How easy was it for you to connect with seminar participants during the first few summer sessions?

From the very beginning it has been easy to connect with seminar participants.�� They are warm, curious, and enthusiastic about learning.�� For me, the real challenge was figuring out how much we can really do in one week.�� My first seminar was on Dostoevsky.�� I called our session��The Idiot, for the novel we were reading.�� We all had name tags.�� Mine read “Peter Thomas,��The Idiot.”�� That was fitting because I assigned a 600-page novel of material that is not��exactly beach reading.�� I’ve since learned to better gauge the reading I ask participants to do before our session and during the week.��

I think my sessions have a reputation for being rather hard-core; people show up having read everything I asked or even suggested. Our seminars are very much discussion-based, so anyone who wants to spend a week talking about Russian culture is welcome. We do a lot of reading aloud during the week.�� That has been an evolving part of my seminars.�� I’m really excited about how much fun it is and how much more we get out of the texts.

How would you compare older lifelong learners with your on-campus students?

University students have reasonable concerns about grades and their prospects for the future.�� In many cases, I have to teach them basic study and time-management skills that have nothing to do with the materials, but if I don’t teach them those things, they will learn much less. These students have relatively little experience in life, and for the most part their experiences are similar to each other’s. A big part of what I have to teach them is that: life and the world are much, much bigger and more complicated than they suspect.�� That is enjoyable, so long as the student (and family) are on board. With summer participants, I am the inexperienced one in the room.�� I am fairly certain that I learn as much each summer as they do. Participants bring such a wide range of skills, talents, and experiences to our sessions that my job is to just facilitate a conversation around whatever we are working on at the time.�� When I have done my job in choosing a good topic, the course takes on a life of its own. And I don’t have to grade anything or anyone.

Was it challenging to get us to refrain from discussing current political events all the time?

Russian politics is always a part of the discussion, and that is to be expected. Conversations about politics in the US tend to be a part of conversations over meals, but not always.�� The materials we work on have a lot to say about how people treat each other and the world we share.�� I am careful not to let the conversation derail for political reasons. That is much easier to do with seminar participants than with university students.��

Do you cover political history? Why or why not?

I have taught two seminars on political history in Russia. I would certainly do so again.�� Speaking honestly, for many years now I have left the topic of the next year’s seminar to the participants in the current one.�� I trust them to choose topics that will attract new participants.����

Do you wish participants had better geographical background?

No. Figuring out how to capture the topography, flora, fauna, and meteorology of whatever region we are working on is a part of the fun. I do wish that I had a strong geographical background.�� Some of my regular participants are incredibly well-travelled and have been to places I have only seen online.

What seminar topic have you enjoyed presenting the most?

I have never had a seminar that didn’t feel like my favorite while I was teaching it. I love teaching “The Russian Short Story.” I’ve taught Pushkin’s��Eugene Onegin and Tolstoy’s��Anna Karenina��twice, and each time was a revelation for me. The sessions on Gogol, Bulgakov, Nabokov, Aleksievich, and Putin were challenging and invigorating.�� Last summer’s class on film and literature was so much fun that it felt like I was a student, not the teacher. This summer, in response to a story and film from last summer, we are reading Chekhov, one of my favorite authors.�� I cannot wait to prepare that class.

Plans are being created to do a “Great Books” program during the 2027 summer featuring three Freshman Studies books taught over the years and you have been asked to participate. Can you share some of the preliminary plans?��

This is a team-taught course called “The Long Novel” that Professor Dominica Chang of French, Professor Tim Spurgin of English, and I have taught at �������ý��Ƶ four times now.�� The central problem of the class is thinking about how the different traditions in European literature of the nineteenth century represent the challenges of modernity. The first three times we taught the course, we read Charles Dickens’��David Copperfield, Gustave Flaubert’s��Sentimental Education, and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s��The Brothers Karamazov. We are just completing our first run through a new version that features Flaubert’s��Madame Bovary, Lev Tolstoy’s��Anna Karenina, and Thomas Hardy’s��Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The key to this class is that all three of us are at every discussion, and we each take one session as lead instructor for the books that are outside of our own field. The other key is that these are��long and complicated novels. We are talking about how we would create a two-week class with the same or similar authors and the same topics, but with fewer than 1700 pages of reading. A challenge!

The path of leadership is a deeply personal journey. No two people take the same route, but many share a common denominator: the presence of guiding influences.����

“I’ve been guided really by that which moves me… what moves me is being in communion with humanity through the arts,” McDonald said. For her, that connection to humanity does not end at the edge of the stage. It extends into a deep commitment to social justice, a desire to leave the world a better place for her children, and a quiet trust that the universe will present the next right step when the time comes.����

“Certain roles that I’ve played have led me toward certain things in my life,” McDonald explained. The actress, who has portrayed more than a few rough-around-the-edges characters, likened the preparation process for these roles to a dissertation-level research project.����

Long before the curtain rises, she studies each character intently, gathering minute details to form a rich picture of who that character is and what influences might have informed their experience.����

“I look for the ways I can connect to that character,” McDonald said. By finding common ground, she said she makes space for them in her heart and extends them grace. In doing so, McDonald said she has learned that she, too, is deserving of that same grace.����

Many of the women McDonald has portrayed�� had “a lot of mountains to climb,” she said, and getting close to the opportunities, challenges, in some cases, trauma the character may have experienced, is what helps her bring them so movingly and authentically to life on stage each night. “On stage, you become their protector or defender,” she said.��

Internalizing the struggles of her characters is key to the moving performances that bring her characters to life. She takes care to ensure she isn’t overwhelmed by the emotion she brings to her roles. “Those characters affect you, but you have to be careful to leave them at the theatre.”����

Despite her disciplined practice of separating herself from the role when she leaves the theatre each night, one character lingered … Billie Holiday, whom McDonald portrayed in the musical “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.” Holiday was the victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking as a young teen and had nobody in her life who could help her escape that horrible situation.����

While portraying this deeply emotional role, McDonald found herself contemplating what opening night gift she might give the show’s small crew to thank them for their collaboration and support. On her walk back to the theatre, the answer became clear when she came upon Covenant House, a nonprofit organization serving youth and families experiencing homelessness, by providing food, shelter, medical care, and other needs to help them step back into the world with dignity. McDonald decided to stop in to make a donation in the crew’s honor and, while there, witnessed the team helping a new arrival.����

“I watched this intake happen and it moved me so much,” McDonald recalled, describing how a previously jovial security guard sprang into action to help a teen arriving with his belongings in a trash bag. She pondered how Billie’s life might have been different if a resource like Covenant House had been available to her as an abused teen.����

“I was led to that place by Billie … and now I’m on the Board,” said McDonald, who serves on the Covenant House International Board of Directors. For McDonald, this was another example of the guiding influences that have serendipitously led her to the next step, sometimes when she didn’t even know she needed it.����

It was not only the characters she portrayed who helped shape McDonald’s path, but also the mentors who guided her along the way. Actress Zoe Caldwell is someone who transformed the way McDonald viewed her work early in her career.����

Caldwell made a point of knowing the name of every person involved in a production, reinforcing the idea that everyone, from director to usher, brings value to the creative process. Collaboration, McDonald learned, is essential for success. Only with each person’s unique contribution can a performance actually happen.����

“My mentor taught me humility and true collaboration,” McDonald said. “I learned that’s not only good for you as an artist, but good for you just as a human being.”����

During her student years at The Juilliard School, McDonald felt called to musical theatre despite pressure from professors to pursue opera. That is when she first met Laurie Carter, who was then serving as a senior Student Affairs administrator at Juilliard.����

Carter took the young performer under her wing and encouraged her to follow her instincts. When the struggle became so overwhelming it led McDonald to a suicide attempt, Carter got the struggling student the help and support she needed. Reaching that dark point in her life, McDonald said, irrevocably changed it for the better.����

“It’s not lost on me that it was the start of my life,” McDonald observed about her attempt to end her life. “Laurie was one of the first people to teach me about empowering myself and fighting for myself.” Now, McDonald delights in the idea of modeling empowerment and self-advocacy not just for her own children, but for performers following in her footsteps.����

“You can stay respectful, you can stay collaborative, but you have to give yourself grace and you have to stand up for yourself as well,” McDonald said. She emphasized that finding – and using – your own voice and following your gut are essential leadership skills.����

Ultimately, how does Audra McDonald define The Art of Leadership? Interacting with others in the true spirit of collaboration, connecting with your authentic self, and trusting your own instincts. The Art of Leadership, McDonald said, is there in all of us.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra��

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026 | 2:30 p.m.�� �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra opens the season with a performance showcasing one of the nation’s premier orchestras and Wisconsin’s largest cultural institution.��

Since its founding in 1959, the MSO has built a national reputation for artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement. The orchestra’s 72 full-time professional musicians perform more than 125 concerts each season throughout Wisconsin, spanning classical, pops, family, education, and community performances.��

The MSO has presented world and American premieres by leading contemporary composers including John Adams, Philip Glass, and Roberto Sierra, while also becoming the first American orchestra to offer live recordings on iTunes. Beyond the concert hall, the orchestra reaches thousands of young people and families annually through its education and outreach initiatives.��

Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend��

November 6 – 7, 2026��

Christie Dashiell��

Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.�� �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

Kicking off the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend, GRAMMY-nominated vocalist, composer, and educator Christie Dashiell brings her distinctive blend of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, and soul to �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel as part of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in North Carolina, Dashiell is known for her improvisational artistry and rich vocal tone. A graduate of Howard University and the Manhattan School of Music, she first gained national attention performing with Howard University’s acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble Afro-Blue, which appeared on NBC’s The Sing-Off. Her sophomore album, Journey In Black, earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album and was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a “masterpiece.” The recording explores themes of freedom, legacy, grief, and joy while drawing from multiple traditions within Black American music.��

Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Ensemble��

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.�� �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

The Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend continues with the Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Ensemble. Pianist and composer Billy Childs is recognized as one of the foremost American composers of his generation, seamlessly blending jazz traditions with contemporary classical influences. Throughout his career, Childs has received 17 GRAMMY nominations and six GRAMMY Awards, including Best Instrumental Jazz Album honors for Winds of Change and Rebirth. Childs has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and honors from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His work as a composer, performer, and arts advocate has established him as one of the most influential voices in contemporary jazz.��

Kings Return��

Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.�� �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

Acclaimed vocal quartet Kings Return will bring its genre-blending a cappella sound to �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel. The Dallas-based ensemble first gained widespread attention through viral stairwell performance videos showcasing their lush harmonies and effortless blend. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Take 6 and Boyz II Men, Kings Return incorporates elements of R&B, jazz, gospel, pop, and classical music into its performances. Comprised of Vaughn Faison, Gabe Kunda, JE McKissic, and Jamall Williams, the quartet has built an international following through both live performances and online audiences captivated by the group’s rich vocal textures and musical versatility.��

Dreamers’ Circus��

Monday, April 5, 2027 | 8 p.m.�� Stansbury Theatre��

Dreamers’ Circus, one of the Nordic region’s most acclaimed contemporary folk ensembles, will perform at Stansbury Theatre. Blending Nordic folk traditions with classical lyricism, jazz improvisation, and pop influences, the Copenhagen-based trio has earned international recognition for its adventurous and genre-defying sound. The ensemble features Nikolaj Busk on piano and accordion, Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen on violin, and Ale Carr on cittern. Since its formation, Dreamers’ Circus has released seven albums, toured internationally, and received major honors from the Danish Arts Foundation. Their latest album, Handed On, reflects on musical heritage while showcasing the trio’s inventive and dynamic approach to acoustic music.��

The Westerlies��

Friday, April 30, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.�� �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

The season concludes with a performance by The Westerlies, the GRAMMY-nominated brass quartet praised for blending jazz, classical, and folk traditions. Described by The New York Times as “an arty quartet…mixing ideas from jazz, new classical, and Appalachian folk,” The Westerlies have performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Coachella while redefining expectations for brass chamber music. The ensemble, Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands on trumpet and Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon on trombone, has released 10 critically acclaimed albums and collaborated with artists including Caroline Shaw, Bill Frisell, and Nico Muhly. This performance is also part of �������ý��Ƶ’s New Music Series.��

Roach credits the entire team for the recognition.

“Any recognition of one member of an opera production belongs to the whole team,” said Roach. “More than 100 Lawrentians worked on our production of one-act operas, onstage and backstage and in the pit and behind the scenes.”��

The 2024 production of Cendrillon at �������ý��Ƶ was paired with Alice Tierney, a piece by Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger, to celebrate the contributions of women in the opera world.��

“We are always sharing resources between the two shows and really trying to present both these operas written by women,” Roach said. “Trying to bring forward creators who might be underrepresented in the opera field is at the forefront of the opera program’s mission.”

Meanwhile, Two Remain is based on the true stories of two Holocaust survivors, Krystyna Zywulska and Gad Beck.

Roach said one of the most powerful aspects of the theater is its ability to keep history alive by wrestling with challenging themes and stories.

“It’s so important that we continue to tell these stories through works in the theater,” Roach said. “It’s important that we don’t lose the narrative, the truth behind what happened. Part of why we’ve chosen to perform an excerpt of this work at LU this coming year is that our students are able to tell these important stories, keeping history alive and in the forefront.”

The �������ý��Ƶ Opera Theatre program plans to perform a portion of Two Remain in their fall scenes program this year.

Looking ahead, Roach is excited by the upcoming season, which includes the world premiere of a new opera, A Nearer Mother, by composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire. The piece was commissioned by Copeland Woodruff, director of opera studies at �������ý��Ƶ, and the �������ý��Ƶ Opera Theatre program. For the past three years, Woodruff has worked closely with the creative team to bring the opera to life.

A Nearer Mother explores the story of AIDS activist Ruth Coker Burks, known as the “Cemetery Angel,” and her daughter Allison. Burks and her daughter will be in attendance at the March 2026 performance, which will be paired with the one-act opera A Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret, by composer Leanna Kirchhoff.��

“I am so excited about doing a brand-new piece; we will be working hand-in-hand with the creators of these works,” Roach said. “Working on this opera will continue to tell the story of the many important, wonderful people that we lost in the early years of the AIDS epidemic.”��

These latest honors are a testament to the talent and commitment of �������ý��Ƶ Opera Theatre. �������ý��Ƶ has received 11 awards in The American Prize, including two special judges’ citations and two productions tied for first place. Roach has won the prize in Conducting, College/University division, for Suor Angelica and the prize in Conducting both in Professional and College/University divisions. Woodruff has won the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing and was the first stage director to be given The Independence Day, Honored Artists Award for Sustained Excellence. �������ý��Ƶ is also in the National Finals of The American Prize for Best Production for Cendrillon/Alice Tierney, and Copeland Woodruff is once again up for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing.��

Save the dates for this season’s performances:

• Fall Opera Scenes: Thursday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. in �������ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel. Free Admission.

• Mainstage Opera: The Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret and A Nearer Mother (world premiere): Thursday, March 5-Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 8 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre.

• Spring Opera Scenes: Thursday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre. Free admission.

Update: Nov. 17, 2025

The 2024 �������ý��Ƶ Opera Theatre production of Viardot’s Cendrillon and Melissa Dunphy’s Alice Tierney were also awarded third place in the American Prize competition for Opera Performance in the college/university division!��

The Music Education Team (MET)—including �������ý��Ƶ Conservatory faculty, students, and alumni—presented 40 hands-on music-making workshops during the festival for people of all ages. Participants were able to experience everything��from bachata dance to Irish fiddle music, the blues harmonica to the didjeridu.

The �������ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival returned this year, allowing advanced instrumentalists the opportunity to collaborate and perform alongside Mile of Music artists. This year, there were 43 students from 20 U.S. state, plus international students, working with �������ý��Ƶ faculty and several guest artists. The four Mile of Music collaborators—BODHI, Natural Satellite, PEGASIS, and Whitney Mongé—represented several musical genres and geographic regions.

�������ý��Ƶ venues drew thousands of festival-goers to campus for performances on the �������ý��Ƶ Lawn Main Stage—located in front of Ormsby Hall—Memorial Chapel, and Harper Hall.��

�������ý��Ƶ alumni Michael Murphy ‘23 and Kate Stenson ‘24 were among the festival performers. Murphy played two sets, accompanied by �������ý��Ƶ alumnus Ryan Erdmann ‘22. Stenson performed two sets alongside Jennifer Harlee, a member of her band Wine on Fridays (W.O.F.).��

�������ý��Ƶ photographers captured the music-making in action. See a sampling above and . More photos will be added soon!��

Fittingly, among Surtees’s favorite moments are both the dramatic midpoint and the exhilarating coda. Although he identifies the movement as the hardest piano work he’s yet tackled, the difficulties arise from unexpected details.��

“The thing that makes [the coda] so hard is actually the dynamic—it’s piano,” he said. “If it was forte, it could sync much more with the keys and fit the hand better. But I remember being so satisfied when I first played through it, thinking, ‘Wow, I actually did it.’”��

Although Chopin is now the centerpiece of Surtees’s repertoire, his interest in the composer’s music developed gradually. Born and raised in Bardstown, Kentucky, Surtees began piano lessons in his hometown before transitioning to more advanced studies with Dr. Wesley Roberts at Campbellsville University. With his eye on �������ý��Ƶ, Surtees began audition preparations—it was only at this point that his interest in Chopin came into focus.��

“I was already into Chopin when I auditioned,” he said, “but it was Ballade No. 1 that sealed the deal. It just put him in a league of his own.”��

Read about LSO Concerto Competition co-winner Ben Frueh

At �������ý��Ƶ, Surtees has found space to foster that connection. Under the mentorship of Michael Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music, his curriculum has been tailored to emphasize Romantic repertoire, particularly Chopin. Even as he explores new terrain—his current fascination is Enrique Granados’s Goyescas—Chopin remains a guiding force.��

“There’s a freedom and emotional honesty in his music that’s rare,” Surtees said. “With Chopin, the music speaks for itself.”��

Surtees plans to perform the full Goyescas suite for his senior recital, but his long-term goals are still Chopin-focused.��

“I think my biggest Chopin project goal would be to learn all three of his piano sonatas,” he said. “The third is a masterpiece. … It’s pristine and chaotic at the same time. And the first, people give it a bad rap, but it’s a beautiful piece.”��

For now, though, Surtees is focused on one thing: stepping onto the Memorial Chapel stage and sharing a piece of music that has shaped who he is.��

“It’s been a dream to learn this concerto,” he said. “Getting to perform it—especially with an orchestra—is something I never thought I’d do until much later. That’s what makes it so special.”

Medusa, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 2025, Harper Hall: With their Canadian Folk Music Award (CFMA)-nominated debut album, Medusa’s dynamic arrangement style cross-pollinates the sounds of Middle Eastern, Scandinavian, Celtic, Appalachian, and Eastern European music, as well as original tunes, to create something previously unheard. Medusa is Georgia Hathaway, Lea Kirstein, Marta Sołek, and Saskia Tomkins. For these four seasoned string players, whose collective experience as side players in successful bands spans decades, Medusa is a refuge for natural creation.��

Harlem Quartet, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 2025, Harper Hall: Grammy-winning��Harlem Quartet, featuring��Ilmar Gavilán,��Melissa White,��Jaime Amador, and��Felix Umansky, has earned acclaim for its dynamic performances and fresh approach to classical music. The New York Times praised their “panache,” while the Cincinnati Enquirer lauded their “new attitude to classical music.” They are most well-known for their innovative programming, both through their own work and collaborations, which seamlessly mixes classical repertoire with jazz, and Latin, as well as contemporary works by composers from underrepresented backgrounds, championing diversity in classical music.��

���ܳ�í��, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 2025, Memorial Chapel: Three years ago, singer ���ܳ�í�� was a finalist at the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, and the first Mexican artist to enter the contest. When it came time to select the song that she would perform in the final round, she picked a standard that reflected her musical sensibility, colored in equal parts by the beauty of jazz and the Latin American songbook. “We played ‘What a Difference a Day Makes,’ which was popularized by Dinah Washington, but in its initial incarnation was a bolero written in Spanish by María Grever,” she says from her home in New York City. “We started it as a jazz ballad in English, then switched to Spanish and added some zapateado dancing.”�� “What a Difference a Day Makes” is now the opening cut of the self-titled ���ܳ�í��, an exquisite debut album that showcases the luminous qualities of her voice, and her superb technique and versatility.

Ari Hoenig, jazz drummer, with the �������ý��Ƶ Jazz Ensemble and �������ý��Ƶ jazz faculty, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8, 2025, Memorial Chapel: Ari Hoenig is a jazz drummer, composer, and educator known for his unusual and intense approach to drumming emphasizing complex rhythms in direct harmony with other group members. Hoenig is widely noted particularly for his drumming not being relegated to just keeping tempo or being a side issue to the music he plays in, but rather for elevating drumming as an indispensable part of the performance. The LU Jazz Ensemble will be under the direction of Patty Darling ’85.

Nomfusi, 8 p.m. Feb. 2, 2026, Harper Hall: The soul of Mama Afrika meets the fire of Motown and Soul—in a pint-sized packet of dynamite. After a mere six years in the industry, and with over 20 international tours under her belt, Nomfusi has become one of South Africa’s most sought-after performers worldwide. Indeed, there is nothing small about the songstress with the gigantic voice and tons of charm. With sheer will and determination, she has risen from the squalor of South African squatter camps to some of the finest stages of the world.��

Marc Ribot Quartet: Hurry Red Telephone, 7:30 p.m.��Feb. 21, 2026, Memorial Chapel: Marc Ribot (pronounced REE-bow) was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1954. After moving to New York City in 1978, Ribot was a member of the soul/punk Realtones, and from 1984 to 1989, of John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards. Between 1979 and 1985, Ribot also worked as a side musician with Brother Jack McDuff, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Chuck Berry, and many others. Ribot’s Spiritual Unity worked together for several years in the early 00s, continuing their Albert Ayler-tinged trajectory as��Grimes Taylor��Ribot��Trio after the death of trumpet player Roy Campbell Jr, and until Grimes’ failing health forced an end to their performances in 2018. “Those gigs with Henry were the best music I’ve ever played on… or heard…,” said Ribot��of their last run of Trio gigs.��Ribot��and drummer Chad Taylor had been looking for a format to continue this work.��With Hurry Red Telephone, they’ve found it.��

Zoie Reams ’14, mezzo-soprano, 7:30 p.m. April 10, 2026, Memorial Chapel: American mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, a �������ý��Ƶ Class of 2014 alumna, has been lauded by Opera News��for her “velvety mezzo” and for how she “phrase[s] with elegance and articulate[s] coloratura nimbly.” She returns to her alma mater for a much-anticipated performance.

Lone Piñon, 8 p.m. April 13, 2026, Harper Hall: Lone Piñon is a New Mexican string band, or “orquesta típica,” whose music celebrates the integrity and diversity of their region’s cultural roots. With fiddles, upright bass, guitars, accordions, vihuela, and bilingual vocals, they play a wide spectrum of the traditional music that is at home in New Mexico.

Andy Akiho & Imani Winds, 7:30 p.m., April 17, 2026, Memorial Chapel: Andy Akiho��is a Grammy-nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist composer whose bold works unravel intricate and unexpected patterns while surpassing preconceived boundaries of classical music. He is an in-demand composer who has earned international acclaim for his large-scale works that emphasize the natural theatricality of live performance.��The Grammy Award-winning Imani Winds��is celebrating a quarter century of music making. The group has led a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations, and outreach endeavors. This collaboration will include Akiho’s��BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging, a powerful piece commissioned by Imani Winds.

ARTEMIS featuring Renee Rosnes, Ingrid Jenson, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda & Allison Miller, 7:30 p.m. May 15, 2026, Memorial Chapel: Founded by pianist and composer Renee Rosnes, ARTEMIS is a powerful ensemble of instrumental��virtuosos. Along with Rosnes, the quintet consists of��trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, saxophonist Nicole Glover, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller. Performances across��North America and Europe at major venues and festivals have garnered high praise from audiences and critics alike.��

The new lighting, cameras, and screen technology will be celebrated on Jan. 25 with a faculty recital. The 8 p.m. recital will feature Conservatory faculty Brigit Fitzgerald (bassoon), Ann Ellsworth (horn), Zach Marley (tuba), Kivie Cahn-Lipman (cello), Andy Hudson (clarinet), Kristin Roach (piano), and Cayla Rosché (voice), joined by nine students and narrator Marcia Bjornerud, Walter Schober Professor of Environmental Studies and professor of geosciences. It is titled Un-earthing:�� An eco-geomusical about hubris and hydrofracturing.

The performance will be an opportunity to sample the amazing talents of Conservatory faculty while checking out the updated sound and lighting possibilities in Harper Hall.

Brent Hauer ’10, director of Conservatory productions, oversaw the installation. The upgrades, he said, include:

Lighting: All LED, house, and stage downlighting remain white, but there are now moving wash lights installed that are color addressable.��Additionally, the entire perimeter of the ceiling cloud has color-addressable lighting that shines down onto the walls.

PA system: It features a 7.1 surround system designed by K-Array, which enables cinema-quality playback in immersive formats. “To me this is the biggest added benefit to the hall because it provides a performance venue capable of supporting film composition students,” Hauer said.��“This also works cohesively with the West Campus production studio, which will also be 7.1 surround capable with the ability to upgrade to Dolby ATMOS in the future.”

Control room: It includes a new Pro Tools-based recording system as well as updated camera control and video switching for broadcast purposes.

Front of house: It features a lighting console and digital audio console for PA control.��To facilitate this, the project involved removing some seats from the back row. That also provides for better handicap accessibility, Hauer said.

Cameras: The installation included three PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras that are 4K resolution.

Projection: It includes a 4K projector and new 18-foot-wide screen that takes up most of the rear wall of the stage when deployed.

The upgrades come as �������ý��Ƶ is celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the Conservatory during the 2024-25 academic year. While the anniversary celebrates a glorious past, the new Harper Hall technology—in conjunction with state-of-the-art academic spaces in the West Campus building set to open this fall—points the Conservatory forward.��

Clayville was a student at the Eastman School of Music in the mid-1990s—a trombonist drawn to contemporary music—when he came upon a group of like-minded music students who would eventually form Alarm Will Sound. By the early 2000s, the group was performing on major stages and recording a wide range of contemporary composers, drawing praise from The New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, and other media heavyweights for its commitment to innovation. As collaborations and other opportunities grew, Clayville would double as the ensemble’s marketing director, giving him insight into the entrepreneurial swath of the music industry that now fuels much of his teaching at �������ý��Ƶ.

“It’s not about creating something niche or exclusive—it’s about creating music that rewards curiosity and openness,” Clayville said.

The new album comes with two commissioned videos— and one set to drop with the release of the album.

Lesser, an accomplished soloist and chamber musician who has taught on the Conservatory faculty since 2011, calls Dennehy’s music among her favorites to perform, with its spectral tuning and intricate rhythms creating a style that demands complete engagement. Land of Winter is made up of 12 movements, played continuously, that capture the changing light and mood of Ireland across the cycle of a year.

“For me, it’s a journey, both in playing and in listening,” Lesser said. “We’ve played it a few times now and I always feel shock when I see that I’m at the last page and the piece is coming to an end. Time takes on a different meaning when I become so drawn into an experience.”

For both Clayville and Lesser, who are married, the experiences with Alarm Will Sound inform their teaching at �������ý��Ƶ. It shows up in their music instruction, in their embrace of contemporary classical music, and in their commitment to teaching the entrepreneurial side of being a musician. Clayville said the fear, doubt, and questioning that came with launching and then sustaining Alarm Will Sound is now shared with his students in courses such as The Entrepreneurial Musician and The Business of You.

“These classes are all about understanding how to take your passion and turn it into something that can thrive in the real world, even when things feel uncertain,” he said.

Lesser has leaned on her Alarm Will Sound experiences—maintaining a commitment to contemporary music, pushing boundaries, and nurturing collaborations in jazz, electronic music, and other genres—as she’s guided students in the Conservatory. It shapes how she prepares students for the contemporary musical landscape, teaching them to embrace new works, collaborate with living composers, and engage with pressing cultural issues through music.

“I often get ideas for specific composers to engage with, or pieces to program, directly from my Alarm Will Sound work,” she said.

She points to composer John Luther Adams writing Ten Thousand Birds for Alarm Will Sound. The �������ý��Ƶ New Music Ensemble (LuNuMu) has now performed the piece on campus, at Björklunden, and at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. After inti figgis-vizueta wrote a piece for Alarm Will Sound as one of the resident composers at the Mizzou International Composers Festival, Clayville and Lesser organized a residency at �������ý��Ƶ for her and programmed works with the LU Flute Ensemble, LuNuMu, and chamber ensembles.

“The connection between my performance work and teaching is constant and inspiring,” Lesser said.

Even the process of joining Alarm Will Sound provided Lesser with important teaching moments. An audition that began in 2010 took upwards of a full year. She played excerpts and solo pieces and performed with the group in New York, Los Angeles, and Germany before being welcomed into the ensemble in 2011.

“As grueling as it was, that audition allowed me to dive deep into the ensemble’s mission, learn the full range of what they do, and get to know the amazing people in the group,” she said. “I’ve always loved contemporary music; and Alarm Will Sound was on my radar, but the process solidified how much I wanted to be part of this innovative and boundary-pushing ensemble.”

The evolution of the group over more than two decades can now be seen in how it interacts with living composers. At the ensemble’s outset, “contemporary” most often meant pieces written in the mid-1900s. Now, most of the music being performed by Alarm Will Sound is newly written, often composed specifically for the group.

“It’s important to us that we perform music that reflects the contemporary world,” Clayville said. “Playing music by living composers helps me stay connected to what’s happening in society.”

That builds a deep respect for the process of music creation, which Clayville said he then brings to his work with students at �������ý��Ƶ.

“I encourage students to approach their performances with a sense of curiosity and openness, knowing that every piece of music is part of a larger ecosystem that involves composers, performers, and audiences,” he said.