Strings

2025 Concerto Competition winners announced

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0000

2025 Concerto Competition winners announced Mariefaith Lane Thu, 04/10/2025 - 08:00

MarieFaith Lane

The College of Music鈥檚 annual Concerto Competition is always a highly anticipated event that celebrates the extraordinary skills and hard work of our undergraduate and graduate students. On April 6, this year鈥檚 final round of the competition culminated in two exceptional students earning first-place honors in their respective categories: Undergraduate violist Finn Cruit (BM 鈥�25) and graduate pianist Ohad Nativ (PhD 鈥�29). As a result of their achievements, they have the opportunity to perform with the CU Boulder Symphony Orchestra next season.

Undergraduate competition winner
Senior violist Finn Cruit performed Gyula D谩vid鈥檚 Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, accompanied by Associate Teaching Professor Suyeon Kim. Cruit is a student of Associate Professor of Viola Erika Eckert.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly gratifying to have won this competition,鈥� Cruit says. 鈥淚鈥檝e played in the orchestra for many past winners and always looked up to them鈥攖hey鈥檙e all fantastic players. I never saw myself in the same light, so I still can鈥檛 believe it. It鈥檚 amazing to imagine myself up there, and I can鈥檛 wait to play with the orchestra.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done this without my wonderful teacher, Erika Eckert. I鈥檝e grown so much musically and personally over these past four years, and that鈥檚 largely thanks to her. Also, a huge thank you to Dr. Kim for accompanying me鈥攖his wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without you, too!鈥�

Graduate competition winner
Pianist Ohad Nativ performed Sergei Prokofiev鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 5 in G Major, Op. 55, accompanied by Bobby Pace. Nativ is currently studying with Professor of Piano Andrew Cooperstock.

鈥淚 feel very honored to have won the competition and validated in being able to bring attention to repertoire that is less frequently performed,鈥� Nativ says. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely grateful to my piano teacher, Professor Andrew Cooperstock, for helping me work through this unusual and difficult piece and allowing me to elevate it to competition standards.

鈥淚鈥檓 also grateful to the wider CU Boulder College of Music community, faculty, and competition judges and organizers for providing me with this opportunity and the ability to explore and promote my repertorial inclinations further than ever before.鈥�

Big thanks to our faculty adjudicators鈥擥ary Lewis, Matt Dockendorf and Julie Simson鈥攁nd congratulations to all participating student competitors and collaborative pianists, and to those who advanced to the final round:

Undergraduate competition

Finn Cruit, viola
Corvina Graham, flute (honorable mention)
Laura Lambrech, oboe
Zixi Wang, piano
Sam Webster, euphonium

Graduate competition

Ohad Nativ, piano
Sydney Hoehl, trumpet
Katiann Nelson, mezzo-soprano
Miguel Angel Ortega Ba帽ales, tenor
Leah Pernick, violin
Max Randal, piano
Leilani Spurlock, trumpet
Kisa Uradomo, violin (honorable mention)
Natalie Zeles, flute

To enjoy the winners鈥� performances in the fall, visit cupresents.org for details.

On April 6, undergraduate violist Finn Cruit and graduate pianist Ohad Nativ were awarded first prizes in the College of Music鈥檚 annual Concerto Competition. Congratulations to all participating students and collaborative pianists!

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Enion Pelta-Tiller on pushing creative expression

Mariefaith Lane — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:16:20 +0000

Enion Pelta-Tiller on pushing creative expression Mariefaith Lane Wed, 03/05/2025 - 09:16

Adam Goldstein

Photo credit: Anne Staveley

A wealth of influences coexist in Enion Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 approach to music.

Classical components drawn from composers like Berlioz, Mahler, Bartok and Stravinsky; jazz violin echoes that summon the best work of Stephane Grappelli and other giants of the genre; folk and traditional elements that run the geographical gamut from Eastern Europe to Ireland to India鈥攁ll of these ingredients figure into Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 ambitious and unique brand of fusion.

It鈥檚 no wonder, considering her consistent dedication to musical exploration which started with childhood and college classical music studies in San Francisco and continued after she moved to New York, connected with her future husband/musical collaborator David Tiller and eventually landed in Colorado.

鈥淭he Bay Area was a great place to grow up, musically speaking,鈥� Pelta-Tiller recalls. 鈥淚 became quite interested in experimenting with improvisation and often spent hours improvising music that sounded like what I was supposed to be practicing, or played along with Coltrane, Miles, TISQ, Jascha Heifetz and Ravi Shankar records. I was in this environment of classical, new acoustic and bluegrass-adjacent music, jazz and Indian music鈥攁nd soaking it all up.

鈥淲hen I moved to New York after college, I got involved in playing new music, rock, Irish music and bluegrass.鈥�

Combined, these influences helped carve out Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 unique niche in the local music scene, and show up in her work as a performer and an educator, as a composer and as a collaborator with musical luminaries from across the globe. She鈥檚 a founding member of the critically acclaimed indie-folk group Taarka and directs our new Cross-Genre American Roots Strings Ensemble, roles that draw directly on her wide-ranging interests and skills. She鈥檚 also a master鈥檚 candidate in jazz performance and pedagogy at the College of Music, set to graduate in May.

Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 no-holds-barred musical approach is sure to figure in her upcoming show at Dazzle Denver on March 11 with her group EnQuintet鈥攁 jazz ensemble that also features CU Boulder faculty members John Gunther on winds/reeds and Victor Mestas on piano as well as Eric Thorin on bass and Kevin Mathews on drums.

鈥淭his time, we鈥檙e mostly focusing on repertoire from members of the David Grisman Quintet because I鈥檓 interested in how that music鈥攕o inspired by both jazz and bluegrass鈥攕ounds when played by more traditional jazz instruments instead of in a string band setting,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or a couple tunes, we鈥檒l add extra horns鈥擶il Swindler, Jonas Peterson and Cian Kruger鈥攁nd give our pianist a rest.鈥�

The show will also be an occasion to experience Pelta-Tiller playing her six-string violin鈥攁lso known as a fadolin鈥攎ade by New York-based luthier Eric Aceto, offering the depth and tone of a baroque instrument. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing for accompanying myself on voice and expanding my improvisational palette,鈥� she notes.

Expanding her skill-set and pushing the boundaries of creative expression have long been a hallmark of Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 approach and her connections within the College of Music have only deepened that mission, especially as it aligns with the college鈥檚 universal musician approach to fulfilling its mission.

She speaks of the work she鈥檚 done with students in her cross-genre ensemble, taking part in fiddle flash mobs and collaborating with artists like Klezmer fiddler Alicia Svigals. She speaks of working with jazz faculty members like Gunther, Mestas and composition professor Annika Socolofsky. It鈥檚 all been part of a musical evolution that began when Pelta-Tiller played musical call-and-response games with her father as an infant.

CU Boulder has been integral to that evolution and Pelta-Tiller looks forward to continuing the connection long after the upcoming Dazzle show and her time as a graduate student.

鈥淚n directing combos, my arranging and improvisation skills have been challenged,鈥� she notes. 鈥淎nd in playing with my graduate colleagues in the jazz department, some of whom are doing really far out stuff, my concept of form and my musical imagination have been stretched further than I could have conceived.鈥�

A wealth of influences coexist in Pelta-Tiller鈥檚 ambitious, experimental approach to music. A master鈥檚 candidate in jazz performance + pedagogy at our College of Music, her creative evolution to date will culminate in a show at Dazzle Denver on March 11.

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Outstanding winter 2024 graduate student: Melda Turun莽o臒lu

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:49:40 +0000

Outstanding winter 2024 graduate student: Melda Turun莽o臒lu Mariefaith Lane Fri, 12/13/2024 - 15:49

Adam Goldstein

For Melda Turun莽o臒lu, music is more than its ingredients.

Turun莽o臒lu鈥攚ho graduates this month with a master鈥檚 in guitar performance from the CU Boulder College of Music鈥攆inds a value that goes deeper than melody, harmony and tempo when she plays classical guitar. Originally from Turkey, Turun莽o臒lu draws on music as an essential tool to make connections in a new country and a new culture.

鈥淓nglish is my second language. It鈥檚 difficult to try to connect with people in a different language,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲hen I first came to the U.S., I was uncomfortable talking to people鈥擨 felt I couldn鈥檛 explain myself well. But I found a connection through music. It鈥檚 not only melody, or rhythm鈥攜ou鈥檙e connecting with people.鈥�

Turun莽o臒lu speaks candidly and earnestly about the odyssey that brought her from her native Turkey to a two-year stint in Italy (where she attended an early music school in Venice and studied with lutenist Massimo Lonardi for a year), then back to Istanbul and finally to her current home in Boulder.

Though she communicates in English with ease and grace, approaching a new language, culture and pace of life in Boulder wasn鈥檛 easy. Turun莽o臒lu came to Colorado with her husband and young son six years ago, and found herself facing profound inner questions.

鈥淚 began to ask myself, what am I doing here? Maybe I was regretful about coming here. Everything is very different,鈥� Turun莽o臒lu recalls, adding that she realized she missed being a musician and a performer. That self-examination ultimately led her to contact Associate Professor of Guitar Nicol貌 Spera. 鈥淚 played guitar for him and he encouraged me a lot to apply for a master鈥檚 at CU Boulder.鈥�

That initial show of support from Spera ultimately offered a path toward connection, purpose and fulfillment as Turun莽o臒lu set about honing her craft and finding ways to communicate creatively on a universal level鈥攁n approach that aligns with the College of Music鈥檚 commitment to developing broadly-based, multifaceted universal musicians.

She expanded her network among faculty and fellow students alike, continuing to work with Spera and connecting with recently retired Professor of Harpsichord Robert Hill, who worked with Turun莽o臒lu on Baroque music and included her in showcases. The chance to play for audiences, to create that immediate bond with listeners, proved to be an important step in Turun莽o臒lu鈥檚 evolution as an artist.

鈥淗ill encouraged me to play solo in his ensemble showcases even though I was feeling insecure after so many years without performing for people. He told me, you have to share your music. You are here for this,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o I played. I played many times for his ensemble showcases during the past two years鈥攁s well as in smaller spaces such as a retirement community, a coffee shop and even my son鈥檚 school. There was an earthquake in Turkey last year and I played for a fundraiser. It was an amazing feeling to help people in need with my music.鈥�

All of these opportunities helped Turun莽o臒lu grow and advance, including the chance to study the music of the Renaissance, and the Baroque and Romantic eras; occasions to share her art with audiences; and access to a higher grade of instrument built by luthier John Weissenrieder.

鈥淛ohn鈥檚 family gave some of his guitars to the College of Music鈥檚 guitar studio and Nicol貌 gave me one of them for two years. I owe a lot to this guitar,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 met with John鈥檚 parents. They came to all of my recitals. We hugged and cried and it felt so nice to connect with them. They鈥檙e like a family now.鈥�

At CU Boulder, Turun莽o臒lu has grown as an artist, a musician and as a part of our community. And she鈥檚 intent on continuing the journey鈥攖eaching, performing and learning. Turun莽o臒lu has been accepted to the College of Music鈥檚 Artist Diploma program and will begin studies next fall.

In the meantime, she鈥檒l continue to draw on her music to find new ways to communicate and connect to a community that鈥檚 come to feel more like home.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 perform for almost 10 years. I began again, and I feel like now I鈥檝e found a connection with people. That鈥檚 precious for me and I don鈥檛 want to lose it,鈥� she says. 鈥淧eople here鈥攖hey care about your gift. They see a special thing. You are making music, they share their feelings afterward鈥攁nd it鈥檚 great.鈥�

The 暗网禁区鈥檚 winter 2024 degree conferral is Dec. 19. To all our extraordinary graduates, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the Forever Buffs family鈥攚e hope you鈥檒l join us for our spring 2025 recognition ceremony!

Meet Melda Turun莽o臒lu who graduates this month with a master's in guitar performance!

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2024-25 Ekstrand Graduate Student Competition winners announced

Mariefaith Lane — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

2024-25 Ekstrand Graduate Student Competition winners announced Mariefaith Lane Wed, 11/20/2024 - 12:00

Kathryn Bistodeau

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We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2024-25 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition: The Koa String Quartet!

The College of Music鈥檚 current graduate string quartet in residence鈥攃omprising violinists Kisa Uradomo and Leah Pernick, violist Thomas Chafe and cellist Heewon Lee鈥攕tudies with the Tak谩cs Quartet. On Nov. 19, the Koa Quartet performed selections from works by Joseph Haydn and Kevin Lau, and was awarded $2,000 for their Ekstrand win.

鈥淲e are so happy to have started our residency at CU Boulder on such a positive note! It was an incredible opportunity to perform onstage alongside so many of our talented peers,鈥� Pernick says. 鈥淭hank you so much to the Tak谩cs Quartet and string faculty for their mentorship, and to the Ekstrand family for their generous support of students.鈥�

Lee shares, 鈥淥ur main goal of the performance was to have fun and keep up the good energy. I think us dancing backstage helped with that. But in all seriousness, we鈥檙e super thankful for the win!鈥�

Second prize ($1,000) went to saxophonist Joel Ferst, who also won the audience favorite prize ($250). This year鈥檚 other Ekstrand finalists ($500 each) include pianist John-Austin King, baritone Andrew Konopak and violinist Laura P茅rez Rangel.

This year鈥檚 esteemed panel of judges were Jason Bergman鈥擜ssociate Professor of Trumpet, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; Courtney Hershey Bress鈥擯rincipal Harpist, Colorado Symphony; Adjunct Professor of Harp, University of Denver Lamont School of Music; and Lecturer of Harp, University of Wyoming; and Cameron Stowe鈥擟hair, Collaborative Piano, New England Conservatory; Director, Collaborative Piano, Aspen Music Festival and School.

The Ekstrand Competition was launched by previous College of Music dean Robert Fink, and later renamed to honor the late Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and psychology professor Bruce Ekstrand. The competition invites top graduate students to compete for cash prizes for professional development. This year鈥檚 faculty judges for the鈥� semi-final competition were Renee Gilliland, Jeremy Reger and Branden Steinmetz.

Semi-finalists included:

Voice: Sidney Grimm, soprano; Andrew Konopak, baritone; James Robinson, baritone
Piano: John-Austin King, Luca Pompilio
Strings: Julian Bennett, cello; Koa String Quartet; Laura P茅rez Rangel, violin
Woodwinds: Joel Ferst, saxophone; Dylan King, saxophone; Harold Gomez-Montoya, clarinet
Brass + percussion: Mark Bennett, trombone; Sydney Hoehl, trumpet; Connor Johnson, trumpet

Congratulations to the Koa String Quartet and all participants in this year鈥檚 competition, as well as their teachers鈥攖he Tak谩cs Quartet, Andrew Cooperstock, Andrew Garland and Nathan Mertens in the final round. Our special thanks also to collaborative pianists Runze Li, Hsiao-Ling Lin, Matthew Sebald鈥攁nd all other pianists, mentors and teachers involved in the previous rounds of this competition.

Partially funded by the Ekstrand Competition Endowment Fund, this annual event is the premier performance competition for the College of Music鈥檚 most outstanding graduate students.

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2024-25 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition: The Koa String Quartet!

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Meet Willem Rohwer鈥�2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship recipient

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

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

Kathryn Bistodeau

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

Rohwer comes to the College of Music from Edwards, Colorado, to pursue an undergraduate degree in double bass performance studying with Associate Professor of Double Bass Susan Cahill. 鈥淪he鈥檚 absolutely wonderful,鈥� Rohwer says. 鈥淚 had the opportunity to take a couple lessons with her over the summer and her approach to teaching is through a fresh lens.鈥�

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

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

鈥淵ou can hear different things. I practiced in my living room and then I practiced in a closet and then I practiced outside.鈥�

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

鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 wipe the smile off my face for a week, I was really happy to hear that I would be able to go here and that I was so wanted.鈥�

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

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

鈥淚鈥檝e always been fascinated with astrophysics and space,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think music and astrophysics relate because they both have to do with exploring鈥攚ith music, there鈥檚 such an infinite space ahead of you where you can explore how everything sounds.鈥�

He adds, 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e playing music, it brings you to a space that鈥檚 so separate from time, stress or any of the other happenings of daily life. The same feeling that I get in that musical space is what I experience when I think about exploring deep space because it鈥檚 so far out and separate from everything else 鈥� and always brand new.鈥�

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

Our gratitude to the 2024 Sher Distinguished Musician Scholarship selection committee comprising faculty members Gary Lewis, Matthew Roeder and Elizabeth Swanson. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited that we鈥檝e added another very talented musician as part of our incoming class of first-year Music Buffs!鈥� says Roeder.

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

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CU Boulder鈥檚 Grammy Award-winning Tak谩cs Quartet celebrates 50 years

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

CU Boulder鈥檚 Grammy Award-winning Tak谩cs Quartet celebrates 50 years Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/09/2024 - 00:00

Marc Shulgold + Sabine Kortals Stein

Photo: Ian Malkin, Transversales Verdun

Harumi Rhodes has mixed feelings about observing The Milestone. As second violinist of the world-renowned, Grammy Award-winning Tak谩cs Quartet, she understands the significance of the group鈥檚 founding a half-century ago.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a monumental moment and we鈥檙e approaching it with a sense of awe,鈥� she admits. 鈥淚 feel humbled. Yet, in another sense, for us it鈥檚 business as usual.鈥� Much of that business takes place right here in Boulder.

Joining Rhodes in conversation is first violinist Ed Dusinberre, who鈥檚 also her husband. The English-born musician reflects on the group鈥檚 remarkable musical journey filled with loss, personnel changes and鈥攎ost of all鈥攂rilliant music making.

鈥淚 find myself thinking about all our former quartet members鈥攚e wouldn鈥檛 be celebrating this milestone today except for them,鈥� says Dusinberre, recalling that the original quartet was formed by students at the Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary, in 1975.

鈥淭hey were so young, living behind the Iron Curtain, wondering how they could fulfill their musical aspirations worldwide,鈥� he adds.

Hard work and winning prestigious awards in several European competitions led to an American tour in 1982 and鈥攆ollowing several U.S.-based short-term residencies鈥攖he decision to permanently relocate their families to the United States in 1985-86. Soon after, the players accepted an invitation to become the resident quartet at the 暗网禁区鈥攁nd they鈥檝e resided here ever since, though not without challenges. G谩bor Tak谩cs-Nagy stepped down in 1993 and now enjoys a successful career as a conductor and teacher worldwide. The following year, violist G谩bor Ormai was diagnosed with cancer and retired, passing away in 1995. The late Roger Tapping succeeded him, leaving to spend time with his family in 2005; in turn, he was succeeded by Geraldine Walther. Upon the retirement of founding second violinist K谩roly Schranz, Harumi Rhodes joined the quartet in 2018.

As the first new member in 1993, Dusinberre recalls the challenge of being a non-Hungarian. 鈥淚t was a big adjustment for me, but I appreciated the welcoming, adventurous spirit of the players and the warmth of their collective sound,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he process was similar when Harumi and then Richard joined鈥濃€攔eferring to current violist Richard O鈥橬eill who succeeded Walther in 2020. Grammy-Award winner for Best Classical Instrumental Solo Performance in 2021, O鈥橬eill is only the second person to receive an award for a viola performance in the history of this category.

Today, cellist Andr谩s Fej茅r remains the sole original member of the Tak谩cs Quartet.

For Rhodes, becoming a member of the Tak谩cs was thrilling. 鈥淭he College of Music is a musical home for us. We feel grateful to be embedded in this university and the community.鈥�

Although the Tak谩cs maintain an international touring schedule that takes up about half of their time, the foursome prioritizes time with their students, working in partnership with Meta Weiss, the College of Music鈥檚 chamber music coordinator.

It may surprise some audience members who鈥檝e been regulars at sold-out Tak谩cs Quartet concerts to learn that the group鈥檚 campus connection extends beyond Grusin Music Hall. As Dusinberre notes, their decades-long residency is centered around daily hands-on work with College of Music students.

鈥淥ur relationship with the college is the glue that keeps us together,鈥� he stresses. 鈥淥ur graduate string quartet program inspires us to think about future generations.鈥� This two-year program consists of intense work with a promising ensemble, preparing and guiding the young artists into the demanding world of quartet playing.

鈥淭he newest quartet we鈥檙e working with is the Michigan-based Koa Quartet,鈥� adds Rhodes. 鈥淲e鈥檒l listen to their interests and help them to develop a unique musical voice.鈥�

The College of Music鈥檚 chamber music program has a long track record of success. The Brisbane, Australia-based Orava Quartet is a good example: Via email, first violinist Daniel Kowalik shared that his group met the Tak谩cs at a music festival in Sydney in 2011鈥攁t that time, the Orava had been together for five years. They soon came to CU Boulder to study with the Tak谩cs.

鈥淲e always worked with one member at a time,鈥� wrote Kowalik. 鈥淭hey rotated, so we had time with each member. I asked lots of questions, from general well-being to dealing with the pressures of performing.鈥�

Today, the Orava Quartet enjoys an active schedule and has been signed by Deutsche Grammophon. Their Boulder experience 鈥渞eally helped launch us into having a career,鈥� Kowalik noted. 鈥淥ur coachings were invaluable and absolutely essential to learning the craft. Being mentored by the Tak谩cs forever changed how I think about and approach music making.鈥�

For many students at the College of Music, a career as a performer isn鈥檛 their only goal鈥攁nd the Tak谩cs Quartet is sensitive to that, too. 鈥淚t鈥檚 only partly about making music,鈥� Rhodes emphasizes. 鈥淢uch of what we focus on when we鈥檙e talking with students has to do with how to make a life in music.鈥�

Dusinberre treasures those conversations. 鈥淚 ask students to identify individual favorite moments in a piece and we explore different ways to heighten those moments. Hopefully they learn about each others鈥� musical tastes and how to use their individual ideas to shape a unified interpretation.鈥�

When touring and recording sessions wind down, these beloved artists find a special joy in coming home to Boulder, visiting with faculty colleagues, and sharing their knowledge and experience with students. As Rhodes says, 鈥淭he gritty and beautiful work of a string quartet happens offstage in the rehearsal room. We feel so grateful that鈥攁fter many decades鈥攖his process continues in our home at CU Boulder.鈥�

The Tak谩cs Quartet鈥檚 50^th anniversary season is generously sponsored by Barbara and Chris Christoffersen.

鈥淚 find myself thinking about all our former quartet members鈥攚e wouldn鈥檛 be celebrating this milestone today except for them,鈥� says first violinist Ed Dusinberre. Adds second violinist Harumi Rhodes, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a monumental moment and we鈥檙e approaching it with a sense of awe. I feel humbled. Yet, in another sense, for us it鈥檚 business as usual.鈥� And much of that business takes place right here in Boulder.

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The (musical) kids are back in town

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

The (musical) kids are back in town Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/28/2024 - 00:00

Marc Shulgold

SPA participants reap the benefits of the College of Music鈥檚 Musicians鈥� Wellness Program.

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

Associate Professor of Double Bass Susan Cahill coaches an SPA participant.

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

Associate Professor of Cello David Requiro (left) with other SPA participants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you next year, SPA!

SPA faculty and students will perform free, public concerts in Grusin Music Hall tonight and this weekend.

Photos: Kathryn Bistodeau, Sphinx Organization

Last summer, the College of Music and Sphinx Performance Academy kicked off a new partnership to welcome talented string students鈥攁ges 11-17鈥攖o our campus for an intensive scholarship program emphasizing cultural diversity. This month, it鈥檚 d茅j芒 vu as auditioned youths engage in lessons, master classes and more, culminating in public performances tonight and this weekend.

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Meet the 2024 ECM artist assistance grants recipients

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

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

Kathryn Bistodeau

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

Josie Arnett

Josie Arnett
鈥淚鈥檓 really picky about which pieces I release on streaming platforms because I鈥檓 20 and need to be able to write really bad music 鈥� and then release the things that I really love,鈥� says Josie Arnett, an undergraduate composition student.

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

Sanitas Saxophone Quartet

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

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

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

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

鈥淚t was my very first time presenting at a conference where there are often hurdles for a young academic to get an invitation to present. I鈥檝e been lucky that I鈥檝e been able to work with a group of people who are more prominent in the community than myself.鈥�

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

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

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

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

SeaJun Kwon

SeaJun Kwon
SeaJun Kwon, also a DMA student in jazz studies, likes writing compositions that push the boundaries of jazz music including 鈥淎vant Shorts鈥濃€�10 etudes exploring micro tonalities and rhythmic concepts that aren鈥檛 commonly used in jazz compositions.

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

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 write a bunch of super short compositions that focus on different ideas to develop myself and provide my community with these resources,鈥� Kwon says.

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

鈥淧eople are really busy, there are so many things that you have to do and also so many distractions,鈥� Kwon says. 鈥淚 think these short compositions put less pressure on people鈥攖hey can work on them for 10 minutes and still learn from them.鈥�

Er-Hsuan Li with orchestra

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

鈥淚t was a very fun event,鈥� Li says. 鈥淓ven though it was off-campus, it was really CU that made this possible because that鈥檚 how we connected.鈥�

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

鈥淚 had performed in front of an orchestra only once before when I was a high schooler,鈥� Li recalls. 鈥淪o it was really special for me that鈥攁fter 13 years鈥擨 got to do this again professionally. And I would like to think that I am a better musician now compared to then!鈥�

Ethan Stahl

Ethan Stahl
When Ethan Stahl discovered Nkeiru Okoye鈥檚 music, he knew he鈥檇 found something special. 鈥淚 loved her music so much that I began working on it for one of my degree recitals,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ventually, it became evident that I had enough material to create a lecture recital.鈥�

To prepare, Stahl鈥攚ho鈥檚 pursuing a DMA in piano performance鈥攊nterviewed Okoye about her music. 鈥淲e talked on the phone for a few hours and in that conversation, she proposed the idea of writing a piece for me to add to one of the sets of piano pieces that I was studying.鈥� The ECM grant helped fund Okoye鈥檚 contribution.

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

鈥淥koye is extremely novel in the world of piano composition,鈥� Stahl adds. 鈥淚鈥檝e never heard piano music that is similar stylistically to hers.鈥�

Natalie Trejo
Artist Diploma student Natalie Trejo competed in the finals for the Austin Flute Society鈥檚 Young Artist Competition in April鈥攁nd the ECM grant helped her get there.

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

Trejo performed Chen Yi鈥檚鈥淢emory鈥� for solo flute and Frank Martin鈥檚鈥淏allade鈥� for flute and piano.

鈥淚 love doing competitions because I get to learn new repertoire, meet new flutists, make connections and get to know the other finalists鈥攊t鈥檚 very important and humbling, but still encouraging,鈥� Trejo says.

Jonathon Winter
Another spring 2024 graduate, Jonathon Winter鈥攚ho earned a DMA in violin performance鈥攔ecorded four pieces to be compiled into an album titled 鈥淥rigin: Music by Women of the Americas.鈥� The pieces are 鈥渒o鈥檜 inoa鈥� by Leilehua Lanzilotti, 鈥淪cratch the Surface鈥� by Dana Kaufman, 鈥淪tring Poetic鈥� by Jennifer Higdon and 鈥淪ue帽os de Chambi鈥� by Gabriel Lena Frank.

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

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

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

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

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Graduating DMA student shares College of Music experience, future plans

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

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

Adam Goldstein

When Joy Yamaguchi graduates from the 暗网禁区鈥檚 College of Music next week with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (violin performance + Music Theory Certificate), the work she started here will continue well beyond her official stint as a student.

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

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

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

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

The DMA program also offered Yamaguchi the chance to create a new curriculum for beginning string students. This curriculum, which focuses on teaching music theory through composition and improvisation, wasn鈥檛 just theoretical: Yamaguchi had the chance to put the system into practice with students at El Sistema Colorado.

In addition, Yamaguchi鈥攚ho鈥檚 also the inaugural recipient of the Andr谩s Szentkir谩lyi Memorial Scholarship鈥攆ound opportunities to present her research, insights and innovations to an audience beyond our campus. In 2023, she presented during the National American String Teachers Association鈥檚 annual conference, specifically detailing research that drew connections between bell hooks鈥� pedagogical framework and music education.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Louis Saxton named Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduating Senior

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

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

Adam Goldstein

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

鈥淥bviously, Louis has made a strong impression on our faculty who hold a high opinion of his work in the College of Music.鈥�

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

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 even a full house,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淭hat small audience was screaming and shouting and clapping so enthusiastically. It felt like, 鈥楾his is why we do music.鈥�

鈥淓veryone was so excited. And we were so excited to be able to perform. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to school for. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here to do.鈥�

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

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

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

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