Conducting

2025 ECM grants help students shine

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 23 May 2025 17:51:36 +0000

2025 ECM grants help students shine Mariefaith Lane Fri, 05/23/2025 - 11:51

Kathryn Bistodeau

Each spring, the Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM) awards project grants to support students in their professional and artistic endeavors. This year鈥檚 adjudicator panel鈥攃omprising Dairy Arts Center Executive Director Melissa Fathman, Colorado Symphony member Nick Davies and myself鈥攃onsidered 27 applicants and awarded 16 grants totaling just over $6,200. I sat down with a few of these students to learn about their projects and how the grants helped fuel their success:

Electronic oboe piece
When Grace Stringfellow discovered composer Gracie Fagan鈥檚 work, they knew they had to work together. Stringfellow, a DMA student in oboe performance and pedagogy, first discovered Fagan (MM 鈥�25) through an Instagram post of a piece she wrote for Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens.

鈥淚t was a really good example of her compositional style. She鈥檚 very into using electronics, live processing and other more modern sounds,鈥� Stringfellow says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 inspired by EDM and other dance musics.鈥�

They then reached out to Fagan about writing a piece for oboe鈥攕omething that would bring the repertoire into the present and showcase more extended techniques on the instrument. The ECM grant helped Stringfellow to compensate Fagan for the project.

鈥淭he main motivation was to create something that feels modern鈥攖hat feels like something you would hear on the radio, something that鈥檚 singable, maybe has a little bit of improvisation,鈥� they say. 鈥淭hrowing everything out of the window of what is expected.鈥�

Stringfellow and Fagan worked together to come up with inspiration for the piece, creating a collaborative and integrative process that Stringfellow says is unique from their commission experiences in the past.

鈥淭his feels like almost, almost co-writing. Obviously, she鈥檚 doing the body of the work, but it feels like co-writing and co-creating which is fantastic.鈥�

The completed piece will be six or seven short movements, reflecting the shorter songs heard in pop music. Stringfellow plans to premiere the work at a recital in October, then hopes to perform at other local venues as well. They also plan to record the piece for public release.

鈥淚 really want to push the boundaries with this commission, so I鈥檓 really glad that we can do this,鈥� Stringfellow says. 鈥淕racie will be able to come back for the premiere, so I think I鈥檓 looking forward to that most of all and continuing to work with her!鈥� MORE

Each spring, our Entrepreneurship Center for Music awards project grants to support students in their professional and artistic endeavors. This year鈥檚 adjudicator panel awarded 16 grants鈥攎eet some of the amazing student recipients and learn about their projects!

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Meet Allan McMurray: Honoring a career in service to music

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Meet Allan McMurray: Honoring a career in service to music Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/26/2023 - 00:00

Marc Shulgold

His dad played a little ukulele and liked to collect sheet music, but that鈥檚 about how serious it got for music in Allan McMurray鈥檚 home way back when. And yet, the boy had developed a hunger. 鈥淚 was learning trumpet,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淲e moved around a lot, and I found that music was a way to make friends.鈥� He would spend time with his dad鈥檚 sheet music, connecting his trumpet to the song鈥檚 melody lines. 鈥淚 liked practicing.鈥�

His playing got good enough so that he could jam with a few small ensembles. 鈥淟ater, I turned professional and was in a brass quintet, and I found I was not afraid to share my views on how a piece should be played. I鈥檇 say to them, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 we try it like this?鈥欌€� The path toward a career as a conductor of winds clearly beckoned. But he was haunted by the memory of his parents鈥� scoldings.

鈥淭hey wanted me to be a lawyer,鈥� McMurray says. 鈥淔or years, I kept hearing the same warning from them: 鈥榊ou鈥檒l never amount to anything if you pursue music.鈥欌€�

In 2013, McMurray retired after 35 years as professor at the University of Colorado 51传媒 College of Music, directing the college鈥檚 bands, developing the master鈥檚 and doctoral programs in instrumental conducting, hosting the first College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Summer Conducting Symposium and becoming the first in the College of Music to receive a lifetime appointment as a Distinguished Professor.

No reason to stop there. McMurray has guest-conducted in 15 countries, guest-taught at more than 200 universities and conservatories, been keynote speaker at various CBDNA events and鈥攜ou can catch your breath here鈥攈e has just been awarded the University Medal by the CU Board of Regents, one of five individuals to be honored on May 10 at a private ceremony on the 51传媒 campus.

Now, at age 76, McMurray is truly a man of the world. He continues to travel and work with no sign of slowing down. He鈥檒l be conducting in Canada through April, then in Illinois, finally returning to 51传媒 early in May to receive his award. 鈥淐U will always be a significant part of who I鈥檝e been as a musician,鈥� he noted. 鈥淭his [University Medal] is a great honor.鈥�

Few in music can boast such an impressive r茅sum茅, and few can speak with such modesty and passion for their chosen profession. 鈥淢y life has been so enriched by music,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 love working with students.

鈥淵ou know, the term maestro translates as teacher. When I teach, I dialogue with my students a lot鈥擨 ask them about the score we鈥檙e working on. I tell them, 鈥楾he score is your friend. Talk to it. Get to know it.鈥� I tell them that you have to work hard, and if you do, you鈥檒l get closer to where you want to be. Learning is a journey. What鈥檚 better than that?鈥�

McMurray bubbles with endless optimism, even in these chaotic times. Amidst all the divisiveness around us, there is a common source of unity, he reminds us. 鈥淓verybody loves music鈥攆rom lullabies for babies to taps at the end, there is music. The world needs music. Life needs music.鈥�

Congratulations on your well-earned distinction, Allan McMurray!

Professor of Conducting Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Allan McMurray was nominated for the University Medal by Dean John Davis and Conducting Area Chair, Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands Donald McKinney; Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Enrollment Management, and Associate Professor of Conducting and Music Education Matthew Roeder; and Professor of Piano and former College of Music Dean Daniel Sher. Also supporting his nomination was alumna Karen Fannin who earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from our College of Music, studying with McMurray; she鈥檚 now professor and director of bands at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.鈥�

In 2013, Allan McMurray retired after 35 years as professor at the College of Music, directing our bands, developing the master鈥檚 and doctoral programs in instrumental conducting, and more. He was the college鈥檚 first to receive a lifetime appointment as a Distinguished Professor and he鈥檚 recently been awarded the University Medal by the CU Board of Regents.

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From CU 51传媒 to Denver鈥攁 music extravaganza

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

From CU 51传媒 to Denver鈥攁 music extravaganza Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/11/2023 - 00:00

Marc Shulgold

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a circus,鈥� Gary Lewis remarks with a slight chuckle. The director of orchestral studies at the CU 51传媒 College of Music is only half-kidding as he describes the college鈥檚 long-awaited return to Boettcher Concert Hall which he鈥檒l lead on May 2, closing out the academic year. With an admission-free concert boasting a combined chorus of 200, an orchestra of 85 and a guest appearance by 150 promising young musicians, maybe it will be a circus.

But why not go big, after all this lost time? COVID forced us to abandon our CU at Boettcher series in 2020鈥攊t normally runs every other year. 鈥淲e鈥檇 planned to do Verdi鈥檚鈥楻equiem鈥� back then,鈥� Lewis recalls. 鈥淩ather than perform it this year, we decided to do Carl Orff鈥檚鈥楥armina Burana鈥� with the biggest forces we can muster. We鈥檒l be involving all the CU 51传媒 choirs, including the Festival Choir鈥攁 CU entity consisting of students and singers from the greater community.鈥� Those familiar with 鈥淐armina鈥� know it as a major challenge for huge chorus and orchestra (in this case, the CU Symphony Orchestra)鈥攁nd as a serious test for three soloists. Lewis voices full confidence in his vocal trio. 鈥淭wo are staff and faculty members, tenor Javier Abreu and baritone Andrew Garland. And the soprano is a marvelous graduate student, Dawna Rae Warren,鈥� he says.

Orff鈥檚 spectacular oratorio may be the headliner, but this concert will also deliver a news-making world premiere commissioned by the Dr. C.W. Bixler Family Foundation鈥攖he Symphony No. 3 by renowned composer Carter Pann, CU 51传媒 professor of composition. Subtitled 鈥淥n The Importance of Our Democracy,鈥� the five-movement, 17-minute work was completed in just the last few months, according to Lewis. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a charming work, with some incredible grooves and wonderful rhythms.鈥�

鈥淵es, there鈥檚 some angst in it,鈥� he adds, referring to the political underpinning. 鈥淏ut it stands on its own. Carter will be at the concert and he鈥檒l say something about the meaning of the symphony. I talked to the players about it when we started to work on the piece.鈥�

As its subtitle suggests, Pann does not shy away from current events. In a program note, he expresses his anxieties 鈥渨ith current insurgent, anti-democratic forces at the highest levels of government.鈥� For the composer, the symphony simply portrays 鈥渁 sense of personal insecurity.鈥� Lewis felt that politics have always had a place in orchestral music. And they鈥檝e had a place in his repertory at CU 51传媒. 鈥淲e鈥檝e played the Shostakovich Fifth (Symphony) and William Grant Still鈥檚 Afro-American Symphony, and those expressed very strong political views,鈥� he says.

Any controversy will disappear after Pann鈥檚 symphony when the Boettcher stage fills with 150 gifted young musicians from El Sistema鈥檚 music-training program. 鈥淲e had invited some of them to join us a few years ago,鈥� Lewis says. 鈥淏ut we鈥檝e never had this many. We鈥檒l probably fill up every corner of the stage. Most of them will have to play standing up. They鈥檒l offer a few short selections and then we鈥檒l all finish with (Beethoven鈥檚) 鈥極de to Joy.鈥欌€�

This is an opportunity for hundreds of young musicians to strut their stuff before a big audience in a big concert hall. It鈥檚 a huge deal, with a large crowd expected. Governor Jared Polis has been invited. 鈥淲e want to get people aware of the College of Music,鈥� Lewis concludes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to expand our reach.

鈥淲e are so proud of the product. I鈥檝e been at CU 51传媒 for 15 years and it鈥檚 an honor for me to work here.鈥�

Professor of Conducting + Director of Orchestral Studies Gary Lewis will direct CU at Boettcher鈥攁 gathering of forces from the College of Music鈥攐n Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Admission is free, no tickets required. CU at Boettcher is funded by the Dean鈥檚 Annual Fund.

Above right photo: Carter Pann (left) dedicated his Symphony No. 3 to his close friend, Brian Scott Mason (right), 鈥渨ho has revealed himself as a touchstone of balanced integrity in my life.鈥� Mason, a CU alumnus, is currently the District Attorney of Adams and Broomfield counties in Colorado. In 2016, he officiated Pann鈥檚 wedding.

In addition to Carl Orff鈥檚鈥淐armina Burana鈥� and our collaboration with El Sistema Colorado, the College of Music鈥檚 upcoming CU at Boettcher concert will feature the world premiere of composer Carter Pann鈥檚 new work: his five-movement, 17-minute Symphony No. 3鈥撯€淥n The Importance of Our Democracy.鈥�

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Announcing a University Medal and increasing diverse representation in music

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Announcing a University Medal and increasing diverse representation in music Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/01/2022 - 00:00

John Davis

Photo: Dean John Davis and CU President Todd Saliman show their school spirit at Saturday鈥檚 final home game.

Dear friends,

As the year sprints to a close, I look forward to ushering in the spirit of the season this weekend at our long-running, much-loved Holiday Festival. I hope to see many of you at Macky Auditorium, enjoying inspired, heart-warming performances featuring our talented students and faculty.

Meanwhile, I鈥檓 pleased to share glad tidings: Professor of Conducting Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Allan McMurray was just notified of his selection for the CU Regents鈥� 2023 University Medal! You鈥檙e among the first to know of this tremendous, well-deserved recognition of McMurray鈥檚 lifelong dedication to his craft at our college and beyond.

McMurray was nominated without his knowing by myself and Conducting Area Chair, Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands Donald McKinney; Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Enrollment Management, and Associate Professor of Conducting and Music Education Matthew Roeder; and Professor of Piano and former College of Music Dean Daniel Sher. Also supporting his nomination was alumna Karen Fannin who earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from our College of Music, studying with McMurray; she鈥檚 now professor and director of bands at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

McMurray is recognized as one of the leading teachers of wind ensemble and conducting in the world鈥攈e has taught and guest conducted at more than 200 colleges and conservatories internationally. At the College of Music, he served as director of bands and the Robert and Judy Charles Professor of Conducting from 1978 until 2013. McMurray will be formally recognized by the Board of Regents at the spring commencement ceremony in May 2023.

Complementing and building on McMurray鈥檚 trailblazing legacy, I鈥檓 also excited to share news from our current activities at the college: Just after Thanksgiving, I was thrilled to see that artists from the Sphinx Organization鈥攚ho joined us at the College of Music for a series of master classes in September鈥攚ere featured in The New York Times (They Were Ahead of the Curve on Diversity in Classical Music). These artists鈥攊ncluding our new Assistant Professor of Violin Alex Gonzalez鈥攁re working to increase diverse representation in music, a key aspect of the College of Music鈥檚 emphasis on inclusive excellence. In brief, according to the Times, the Sphinx Organization has 鈥渟tarted training programs and ensembles, and has pushed for more diverse repertory and orchestra rosters. It has promoted young soloists and arts administrators, and operates an ever-expanding annual conference. With a burst of new attention to phrases like diversity, equity and inclusion over the past two years, Sphinx鈥檚 steady, patient work has come to seem prescient.鈥�

Indeed, the Times article well reflects the spirit of my vision to develop multiskilled, multifaceted universal musicians through diverse opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and a culture of belonging.

In these uneven times, our community is also in mourning following the Club Q tragedy. The College of Music joins the campus community in standing by the LGBTQ+ community, the Colorado Springs community, and the family, friends and loved ones of those so senselessly killed and injured on Nov. 19. Together, we鈥檒l keep doing our part to foster a welcoming environment that promotes diversity of music, ideas and underrepresented identities at the College of Music.

Please take care of yourself and of one another this holiday season.

In the final Dean鈥檚 Downbeat of the year, Dean John Davis announces Allan McMurray鈥檚 2023 University Medal; describes how the important, prescient work of the Sphinx Organization underscores his vision for the College of Music ... and more.

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Kedrick Armstrong conducts delayed premiere of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚鈥淪infonietta鈥�

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Kedrick Armstrong conducts delayed premiere of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚鈥淪infonietta鈥� Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/10/2022 - 00:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

Photo: In this brief video, meet Kedrick Armstrong and hear him share his discovery of Irene Britton Smith's 鈥淪infonietta.鈥�

There鈥檚 no doubt about it, the career of Kedrick Armstrong鈥攇raduate orchestral conducting student鈥攊s quickly gaining momentum:

One of two CU music Buffs on The Washington Post鈥檚鈥渃omposers and performers to watch鈥� list, Armstrong will conduct the world premiere of 鈥�The Factotum鈥� with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in February 2023; meanwhile, closer to home, he鈥檒l conduct the CU Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 performance of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚鈥淪infonietta鈥� at Macky Auditorium next week.

Armstrong pulled 鈥淪infonietta鈥� from the Helen Walker-Hill Collection in the American Music Research Center archives, and has been working on converting the original score to parts for an orchestra for over a year. 鈥淚mmediately, I knew there was something in her language and in her writing that was different from anything that I had ever heard before, especially coming from a Black woman in the 20th century,鈥� he says.

Smith was an elementary school music educator for most of her life and wrote 鈥淪infonietta鈥� as her thesis project for her master鈥檚 program. According to Director of Orchestral Studies Gary Lewis, 鈥淚t will likely be the first performance of the work since the year of its composition in 1956.鈥�

Armstrong says he鈥檚 excited to conduct the overdue premiere, but also acknowledges a certain pressure that comes with the territory. 鈥淗ow do you interpret a work where there鈥檚 never been an interpretation before you?鈥� he asks. 鈥淚t feels like a lot of weight, but I continue to put myself in experimentation where you try something and you try again if it doesn鈥檛 go as you want it to.

鈥淭he biggest thing I hope audiences take away from this is that there is no 鈥榮onic monolith鈥� to Black music, even in classical music,鈥� Armstrong adds. 鈥淭here is such a wide variety of what Black composers are engaging with. I think that鈥檚 the key to opening up the door to true equity of Black composers, across the board.鈥�

The CU Symphony Orchestra will perform 鈥淪infonietta鈥濃€攁long with Emilie Mayer鈥檚鈥淔aust-Ouverture鈥� and Jean Sibelius鈥� Symphony No. 2 in D Major鈥�at 7:30pm on Nov. 16.

The career of Kedrick Armstrong鈥攇raduate orchestral conducting student鈥攊s quickly gaining momentum, including conducting the CU Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 performance of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚鈥淪infonietta鈥� next week.

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College of Music summer programs + courses

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

College of Music summer programs + courses Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/07/2022 - 00:00

MarieFaith Lane

To support our students鈥� and our community鈥檚 musical development, the College of Music offers summer session courses and richly varied summer programming, including:

From May 31-June 3, the Panoramic Flutist鈥攁 program for aspiring and professional flutists鈥攚ill host an interactive, four-day residential that includes workshops, master classes and/or private lessons, as well as experiencing faculty recitals and even enjoying yoga together.

And be sure to spread the word about Flute + Trumpet Day on June 11: Designed for high school students, this fun-filled day will include warmup sessions, classes, workshops, and performances featuring Professor of Flute Christina Jennings and Associate Professor of Trumpet Ryan Gardner.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very much looking forward to bringing high School flutists and trumpeters to CU for a day of music and community,鈥� says Jennings. 鈥淭he flutes and trumpets are sort of the pack leaders of their instrument families and bringing these shiny leaders together is a fun way of bonding and sharing the CU experience.鈥�

Adds Gardner, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great deal of fun to collaborate and to share ideas with Christina. We鈥檙e so excited to host and work with the students, to play fun music 鈥� and, most of all, to have a great time!鈥�

The college鈥檚 Summer Music Academy further presents opportunities for both high school and middle school students to receive world-class music instruction. After a two-year pandemic hiatus, join us in making music together in-person again鈥攆rom string orchestra, wind ensemble and concert band to piano.

Meanwhile, our CU New Opera Workshop (CU NOW)鈥攑art of the college鈥檚 Eklund Opera Program鈥攊s a three-week, interactive session for student singers and composers to collaborate and workshop both their own pieces and works by new opera professionals. Composer Kamala Sankaram鈥攚ho has made a name for herself composing unique works utilizing unconventional methods and ideas, including exploring the interplay of singers with electronic and digital music鈥攚ill join CU NOW this summer. Public performances of Sankaram鈥檚鈥淛oan of the City鈥� opera will take place June 17-19: stay tuned for details!

Additionally, through the CU NOW Composer Fellows鈥� Initiative, student composers will receive individualized mentorship from world-renowned Gene Scheer and Tom Cipullo to create original 20-minute operas.

For professional wind and orchestral conductors, the college鈥檚 Conducting Symposia鈥攍ed by College of Music conducting faculty and renowned guests鈥攕trengthen conducting technique, rehearsal strategies and more.

The College of Music鈥檚 Summer Master of Music Educationis designed to address a variety of interests, needs and areas of expertise for K-12 teachers. Students working toward an MME degree complete 12 hours of study in music education, 12 hours of study in music and six hours of open electives. This summer, the program will be offering a course in Music Teacher Wellness which will be co-taught by our Professor of Music Education Margaret Berg alongside Associate Professor of Music Education Frank Diaz of the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington.

Speaking of wellness, don鈥檛 miss our Alexander Technique Summer Coursethat helps change the ways in which participants think about habits and movement. The program is designed to enhance overall well-being through exploration of Alexander Technique, Body Mapping, Biotensegrity, T鈥檃i Chi and Qigong 鈥� and more.

To support our students鈥� and our community鈥檚 musical development, the College of Music offers summer session courses and richly varied summer programming.

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Two CU music Buffs among 鈥榗omposers and performers to watch鈥�

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Two CU music Buffs among 鈥榗omposers and performers to watch鈥� Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/02/2022 - 00:00

Kenna Bruner

鈥淚 was so happy with CU鈥檚 commitment to diversity.
I鈥檝e seen that reflected in so many ways. It鈥檚 been instilled in their program and is in the foreground.
It鈥檚 important for schools to dig in as innovators and leaders in preparing musicians.鈥�
藴Kedrick Armstrong

Recently, The Washington Post published an article that listed 鈥�22 composers and performers to watch in 2022.鈥� The list of classical musicians included two CU 51传媒 College of Music students: Kedrick Armstrong, a first-year master鈥檚 student in orchestral conducting and composer Anthony Green, who attended the Doctor of Musical Arts program from 2008 to 2012.

The list 鈥渞epresents a diverse variety of composers, performers and artists hitting their stride with work that resonates with the right-now,鈥� classical music critic Michael Andor Brodeur wrote in this Jan. 22 Post piece.

A young conductor takes up the baton

Armstrong, 27, has recently guest conducted with the Chicago Opera Theater, the Knox-Galesburg Symphony, the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Chicago-based RIZE Orchestra.

In its profile, the Post noted that Armstrong had 鈥渢aken a lead role in confronting issues of diversity in classical conservatory curriculum.鈥� An open letter Armstrong wrote in 2020 to the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music garnered nearly 1,000 signatories and 鈥渓ed to sweeping changes to concert repertoire,鈥� according to the profile.

Driven to learn more about music created by Black composers, Armstrong discovered the Helen Walker-Hill collection housed in the American Music Research Center at CU 51传媒. Professor Walker-Hill was an author of books on Black female composers and had amassed a collection of their works.

鈥淚 was immediately drawn to this music because much of it in the archive had not been published, performed or recorded,鈥� Armstrong said. 鈥淚 became obsessed with these composers and their music. That led me to enroll at CU.鈥�

Armstrong was working full-time in Chicago as a church music director and freelance conductor. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the resulting unrest, he felt compelled to examine his music education and saw a lack of diversity in what he had been taught. He was driven to re-educate himself to try to learn about the music of people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

鈥淚 made the decision to pave the way for future students so they can know there is this deep and rich legacy of these composers and performers,鈥� he said.

Armstrong knew he wanted to be a musician from a young age. His early experience came in the churches of South Carolina, where he played gospel music. As he grew up, he attended music schools and summer music camps and found his focus shifting to classical music. Along the way, his gospel identity fell by the wayside.

鈥淎 lot of that part of myself got lost during my years of formal studying,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 felt far removed from who I was as a young musician. But from my research, I learned there is a rich diversity of Black composers and musicians in classical music, and that really started driving the question of: Why wasn鈥檛 I taught about them as I grew up? It lit a fire in me to find a way to give a voice to something I didn鈥檛 realize I had when I was in school.鈥�

Armstrong continued, 鈥淚 was so happy with CU鈥檚 commitment to diversity. I鈥檝e seen that reflected in so many ways. It鈥檚 been instilled in their program and is in the foreground. It鈥檚 important for schools to dig in as innovators and leaders in preparing musicians. While there is still work to do, CU is doing an amazing job.鈥�

After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music history, he began applying to schools for conducting opportunities. He was turned down everywhere he applied because he was told he was 鈥渢oo young and inexperienced.鈥�

But his energy and fortitude opened doors for him. Eventually, he found an opening at DePaul University鈥檚 Opera Theatre and will lead a production of Leonard Bernstein鈥檚 Candide there this June. He鈥檒l also be making his subscription debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago next season.

鈥淚 made the best of the opportunities I鈥檝e been given,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel like the happiest boy in the world sometimes.鈥�

Inspired by Motown + mathematics

The Post's article noted that Anthony Green, too, had 鈥渢aken a lead role in confronting issues of diversity in classical conservatory curriculum.鈥� It described Green, 37, as a 鈥減rolific composer and multidisciplinary artist鈥� and 鈥渁 dynamic and unpredictable composer鈥� who 鈥渦ses music to investigate art and history and challenge existing models.鈥�

鈥淭his mention in the Post feels like an affirmation,鈥� Green said. 鈥淭he way I lead my career is to use whatever opportunity I get to try to help other people. Particularly young black composers and young queer composers. What the article meant for my career is hopefully to continue this work of helping others and bringing awareness and social justice to classical music.鈥�

In 2013, Green co-founded Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based concert and education organization centered on Black artistry, where he is the associate artistic director and composer-in-residence. Through his work and research with this organization, he came to a musical and personal epiphany about the contemporary world of classical music.

鈥淎s soon as we can overcome these antiquated, outdated and niche methods of education and performance, then we can bring this greater message to everybody that music is music,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd this music is not exclusionary.鈥�

After finishing his master鈥檚 degree, Green applied for an ATLAS fellowship in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program at CU. When he came to 51传媒 for the first time and met the faculty, Green was happy to learn they were 鈥渆clectic and experienced,鈥� and he felt he could thrive at CU.

When Green was in kindergarten, his teacher would play melodies on an old upright piano. Green watched his hands and carefully listened to the notes and then would play the melodies himself. From a young age, he was exposed to a wide variety of styles of music based on the tastes of the music people around him were listening to. Living in Providence, Rhode Island with his mother and brother, Green heard gospel and easy listening music. His older brother鈥檚 tastes gravitated to neosoul, rap, hip-hop and R&B, and some of Green鈥檚 close high school friends introduced him to alternative rock, heavy metal and pop. In the summer, he and his brother would visit their father in Arlington, Virginia, where he would listen to Motown, funk and jazz.

Green has many works and engagements in progress. He has been performing and teaching internationally in places including New York and Kenya. And he has taken advantage of opportunities in Vienna, Prague and Berlin.

In February, the Artaria String Quartet along with string players from Walker West Academy premiered his composition 鈥淛oy Diptych鈥� in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Over the last year, Green composed a concert-length piano sonata that centers on the life and legacy of author James Baldwin. Commissioned by pianist Jason Hardnik, who will perform the premiere in Salt Lake City in March. A second performance in June will happen in Rhode Island, the home state of both Green and Hardnik. This concert was partly funded by Green鈥檚 second piano teacher, Dr. Donald Rankin.

In the fall, the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble in San Francisco will perform a new chamber opera titled Tenderhooks. Using an adult comedic libretto by Mark Labowskie, Tenderhooks is an examination into how periods of isolation during a pandemic can cause people to confront themselves and become painfully aware of certain negative mindsets and behaviors.

鈥淚 work with visual artists, movement artists, spoken word artists, culinary artists, historians and designers,鈥� Green said. 鈥淢y focus is Black artistry through music.鈥�

Green likens his creativity as a faucet with a constant flow of ideas that rarely turns off.

Recently, The Washington Post listed 鈥�22 composers and performers to watch in 2022.鈥� Included were two CU 51传媒 College of Music students: Kedrick Armstrong, a first-year master鈥檚 student in orchestral conducting and composer Anthony Green, who attended our Doctor of Musical Arts program. Be inspired by the impressive trajectory of their careers and learn how both confront issues of diversity in classical conservatory curriculum.

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The transformative power of music

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

The transformative power of music Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/16/2021 - 00:00

The goal of the music+ campaign is to raise funds for the College of Music鈥檚 people, programs and initiatives, including through scholarships, community outreach, faculty research and program development.

Kedrick Terrell Armstrong is one of the students benefiting from scholarship support as he works toward a master鈥檚 in orchestral conducting. Check out the following video of Kedrick鈥檚 recent rehearsal with the CU Philharmonia Orchestra and see how your gift can support students' daily lives:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6cy5z0NyC0]

As a conductor, Kedrick uses joy and curiosity for all music to foster understanding and fellowship within diverse communities. He has conducted the Chicago Opera Theater and Knox-Galesburg Symphony and is an alumnus of the Chicago Sinfonietta鈥檚 Project Inclusion Freeman Conducting Fellowship program, where he also served as assistant conductor during the 2018-19 season.

Kedrick is on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Black Musicians and uses his voice and platform as a Black conductor to advocate for the performance, publication and preservation of minority voices in classical music. He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois with a Bachelor of Music degree in music history and literature, and he鈥檚 now working toward his master鈥檚 in orchestral conducting here at the College of Music.

We thank our donors for supporting students like Kedrick and empowering CU 51传媒 communities to create the future of artistry! To further support Kedrick and other students like him, consider making a gift to our music+ campaign by the end of the year.

Give to music+

Kedrick Terrell Armstrong is one of the students benefiting from scholarship support as he works toward a master鈥檚 in orchestral conducting.

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Pandemic workaround: Choral Conductors Colloquium

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Pandemic workaround: Choral Conductors Colloquium Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/05/2021 - 00:00

Olivia Lerwick

鈥淲hy is it important to preserve the arts? To me, that's like asking why we need air to breathe," says Raul Dominguez. "The arts are vital to human expression and therefore vital to humanity.鈥�

Indeed, Dominguez鈥攐riginally from Houston and a current choral conducting and literature doctoral student at the College of Music鈥攊s a fervent proponent of the essentiality of the arts in our lives. So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last March, he realized he needed to do something to make arts education available to students over the summer.

With a grant from the Entrepreneurship Center for Music, Dominguez founded the Choral Conductors Colloquium, partnering with prominent conductors to offer five free Zoom lectures to learning choral musicians. 鈥淲e had viewers from every continent except Antarctica," he says, further noting that participants represented more than 50 countries. 鈥淪ome participants came for one or two lectures and many watched all five. For participating CU students, we were able to offer extra credit.鈥�

Dominguez secured a webinar license from the Office of Information Technology which enabled him to direct all funding to the colloquium itself, engaging top-tier lecturers from choral programs such as St. Olaf College and the University of North Texas.

"When our own mentors foster a culture of collaboration, we students gain the ability to achieve a socially distanced connection," he adds. "That kind of access to the minds and hearts of wonderful mentors energizes me to pay it forward.鈥�

While Dominguez hoped to offer a sense of purpose and community to student conductors who couldn鈥檛 complete their summer fellowships or internships, the 2020 colloquium was much more successful than he could have anticipated. Dominguez plans a follow-up colloquium in the same virtual format this summer: stay tuned!

The COVID-19 pandemic blindsided not only arts organizations and presenters but also arts education and mentorship. Fortunately, doctoral student Raul Dominguez knew just what to do.

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Collaboration

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 20:32:06 +0000

Collaboration Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/13/2020 - 14:32

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Allan McMurray

When I was a graduate student studying conducting, my mentor recommended an autobiography by conductor Bruno Walter titled Of Music and Music-Making.

In that little book, Walter dispelled the notion that a conductor must be a tyrant (as many of his peers believed) and eloquently described his relationship with music and with those who make music. He described his craft as 鈥渃reating a spiritual communion.鈥� His words reminded me of the musical experiences that had been most meaningful to me and to this day resonate as a reason that we teach music, make music and listen to music.

Fast forward to 1978, when I joined the faculty of the College of Music. Creating and participating in musical growth with faculty and students became the fuel for 35 years of exciting collaborations.

The community of artists and scholars at the College of Music understands and desires musical connections. And with those connections come listening, anticipating, reacting, leading, following, adjusting and communicating. Students at the College of Music must listen to each other and must seek unity of style, pitch and tempo before the beauty of their music is delivered without distraction. And the example for this awakening comes from the faculty.

In my third of a century at CU, I was awakened by magical performances from faculty artists who collaborated with me and the ensembles I conducted, as well as faculty composers who entrusted us with premieres of their masterful creations. But it was not just College of Music students, faculty and staff who sought a connection: Non-music majors also participated in countless hours of dedicated rehearsal and performance, not because it was part of their curriculum, but because the opportunity to make music was a requirement of their life.

Music needs collaboration. It needs people to share in a passionate commitment to informed listening and informed intuition in real time. It needs diverse points of view that agree to create 鈥渟piritual communion鈥� in service to an artistic representation of imagination in sound. It needs historians to study where we came from and how music was conceived; it needs theorists to study and reveal the language of music; it needs composers who create new sounds in new ways; it needs performers on every instrument and every voice who bring the printed page to life while revealing their own musical DNA; and it needs recording engineers who capture the fleeting moment of beauty and save it for future audiences.

For a century, the College of Music has inspired a community of artists who celebrate the humanity within us all. And it has been one of the great honors of my life to contribute to this community with students who have enriched my life with their relentless pursuit of artistry.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Allan McMurray shares his thoughts on one of the College of Music's biggest assets.

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Conducting

2025 ECM grants help students shine

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Meet Allan McMurray: Honoring a career in service to music

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From CU 51传媒 to Denver鈥攁 music extravaganza

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Announcing a University Medal and increasing diverse representation in music

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Kedrick Armstrong conducts delayed premiere of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚 鈥淪infonietta鈥�

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College of Music summer programs + courses

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Two CU music Buffs among 鈥榗omposers and performers to watch鈥�

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The transformative power of music

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Pandemic workaround: Choral Conductors Colloquium

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Collaboration

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Kedrick Armstrong conducts delayed premiere of Irene Britton Smith鈥檚鈥淪infonietta鈥�