Grammy-Winning Artist Zach Brock Joins ��سԹ� Conservatory</h1> <article> <h1>Grammy-Winning Artist Zach Brock Joins ��سԹ� Conservatory</h1> <p>kviancou — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:52:28 +0000</p> <span>Grammy-Winning Artist Zach Brock Joins ��سԹ� Conservatory</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-06-03T10:52:28-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - 10:52">Wed, 06/03/2026 - 10:52</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In fall 2026, violinist and composer <a href="https://www.zachbrock.com">Zach Brock</a> will join the <a href="/conservatory">��سԹ� Conservatory</a> faculty as an associate professor of multi-genre performance and <a href="/improvisation">improvisation</a>.</p><p>Called “the preeminent improvising violinist of his generation” by critics, Brock possesses a background spanning chamber music, orchestral writing, and jazz improvisation. He is a three-time Grammy winner as a longstanding member of the contemporary jazz band Snarky Puppy. His recordings with the group include 2016’s <em>Culcha Vulcha</em>, 2020’s <em>Live at the Royal Albert Hall,</em> 2022’s <em>Empire Central</em>, and 2025’s <em>Somni</em>. Brock was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his 2022 solo album <em>Dirty Mindz</em>. </p><p>“I am deeply honored to join the esteemed faculty at one of the world's truly great conservatories,” Brock says. “Many of my most admired colleagues are ��سԹ� graduates, and their musicianship and collaborative spirits speak volumes about the institution.”</p><p>“We are very excited to welcome Zach to the faculty,” says Associate Professor of Jazz Studies <a href="/jay-ashby">Jay Ashby</a>. “Zach is recognized globally as one of the premier violinists in the industry, especially in regard to jazz and adjacent styles. That, coupled with his extensive background in traditional orchestral repertoire, contemporary chamber music, electronic music, and various styles of pop music, makes Zach truly unique. Importantly, Zach also readily draws upon his ability to improvise and compose while navigating these different genres, effectively blurring previously existing lines between them.”</p><p>Brock has a long relationship with ��سԹ�, having previously served as a visiting artist several times in the conservatory’s Performance and Improvisation (PI) Program during the last decade. Most recently, this included a 2025 collaboration with students in Performance and Improvisation Ensembles. <br><br>“In each of his mini-residencies, Zach has quickly demonstrated his ability to engage the students, leading them to explore new and different approaches to their instruments and helping them find more profound connections to making music—typically, in musical styles and settings that are well outside their previous musical experiences,” Ashby says.</p><p>Raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Brock trained as a classical violinist at Northwestern University and developed his improvisational voice in Chicago. After relocating to New York, he performed at Carnegie Hall at the invitation of Dave Douglas, toured internationally with Stanley Clarke, and became the first violinist to record for Criss Cross Jazz in the label’s 32-year history. </p><p>Selected for Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in 2002 and named a Rising Star Violinist by <em>DownBeat</em>, he has since collaborated with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dave Liebman, Eric Harland, Arun Ramamurthy, Matt Ulery, and many others. His trio record <em>Wonderment</em> appeared on Best of 2019 lists in <em>Downbeat</em> and <em>Jazziz</em>. As a composer, Brock premiered his orchestral suite “What Remains” for violin and string orchestra with the Lexington Chamber Orchestra in May 2026, with orchestration by composer and arranger Jochen Neuffer. </p><p>Prior to coming to ��سԹ�, Brock spent five years as Boyer Artist-in-Residence at Temple University and was on the adjunct faculty of the New School in New York City for over a decade. He is a member of the collective Brock/Lanzetti/Ogawa and regularly appears as a guest artist with the Ahn Trio. Along with his ��سԹ� appointment, Brock will continue to perform with Snarky Puppy and serve as artistic director of the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington. </p><p>“I firmly believe that the sum total of a musician is more than their professional acumen alone,” Brock says. “The truly great musical artists are also imbued with a sense of moral purpose and a vision to uplift humanity. ��سԹ� has made this a cornerstone of its values since its founding. To now have the opportunity to help shape the next generation of multi-genre artists, sending them into the world with both technical excellence and that same expansive sense of purpose, is my calling.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Snarky Puppy violinist and composer joins the faculty as associate professor of multi-genre performance and improvisation.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-06-03T12:00:00Z">Wed, 06/03/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=464502">Improvisation</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Associate Professor of Multi-Genre Performance and Improvisation Zach Brock</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Shervin Lainez</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Rollins Riffs</h1> <p>azaleski — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:10:44 +0000</p> <span>Rollins Riffs</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-26T11:10:44-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - 11:10">Tue, 05/26/2026 - 11:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div title="Page 21"><div><div><div><p>Today, the ��سԹ� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble proudly carries forth Rollins' legacy both on and off campus. </p><p>On May 25, 2026, Rollins <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/26/sonny-rollins-jazz-saxophone-dies-aged-95">died</a> at his home at the age of 95. To honor his storied life and commitment to nurturing the next generation of jazz musicians, we are republishing his conversation with ��سԹ�, which ran in the 2018 <em>��سԹ� Conservatory Magazine.</em></p><p><em>(This interview has been condensed for clarity.)</em></p><p><strong>With this gift, you’re also giving each student a command to live a life of service. How did the importance of service develop in you?</strong><br>I didn’t have much schooling. I didn’t go to university. I graduated from high school, and that was it. It was the university of the streets, as they say. After that, of course, I was very fortunate: I was talented. I had a musical gift. And I became associated with a lot of great artists who enhanced my playing. One thing that I realized was that, especially today, it’s not enough to be a gifted musician and to be able to play. It wouldn’t be enough when I was growing up, and it’s definitely not enough now. My life has shown me that you have to have something else in order to live. And a successful life is not just having a great talent. Life is about giving, not taking.</p><p>James McBride '79 was instrumental in my realizing that we could put this into the curriculum. The students have to do some kind of community service, and that’s all to understand that a successful life is about giving back. That way you’re honoring this great gift that you have.</p><p><strong>You played with many of jazz’s all-time greatest musicians. What would you want future generations to know about them?</strong><br>It’s been a learning process, and I am still learning, of course, which is what makes it all so beautiful. One of the things that I’d like to try to get the students to understand is that the great people that I’ve been fortunate to play with...they were all beautiful people. Each one of them. They were all good people.</p><p>So if these students want to think about some guys that they know ... whether it be Miles Davis or Coltrane or Thelonious Monk or Bud Powell, Charlie Parker ... They were good people in very hard situations, and they exemplified what I would like to see these students try to emulate, as well as emulating their music. Like [��سԹ� Jazz Studies founder] Wendell Logan. I didn’t even know Wendell Logan, but I knew of him. And that’s the type of spirit that these students should have. ��سԹ� is the perfect place to try to preach that to them.</p><p><strong>Your gift to ��سԹ� will have a resounding impact on young musicians for many years to come. How does that make you feel?</strong><br>Well, it’s beyond words. I don’t know. It’s too much to conceive of. I just hope that it helps the big picture along. I hope it’s a positive help in the world and in the society that we live in. I just hope that these talented people coming out of a great institution— the greatest, ��سԹ�—that they really shed light wherever they go, wherever they play, wherever they sing, wherever it is they do what they do. Shed light and realize that life is about the golden rule.</p></div></div></div></div></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">In 2017, the sax master reflected on his life in music and his connection to ��سԹ�.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-05-26T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/26/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When Sonny Rollins gave a generous gift to ��سԹ� College in 2017 to establish the <a href="/news/jazz-legend-sonny-rollins-designates-major-gift-oberlin">��سԹ� Conservatory of Music Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble Fund</a>, the jazz legend spoke to the college about the gift and the importance of service. </p><div title="Page 21"><div><div><div><p>"It’s an honor and a privilege to be involved in any way with ��سԹ�," said Rollins, who performed at the college many times in his storied career. </p></div></div></div></div></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Sonny Rollins, photographed for the 2018 ��سԹ� Conservatory magazine</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">John Abbott</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Tenor Limmie Pulliam ’98, Who Sang on Stages Worldwide, Dies at 50</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:27:23 +0000</p> <span>Tenor Limmie Pulliam ’98, Who Sang on Stages Worldwide, Dies at 50</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-20T12:27:23-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 12:27">Wed, 05/20/2026 - 12:27</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Dramatic tenor Limmie Pulliam, a 1998 graduate of ��سԹ� Conservatory who gave life to a host of leading opera roles and as a classical soloist on prominent stages across America and around the globe—and whose unlikely rise to fame after years away from music buoyed the dreams of performers everywhere—has died. He was 50.</p><p>Last week, Pulliam had been the tenor soloist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8.</p><p>Raised in Kennett, Missouri, Pulliam, the son of a preacher, grew up singing in his church choir before his passion for classical music took shape. At ��سԹ�, he was a student of the legendary voice professor Richard Miller, who played a vital role in developing Pulliam’s remarkably powerful sound.</p><p>Soon after graduating, however, Pulliam found himself disillusioned over concerns related to his weight and the audition rejections and body shaming he was subjected to as a result of it. For 12 years, he pursued work as a debt collector and security guard—even operating his own security business. For most of that time, he seldom even thought of music, let alone sang.</p><p>Pulliam’s rediscovery of his own voice came in the unlikeliest of ways: While working as an organizer for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign in Missouri, he was invited to sing the National Anthem when the scheduled singer backed out.</p><p>The performance, and several others that followed, signaled to Pulliam that his voice had matured and grown in size in the years since his ��سԹ� training. It reignited his interest in exploring where he might go with it. His formal return to the stage happened at age 36, with a performance in the National Opera Association’s vocal competition. </p><p>In November 2024, <a href="/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-14">Pulliam discussed his career trajectory</a> with ��سԹ� President Carmen Twillie Ambar on the <em>Running to the Noise</em> podcast. In it, he revealed how he revisited old videotapes of his sessions with Professor Miller.</p><p>"It was almost like riding a bicycle," he recalled. "As I began to work with the tapes, the coordination began to come back." </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Gifted singer became a regular presence on the ��سԹ� campus where he honed his craft.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-05-20T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/20/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2412">Obituaries</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Limmie Pulliam, in an October 2022 preview performance of "The Ordering of Moses" with the ��سԹ� Orchestra and ��سԹ� choirs in Finney Chapel. The following month, the musicians presented the work at Carnegie Hall.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yevhen Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="body-centered-layout"> <div class="side-caption pull captioned-image" data-caption-position="right"> <div id="obj-51027" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--default"> <figure> <figcaption> <div class="figure__caption"><p>Limmie Pulliam performing the title role in <em>The Ordering of Moses</em> with the ��سԹ� Orchestra and ��سԹ� choirs at Carnegie Hall in January 2023.</p></div> <div class="figure__credit"><p>Photo credit: Fadi Kheir</p></div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-51029" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>As Pulliam’s career resurgence took shape, so did his involvement with ��سԹ�, where he delighted in working with students on projects and in rehearsals.</p><p>His on-campus collaborations included singing the title role in<em> The Ordering of Moses</em>, an oratorio penned by 1908 ��سԹ� alum R. Nathaniel Dett. The work, performed by the ��سԹ� Orchestra and ��سԹ� choirs in January 2023, marked Pulliam’s Carnegie Hall debut.</p><p>The previous month, he had made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Radamès in Verdi’s <em>Aida</em>. He was the first Black singer in the history of the Met to perform the role.</p><p>Also in 2023, Pulliam debuted with the Cleveland Orchestra in the title role of a semi-staged production of Verdi’s <em>Otello</em>.</p><p>“He has an amazing voice,” Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst said in an interview with cleveland.com. “I’ve not heard a better Otello in a very long time. He really is quite something."</p><p>Within days of Pulliam’s Carnegie Hall premiere, he was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/23/arts/music/limmie-pulliam-opera-body-shaming.html">featured in a <em>New York Times</em> story</a> with the headline “He Quit Singing Because of Body Shaming. Now He’s Making a Comeback.” </p><p>Former First Lady Michelle Obama called out Pulliam on Facebook in February 2023, recalling his initial performance on her husband’s campaign and his spate of debut performances. “Limmie, I’m so proud of you,” she wrote. “Your story is incredible and I hope you know how much you are inspiring people to never give up on their dreams.”</p><p>In 2024, Pulliam was one of several ��سԹ� contemporaries who reunited for a collaborative concert production of <a href="/news/coming-full-circle"><em>Omar</em></a>, the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera by Rhiannon Giddens ’01 and Michael Abels. He sang the title role alongside his longtime friends and collaborators Giddens, bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch ’98, and baritone Michael Preacely ’01. Another prominent ��سԹ� alum, John Kennedy ’82, conducted the performance. Pulliam and Giddens <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/12/07/nx-s1-5214629/former-oberlin-students-return-to-the-finney-chapel-for-a-performance-of-omar" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.npr.org/2024/12/07/nx-s1-5214629/former-oberlin-students-return-to-the-finney-chapel-for-a-performance-of-omar&source=gmail&ust=1779387380018000&usg=AOvVaw1eYJvhZRUrjDMa_V07hkWj">spoke with NPR</a> about the experience of returning to campus to perform the opera.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="body-centered-layout"> <div class="side-caption pull captioned-image" data-caption-position="left"> <div id="obj-51030" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--default"> <figure> <figcaption> <div class="figure__caption"><p>Pulliam performing the title role in Rhiannon Giddens' <em>Omar</em> in Finney Chapel in December 2024.</p></div> <div class="figure__credit"><p>Photo credit: Mike Crupi</p></div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-51032" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Pulliam derived great joy from his work with ��سԹ� students, and he offered them a word of support in his podcast conversation with Ambar.</p><p>“Don’t be afraid to face your fears, to step out of your comfort zone, to be persistent in your work, to be consistent in your work, and don’t let a <em>no</em> deter you from continuing to push forward,” he said.</p><p>“It’s up to us to take control of our own destinies and to define ourselves, as opposed to allowing other people to define us.”</p><p>In October 2025, ��سԹ� students attended Pulliam’s performance as soloist in Mahler's <em>Song of the Earth</em> with the Cleveland Orchestra, after which the orchestra hosted a reception for Pulliam and his ��سԹ� guests. In February of this year, a busload of ��سԹ� students experienced Pulliam’s performance in <em>Turandot</em> at Detroit Music Hall.</p><p>Most recently, Pulliam returned to campus to honor the late Daune Mahy, a longtime voice professor whom the conservatory celebrated with a memorial concert in early March. Pulliam sang Richard Strauss’ <em>Zueignung</em> (<em>von Gilm</em>).</p><p>“Limmie was an extraordinary, powerful artist,” says Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen. “Even more, he was a deeply good, kind-hearted, funny, brilliant, and generous colleague and friend who transformed the lives of everyone he met. His performances with our students were life-changing for all involved. On behalf of everyone at ��سԹ�, we send deepest condolences to Limmie's family, friends, classmates, and loved ones. He was a remarkable artist, and we will miss him greatly.”</p><p>In his podcast conversation, Pulliam’s reaction to achieving notoriety later in life offered a fitting example of that big-hearted generosity. “I hope [my story] inspired others to just really know not to ever give up on their dreams,” he said.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Where Sound Takes Shape</h1> <p>azaleski — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:08:37 +0000</p> <span>Where Sound Takes Shape</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-27T15:08:37-04:00" title="Monday, April 27, 2026 - 15:08">Mon, 04/27/2026 - 15:08</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When Riley Newfield ’29 applied early decision to ��سԹ�, he hadn’t yet been admitted to the conservatory—he just knew the campus felt right. A guitarist who spent the pandemic learning Metallica and Black Sabbath, he first encountered studio work in high school while watching an engineer record his band, I’d Rather Sleep. “Being on the performance side of that process, I was really intrigued and wanted to learn more about how that works,” Newfield says. Now the student from Albany, California, who’s planning to pursue a Double Degree in music and Africana studies, is part of the inaugural cohort of the <a href="/recording-arts" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="402c1e04-2ddd-46fe-b48c-9a69b81fa8fc" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Recording Arts and Production">recording arts and production</a> (RA&P) major.</p><p>��سԹ� launched the major in fall 2024 in response to intense interest in a previous recording arts program geared toward postgraduates, says Associate Professor of Recording Arts and Production <a href="/andrew-garver" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c2576c7e-0d64-4d75-854a-cc9a71376cf1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Andrew Garver">Andrew Garver</a>, the cochair alongside Director of Conservatory Audio Services Andrew Tripp. That interest only continued to grow: Garver says they were aiming to enroll three students in the major’s first class but immediately expanded the program to six students per year due to the number of applicants.</p><p>Housed in the conservatory’s Division of Contemporary Music alongside composition and the electronic music-geared <a href="/timara" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="500cfe71-d37f-407d-82c5-11212e7ba0af" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="TIMARA">TIMARA</a>, the program is grounded in both musical fluency and technical skill. Students take courses in aural skills, music theory, and audio engineering. They also work in the conservatory’s recording studio in Clonick Hall, which Garver describes as the audio equivalent of an IMAX theater: “You can hear every detail of what you’re doing.”</p><p>“A lot of what we learn in our first year is, ‘How do you plug a mic in correctly? How do you wrap a cable?’” Newfield says. “You get good at it—you get fast at it—by just doing it over and over.”</p><h3>A tailored approach</h3><p>By their second year, students are in the studio class alongside first-year students, recording several large ensemble performances a semester. “It’s about getting your hands dirty,” says Jay Musasa ’28, “navigating sound equipment, setting everything up for a performance—with large ensembles, the approach to recording is more sophisticated than a regular student recital.” </p><p>Musasa, a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Zimbabwe, came to ��سԹ� with experience in production and recording, but he hadn’t formally trained in music. “My idea of a studio session was doing top-line songwriting with a vocalist,” he says. “The approach to that is totally different from when you’re doing recording sessions for an orchestra or with classical music.”</p><p>Ultimately, Musasa was drawn to ��سԹ� for the opportunity to study music alongside business within a liberal arts curriculum. He produced his first album in high school, collaborating with Blank Space Records in South Africa, before signing a distribution deal with EMPIRE Africa. Musasa records music under the name WUNDERCHILD., blending his African roots with contemporary sounds. When he arrived on campus, he worried his sound wouldn’t fit. “Most of the music I make is a far cry from what a lot of other students here are playing and making,” Musasa says. “But the more I’ve grown, the less I feel out of place.”</p><p>The program gets more tailored as students progress. By the third year, students take on independent projects, choosing electives to specialize in live sound, studio work, or wherever their interests lead.</p><p>Musasa’s goal is to create music professionally with other artists and eventually compose for film. “The world of songwriting and producing isn’t something where you get a 9-to-5 job,” he says. “That’s part of why I decided to also get a business degree—I could channel it toward my music dreams.”</p><figure role="group" class="align-center"> <div> </div> <figcaption>Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> <p> </p><h3>Professional preparation</h3><p>Before joining the conservatory faculty in 2015, Tripp worked at Music@Menlo, at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and as a freelance engineer in Cincinnati. Garver, who came to ��سԹ� in 2022, is a Grammy-nominated mastering engineer with more than 30 years in the industry. He worked at A&M Studios, cutting lacquer masters for vinyl—a high-stakes process with no margin for error—for albums by artists like U2, Rage Against the Machine, and Madonna. </p><p>Tripp and Garver bring complementary strengths to the major—the former on the musical side, the latter on the technical. In their classrooms, they focus less on specific gear or software and more on fundamentals. </p><p>“There’s the hobby approach, where you’re doing it for yourself and you’re really your own critic,” Garver says. “And then there’s doing this for other people. How do you get your expertise up to the level where people want to pay for the work you’re doing?</p><p>“It’s not just sitting in class talking theoretically about gear,” he adds. “It’s more, ‘Here are the pieces of gear—now go use them.’”</p><p>For Newfield, that has meant unlearning what he calls “privileging myself in the process” and instead focusing on supporting a performance from behind the scenes. After getting his start running sound for high school theater, he’s leaned into theatrical audio at ��سԹ�, working as a sound designer or assistant sound designer on student productions including<em> Legally Blonde</em> and the student-written <em>Eurydice Tells Orpheus Goodbye</em>. </p><p>“It’s another way that I can be part of a performance through the expertise I’ve gained,” he says, citing things like making sure the audience for a musical in Wilder Main Theater can hear the singers over the pit band. “Once you’re going, you’re going. There’s no going back and fixing something. It’s happening in the moment.”</p><p>For Garver, that’s ultimately what the training is for: catching dream moments in action. </p><hr><p><em>Visit </em><a href="/conservatory" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9a9d04b-de53-47ef-8849-cb239abb537d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Conservatory of Music"><em>��سԹ� Conservatory </em></a><em>to explore more music opportunities for students.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">��سԹ�’s recording arts and production major prepares students for a career in live performance and studio work.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-29T12:00:00Z">Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Elizabeth Weinstein ’02</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=184446">Recording Arts and Production</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/andrew-garver" hreflang="und">Andrew Garver</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>��سԹ� Music Theater Brings "The World Goes ’Round" to Playhouse Square</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:32:52 +0000</p> <span>��سԹ� Music Theater Brings "The World Goes ’Round" to Playhouse Square</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-17T16:32:52-04:00" title="Friday, April 17, 2026 - 16:32">Fri, 04/17/2026 - 16:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>��سԹ� Music Theater takes center stage this spring with <em>The World Goes ’Round</em>, presented in partnership with Great Lakes Theater. Running May 16-17, 2026, at the Hanna Theatre in Playhouse Square, the production brings the music of Kander and Ebb to one of Northeast Ohio’s premier stages. The Cleveland performances build on an earlier run of the same production and cast, first staged in January 2026 at Hidden Valley Theatre in Carmel Valley, California. </p><p>Conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, and David Thompson, <em>The World Goes ’Round</em> is a revue celebrating the legendary songwriting team behind Cabaret, Chicago, and more. Directed by ��سԹ� Assistant Professor of Music Theater Alex Sanchez, an award-winning choreographer who worked with Susan Stroman in <em>Big The Musical</em> on Broadway, and featuring music direction by ��سԹ� Music Theater Ensemble Director Dale Rieling, the production showcases ��سԹ�’s emerging performers in a fast-paced evening of musical theater.</p><p>Winner of three Drama Desk Awards in its original production, the show weaves together iconic songs such as “Mr. Cellophane,” “Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret,” and “New York, New York.” The result is a blend of humor, romance, and drama set amid a larger narrative of human perseverance and hope.</p><p>For Sanchez, the material is both nostalgic and meaningful. “My first experience with Kander and Ebb was performing in the musical <em>Chicago</em> at my high school,” he says. “Though the content of the show was clearly more mature than my age, I recognized the humor of the lyrics and the catchiness of the melodies. We also recognized how the content had a lot of witty commentary on the corruption of politics and media.”</p><p>At its heart, <em>The World Goes ’Round</em> reflects what Sanchez describes as the full spectrum of the human experience. “Kander and Ebb themes can be categorized as the fighting spirit,” he says. “Their songs embody a yearning for a better life…and celebrate the spirit in the face of despair and challenges.” </p><p>That sense of resilience pulses throughout the production, making it especially fitting for a collaboration that connects ��سԹ�’s Music Theater program with the professional stage at Great Lakes Theater. “It is my hope that you will experience this wonderful journey with us and walk away feeling hopeful and humming these glorious tunes on your way home,” adds Sanchez.</p><p>EVENT DETAILS:<br>Show times are May 16 & 17 at 7:30pm and May 17 at 3pm. <br>The Hanna Theater, 2067 East 14th Street Cleveland, Ohio 44115<br><br>TICKET INFORMATION: General admission tickets, $36.00 ($24.00 for those 25 and under with ID), are available <a href="https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/the-world-goes-round">online</a>, via the Box Office at Playhouse Square or by phone by calling<br>(216)241-6000.<br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kander and Ebb’s hit-filled revue runs May 16-17 at the Hanna Theatre in partnership with Great Lakes Theater</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-17T12:00:00Z">Fri, 04/17/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Team</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-welsh" hreflang="und">Laura Welsh</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Sherman Chu</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <p>srasmuss — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:32:54 +0000</p> <span>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-09T15:32:54-04:00" title="Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 15:32">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 15:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In Richard Goode’s mental directory of acoustically great places, Finney Chapel easily makes the list.</p><p>“ I think about places partly in terms of how the hall sounds,” he says. So when he finds venues with fabulous acoustics, “I remember them with great affection. The atmosphere was so perfect that when you played, you felt that everything mattered.”</p><p>The highly-respected American pianist, known for his interpretation of Mozart and Beethoven, has performed on the ��سԹ� Artist Recital Series quite a few times. It’s been nine years since his last appearance in Finney. “I don’t remember what I played,” he says. “I just remember how good it felt.”</p><p>On Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m., Goode will return to Finney Chapel and the Artist Recital Series with his program <a href="/events/richard-goode-piano">“Fancies and Goodnights.”</a> He will pair that personally curated selection of short works with two sonatas by Mozart and Schubert.</p><p>The “Fancies and Goodnights” title comes from John Collier’s short story collection of the same name. Collier’s stories are funny, weird, and even a little cruel, so Goode found the name fitting for a group of off-the-beaten-path pieces. “I’m not terribly one for encores,” he says, “so there were these pieces that I couldn’t find a place for.”</p><p>Not to mention, the title just has a certain ring to it. “ Most of the pieces that we play and love are called sonata or symphony or impromptu or something like that, but poetic names are lovely.”</p><p>The nine pieces are presented in roughly chronological order and span five centuries, from Carlo Gesualdo in 1603 to Leoš Janáček in 1900. Goode says he felt “absolutely stunned” by Gesualdo’s “O vos omnes” from Sacred Cantiones for Five Voices, Book 1.</p><p>“ I’m simply playing the voices on the piano. I’m not arranging it in any way,” he explains. “I think it’s such a remarkable work that I’m just happy to be able to play it.”</p><p>For some pieces, he remembers exactly how he first heard them. A recording by Rachmaninoff introduced him to G. Sgambati’s transcription of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Eurydice — “one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.” And he once heard a recital by Glenn Gould that championed the music of William Byrd, leading Goode to discover Byrd’s My Ladye Nevells Booke.</p><p>Meanwhile, Georges Bizet’s Adagietto from L’Arlesienne (trans. L. Godowsky) is a memento of Goode’s years at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, where he first attended as a teenager and served as co-artistic director with Mitsuko Uchida for 14 years.</p><p>Although Goode has performed Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Legende, Op. 16, No. 1 in the past, he only recently grew to recognize Paderewski’s musicianship. “I had never really appreciated his music fully before,” he says. Legende “is a very sentimental piece, but really very beautiful.”</p><p>Franz Schubert’s Ungarische Melodie and two pieces by Jean-Philippe Rameau — The Assembly of the Birds and The Indiscreet One — add some warmth and levity to the proceedings. Eventually, the set comes to an end with Leoš Janáček’s aptly-titled “Dobrou Noc!” (Good Night!), from On an Overgrown Path.</p><p>Bookending the musical short stories sit two longer pieces — one of Goode’s favorite Mozart’s piano sonatas, the A Minor, K. 310, and Schubert Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D.960. The Schubert sonata is one of Goode’s signature pieces. At around 37 minutes long, it “ really requires such a long span of tension,” he says. Although “I don’t play the repeat, which I think asks maybe a little too much of the listener.”</p><p>Another thing Goode is known for is his love of books. As his bio mentions, he lives in New York City with his wife, Marcia, and their collection of some 5,000 volumes. But as to whether he’ll be visiting MindFair Books or any other bookstores during his visit to ��سԹ�, he says the jury is still out. “ I have bought too many books, so I try not to indulge myself.”</p><p>However, something he’s sure he will be doing is teaching a masterclass with conservatory piano students. “I learn a great deal by listening to people’s various approaches to pieces,” he says. “So I’m looking forward to that.”</p><p>Concert Details<br>Richard Goode, piano<br>7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2025<br>��سԹ� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>��سԹ�, OH 44074<br><br>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=20001">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at ��سԹ� College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.<br><br>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled ��سԹ� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. <br><br>Learn more about the Arts at ��سԹ�.<br><br>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree at ��سԹ� while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette,<em> and </em>Carnegie Hall.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The acclaimed pianist returns to the Artist Recital Series on April 29 with the charmingly curated “Fancies and Goodnights,” along with works by Mozart and Schubert.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:57:34 +0000</p> <span>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:57:34-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 12:57">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:235px;"> </div> <p>When creating programs for concerts or recording projects, Associate Professor of Voice <a href="/katherine-jolly">Katherine Jolly</a> creates a blend of the familiar and the challenging. In addition to teaching, the soprano is dedicated to growing an audience for art song, an intimate, Western style of composition that places poetry and music on equal footing. “I’m trying to get back to a place where art song is a normal part of life, like it used to be, rather than this obtuse, fancy thing.” </p><p>It’s with this ear for poetry that Jolly released her new album, <a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6803"><em>No Ordinary Woman</em></a> (Navona Records/PARMA Recordings), in January with pianist Emily Yap Chua. This album, her first since her 2019 debut <em>Preach Sister, Preach</em>, features three song cycles that are intimate reflections on different sorts of love and on womanhood. </p><p>Two were commissioned and composed for Jolly: <em>Nikki’s Love Songs</em>, a song cycle with poetry by writer and civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni set to music by Dominic DiOrio, and <em>Love in Times of War</em>, which contains texts written and set by composer Carla Lucero. Rounding out the album is the 1997 song cycle <em>No Ordinary Woman</em> by former conservatory faculty member Gwyneth Walker, based on poems by the writer and teacher Lucille Clifton. This is the first label recording of this cycle.</p><p>“There's a lot of humor in the melodic treatments, and you can hear it in, for example, Giovanni’s ‘Good Omelet,’” Jolly says of the music on <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>. “You can also hear the humor in Walker’s ‘Homage to My Hair’ and in Lucero’s ‘Electric.’ If I'm going to present something that's a little more challenging for the audience, then there has to be at least one or two sets where people walk away singing something. My goal is to champion living composers and new works, so that we are welcoming current and future audiences to a space where we create beauty and light."</p><p>Jolly recorded the album over a joyful and intense three-day span in ��سԹ�’s Clonick Hall, with brief cat naps in between takes to stay sharp. Below, she discusses the album’s gestation and her passion for making art song accessible to all, reflecting current times and, in this case, women’s journeys. </p><p><strong>What sparked your interest in recording this album?</strong></p><p>I grew up in a highly musical and writer-conscious household. Nikki Giovanni’s book <em>Love Poems</em> came out when I was a junior in college. At the time, I thought, “Someday I want to have these set to a cycle for me.” This is really a long-term career goal and passion project for me. I have relationships with everyone involved in this album. I’m so grateful.</p><p><strong>Did you speak with Giovanni before she passed away in 2024?</strong></p><p>Yes, I reached out to Professor Giovanni in 2020 to ask for her permission to set some of her poetry. I came home one day to a handwritten card from her in the mail. I’m going to frame it; I’ve been an ardent reader and fan of hers for so long. My parents followed her work, long before I was born.</p><p>Nikki graciously affirmed that she would be honored to have some of the poems from her book, <em>Love Poems</em>, set by one of my best friends, Dominic DiOrio, and that she'd be honored if I would sing them. </p><p><strong>Which poems did you choose?</strong></p><p>This particular album is all about love. Nikki’s poetry celebrates different kinds of love—like aging love or playful love that's very sensual or even spicy. Dominic and I chose the poems that resonated with us. Everyone should have this book of poetry; there is something for everyone.</p><p><strong>Let’s talk about the second set, </strong><em><strong>No Ordinary Woman</strong></em><strong>. How did you settle on Lucille Clifton’s poetry?</strong></p><p>Soprano Kylie Kreucher ’23, a junior at the time, was accepted into the prestigious voice program at Music Academy of the West. So we were tasked with creating a program that had a meaningful theme. For Kylie, it was about female empowerment and unheard voices. So I looked for art songs across time periods that spoke to her and found Walker’s “Homage to My Hips.” It was perfect for the theme.</p><p>Then I began exploring the rest of the cycle and programmed it multiple times: on campus; with Cincinnati Song Initiative; and in guest recitals throughout the country. Women around my age or a little older waited post-recital to share about how this cycle, <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>, resonated with them. The final song in the set is really about aging gracefully. This cycle feels very much like how I want to see myself, and my students keep telling me, “Dr. J, I can just hear your laughter in these.”</p><p><strong>And the third set, </strong><em><strong>Love in Times of War?</strong></em></p><p>Carla Lucero has shaken things up in the opera world; she is a force and an incredible composer. This cycle grew out of conversations between us. A lot of what she's written is based on my personality. There are snappy sections and references to cats at the piano, and it grew into an interesting concept to think about falling in love with somebody that you didn't intend to fall in love with. Vocally and musically, it is very challenging, so I look forward to bringing it to audiences and staging it. It was designed to be operatic in scope, and we've talked about orchestrating it and making it a one-woman, one-act orchestral show. </p><p><strong>What’s next for you?</strong></p><p>I’m working on my next album already! I have had a really lovely operatic career; now, mostly I’m focused on recital and chamber works, singing with symphonies, and teaching. Not only am I still singing, I'm singing and creating. So many of my colleagues at ��سԹ� are doing the same, juggling performing, recording, creating, and teaching. What a gift for our students and our community. What a gift for us.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">New album by ��سԹ� associate professor of voice includes three song cycles about womanhood, femininity, and aging gracefully.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/katherine-jolly" hreflang="und">Katherine Jolly</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>��سԹ� Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:55:50 +0000</p> <span>��سԹ� Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T09:55:50-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 09:55">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:55</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>��سԹ�’s Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space is about to get a little…<em>stranger</em>. </p><p>Beginning April 23, ��سԹ� Music Theater invites audiences to Hawkins, Indiana, circa 1983—a time when hair was bigger and unsupervised children were snatched by interdimensional creatures. The occasion is <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical"><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em></a>, an over-the-top take on the hit Netflix series in all its campy 1980s glory.</p><p>Created by Jonathan Hogue, the award-nominated musical follows Mike, Eleven, Lucas, and Dustin as they face dancing monsters, teenage drama, and a trip to the Upside Down—the name for Hawkins' dark alternate dimension—this time with plenty of laughs. Critics have called the show “screwy” and “non-stop fun,” praising its ability to capture the “glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.”</p><p>Directed by Assistant Professor of Music Theater <a href="/laura-welsh">Laura Welsh</a>, with musical direction by Sarah Nelson and choreography by second-year music theater major Valeria Flores, ��سԹ�’s production leans into the humor and heart of the original production. “I'm a huge sci-fi fan and a child of the ’80s," says Welsh, "and this production is designed to revisit highlights of the series and the decade that inspired it in a joyful and humorous way.”</p><p>That sense of play extends beyond the stage, and Welsh warns that viewers seated in the front rows should be ready to participate. “The first rows are our ‘audience interaction seats’—ticket buyers beware! If you sit there, you will hold props, give high-fives, wear costume pieces, and be incorporated as part of the set.” Viewers sitting further back can still expect a “fun romp through ’80s archetypes” without the expectation of being part of the show.</p><p>Behind the scenes, Welsh adds, students are enjoying the trial and error of comedy. “Comedy is fun, but it’s hard work. Jokes are like math equations—they have to be carefully balanced.” The collaborative process has been especially rewarding: “Our students bring in amazing ideas, and then we shape them together, moment by moment, scene by scene. We all laugh a lot along the way.”</p><hr><p><em><strong>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</strong></em><strong> runs April 23 through May 3, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. Welsh suggests arriving early for pre-show music bingo and prizes. </strong></p><hr><p><strong>CONTENT ADVISORY: </strong><em>Stranger Sings!</em> <em>The Parody Musical</em> contains mature themes and situations, including strong language, suggestive content, and gun violence (including gun shot sound effects). This production also uses strobe lighting, which may affect photosensitive viewers, and theatrical fog and haze throughout the performance.</p><p><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em> has no relation to Netflix.<br><br><strong>TICKET INFORMATION: </strong>General admission tickets at $15 ($10 for students and seniors), available <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical">online</a>, by phone (800-371-0178), or in person by visiting ��سԹ�'s Central Ticket Service (67 N. Main St., in the lobby of the Nord Performing Arts Complex) from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Award-nominated parody delivers "screwy...non-stop fun" revisiting the glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=476332">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-welsh" hreflang="und">Laura Welsh</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>��سԹ� Faculty Earn Ohio Arts Council Excellence Awards</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:58:59 +0000</p> <span>��سԹ� Faculty Earn Ohio Arts Council Excellence Awards</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-10T16:58:59-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 16:58">Tue, 03/10/2026 - 16:58</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Six faculty members representing ��سԹ�’s creative writing, theater, and music composition programs are among 77 Ohio artists honored by the Ohio Arts Council. Each received a 2026 Individual Excellence Award—a $5,000 grant that recognizes outstanding artistic achievement across a range of disciplines. </p><p>The awards provide artists with the resources to experiment and explore their art forms, develop skills, advance their careers, and receive affirmation and recognition for their outstanding work. The winners were selected through an anonymous, open-panel review process that focused solely on exceptional artistic achievement. </p><p>This year, the Ohio Arts Council received 469 applications from artists across the state. ��سԹ�’s recipients, and their respective award categories, are:</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="ec38c8ef0a8a0430492fc4ed4caa44b0c"><a href="/kari-barclay">Assistant Professor of Theater Kari Barclay</a> (playwriting)</li><li data-list-item-id="e90907cd44b649ee1b7a681dc4a831519"><a href="/emily-barton">Associate Professor and Chair of Creative Writing Emily Barton</a> (arts criticism)</li><li data-list-item-id="e8d07e609b4e48901b60e68684b5c3679"><a href="/amanda-hodes">Lecturer of Creative Writing Amanda Hodes</a> (poetry)</li><li data-list-item-id="ec167f1a6f5fad04510b1f24128792813"><a href="/elizabeth-rogers">Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers</a> (poetry)</li><li data-list-item-id="eb0508d81f54009c8d1b16275a243038b"><a href="/ghassan-abou-zeineddine">Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Ghassan Zeineddine</a> (fiction)</li><li data-list-item-id="e25973b4d95c16047973c18972652909c"><a href="/jesse-jones">Associate Professor of Composition Jesse Jones</a> (music composition)</li></ul><p>“Our communities are full of artists who make their livelihoods, hone their crafts, start their businesses, and share their talents right here in the Buckeye State,” says Donna S. Collins, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council. “By supporting outstanding artists, we recognize the value of individual creativity and the essential role that arts and culture play in our lives.”</p><p><a href="https://oac.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/iea-fy-2026?fbclid=IwY2xjawPon8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEegu5JkMqtuBfAbHyscwLhqmMR7aBtnKjUuLKwA-PQT0XdQnsDOQaAWunQrxQ_aem_7SDIbHZs_kPlM1UJwCTqcQ">Learn more about the awards on the Ohio Arts Council website.</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Highly competitive program awards $5,000 grants recognizing outstanding artistic achievement.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/10/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4290">BA/BFA</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/emily-barton" hreflang="und">Emily Barton</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jesse-jones" hreflang="und">Jesse Jones</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/kari-barclay" hreflang="und">Kari Barclay</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/elizabeth-rogers" hreflang="und">Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers ’07</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ghassan-abou-zeineddine" hreflang="und">Ghassan Abou-Zeineddine</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">��سԹ�'s Ohio Arts Council honorees for 2026 (clockwise from top left): Kari Barclay, Emily Barton, Amanda Hodes, Jesse Jones, Ghassan Zeineddine, and Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers.<br> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to ��سԹ�</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:48:30 +0000</p> <span>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to ��سԹ�</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-06T11:48:30-05:00" title="Friday, March 6, 2026 - 11:48">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 11:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jazz, with its focus on improvisation and unique rhythms, is arguably human expression at its freest. It is an art form that rewards boldness, and few artists epitomize boldness more than composer and bassist Linda May Han Oh. Performing <em>The Glass Hours</em> on March 19 in Finney Chapel, Oh and her quintet will bring a stirring energy to ��سԹ�’s Artist Recital Series, uniting audiences through profound, innovative compositions.</p><p>Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia, Oh’s musical career began as a teen playing bass in Red Hot Chili Peppers cover bands. Her love of rock would evolve into a pursuit of jazz, where she enhanced her skills and visibility by performing with masters like Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, and Dave Douglas. </p><p>From these early collaborations, Oh learned to pay homage to the genre’s roots in her practice. “Jazz has a history that’s born out of struggle,” she says, “I think there’s a necessity, out of respect for that history, to really pay attention to the people who made it what it is.”</p><p>After learning from other musicians, Oh became a bandleader and composer herself, receiving acclaim across the jazz world. She shared the 2023 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with multiple artists for the collaborative work <em>New Standards</em> Vol. 1 and has earned multiple honors as Bassist of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association. Her career has even extended to film, where she has scored documentaries and contributed to the Oscar-winning soundtrack for Pixar’s <em>Soul</em> (she even makes an animated cameo in the film). </p><p>For her ��سԹ� concert, Oh and her quintet will primarily draw from their 2023 album, <em>The Glass Hours</em>, a meditative work exploring life, time, and the relationship they share. </p><p>Audiences can also look forward to <em>Invisible Threads</em>, an ambitious recent commission that weaves together multiple narratives. “It explores how humanity is bound in extricable ways beyond what we feel and know—that there is more that unites us than separates us,” Oh says of the work.</p><p>Oh will also sample <em>Strange Heavens</em>, a new album released last year. “It’s based on the idea that humans prefer a familiar hell rather than search for an unfamiliar heaven,” she says</p><p>As these synopses show, Oh is unafraid to tackle profound, sometimes challenging themes in her work. “A lot of this music is from personal experience, but also just my desire to express myself … to use this improvised music genre to give out personal messages and emotions that I can’t put into words.” </p><p>For example, the track “Jus Ad Bellum” covers war and draws on the artist’s time studying human rights law. “It is essentially my prayer for peace,” Oh says. The concert will also explore uplifting, hopeful subjects, with “Hatchling” serving as a celebration of life and a letter to Oh’s young son. </p><p>Oh’s intentional use of jazz to explore deep, personal themes traces back to one of her biggest musical inspirations: renowned bassist Charles Mingus. “I’ve always admired his fearlessness and want to embody a bit of that when I play. He’s not afraid to be provocative with his musical voice,” she says. </p><p>Alongside thematic boldness, Oh’s concert will be packed with musical innovation. This includes genre influences ranging from funk to progressive rock, as well as electronic effects programmed by quintet pianist Fabian Almazan. </p><p>The performance will also integrate many improvisations, which Oh credits to the talent of her fellow musicians. “There are ways that we navigate this music each night that are so vastly different. [The musicians] are quick to latch on to different ideas if we decide to take a left turn.”</p><p>Joining Oh will be Almazan on piano, Greg Ward on saxophone, Sara Serpa on voice, and Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums.</p><p>Ultimately, Oh is excited to bring her quintet’s free-spirited approach to ��سԹ�, where, in addition to her concert, she will teach a public workshop on March 19 in the Birenbaum Performance Space. “I have so much respect and admiration for ��سԹ� and what it stands for in terms of art and freedom of expression.”</p><p>She finds that concerts like hers have the power to unite audiences and recalls an experience performing in Chile in 2023 with Pat Metheny. It was Metheny’s first time in the country following the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Near the end of the performance, the audience broke into cheers and sang along to one of the pieces. </p><p>“There are moments when you connect with people who really appreciate music and have seen tough times, and it makes it worthwhile,” she observes. Indeed, amid trying times, Oh’s humanist and provocative approach to jazz will be sure to unite audiences in Finney Chapel. </p><p> </p><hr><h4><strong>Concert Details</strong></h4><p><a href="/events/linda-may-han-oh-glass-hours">Linda May Han Oh, <em>The Glass Hours</em></a><br>7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2025<br>��سԹ� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>��سԹ�, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at ��سԹ� College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled ��سԹ� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at ��سԹ�</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p> </p><hr><p><em>Zach Terrillion ’24 graduated from ��سԹ� with a major in English, a minor in creative writing, and concentrations in journalism and public humanities. After a year-long term as the marketing and development fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, they recently returned to Ohio to support the Conservatory of Music’s artistic programming, including promotion for the Artist Recital Series.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Grammy-winning bassist and composer brings her quintet to Finney Chapel, exploring connection, resilience, and the power of improvisation to unite audiences.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-06T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Zach Terrillion ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> </main></body></html>