The School of Music celebrated its inaugural Research Week September 16-20, 2024. This event, orchestrated by School of Music Director Dr. Kim Councill, aligned with the broader College of Fine Arts initiative under the guidance of Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Rebecca Zarate, further highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of creative and scholarly work in the arts.
An anchor for the week was an engaging exhibit in the McKay Music Library, featuring research from almost 40 faculty members across the disciplines of music, art, dance, and film. The exhibit displayed their work from the past five years through digital presentations and physical artifacts, including journal articles, audio albums, books, and scores. The exhibit integrated harmoniously into the environment of the library, enhancing it, without compromising its primary function. As students entered the library, they were drawn into another world: a familiar study space, enriched. Many paused in their daily routines, captivated by the display of their professors' work. We can only imagine how the experience may have added inspiration to the rest of their day, week, or future work.
Two events punctuated the week on September 18, both following the CFA Assembly:
An afternoon gathering featured compelling post-sabbatical presentations. Dr. Jane Hatter gave her image-rich talk, "From Betrothal to Cloister: Echoes of Women's Musical Lives in Sources and Images c. 1500." Kirstin Chávez then told a captivating story of the genesis and evolution of her innovative "Carmen Inside Out" project. These talks showcased the depth and diversity of faculty research, highlighting both historical inquiry and contemporary performance practice.
Later in the day, the School of Music hosted a celebratory reception, where each of the four featured music faculty who had published during the spring and summer of 2024 took the spotlight to introduce their new work:
- Professor Kirstin Chávez introduced her book, co-authored with Jonathan Pape, Living the Dream: Building a Sustainable Career in the Performing Arts, and offered seasoned advice to vocal students attending the reception.
- Dr. Elizabeth Craft lead the audience in the openings of two Cohan tunes as she introduced her monograph, Yankee Doodle Dandy: George M. Cohan and the Broadway Stage.
- Dr. Elisabet Curbelo shared her thoughts about her album Resonance Unbound, highlighting its compositional influences and thanking School of Music colleagues for their recorded track on the CD, "Canarian Bayram."
- Dr. Michael Sammons moved us with his deeply personal remarks on his Morse Code album, which also featured an inspiring collaboration with a former student.
In addition to highlighting our faculty's exceptional scholarly expertise, Research Week 2024 also illuminated the powerful bonds between professors and our students. From mentoring budding creators to turning students on to potential life-changing research, our faculty demonstrated their commitment not only to their scholarship, but to nurturing the next generation of musical artists, researchers, and innovators.