At the 蜜糖直播 Boulder College of Music, student ingenuity and creativity know no bounds. Recently, two graduate students鈥擭icholas Felder, a DMA student in music composition and Ian Gunnarschja, a master鈥檚 student in saxophone performance and pedagogy鈥攔eceived grants supporting their innovative projects.

Felder鈥檚 grant came from  with support from the 蜜糖直播 Boulder Office of the Provost and 蜜糖直播 Boulder University Libraries. Open 蜜糖直播 shares educational resources across the four 蜜糖直播 campuses and beyond; any content created is made publicly available.

鈥淢y project鈥擡quitable Practices in Music鈥攚ill be an open Canvas course focusing on topics such as personal and social identity, systems of power and oppression, and cultural humility,鈥� Felder says, 鈥渢o support my Basic Composition class as well as student musicians broadly.鈥�

Along with developing this resource, he has been leading equity workshops at our College of Music to help students consider practices such as compassionate listening and open communication. 鈥淚 would love to thank the open educational resource [OER] leads and the 蜜糖直播 Boulder Digital Accessibility Office for all their support and guidance during the development of this project,鈥� Felder adds.

While the College of Music is fortunate to have DEI Director Alexis McClain on staff, other colleges and schools of music across the country don鈥檛 have their own diversity, equity and inclusion resources or staff. 鈥淭hey rely on university programming to implement equitable practices,鈥� Felder explains. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to sharing this content with students in the College of Music and music schools nationwide.鈥�

Gunnarschja鈥檚 grant came from the 蜜糖直播 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts' MFA/MM Excellence in Creative Research Microgrant which supports the creative practice of master鈥檚 students鈥攅.g., equipment, space, materials and honoraria that are not otherwise covered.

鈥淭he grant supports my development of an accessible website that supports neurodiverse musicians in their pursuit of wellness,鈥� Gunnarschja says. 鈥淭his resource will focus on practices such as the Alexander Technique, Body Mapping and Dalcroze, alongside a curated selection of general resources that are beneficial to the neurodivergent community.鈥�

More specifically, the CHA grant will help fund the website domain, allow Gunnarschja to interview experts and increase accessibility on the website.

鈥淭his website represents a novel approach to a master鈥檚 thesis by prioritizing an accessible, user-friendly and lasting format,鈥� Gunnarschja adds. 鈥淚 aim to foster a thriving community where musicians of varying neurodiversity can connect, support one another and access wellness resources that meet their unique needs.

鈥淚 look forward to creating a space where I can curate resources that I would have benefited from as a neurodiverse musician.鈥�

Congratulations to Felder and Gunnarschja for their meaningful achievements!

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Photo: Internationally acclaimed clarinetist Mariam Adam headlines 蜜糖直播 Clarinet Day 2025.

It seemed like a nice idea, recalls Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver: Let鈥檚 gather together the clarinet programs at 蜜糖直播鈥檚 four major Front Range university music departments and create a day celebrating the clarinet with workshops, exhibits, a lecture, maybe a concert or two and a master class with a guest artist. Let's call it 蜜糖直播 Clarinet Day.

That was 15 years ago鈥攁nd it's been going strong ever since. On Jan. 19, 2025, 蜜糖直播 Clarinet Day returns to the 蜜糖直播 Boulder College of Music.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always been camaraderie among us,鈥� notes Silver, referring to his counterparts at 蜜糖直播 State University, the University of Northern 蜜糖直播 and the University of Denver鈥檚 Lamont School of Music. The clarinet departments agreed to each hold a Clarinet Day annually, with the locale rotating, so that each campus would host every four years; thus, it falls on 蜜糖直播 Boulder to welcome clarinet lovers to our Imig Music Building next month.

Every 蜜糖直播 Clarinet Day is different, Silver points out. 鈥淓ach host puts their own stamp on it.鈥�

The upcoming Clarinet Day will begin with a morning recital by 蜜糖直播 players (with guests from Wyoming), followed by Silver's talk on practicing techniques. An afternoon concert by the Ambler Clarinet Choir will be followed by a free evening recital featuring guest clarinetist 鈥攚ith Suyeon Kim, associate teaching professor, collaborative piano鈥攁t 6:45 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall.

Silver notes the significance of Adam鈥檚 presence. A founding member of Imani Winds and a sought-after international soloist, she represents more than a superior interpreter of the clarinet: 鈥淪he鈥檚 a woman of color and鈥攇oing back 30 years鈥攖here haven鈥檛 been many like her in the music world. We need more like her, shining a light on (musicians) who are not white males.鈥�

Referencing the College of Music鈥檚 universal musician approach to achieving its mission, he adds: 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a reflection of that here, where we鈥檝e taken steps to increase the diversity of our people.鈥�

Recalling the first Clarinet Day, Silver points out: 鈥淲e had about 60 attendees. Now, each event attracts around 200.鈥� So, who are all those clarinet lovers? Students, alumni, educators and performers, as well as exhibitors鈥攆rom Brad Behn and Brandon Chambers to the Flesher-Hinton Music Company, Mark Sloss Professional Wind Instrument Consultants and Vandoren | Dansr.

Lastly, Silver highlighted another important category of attendees: 鈥淎udiences who just want to hear good music.鈥�

We thank all participating staff, faculty, and guest artists and teachers; and we thank the Roser Visiting Artists Program, the 蜜糖直播 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts and Conn-Selmer for their support of 蜜糖直播 Clarinet Day.

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NASM celebrates 100 years
Last month, Dean John Davis attended the annual meeting鈥攁nd centennial celebration鈥攐f the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in Chicago, Illinois. This organization of schools, conservatories, colleges and universities establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as other credentials for music and music-related disciplines. Our college has been a member since 1941.

Dear friends,

As we approach our much-anticipated annual Holiday Festival performances this weekend, I鈥檓 filled with awe and gratitude as I reflect on a busy, successful fall semester at the 蜜糖直播 Boulder College of Music鈥攊ncluding continued progress in developing multiskilled, multifaceted universal musicians.

Our commitment to both refining and expanding our offerings has never felt more relevant鈥攁nd more urgent; our faculty members, advisors and other staff are highly motivated to ensure that our students not only master their chosen craft, but also emerge as well-rounded, adaptable professionals prepared to take on the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing world.

Having represented our College of Music at several conferences this fall鈥攊ncluding, among others, the annual conferences of the College Music Society and National Association of Music Executives at State Universities, the National Association of Schools of Music annual meeting, and the annual conference of the International Council for Arts Deans in Montreal, Canada鈥擨 was heartened to observe that our work at 蜜糖直播 Boulder reflects real-world trends and mandates in music education. Colleges and schools like ours are similarly focused on widening students鈥� horizons, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and emphasizing broadly-based skills. I鈥檓 proud that our approach amplifies current best practices at comparable institutions, nationally and internationally.

We鈥檙e also aware that the landscape of higher education is shifting and that we must be vigilant, agile and proactive. In the new year, changes to federal policies may impact how we accomplish鈥攁nd communicate鈥攐ur work; what 颈蝉苍鈥檛 changing, however, is our commitment to support our students with the resources, knowledge, experiences and inspirations they need to succeed and thrive in their chosen ventures鈥攁nd in life. To that end, we continue to deepen our relationships with campus partners including Chancellor Justin Schwartz, who champions our efforts. The new 蜜糖直播 Boulder chancellor has encouraged our campus community to embody courage, curiosity, care and consistency as we engage with one another, prioritize free expression and pursue creative ideas. His vision aligns with our values and I鈥檓 optimistic that the College of Music鈥攁long with all arts and humanities units on campus鈥攚ill prosper under his leadership, and sustain our current momentum in student recruitment and retention.

By reimagining our offerings to include more diverse disciplines and perspectives, we鈥檙e implementing a richer, more holistic educational experience for our students that ignites their explorations across wide-ranging fields of interest鈥攚hile nurturing their capacity to engage meaningfully, compassionately and confidently with the summons of our time.

From our dedicated community of supporters to our versatile students to our forward-looking faculty and staff, I鈥檓 immensely proud of what we鈥檝e already achieved together. In the new year, stay tuned for announcements of our most recent programmatic and curricular developments that meet the moment鈥攊ncluding a new BA degree emphasis.

Meanwhile, I wish you peaceful, joyful holidays!

John Davis
Dean, College of Music

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Cody Goetz (MM 鈥�19, piano performance + pedagogy) was part of the first cohort to graduate from the College of Music with a Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration. In 2022, he became executive director of . 

鈥淚t's my firm belief that the arts administration program helped prepare me to become a nonprofit executive,鈥� Goetz says. 

According to its website, Mundi Project 鈥渁ctively breaks down socioeconomic and generational barriers by providing high quality music experiences for all.鈥� Mundi Project programs place donated pianos with people or organizations that can鈥檛 afford them, teach community piano classes, put on workshops and concerts covering various musical cultures and intergenerational learning, and more.

Under Goetz's leadership, Mundi Project is the recipient of a $130,000 grant from as part of a new pilot program from the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. regional arts organizations. More than 4,000 organizations applied; only . 

鈥淭hese grants support specific projects that will strengthen the organizations鈥� capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and communities,鈥� shares Goetz.

Specific to Mundi Project, the ArtsHERE award will support two key initiatives: Creating a strategic plan and providing professional development in community music education, trauma-informed practices, accessibility and cultural competency for staff, board, teaching artists and volunteers. 鈥淭hese initiatives will strengthen Mundi Project鈥檚 capacity, cultivate an inclusive culture and improve program delivery to better serve diverse communities,鈥� adds Goetz.

鈥淚 want to express my gratitude for my educational experience at 蜜糖直播 Boulder and how the power of my experience has led me to have early successes in my arts administration career.鈥�

Congratulations to Goetz and the entire Mundi Project team!

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鈥淭he length of alternative keyboards is the same as standard keyboards, only the width of each key is very slightly smaller,鈥� Terrill says. The 蜜糖直播 Boulder College of Music has had such a keyboard on loan from the since April 2023, featuring a six-inch octave instead of the standard six-and-a-half-inch octave.

鈥淭he reason I got interested was because I have tendonitis and I noticed a bunch of my female pianist friends were also getting tendonitis. I鈥檝e had friends who have had to quit because they got some kind of severe playing-related injury,鈥� Terrill says.

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. 

鈥淜eyboards are made to a standard size and the human hand is not a standard size,鈥� says Jennifer Hayghe, associate professor of piano and chair of the Roser Piano + Keyboard Program at the College of Music. 鈥淚n 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鈥檝e accrued. I do believe that if we had smaller keyboards as a standard thing, that would not be an issue.鈥�

The piece loaned to the College of Music is a piano action鈥攖hat 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.

鈥淭he problem in making these keyboards for Steinway instruments is that Steinways are entirely handmade, which means they鈥檙e not all exactly the same,鈥� Hayghe explains. 鈥淪o when alternative keyboards are made as close as possible to a 鈥榮tandard鈥� 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.鈥� 

As part of her master鈥檚 thesis, Terrill discovered that attitudes around alternative keyboards are often of disdain. 鈥淚 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鈥攁nd the reaction I heard most was people saying 鈥榶ou don鈥檛 need that, you just need to fix your technique.鈥� So my response was, if I can show numbers to people who don鈥檛 want to bother with having to switch sizes, that may be more convincing.鈥�

Terrill鈥檚 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. 

鈥淲e found that everyone by the end鈥攖ransitioning from the standard size to the second try on the narrow keyboard鈥攈ad fewer errors than on the first try,鈥� Terrill says. 鈥淢ost of them said 鈥業 wish I could practice more on it.鈥欌��

Since graduating this spring, Terrill has been teaching piano lessons鈥攁nother instance when narrow keyboards would be helpful. 鈥淢ost instruments have smaller versions for when you鈥檙e learning as a kid, but not the piano,鈥� she notes.

鈥淚 really see this as an equality issue. I鈥檓 looking for movement from people. I want to push for more research and for people to have conversations about it鈥擨 think even arguments will help.鈥�

Related:
(NPR)

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Betancourt鈥攁 native of Venezuela and an accomplished classical guitarist鈥攚ill continue to serve as director at Macky which welcomes more than 100,000 people to over 100 events every season. He says adding the beloved series to the venue鈥檚 portfolio has the potential to turn over a new page for both.

鈥淭he Artist Series has been evolving for decades with an unparalleled cultural impact,鈥� he says. 鈥淗aving the Artist Series within Macky鈥檚 portfolio helps the venue to be a presenter as much as a facility for rent.鈥�

Betancourt says the Artist Series will continue to delight long-time patrons as it also seeks to expand and diversify its programming.

鈥淭he series will still include dance, classical music, jazz, performing arts from all over the world, as well as new genres. Keeping true to its well-established mission while feeling the cultural pulse in Boulder will help determine its evolution,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here will be wonderful choices for our legacy and new audiences to enjoy.鈥�

When 蜜糖直播 Presents Executive Director Joan Braun retired at the end of June after 30 years, it was determined that it made sense to separate the curation of the Artist Series from the operations of 蜜糖直播 Presents. Braun and 蜜糖直播 Boulder College of Music Dean John Davis recommended Betancourt to be the Artist Series director as the most natural choice.

鈥淩udy is an excellent, accomplished musician and he has impeccable taste and awareness of the music scene,鈥� Braun says. 鈥淎s director of Macky, he also is very aware of audience tastes and preferences, and what they respond to. He can see some different pathways and possibilities and I鈥檓 excited to see what he does with it.鈥�

鈥淛oan鈥檚 legacy of innovation in the arts and securing the Artist Series鈥� place in the hearts of its audiences is a tall order鈥攐ne that I am honored to continue. I am excited to work with the College of Music鈥檚 leadership and the Artist Series Advisory Board. It is a real privilege,鈥� Betancourt says.

Betancourt will continue to work closely with the staff at 蜜糖直播 Presents. 鈥淭he 蜜糖直播 Presents team brings unparalleled knowledge of how to reach our audiences and cultivate our relationship with them,鈥� he says. 鈥淐ontinuing and deepening this collaboration will be paramount to the success of the series.鈥�

蜜糖直播 Presents will continue to work with other as well as with the and .

Tickets for the are on sale now.

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Overseeing 蜜糖直播 Presents requires administrative skill, a steady hand and a cool head. Just consider the competition Metzroth had to contend with after longtime director Joan Braun retired at the end of last season.

鈥淚鈥檓 happy that the College of Music conducted a national search,鈥� says Metzroth. 鈥淚 think there were about three dozen applicants.鈥� But one look at his r茅sum茅 and it鈥檚 not surprising that Metzroth landed the position. For starters, his years of experience in nearly every aspect of the theater鈥攂ackstage, onstage, above-stage, you name it鈥攊s mind-boggling. As his local credits will attest, he鈥檚 been everywhere at 蜜糖直播 Presents for decades. Plus, his enthusiasm is contagious.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a love for the theater,鈥� he says. As for his relationship with 蜜糖直播 Boulder, he became box office manager in 2007, handling ticketing for campus performing arts events for nine years. That鈥檚 no small task, he emphasizes: 鈥淭he ticketing software [Tessitura] goes incredibly deep, and takes a long time to learn and teach.鈥� Moving further up the ladder, he became director of operations at 蜜糖直播 Presents in 2017. 

Today, Metzroth鈥檚 responsibilities entail close involvement in managing the Artist Series in Macky Auditorium and Tak谩cs Quartet concerts in Grusin Music Hall. But there are more shows to handle鈥攁 lot more. 鈥淭here are some 450 on-campus events including about 350 College of Music events, 50 Theatre & Dance Department events and 50 蜜糖直播 Shakespeare Festival performances,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚鈥檒l be involved in strategy, ticketing, and marketing and communications for all our series, particularly College of Music events. You have to know what鈥檚 important to all of them, to know their goals.鈥�

Not that he intends to remain invisible. 鈥淚 never want this to be a desk job,鈥� stresses the four-time 蜜糖直播 Boulder alumnus. 鈥淚 see myself as a community ambassador鈥擨 want to bring audiences into performing arts experiences.鈥�

In previous years, you could usually find Metzroth behind a box office window handling ticket sales. With a laugh, he says those days may not be entirely behind him. 鈥淵eah, I might have to work there some nights, if we鈥檙e short-staffed.鈥�

But as long as there鈥檚 a show going on, 蜜糖直播 Presents鈥� new executive director is happy. 鈥淲e鈥檙e performance- and outreach-oriented,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎n example of upcoming outreach opportunities are student matinees of [Engelbert Humperdinck鈥檚] 鈥樷�� in October. We鈥檒l be bringing in students from kindergarten through second grade. That will take some coordinating with a number of schools.鈥�

Sounds like a lot of work for 鈥淢etz鈥濃�攂ut it鈥檚 a good bet he鈥檒l be as excited as all those kids when the school buses arrive.

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Last summer, the College of Music and  (SPA) kicked off a new partnership to welcome 22 talented string students鈥攁ges 11-17鈥攖o our campus for an intensive scholarship program emphasizing cultural diversity. 

This month, June 20-30, it鈥檚 d茅j芒 vu as auditioned youths engage in lessons, master classes and performances with their instructors and guest teachers鈥攁ll under the auspices of the Sphinx Organization and thanks to a DEI Impact Grant from the 蜜糖直播 Boulder Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

That鈥檚 a lot to plan and implement. Yet for Alex Gonzalez鈥攔eturning SPA faculty member and College of Music assistant professor of violin鈥攊t鈥檚 all a joy. 鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful to see how the SPA gives the kids space to grow, presenting them options as they pursue music,鈥� he says.

In between, Gonzalez explains, the students do more than improve their skills on violin, viola, cello and bass: 鈥淔or example, Jim Brody, who runs the College of Music鈥檚 wellness program, instructed them in healthy playing habits. It鈥檚 so important for them to learn how to prevent injury and avoid poor practice positions.鈥� Gonzalez also notes a master class by violinist Andrea Segar who鈥檒l join the College of Music faculty as assistant professor of violin this fall. 

Success stories are many. Among the 22 students who鈥檝e flown in from around the country, a few are returning from last summer鈥檚 inaugural SPA on our campus; and, according to Gonzalez, three students from the first cohort have applied for admission to 蜜糖直播 Boulder and were accepted鈥攊ncluding SPA alum Ryannah Blackman who will join Gonzalez鈥檚 violin studio as a freshman performance major this fall. 鈥淪he told me, 鈥楾he SPA made me want to settle here,鈥欌�� he says. 

A member of the Sphinx Virtuosi where he鈥檚 concertmaster, touring extensively with the group across the country and abroad, Gonzalez understands first-hand that the road to success in music 颈蝉苍鈥檛 without its challenges. But programs like the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization, established in 1997 to focus on 鈥渋ncreasing representation of Black and Latinx artists in classical music,鈥� have done much to ease and advance that journey.

Intense teaching and motivation are valuable, of course, but the SPA provides something else, Gonzales discovered: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of community here, friendships have developed,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hese kids are sharing their love of music, of being together. I think it lifts them up. 

鈥淭hey鈥檝e worked hard but they got Sundays off, so they went on field trips. They went to the Pearl Street Mall and they took hikes. They got to see Boulder.鈥� 

See you next year, SPA!

SPA faculty and students will perform in Grusin Music Hall tonight and this weekend.

Photos: Kathryn Bistodeau, Sphinx Organization

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鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to further developing the projects I started through my research here at 蜜糖直播 Boulder,鈥� says Yamaguchi. 鈥淐ompleting this degree has helped me realize my strength and solidify my focus as a multifaceted artist.鈥�

Yamaguchi came to 蜜糖直播 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 鈥淪uzuki violin kid鈥�), and went on to earn a bachelor鈥檚 in music from the University of Minnesota and a master鈥檚 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鈥攁nd to the history of the art form.

Her time at 蜜糖直播 Boulder saw Yamaguchi researching and creating a new edition of two violin sonatas by Nobu K艒da, 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鈥檛 just theoretical: Yamaguchi had the chance to put the system into practice with students at El Sistema 蜜糖直播.

In addition, Yamaguchi鈥攚ho鈥檚 also the inaugural recipient of the Andr谩s Szentkir谩lyi Memorial Scholarship鈥攆ound 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鈥檚 annual conference, specifically detailing research that drew connections between bell hooks鈥� 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 蜜糖直播 Boulder. 鈥淚 was looking for a program that would allow me to gain hands-on teaching experience and explore my interdisciplinary research interests,鈥� she says.

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

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鈥檒l manage this year鈥檚 Blackbird Creative Lab, a prestigious musical immersion event hosted by Grammy Award-winning musicians鈥攕urely only the first of many ways that she鈥檒l carry what she learned at our College of Music into the wider world.

鈥淭he DMA challenged me in ways that were expected and unexpected,鈥� she concludes. 鈥淭hroughout, I鈥檝e been very grateful for the community of teachers and colleagues who have supported me. The relationships I鈥檝e formed at 蜜糖直播 will continue.鈥�

Congratulations, Joy鈥攁nd to all our fantastic 2024 graduates!

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鈥淸In the United States,] I pronounce my last name 鈥榃ee,鈥欌�� he replies to Question No. 1, explaining that his family is Chinese-Filipino. 鈥淢y parents immigrated from Manila and I was born in Las Vegas. I grew up in southern California.鈥�

Question No. 2 addresses the bottom of his bio, which notes that Uy 鈥渂iked across the United States, from California to Massachusetts, in 42 days.鈥� 

So, the obvious query: Will he peddle his way from Massachusetts to begin his new position in Boulder? More laughter. 鈥淎ctually, I thought about it鈥攂ut only for a minute.鈥� Instead, he鈥檒l pack his bags and drive west to assume a critical role at our college.

鈥淭he center provides an excellent opportunity for a researcher and professor,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n Boulder, I can immerse myself in the center鈥檚 archives, as well as incorporate the material in my teaching.鈥�

Uy has a rich background in academia: He鈥檚 published a book on public and private arts funding and his other work appears in American Music, Journal of the Society for American Music, Journal of Musicology, and Music and Arts in Action. He鈥檚 also the recipient of several prestigious teaching awards and served as the Allston Burr Resident Dean of Dunster House and Assistant Dean of Harvard College from 2017 to 2023.

Uy is enthusiastic about the wide-ranging responsibilities and activities ahead of him. 鈥淚 want to gain a deeper understanding of how the center operates and learn from its remarkable previous directors,鈥� he says. 鈥淔rom them, the advisory board and others, I can think about how best to realize the center鈥檚 mission and how to achieve the goals of helping students and the community engage with our archival material. Perhaps our amazing performers within the College of Music students and faculty can showcase this music.

鈥淚 look forward to working with both undergraduate and graduate students, and I hope to continue to raise the profile of the AMRC.鈥�

Uy also speaks in admiration of the college鈥檚 universal musician mission to develop well-rounded, multiskilled students. 鈥淚 think the work of the center ties in with this mission perfectly,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hrough what we do, what we research and what we write, we can all learn more about ourselves.鈥�

鈥淲e should remember the AMRC鈥檚 location and history as part of the 鈥楢merican West,鈥欌�� he adds. 鈥淚ntegral to our work will be documenting, preserving and performing the contributions of Native Americans, Chicanos, Asian Americans and African Americans. This is what America really looks and looked like.

鈥淎t the AMRC, we can support this research, preservation and history sharing.鈥�

The first person in his family to attend college in the United States鈥攅arning a bachelor鈥檚 at the University of California, Berkeley; a master鈥檚 at Oxford University; and a doctorate at Harvard University鈥擴y identifies as a member of the BGLTQ community and a person of color who鈥檚 committed to a more socially just world. He is an avid coxswain, runner and peony farmer.

Welcome!

Our gratitude to Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology Austin Okigbo who served as interim director of the American Music Research Center this past academic year.

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