space is what I experience when I think about exploring deep space because it’s so far out and separate from everything else … and always brand new.”

Rohwer joins these current Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipients:
2023: Nate Bonin (horn) and Danny Kaminski (jazz bass);
2022: Jude Dow-Hygelund (piano) and Cian Kreuger (jazz sax); and
2021: Anna Kallinikos (trumpet) and Raven Dow-Hygelund (classical guitar).

Our gratitude to the 2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship selection committee comprising faculty members Gary Lewis, Matthew Roeder and Elizabeth Swanson. “I’m excited that we’ve added another very talented musician as part of our incoming class of first-year Music Buffs!” says Roeder.

Willem Rohwer comes to the College of Music from Edwards, Colorado, to pursue an undergraduate degree in double bass performance. “Developing my own musical opinions and character are really something that I want to find here,” he says. Discover Rohwer’s unique approach to a successful audition and his other interests.

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Alternative keyboard offers College of Music students greater reach

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Alternative keyboard offers College of Music students greater reach Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/10/2024 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

When Abigail Terrill (MM ’24) learned about alternative piano keyboards, it seemed she’d found an obvious solution to a complicated problem. Terrill spent the last year of her master’s experience researching narrower keyboards to accommodate pianists with smaller hands, and how quickly pianists can transition to and from them.

“The length of alternative keyboards is the same as standard keyboards, only the width of each key is very slightly smaller,” Terrill says. The CU Boulder College of Music has had such a keyboard on loan from the DS Standard Foundation since April 2023, featuring a six-inch octave instead of the standard six-and-a-half-inch octave.

“The reason I got interested was because I have tendonitis and I noticed a bunch of my female pianist friends were also getting tendonitis. I’ve had friends who have had to quit because they got some kind of severe playing-related injury,” Terrill says.

Alternatively sized keyboards can help pianists avoid injuries sustained from over-reaching and enable individuals with smaller hands to play some repertoire that is physically impossible for them to perform on standard-size pianos.

“Keyboards are made to a standard size and the human hand is not a standard size,” says Jennifer Hayghe, associate professor of piano and chair of the Roser Piano + Keyboard Program at the College of Music. “In my 25 years as a professor, I have seen the number of students with injuries rise exponentially. I spend a lot of my time working with students trying to reduce their stress and tension and work through the injuries they’ve accrued. I do believe that if we had smaller keyboards as a standard thing, that would not be an issue.”

The piece loaned to the College of Music is a piano action—that is, the keyboard and the mechanism that causes hammers to strike the strings when keys are pressed. This action can technically fit onto any piano, though some fittings are more difficult than others. Mark Mikkelson and Phil Taylor, both piano technicians at the College of Music, say they put in 50 to 60 hours of work fitting the alternative keyboard into a Steinway piano.

“The problem in making these keyboards for Steinway instruments is that Steinways are entirely handmade, which means they’re not all exactly the same,” Hayghe explains. “So when alternative keyboards are made as close as possible to a ‘standard’ Steinway size, all these little adjustments are necessary. It took a long time and a lot of adjusting to get that keyboard used to that piano.”

Abigail Terrill (MM ’24) and duo partner James Morris (DMA ’25) rehearse his first piano duo composition that premiered last year. Terrill is playing an alternatively sized keyboard on loan at the CU Boulder College of Music.

As part of her master’s thesis, Terrill discovered that attitudes around alternative keyboards are often of disdain. “I was really frustrated when I first started this research because I was telling people how unfair it was to not have smaller keyboards available to students—and the reaction I heard most was people saying ‘you don’t need that, you just need to fix your technique.’ So my response was, if I can show numbers to people who don’t want to bother with having to switch sizes, that may be more convincing.”

Terrill’s thesis project involved 15 pianists playing a musical excerpt on a standard piano, and then on a narrow keyboard. She measured their errors when initially playing on the alternative keyboard and after 10 minutes of practice.

“We found that everyone by the end—transitioning from the standard size to the second try on the narrow keyboard—had fewer errors than on the first try,” Terrill says. “Most of them said ‘I wish I could practice more on it.’”

Since graduating this spring, Terrill has been teaching piano lessons—another instance when narrow keyboards would be helpful. “Most instruments have smaller versions for when you’re learning as a kid, but not the piano,” she notes.

“I really see this as an equality issue. I’m looking for movement from people. I want to push for more research and for people to have conversations about it—I think even arguments will help.”

The College of Music has had an alternatively-sized keyboard on loan since April 2023. Recent graduate Abigail Terrill shares how the narrower keyboard is helpful, why it’s needed and what her thesis research found about the process of transitioning between pianos.

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Fortepiano refurb a labor of love

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Fortepiano refurb a labor of love Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/26/2024 - 00:00

Sabine Kortals Stein

Avlona Yarbrough Taylor, daughters Karen (Patrice Walsh) and Kathryn (Paul Barchilon), as well as Evelyn Taylor—sister of the late Douglas Taylor.

It was a long time coming.

Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen—who, for more than eight years, has supported the care and maintenance of the College of Music’s fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ—was 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.

The two fortepianos—one is a replica after Conrad Graf 1828 by Robert Smith, ca. 1982; the other is a replica after J. A. Stein by Richard Kingston, ca. 1982—are a tremendous boon for our college. Five years following their donation, the refurbished Smith fortepiano was performed on for the first time on April 8 by Wes Leffingwell, a doctoral student of Professor of Harpsichord Robert Hill.

Since the instrument’s donation, Mikkelsen—whose overall responsibilities include tuning, voicing, regulation, rebuilding and repair—researched the Smith fortepiano and embarked on a years-long restoration project in service to our students and faculty.

“The more I learned about the fortepiano from various sources—its history, how it was made, how it was shipped—the more I understood the instrument which inspired my problem solving,” says Mikkelsen, who was trained in piano technology at the nationally renowned North Bennet Street School in Boston, Massachusetts.

Avlona Taylor enjoying Wes Leffingwell’s performance on the refurbished fortepiano up close.

Adds Operations Manager and Head Piano Technician Ted Mulcahey, “When the Smith fortepiano arrived, it was not in playable condition. After about 120 hours of creative work—including inventing or sourcing missing parts, strings, tools and more—Mark turned it into a beautiful working instrument.”

“It was like working on a ship in a bottle,” continues Mikkelsen, who grew up playing piano. “I really enjoyed the historical and problem-solving aspects of this project … and the positive reactions of the Taylor family, Wes and our faculty really made the effort worthwhile.”

Mikkelsen’s connection to the Taylor family extends beyond this project and our College of Music. Over the years, he’s worked on Avlona Taylor’s harpsichord and he’s started tutoring her daughter, Karen, in the art of tuning.

“Mark is very generous with his time and attention,” concludes Mulcahey. “He knew this project meant a great deal to our donors, faculty and students … and he gave it his all. He cares an awful lot.”

Our tremendous gratitude to the Taylor family; to Robert Hill for his guidance throughout this project; and to the College of Music’s entire Operations team—also including Piano Technician Phil Taylor—for their tireless, behind-the-scenes commitment to keeping our college running smoothly.

Photos below: Members of the Taylor family with Leffingwell, Mulcahey, Mikkelsen, Piano Technician Phil Taylor, Professor of Piano Andrew Cooperstock—with whom Leffingwell studied as a master’s student—and friends. A new plaque adorns the newly playable fortepiano, a replica after Conrad Graf 1828 by Robert Smith, ca. 1982: “This fortepiano was generously donated by Douglas and Avlona Taylor.”

Photos: Shih-Han Chiu

It was a long time coming. Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen—who, for more than eight years, has supported the care and maintenance of the College of Music’s fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ—was 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.

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Meet the 2024 ECM artist assistance grants recipients

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Meet the 2024 ECM artist assistance grants recipients Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/17/2024 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

At the CU Boulder Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM), students can find the skills and tools they need for their music careers. Most recently, the ECM awarded $5,820 in artist assistance grants to support eight student-led professional development and community engagement projects including:

Josie Arnett

Josie Arnett
“I’m really picky about which pieces I release on streaming platforms because I’m 20 and need to be able to write really bad music … and then release the things that I really love,” says Josie Arnett, an undergraduate composition student.

“Last fall, I got the opportunity to write a saxophone quartet piece for a group that travels all over the United States. I was really happy with the piece and really proud of it, so I reached out to a faculty member who set me up with the CU Boulder graduate saxophone quartet.”

Sanitas Saxophone Quartet

Working with the Sanitas Saxophone Quartet, College of Music Recording Engineer Kevin Harbison and a mixing artist, Arnett recorded the piece for projected release on streaming platforms this summer. The ECM grant helped pay the artists and distribution fee.

Arnett says she learned a lot about how to interact in a professional recording setting and enjoyed collaborating within the College of Music. “It’s been fun to work with people that have a lot of energy, positive attitudes and are just really excited about what they do,” she shares.

Alice Del Simone
At the end of May, DMA student in voice performance and pedagogy Alice Del Simone was part of a workshop presentation at the Voice Foundation Symposium in Philadelphia titled “Legato Then and Now, Vibrato Edition: A Close-Up of What Happens Between the Pitches in the Classical Bel Canto Tradition.”

“The workshop offered a toolbox of exercises for how to teach the type of legato singing that was happening at the end of the 1800s, beginning of the 1900s when we started to have recordings available,” Del Simone says.

“It was my very first time presenting at a conference where there are often hurdles for a young academic to get an invitation to present. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to work with a group of people who are more prominent in the community than myself.”

During the symposium, Del Simone stayed at the conference hotel, partially funded by her ECM grant.

Zachary Howarth
Zachary Howarth, a DMA student in jazz studies, will go on the road this summer to record music in studios in Reno and South Lake Tahoe. Howarth also hopes to perform this music live in venues across Colorado and Nevada.

The project will involve a contemporary jazz quartet—trumpet, piano, bass, drums—writing and recording the music. The ECM grant will help the project get off the ground by assisting with studio fees, production costs and travel expenses.

“The opportunity to write, record and play music with such high-level artists is invaluable to my collaborative research in compositional tendencies in contemporary jazz mediums and fully improvised music,” Howarth says.

SeaJun Kwon

SeaJun Kwon
SeaJun Kwon, also a DMA student in jazz studies, likes writing compositions that push the boundaries of jazz music including “Avant Shorts”—10 etudes exploring micro tonalities and rhythmic concepts that aren’t commonly used in jazz compositions.

Kwon plans to compose these etudes and begin recording them over the summer, using a microphone setup funded by an ECM grant.

“I thought I’d write a bunch of super short compositions that focus on different ideas to develop myself and provide my community with these resources,” Kwon says.

By keeping them brief, he hopes to make the compositions more accessible and useful for his community.

“People are really busy, there are so many things that you have to do and also so many distractions,” Kwon says. “I think these short compositions put less pressure on people—they can work on them for 10 minutes and still learn from them.”

Er-Hsuan Li with orchestra

Er-Hsuan Li
Er-Hsuan Li graduated from the College of Music in May with a DMA in piano performance. In April, he held a concert featuring the world premiere of John Clay Allen’s “The Stone Harp” concerto for piano and strings along with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

“It was a very fun event,” Li says. “Even though it was off-campus, it was really CU that made this possible because that’s how we connected.”

Many CU Boulder musicians participated including conductor and Associate Director of Orchestras Renee Gilliland, composition alumnus John Clay Allen, Anna Kallinikos—who’s majoring in trumpet performance and minoring in business—and the majority of the 18-member orchestra. The ECM grant assisted Li with compensating the performers and renting the venue.

“I had performed in front of an orchestra only once before when I was a high schooler,” Li recalls. “So it was really special for me that—after 13 years—I got to do this again professionally. And I would like to think that I am a better musician now compared to then!”

Ethan Stahl

Ethan Stahl
When Ethan Stahl discovered Nkeiru Okoye’s music, he knew he’d found something special. “I loved her music so much that I began working on it for one of my degree recitals,” he says. “Eventually, it became evident that I had enough material to create a lecture recital.”

To prepare, Stahl—who’s pursuing a DMA in piano performance—interviewed Okoye about her music. “We talked on the phone for a few hours and in that conversation, she proposed the idea of writing a piece for me to add to one of the sets of piano pieces that I was studying.” The ECM grant helped fund Okoye’s contribution.

Okoye’s music is already part of the American Music Research Center’s Helen Walker-Hill Collection; her upcoming composition will be added to the collection.

“Okoye is extremely novel in the world of piano composition,” Stahl adds. “I’ve never heard piano music that is similar stylistically to hers.”

Natalie Trejo
Artist Diploma student Natalie Trejo competed in the finals for the Austin Flute Society’s Young Artist Competition in April—and the ECM grant helped her get there.

“I submitted the preliminary recordings back in January. From there, they selected three finalists to perform in the live final round in Austin, Texas,” Trejo says. “It went really well. I ended up getting third but I was very happy with how I played and I was not nervous at all.”

Trejo performed Chen Yi’s “Memory” for solo flute and Frank Martin’s “Ballade” for flute and piano.

“I love doing competitions because I get to learn new repertoire, meet new flutists, make connections and get to know the other finalists—it’s very important and humbling, but still encouraging,” Trejo says.

Jonathon Winter
Another spring 2024 graduate, Jonathon Winter—who earned a DMA in violin performance—recorded four pieces to be compiled into an album titled “Origin: Music by Women of the Americas.” The pieces are “ko’u inoa” by Leilehua Lanzilotti, “Scratch the Surface” by Dana Kaufman, “String Poetic” by Jennifer Higdon and “Sueños de Chambi” by Gabriel Lena Frank.

“I picked some fiendishly difficult music to play but it was so worth it,” Winter says. “I learned so much about preparing for recordings and what that actually entails.”

Winter worked with pianist and Postdoctoral Lecturer Barbara Noyes, as well as Kevin Harbison to record all four pieces over the course of seven months. Winter will continue the project over the summer with the goal of finding a label to disseminate the recordings.

Congratulations to all grant recipients and our thanks to this year’s adjudicators: College of Music staff member Kathryn Bistodeau, Music Advisory Board member Laurie Hathorn and University of Denver entrepreneurship faculty member Neil Pollard.

At the CU Boulder Entrepreneurship Center for Music, students can find the skills and tools they need for their music careers. This spring, the ECM awarded $5,820 in grants to support eight student-led professional development and community engagement projects.

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Nurturing young singers with new opera

Anonymous — Fri, 31 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Nurturing young singers with new opera Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/31/2024 - 00:00

Marc Shulgold

Photos: Table Read of “Polly Peachum” with the full cast, composer Gene Scheer and librettist Bill Van Horn.

It’s an old cliché, but the image of great oaks-from-little acorns really does apply to CU NOW, the CU Boulder College of Music’s successful summer opera workshop that launched its 14th season on our campus this week running through June 16.

First, we should spell out its full title: New Opera Workshop. It’s a unique program that began with a modest, acorn-like suggestion in 2009, recalls founder/artistic director Leigh Holman.

“I was at an opera conference here [Boulder] and was visiting with composer Hershel Garfein,” says Holman, who also directs the college’s Eklund Opera Program. “He suggested the idea of young artists working on new works with their composers. It turns out young singers just loved sampling new music. I knew it would also be a wonderful experience for the composers since they could be here to work on their music.”

CU NOW debuted in 2010, becoming the nation’s first such program based at an academic institution, designed to bring together student singers and renowned composers in rehearsing and performing a new opera—all in three weeks. Since then, the likes of composers Mark Adamo, Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer, Libby Larsen, Mark Campbell, Garfein and Tom Cipullo have participated.

This year’s workshop brings together Gene Scheer—returning to CU NOW as guest composer, alongside collaborating librettist Bill Van Horn—and 14 auditioned CU Boulder graduate student singers, plus a trio of grad and undergrad composers as well as Eklund Opera Program staff. Emmy Award winner Gary Fry—arranger for “Polly Peachum”—will be in residence during the final week of the workshop as a resource for both our voice and composition students.

Participants are rehearsing six days a week on “Polly Peachum," a rollicking romantic musical comedy set in the early 1700s that depicts the intertwining worlds of government intrigue, London criminal life and the world of theatre. If the name in the title rings a bell, she’s a character in English composer John Gay’s 1728 hit “The Beggar’s Opera.”

“Gene wrote it with Bill about a decade ago and they recently reworked it,” explains Holman. The story concerns the creation of that old tale of London street life and lists characters such as Mr. Gay and historical figures Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Robert Walpole—and Ms. Peachum herself.

“Our work is underway,” says CU NOW Music Director Nicholas Carthy of the new opera with old characters, staged in less than a month. The British-born conductor—music director of the Eklund Opera Program—joined CU NOW in 2023. He notes that he anticipates only “a few tiny adjustments” will be made to the score once Scheer and Van Horn observe rehearsals.

For the student singers, this marks their first true professional operatic experience. And for Carthy? “I’m prepared for whatever.”

But wait, there’s more to CU NOW: Running simultaneously with “Polly Peachum” is the Composers’ Fellow Initiative (CFI) which occurs every other year alongside CU NOW. Three student composers who had expressed interest in writing opera were chosen to participate in the program, directed by Bud Coleman. The trio—Alan Mackwell, Holly McMahon and Joshua Maynard—have been working with New York-based composer Tom Cipullo, creating music and librettos for 10-minute opera scenes that are being rehearsed, staged and costumed for a performance on June 15.

Holman said plans have already been made for CU NOW 2025: Mark Adamo will return with “Sarah,” a new work about famed Boston-based opera conductor Sarah Caldwell.

“Polly Peachum” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 16. Scenes by the Composer Fellows’ Initiative will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. Free and open to the public, all performances will be held in our Music Theatre. More info at CU Presents.

The College of Music’s 2024 New Opera Workshop (CU NOW) is underway, leading up to performances of Gene Scheer’s “Polly Peachum”—as well as performances of opera scenes presented by our Composer Fellows’ Initiative—in June.

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Graduating DMA student shares College of Music experience, future plans

Anonymous — Thu, 02 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Graduating DMA student shares College of Music experience, future plans Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/02/2024 - 00:00

Adam Goldstein

When Joy Yamaguchi graduates from the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Music next week with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (violin performance + Music Theory Certificate), the work she started here will continue well beyond her official stint as a student.

“I’m looking forward to further developing the projects I started through my research here at CU Boulder,” says Yamaguchi. “Completing this degree has helped me realize my strength and solidify my focus as a multifaceted artist.”

Yamaguchi came to CU Boulder as a doctoral student with credentials as an accomplished teacher, performer and entrepreneur. She started playing violin at age 8 (she describes her musical roots as being a “Suzuki violin kid”), and went on to earn a bachelor’s in music from the University of Minnesota and a master’s from Florida State University.

Our College of Music offered Yamaguchi opportunities to expand her already refined approach as a musician, educator and artist. Thanks in part to the mentorship of top-notch faculty and the availability of top-tier academic resources, Yamaguchi has deepened her connection to music—and to the history of the art form.

Her time at CU Boulder saw Yamaguchi researching and creating a new edition of two violin sonatas by Nobu Kōda, a Japanese composer of the Meiji era whose works were historically excluded from the classical canon, due in part to the fact that she was a woman.

The DMA program also offered Yamaguchi the chance to create a new curriculum for beginning string students. This curriculum, which focuses on teaching music theory through composition and improvisation, wasn’t just theoretical: Yamaguchi had the chance to put the system into practice with students at El Sistema Colorado.

In addition, Yamaguchi—who’s also the inaugural recipient of the András Szentkirályi Memorial Scholarship—found opportunities to present her research, insights and innovations to an audience beyond our campus. In 2023, she presented during the National American String Teachers Association’s annual conference, specifically detailing research that drew connections between bell hooks’ pedagogical framework and music education.

All of these accomplishments align with the mission that Yamaguchi had in mind when she decided to pursue her doctoral work at CU Boulder. “I was looking for a program that would allow me to gain hands-on teaching experience and explore my interdisciplinary research interests,” she says.

“I was very fortunate to have a graduate teaching assistantship throughout my degree,” she adds, explaining that the assistantship allowed her to interact firsthand with students, and to learn the ins and outs of the academic world. “I taught lessons to undergraduate and graduate students, assisted with music theory courses and grew my understanding of the inner workings of academia.”

All of this valuable experience is set to pay off in very practical ways. This spring, for example, Yamaguchi will head directly from Boulder to Wisconsin where she’ll manage this year’s Blackbird Creative Lab, a prestigious musical immersion event hosted by Grammy Award-winning musicians—surely only the first of many ways that she’ll carry what she learned at our College of Music into the wider world.

“The DMA challenged me in ways that were expected and unexpected,” she concludes. “Throughout, I’ve been very grateful for the community of teachers and colleagues who have supported me. The relationships I’ve formed at CU will continue.”

Congratulations, Joy—and to all our fantastic 2024 graduates!

When Joy Yamaguchi graduates from our College of Music next week with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, the work she started here will continue. “Completing this degree has helped me realize my strength and solidify my focus as a multifaceted artist,” she shares.

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Louis Saxton named Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduating Senior

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Louis Saxton named Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduating Senior Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/25/2024 - 00:00

Adam Goldstein

Louis Saxton (BM, cello performance) attributes his decision to attend the CU Boulder College of Music to his first interaction with Associate Professor of Cello David Requiro.

Saxton was still testing the waters at different schools, evaluating where to expand and refine his role as a cellist—a status that began with music lessons at age 4 in his small northern Minnesota hometown. At his first trial lesson with Requiro, the prospective student and the professor made an instant connection. “I knew within minutes of meeting him that I had to go to this school,” Saxton recalls, citing the positive feedback, easy rapport and immediate sense of inspiration he experienced in that initial meeting.

Saxton’s commitment to our college is also rooted in more intangible factors that stood out during his visits to the only non-conservatory option he considered in deciding where to pursue his passions. His choice boiled down to the mood, the culture and the welcome he received immediately before meeting Requiro as he was sitting with his father outside the professor’s door, awaiting that first trial lesson.

“It was pretty evident that I was a high schooler with my dad and several people asked me if I needed help,” Saxton remembers. “I felt a sense of welcome, along with a sense of dedication.”

Over the next four years, the support and discipline of our college community would serve him well.

It was hardly a typical four years for Saxton as an undergraduate: His freshman year was 2020, coinciding with the most intense stretches of pandemic lockdowns. And in 2021, Saxton was on site when shots broke out at the Table Mesa King Soopers; he fled from the tragic violence, only to return the next day to play Bach’s Cello Suite 1 in G Major to offer a degree of healing.

Through all of the challenges, Saxton relied on the spirit of solidarity, strength and kindness that he first experienced here—to great success. Earlier this year, he won the college’s Concerto Competition; in March, he was announced the recipient of the 2024 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award; and soon thereafter, by faculty vote, he was named the College of Music’s Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduating Senior.

According to Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Enrollment Management Matthew Roeder, “�鶹��Ժ are eligible for this College of Music acknowledgment by demonstrating a strong record of scholarship, musicianship, and an emerging record of service and leadership.

“Obviously, Louis has made a strong impression on our faculty who hold a high opinion of his work in the College of Music.”

For Saxton, however, the rewards of his time at CU Boulder run deeper than accolades. His studies during the worst stretches of the COVID pandemic, for example, offered some unlikely chances to connect with his driving mission as a musician and as an artist. Following the quarantines, his first performance in front of a live audience was a highlight of his undergraduate career.

“It wasn’t even a full house,” he recalls. “That small audience was screaming and shouting and clapping so enthusiastically. It felt like, ‘This is why we do music.’

“Everyone was so excited. And we were so excited to be able to perform. That’s what we’re going to school for. That’s what we’re here to do.”

No doubt, Saxton will bring that same sense of purpose and clarity to the next phases of his musical journey—as a teacher, performer and universal musician.

Congratulations to Louis and all our fantastic graduates in the Class of 2024!

At the College of Music’s commencement ceremony on May 9, we look forward to celebrating the remarkable accomplishments and indelible impact of undergraduate cellist Louis Saxton!

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Graduating senior spotlight: Madison Tallman

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Graduating senior spotlight: Madison Tallman Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/11/2024 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

When Madison Tallman graduates next month, she’ll take away more than a degree—she’ll take a community with her.

Tallman moved to Boulder from Colorado Springs, struck by how tight-knit the College of Music is. “I just love the community here,” she says. “I have really enjoyed getting to work with fellow students and build strong relationships with other people.

“I think it makes us much better musicians when we know people on a personal level because music is such a personal thing.”

Alongside performing, Tallman leveraged the College of Music’s business offerings: She’ll graduate with a Bachelor of Music in flute performance as well as a Music Entrepreneurship certificate and business minor. “I like having a balance of tangible results—like working in the nonprofit world—and very subjective results, like playing music. I like having both. I think it’s a nice balance.”

Business courses empowered Tallman to build practical skills for potential future entrepreneurial ventures. “For the music entrepreneurship capstone, I’m working on studio materials for when I want to start a private studio,” she says. “I think that’s really important.

“There are so many aspects of that, like setting up an LLC and payments and all these nitty-gritty things—I’m really glad that I have the tools and resources to learn those kinds of things now.”

Tallman’s future goals also include playing chamber music and working in the nonprofit sector. She explains, “I want to work for a nonprofit that does outreach to make arts more accessible in schools. I actually had a personal experience with that—in fifth grade through middle school, the arts were not funded by my school. I think it’s important that kids have arts experience.”

Next year, Tallman will continue her journey in both performance and management—she’s starting a master’s program in music and arts management at Colorado State University. “I’m super excited!”

Congratulations to Madison and all of our winter 2023 and spring 2024 graduates!

Madison Tallman graduates in May with a Bachelor of Music in flute performance along with a Music Entrepreneurship certificate and business minor. She shares highlights of her College of Music experience … and her plans for the future!

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Musical Dialogues offers networking opportunity

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Musical Dialogues offers networking opportunity Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/03/2024 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

In working with College of Music students, Marilyn Brock—interim director of our Entrepreneurship Center (ECM)—realized there is one aspect of business that makes many students uncomfortable: networking.

“A lot of students shared with me that they hadn’t participated in many networking events and that networking seems stressful,” Brock says. “I got a lot of feedback that it felt like it might be overly transactional or anxiety-inducing to go up to people and introduce yourself.”

Those conversations were the inspiration behind Musical Dialogues, a networking event hosted by the ECM that aims to connect students with each other and with musicians from across the Front Range. Among others, participating music professionals include Colorado Symphony members Nicholas Tisherman and Carolyn Kunicki.

Musical Dialogues follows the framework of a formal networking event, down to the dress code: business formal. “This is a really unique opportunity for students to experience what some of these more formal events are like and for them to engage with musicians from a variety of spheres,” Brock says.

Musical Dialogues exemplifies the ECM’s mission to equip today’s music students with the skills and tools they need to create sustainable careers in the arts. Brock explains, “By attending an event like this, students are developing some of the networking skills that they will very likely be using in their careers.

“Also, so many career opportunities come as a direct result of the relationships that have been built over the years and the more that students can get the opportunity to connect with one another and musicians from outside of the university, the more they’ll be able to then build on those relationships and develop those opportunities for one another later on.”

The event is partially funded by the Dr. C.W. Bixler Family Foundation. “I am extremely grateful that the ECM has been given this opportunity through the generosity of the Bixler fund,” Brock says. Bixler Foundation funds support faculty projects that elevate and enrich the College of Music experience.

To the potential attendees, Brock says to come with an open mind. “There’s really space for everyone in terms of musical interests and in terms of career goals. Oftentimes, networking can feel like this prescribed, formulaic thing and really it’s just about leaning into who you are, bringing your own authentic self and developing connections with other musicians.”

Musical Dialogues will be held on April 10, 2024 from 5-8 p.m. at Chautauqua Dining Hall. RSVP here.

Photo: A recent ECM networking event in Grusin Lobby (credit: Marilyn Brock).

On April 10, our Entrepreneurship Center for Music will host a networking event that connects students and area music professionals.

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Embracing DEI: Keystone of the universal musician

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Embracing DEI: Keystone of the universal musician Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/21/2024 - 00:00

John Davis

Friends,

Recently, we’ve witnessed troubling trends where diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are being curtailed or eliminated in some settings, including higher education. At the University of Colorado Boulder, however, we stand resolute in our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment; and at the College of Music, specifically, we’re doubling down on our dedication to actively championing DEI as key to our universal musician mission.

DEI isn’t just about compliance or a checkbox to be ticked off. Essential to fulfilling our mission of developing versatile musicians who are equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world, DEI is woven into the very fabric of our educational philosophy. Our faculty and staff work daily to create conditions where every individual—regardless of their background—feels welcome, valued, respected and empowered to reach their full potential.

We know that embracing and uplifting diversity—encompassing a spectrum of identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and disability—enriches our students’ educational experience and enhances the creativity, innovation and cultural richness of our college, campus and greater community. From last month’s first-ever statewide Jamaican Choral Music Symposium, organized by doctoral student O’Neil Jones and supported by a Roser Visiting Artists Program grant; to our fifth annual Persevering Legacy event earlier this month, with support from the College of Music Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Endowed Fund; to our upcoming Cross Genre Showcase representing an autophysiopsychic approach to musicking; to hosting the Sphinx Performance Academy again this summer, supported by a DEI Impact Grant from the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—our commitment to diversity is gaining momentum and recognition.

I’m especially proud of the ongoing work of the College of Music’s DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) committee. Reflecting principles of shared equity leadership, this committee comprises faculty and staff colleagues who are passionate about putting into practice inclusive excellence recommendations in the areas of curriculum development, co-curricular programming, concert repertoire/programming, faculty hiring and student recruitment.

Drawing inspiration from the diverse lived experiences and cultural assets that our students, staff and faculty bring to the learning environment, we’re creating opportunities for them to leverage their unique backgrounds as sources of strength and ingenuity. In this way, it’s my goal to not only advance inclusivity, but also ignite greater collaboration and collective action within our college—and across other colleges, schools and programs on campus.

The result? Over time, I’m convinced that by embracing DEI as integral to our universal musician mission, we not only achieve flexible, interdisciplinary career options for our graduates, but also expand the artistic landscape and cultivate a community of curious, continuous learners who challenge biases, question assumptions and engage with diverse perspectives—and who navigate nuance and complexity with openness, understanding and empathy.

I’m so grateful for your support and engagement in this critical mission.

John S. Davis
Dean, College of Music

In this edition of the Dean’s Downbeat, Dean John Davis doubles down on the College of Music’s commitment to championing diversity, equity and inclusion. “I’m convinced that by embracing DEI as integral to our universal musician mission, we not only achieve flexible, interdisciplinary career options for our graduates, but also expand the artistic landscape and cultivate a community of curious, continuous learners who challenge biases, question assumptions and engage with diverse perspectives—and who navigate nuance and complexity with openness, understanding and empathy.”

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