Music Archives - ��ý��Ƶ

��ý��Ƶ summer music programs bring nearly 80 young musicians to Appleton

Communications — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 21:22:27 +0000

��ý��Ƶ and the Appleton community welcome nearly 80 young classical musicians from across the United States and abroad this July as ��ý��Ƶ expands its summer music programming and brings a series of public performances to campus and downtown venues.��

The summer lineup includes the ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute, a weeklong program for high school musicians, and the return of the ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival, now in its third year on the ��ý��Ƶ campus, running July 18–Aug. 2.��

��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute students perform at Memorial Chapel.��

Together, the programs bring high school, college-aged, and early-career musicians to Appleton for intensive training with ��ý��Ƶ faculty and guest artists while offering the community opportunities to hear rising young performers in concert.��

New this summer is a Classical Voice track within the ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute, joining the Piano & Strings program, now in its fourth year. The institute will bring 37 high school musicians from 12 states to campus for chamber rehearsals, private lessons, coaching, workshops, and performance preparation.��

The ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival will bring 40 pre-professional musicians from 19 states and three countries to Appleton for two weeks of advanced chamber music study, collaboration, and public performances. Five current ��ý��Ƶ students and five ��ý��Ƶ alumni are among this year’s festival participants.��

“We are continuing to expand summer music programming here at ��ý��Ƶ, and we are particularly excited to be creating unique opportunities for high schoolers, current ��ý��Ƶ students, and recent alumni,” said Michael Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Piano and faculty member for the ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival. “These programs allow us to deepen the ties between ��ý��Ƶ and Appleton while offering a unique, high-quality musical experience for the young artists participating. These programs are another way in which ��ý��Ƶ augments its national profile as a leader in music performance and education.”��

The summer programming also connects directly with Appleton’s broader arts community. ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival participants will collaborate with visiting musicians during Mile of Music, the all-original music festival held in downtown Appleton July 30–Aug. 2. The young musicians will create original arrangements and compositions and perform 50-minute sets at ��ý��Ƶ and downtown venues.��

��ý��Ƶ will also host multiple Mile of Music venues on campus and support Music Education Team programming led by ��ý��Ƶ faculty, students, and alumni.��

One featured community event is Music in Motion, an interactive concert for adults and children ages 5 and older presented by Play Out, the ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival, and Mile of Music. Hosted by Caitlin Sullivan, the program celebrates music inspired by movement—from grooves, dances, strolls, and swings to a musical interpretation of Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion. The performance will include video art by Jorge Carvajal and live drawing projections by Caroline Chu.��

The programs also provide professional experience for current ��ý��Ƶ students. ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Programs offer three internships in arts administration, giving students hands-on experience in marketing, artist relations, event production, and audience engagement. The internships complement ��ý��Ƶ’s new Business and Entrepreneurship major—including its arts entrepreneurship track—by connecting classroom learning with professional practice.��

��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival performances include:��

● 7 p.m. Monday, July 20��— Gibson Community Music Hall��

● 7 p.m. Friday, July 24��— ��ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

● 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25��— ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival Young Artists Concert No. 1, ��ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

● 1 p.m. Sunday, July 26��— ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival Young Artists Concert No. 2, ��ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

During Mile of Music, ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival participants will collaborate with visiting musicians to create original arrangements and compositions. Performances include:��

● 11 a.m. Thursday, July 30��— Mile of Music kickoff featuring the ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival, ��ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel��

● 9 a.m. Friday, July 31��— Music in Motion: An Interactive Concert for Adults and Children Ages 5 and Up��

● 11 a.m. Friday, July 31��— Mile of Music LCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 1, Hilton Paper Valley Ballroom, featuring Ruby Mac��

● 2 p.m. Friday, July 31��— Mile of Music LCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 2, Riverview Gardens, featuring Buddy Red��

● 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1��— Mile of Music LCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 3, Copper Rock Coffee Co., featuring Ron Artis II��

● 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1��— Mile of Music LCMF Young Artist Showcase No. 4, Appleton Public Library, featuring Kate Stenson ’24 & Gold Standard��

Faculty for the ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute includes Samantha George, violin; Wen-Lei Gu, violin; Jenny Kozoroz, viola; Kivie Cahn-Lipman, cello; Mark Urness, double bass; Anthony Padilla, piano; and Michael Mizrahi, piano.��

��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival faculty includes Tim Albright, trombone; Michael Clayville, trombone; Andy Hudson, clarinet; Erin Lesser, flute; Brigit Pacher, bassoon; Joe Connor, saxophone; and Jean Carlo Ureña González, percussion. Guest faculty include Brandon Ridenour, trumpet; Caitlin Sullivan, cello; Teagan Faran, violin/viola; Ben Russell, violin; and Leo Sussman ’15, flute.��

��ý��Ƶ ��ý��Ƶ�� ��ý��Ƶ is a liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Appleton, Wisconsin. Its world-renowned Conservatory of Music offers rigorous training in performance, composition, music education, and related fields while connecting students with a broad liberal arts education.��

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Theatre, music, aviation camps bringing young students to ��ý��Ƶ this summer

Communications — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:40:13 +0000

��ý��Ƶ continues to introduce and grow summer camps for youth interested in everything from theatre to music to aviation. These are in addition to the sports camps offered by ��ý��Ƶ Athletics.

Theatre Camp

Summer at ��ý��Ƶ Theatre (SaLT) Camp kicked off the fun June 16-21, bringing youth to ��ý��Ƶ performance spaces for theatre education led by ��ý��Ƶ’s Theatre Arts Department. The weeklong camp served elementary students with limited access to theatre programming.

The camp was taught by eight student-teachers, all of whom are emerging theatre creators or educators, and two ��ý��Ƶ faculty members. It featured basic theatre education, skill-building, and games, culminating in a showcase of the participants’ weeklong experience.

Music camps

Up next are two music opportunities that have become staples of a ��ý��Ƶ summer—the ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute (LSMI) and the ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival (LCMF).

Piano professor Michael Mizrahi, director of ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Programs, works with a student during the 2024 ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute.��

LSMI, now in its third year, welcomes 28 high school pianists and string players to campus July 6-13. Participants this year hail from eight U.S. states and the Dominican Republic. Institute participants live on campus for the week, where they meet fellow musicians, establish connections with ��ý��Ƶ faculty, and experience life as a Lawrentian. Students have lessons and coaching with the ��ý��Ƶ string and piano faculty, rehearse and perform advanced chamber music repertoire, and take classes focused on topics such as “Speaking from the Stage,” “Practicing,” and “Musician Wellness.”��

In addition to their performance on campus on July 11 (7 p.m. in Harper Hall), participants perform in the Appleton community at venues such as Eagle Point Senior Living, Eagle Point Memory Care Unit, and Copper Rock Coffee. LSMI and the Fox Valley Youth Symphony co-commissioned local composer Theresa Martin to write a short piece (“Anchor”) for string orchestra and piano. LSMI students will have a chance to collaborate directly with the composer and give a world premiere at the July 11 performance.

LSMI performances (open to the public; admission is free) include:��

7 p.m. July 9: ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute Faculty Concert, Harper Hall
7 p.m. July 11: ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute Student Concert, Harper Hall
2 p.m. July 12: ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute Student Concert, Copper Rock Coffee
10 a.m. July 13: ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute Concert for Kids, Harper Hall

Participants in the 2024 ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival perform in Memorial Chapel.

The ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival will then take place July 19 to Aug. 3. Designed for pre-professional artists (ages 18 and up), it is led by world-class music faculty and guest artists. Festival participants will curate performances and interact with communities at venues across the Fox Valley. This summer, 42 young musicians hailing from all over North America (including 25 U.S. states), will have daily rehearsals, opportunities for private lessons, master classes, workshops, and a unique and valuable experience creating and performing original arrangements at the Mile of Music Festival in downtown Appleton.

Michael Mizrahi , Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music at ��ý��Ƶ, serves as director of ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Programs.��

“These summer music programs allow us to showcase our incredible faculty, campus resources, and strong musical culture here in Appleton,” Mizrahi said. “Students at the ��ý��Ƶ Summer Music Institute come away with a unique and memorable experience that will stay with them as they consider where they want to attend college, and we’ve had a great number of LSMI alums matriculate at ��ý��Ƶ. The ��ý��Ƶ Chamber Music Festival situates ��ý��Ƶ as an international hub for innovative musicians and creates the opportunity for dynamic engagement with our local community. LCMF offers unparalleled experiential learning opportunities while enhancing ��ý��Ƶ’s reputation as a leader in the music field.”

Aviation Camp

��ý��Ƶ is launching a first-of-its-kind Aviation Summer Camp for high school students in collaboration with multiple community partners. It runs July 7 to 10.��

The inaugural��camp will be a dynamic new experience designed to inspire and educate the next generation of aviation professionals. The initiative is made possible through a collaboration with industry leader��Gulfstream Aerospace, flight training experts��at Pilotsmith,��flight simulator partner Fox Valley Lutheran High School, and��Appleton International Airport (ATW).

The camp offers high school students a hands-on, immersive experience in the world of aviation. Participants will explore the fundamentals of flight, engage in simulator training, tour aircraft facilities, and interact with aviation professionals—from pilots and engineers to air traffic controllers and airport operations staff, including a special engagement with ��ý��Ƶ alumna Gretchen Jahn ’73, an aviation executive and pilot.��

“This partnership brings together the best of education, industry, and community,” said Alison Scott-Williams, executive vice president and chief operating officer at ��ý��Ƶ. “We’re giving students a rare opportunity to explore aviation careers in a real-world setting, guided by some of the most respected names in the field.”

��Highlights of the camp include:

Flight simulator sessions��and introductory flight lessons with��Pilotsmith
Behind-the-scenes tours��of Gulfstream’s state-of-the-art facilities
STEM-focused workshops��hosted by ��ý��Ƶ faculty
Career panels and mentorship��from aviation professionals
Airport operations and safety demonstrations��at Appleton International Airport

��The program is open to high school students from Wisconsin and beyond.��While the camp has reached its enrollment limit, interested individuals are encouraged to register online to be added to the wait list.��For more information or to register, visit

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Students in songwriting class meet with novelist, get chance to pitch music for upcoming film

Communications — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:13:32 +0000

��ý��Ƶ students in a new songwriting class are writing music to be considered for an upcoming film.

Michael Farris Smith, a Mississippi author with seven novels—mostly gritty thrillers—and two film adaptations on his resume, met with students in the Advanced Collaborative Songwriting class that is being co-taught this term by Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory of Music, and Cory Chisel, an Appleton-based singer-songwriter. The students have been split into three creative groups to write songs that will be submitted to Smith for consideration for inclusion in one of his movie projects.��

The connection with the author-screenwriter-producer comes via Chisel, who co-wrote the title song for Desperation Road, a Smith film released in 2023 by Lionsgate.

First-year student Finn Lee shares music during the songwriting class.

A second Smith novel, The Fighter, also was adapted to film (Rumble Through the Dark) in 2023, and Smith is optioning three other novels for major studios. Salvage This World, published last spring, is the novel in play for the ��ý��Ƶ students.

“I was lucky enough to be invited to set during the filming of Michael’s film Desperation Road, where I was able to present to him my original composition, co-written with the lead actor, Garrett Hedlund,” Chisel said. “Michael wound up loving the song and choosing it to be the title theme for the film.”

Desperation Road is available on streaming platforms such as Amazon.��Chisel is listed in the credits as theme music composer.

Michael Farris Smith talks with ��ý��Ƶ students about his latest novel, Salvage This World, published last spring. The students are writing music to be submitted for possible use in the movie adaptation of the book.

Pertl and Chisel have been co-teaching courses in collaborative songwriting for five years, but this is the first iteration of the��Advanced Collaborative Songwriting��.

“Cory is bringing an incredible opportunity to the class as the culminating experience,” Pertl said of the interaction with Smith. “Through Cory’s connections with prominent movie directors and producers, he has created the unprecedented opportunity for our class to meet with a writer-director and hear his vision for the story and the movie.”

While there is no guarantee a song from the class will be selected for use in the film, the opportunity to be considered along with other songwriters is experiential learning at its finest, Pertl said.

“They will be in the running right along with high-profile songwriters,” he said.

Study in the Conservatory of Music

Integrate intellectual and musical virtuosity in a supportive community that will empower you to find your musical path.��

Chisel said he reached out to Smith to see if he’d be willing to connect with the ��ý��Ƶ students.

“I asked,” Chisel said, “if he would be open to a final assignment I had in mind for our class: ‘Let’s give our Advanced Collaborative Songwriting students at ��ý��Ƶ their first chance to present a song based on your book for consideration for the film.’ Amazingly, he said that sounded like a fine idea.”

Students did extensive research on the author and the book. They watched interviews with Smith in preparation for writing songs for the film. And on March 5, Smith made an in-person visit to Harper Hall, talking with the students, listening to their music, and providing feedback. The students will now finalize their entries before submitting them to Smith.

Production of the film is many months away. And there are no guarantees. But the opportunity is real.

“Brian and I always teach to be ready for this kind of opportunity, and I cannot wait to hear what they create,” Chisel said.

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Decoda Chamber Music Festival returns to ��ý��Ƶ for second year

Communications — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 21:05:08 +0000

The , a two-week immersive music program for college-aged musicians from around the country, will return to ��ý��Ƶ in Appleton for a second year. The festival will include multiple public concerts in late July as well as collaborations with the Mile of Music festival in early August.

Now in its ninth year, the Decoda Chamber Music Festival relocated to Appleton from the East Coast a year ago. Presented by the ��ý��Ƶ Conservatory of Music and the musical collective Decoda, it will run from July 24 to Aug. 5, with about 30 pre-professional artists receiving training and collaborating on a series of performances on and off the ��ý��Ƶ campus.

Michael Mizrahi performs on piano with Decoda during the 2021 Mile of Music.

All of the concerts will be free and open to the public.

The festival will bring internationally known artists to Appleton to present master classes and provide other training for the participating students, helping to fulfill Decoda’s mission to “create a more compassionate and connected world through music.”

“The Decoda Chamber Music Festival is one of the premiere chamber music festivals in the country, and it is such a great testament to ��ý��Ƶ and Appleton to have had Decoda choose to run its festival right here,” said Michael Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music in the Conservatory of Music and a founding member of Decoda. “Between Mile of Music and the Decoda Chamber Music Festival, Appleton is acting as a worldwide hub for musicians from diverse backgrounds.”

Eight of the 30 participating students attend ��ý��Ƶ.

This summer program will help��advanced students grow their instrumental music skills.

“Working with these young artists is a highlight of the year for me, as they represent such��a bright future for the arts in this country,” Mizrahi said.

Festival faculty include , flute; , clarinet; , bassoon; Clara Lyon, violin; , viola; , cello; , double bass; and , piano.

Public performances are set for:

7 p.m. July 23: Decoda Pre-Festival Concert, Gibson Community Music Hall
5:30 p.m. July 25: Decoda with special guest Becca Stevens, Riverview Gardens
7-9 p.m. July 28: Decoda Masterclass, Memorial Chapel
7 p.m. July 29: Decoda in Concert, Memorial Chapel
7 p.m. July 30: Decoda Chamber Music Festival Young Artists, Memorial Chapel
1 p.m. July 31: Decoda Chamber Music Festival Young Artists, Memorial Chapel

Decoda’s faculty and students will again collaborate with Mile of Music for a series of public performances.

Decoda is collaborating with Mile of Music during the second week, with the students designing their own 50-minute sets and working with Mile of Music artists in creating original arrangements and compositions, Mizrahi said. Mile of Music, an all-original music festival in its ninth year, runs from Aug. 4 to 7 in downtown Appleton.

Decoda’s Mile of Music performances include:

11 a.m. Aug. 4: Decoda in Concert, Memorial Chapel
11 a.m. Aug. 5: Young Artists featuring B. Lilly, Hilton Paper Valley Hotel
1 p.m. Aug. 5: Young Artists featuring Adriel Denae, Riverview Gardens
3 p.m. Aug. 5: Young Artists featuring Wade Fernandez, Heid Music

Decoda was founded in 2012 by musicians who first collaborated as members of Ensemble Connect, a two-year fellowship program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the NYC Department of Education. You can find more information about the Decoda Chamber Music Festival at .

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On Main Hall Green With … Wen-Lei Gu: Blend of teaching, performance for violin virtuoso

Communications — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:49:23 +0000

��ý��Ƶ the series: On Main Hall Green With … is an opportunity to connect with faculty on things in and out of the classroom. We’re featuring a different ��ý��Ƶ faculty member each time — same questions, different answers.

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Whether teaching in the ��ý��Ƶ Conservatory of Music or performing on the most iconic stages in the world, violinist Wen-Lei Gu brings a passionate commitment to excellence.

The associate professor of music has been part of the ��ý��Ƶ Conservatory faculty since 2006. She has balanced her teaching and studio work with a virtuoso career as a violinist that has included performances at the Berlin Philharmonie, Beijing Concert Hall, and the Smetana Hall in Prague, among others. She has performed at the Bach Festival at Carnegie Hall commemorating the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s death and at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the Millennium Concert Series.

Gu continues to perform frequently throughout North America, Europe, and Asia as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. That has included local performances with the Fox Valley Symphony and the ��ý��Ƶ Symphony Orchestra.

A native of China, she made her international debut at age 13 and would eventually attend The Juilliard School for her bachelor of music degree, Mannes College of Music for her master’s degree, and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music for her doctor of music in violin performance.

We caught up with Gu to talk about her passions in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:��What’s one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I thought it might be more helpful for my current students to answer this question from their perspective of me as a teacher, therefore I asked for their suggestions. Here are a couple of their answers:

“In response to the first question about what students expect in your teaching, I think I would say there is never a moment where passion isn’t present; I typically leave lessons with a new and more passionate understanding of whatever repertoire I am playing. I also recall very early last year that you described me and other students as ‘artists,’ which has really resonated with me; I think you successfully are creating a space in the Conservatory where we can consider ourselves as more than just ‘students,’ but as real developing artists, which resonates with me and the musicians around me.” – Ben Campbell

“Some things that I think students should know about you and your teaching is that you are very accepting and encouraging at every step of the process. Your teaching makes complicated and often redundant (but necessary!) topics such as technique and music theory understandable in a way that is relatable and personal. You really get to know us as individuals and find ways to compare certain movements or emotions from the music to the other things we have interests in, such as cooking. You once told me to think of the sautillé bowing as the little motions needed to beat eggs quickly with a whisk.”�� – Kathryn Williams

Getting energized:��What work have you done or will you be doing at ��ý��Ƶ that gets you the most excited?

I have been teaching at ��ý��Ƶ since 2006. Even after 16 years of teaching here, I’m still super excited and pumped when I start each day of teaching. Sometimes when I’m coming to school feeling tired or sleepy from taking care of kids at home, as soon as I start teaching, my fatigue miraculously goes away. Teaching is a two-way stream: I give advice and suggestions culminating from years of learning and experience. In turn, I also get stimulated, inspired, and energized by my students. One emotion I often feel is an overwhelming sense of gratitude—gratitude for the talented, motivated, and intelligent students we have and the incredibly wonderful and supportive colleagues whom I admire very much.

Going places:��Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

My performances have taken me to some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls such as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Smetana Hall in Prague, Teatro Verdi in Florence, Beijing Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall in New York. I think above all, what I cherish the most is the connectionI make with colleagues and audience while performing—to feel the palpable energy in the hall with the audience, to have a dialogue with my colleagues when playing chamber music, to feel weightless, being supported and lifted up by an orchestra, such as at the end of the second movement of the Bartok Second Violin Concerto. The best part about performing is the magical moment when I forget about my small self and give in to something greater.

Out of the classroom

This or that:��If you weren’t teaching for a living, what would you be doing?��

I think if I weren’t teaching music for a living, I would still be doing things related to music—performing, writing, composing, etc.��

Right at home:��Whether for work, relaxation, or reflection, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

My favorite spots on campus are 1) my studio, because I spend so much time there and have so many precious and fond memories there. 2) ��ý��Ƶ Memorial Chapel, because it’s so beautiful and has wonderful acoustics. Besides performing in the Chapel multiple times as a guest soloist with the ��ý��Ƶ Symphony Orchestra in works of Bartok, Berg, Saint-Saens, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky, I also recorded the entire Brahms Sonatas for Violin and Piano with my wonderful colleague Cathy Kautsky there.

One book, one recording, one film:��Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

I love reading anything written by Nora Ephron. I love the directness, honesty, and wit in her writing. I have read all of her books. My favorite is probably I Remember Nothing, which is a collection of short essays. She has also written scripts for such movies as Julie and Julia, You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and Heartburn.

For movies, I like anything that features Audrey Hepburn. I even named my daughter after her. One of my favorite movies featuring Hepburn is Love in the Afternoon in which she “plays” the cello! Some of my other favorites (not featuring Hepburn) are Ghost, Cinema Paradiso, and To Live.

I listen to music all the time and it’s really difficult to narrow down to one recording. But here is something I listen to quite often: Vladimir Horowitz’s recording of the Schubert��Sonata in B flat��and Schumann’s����Ի��Ա��.��

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On Main Hall Green With … Andrew Mast: Embracing the rush of music, history

Communications — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:24:37 +0000

—

In addition to directing award-winning bands in ��ý��Ƶ’s Conservatory of Music, Andrew Mast is an astute observer of history.

The Kimberly-Clark Professor of Music and director of bands stepped up to organize the Jan. 15 recital that helped launch the year-long celebration of the 175th anniversary of ��ý��Ƶ’s founding. He did so in part because he has been fascinated by the school’s rich history ever since he arrived on the Conservatory faculty in 2004. The recital featured faculty, students, and alumni performing pieces composed in or near 1847 or composed by Lawrentians.

History—musical or otherwise—helps inform and inspire Mast’s teaching at ��ý��Ƶ.

When he’s not directing the ��ý��Ƶ Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band, he might be found teaching a course on band history. Or a course in��First-Year Studies. Or he might be pursuing his interest in the Vincent Persichetti Society, an organization he co-founded that is dedicated to the work of the prolific 20th-century American composer.

Then again, he might be seeking inspiration on a long motorcycle ride through the Wisconsin countryside. That, too, is a passion.

Mast, who earned bachelor and doctorate degrees from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota, is a past recipient of ��ý��Ƶ’s��Freshman Studies��(�ԴǷ��First-Year Studies) Teaching Award in 2011 and the Young Teacher Award in 2009.

We caught up with Mast to talk about interests in and out of the classroom:

In the classroom

Inside info:��What’s one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

My mother was Scandinavian and my father was raised Amish, resulting in a hyper-attenuated sense of modesty that precludes me thinking very much about what others should know about me. I would hope that it doesn’t take long for students in my classes and ensembles to get the sense that I care about them as people and try not to take myself too seriously.

Getting energized:��What work have you done or will you be doing at ��ý��Ƶ that gets you the most excited?

Perhaps it’s cliché, but every rehearsal energizes and excites me. I’ve been fortunate to take the Wind Ensemble to regional and national conferences, do recording sessions and work with world-renowned performers and composers, but I just love the “daily-ness” of working with ��ý��Ƶ students in a collaborative way.��

Going places:��Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

So many come to mind, but I distinctly remember guest-conducting in the Czech Republic commemorating that region’s liberation from the Nazis after World War II. This was during the early years of the Iraq War when there was so much turmoil about that conflict, but being reminded of a time when American forces had been part of something so (nearly) unambiguously noble was truly heartening. The combination of music and politics was perfect.

Out of the classroom

This or that:��If you weren’t teaching for a living, what would you be doing?��

My usual answer to that question is that I’d be teaching something else—probably English or history—but if you’re going to kick me out of the classroom altogether, I would run a motorcycle touring company. Or sell motorcycles. Or find a way to earn money riding motorcycles that didn’t involve going ludicrously fast on them.

Right at home:��Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

The stage of the Memorial Chapel, hands down. Whether for an evening concert or during an afternoon rehearsal when sunlight is streaming in through the stained-glass windows, I never fail to have a catch-my-breath moment at the sheer beauty and palpable karma of the place. ��

One book, one recording, one film:��Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

So many of each I’d love to share, but here goes:

��Ǵǰ�:��Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance��by Robert Pirsig—the combination of father/son narrative, middle-brow philosophical inquiry, and depiction of motorcycling combines in one of the few books I’ve re-read multiple times and love it.

Recording: Uff da. You’re asking a musician, so this is a tough one, but I’d have to say��Moving Pictures��by Rush. All I know is that if I’m ever in a coma and I don’t respond to��Tom Sawyer, go ahead and pull the plug because there’s nothing going on inside.

Film: Since it’s that time of year, I’ll say��Groundhog Day. This isn’t the greatest movie of all time but I’ve loved it each of the 100 times I’ve seen it. Sly commentary combined with Bill Murray’s goofiness makes me laugh and think every time.

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Conservatory student Michael Murphy flexes his music skills with multiple bands

Communications — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 01:07:36 +0000

For ��ý��Ƶ junior Michael Murphy, there has never been any question of what he wants to do with his life. Growing up in a family of musicians, Murphy has always loved creating music and performing on stage, so it’s no surprise that he is already deeply immersed in the music world.

Murphy, pursuing a��bachelor of musical arts (B.M.A.) degree��in the Conservatory of Music, is from nearby Neenah, and he’ll have an opportunity to show his skills Dec. 23 when he performs a holiday concert with a popular local R&B band, STEEM, at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in downtown Appleton. He’s been performing regularly with the band, led by vocalist and saxophone player Michael Bailey and singer-songwriter Steve March-Tormé, son of the iconic Mel Tormé.

“STEEM is very much like Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Chicago,” Murphy said. “Our summer stuff is a lot more of the funk/jazz fusion, funk-rock, pop-rock instead of classic rock, and right now Christmas rock.”

Murphy is one of the guitarists and vocalists for STEEM. The Dec. 23 show, set for 7:30 p.m., is part of their Christmas tour, For Kids From One to Ninety-Two, taken directly from the lyrics of��The Christmas Song��as a tribute to Mel Tormé. The band has performed its holiday show throughout Wisconsin and into Minnesota and Upper Michigan in recent weeks.

Information and tickets for the Fox Cities PAC show��.

Murphy started playing with STEEM because of his connections with Bailey, who leads another popular local band, Vic Ferrari. That band has an annual show called��Symphony on the Rocks, which Murphy’s mom has been playing with as a violinist for 10 years.

Murphy had been performing with his family band, Murphy’s Law, and also separately with his brothers in their band, Hewit, for a couple of years. His mom suggested to Bailey that they play during Vic Ferrari’s intermissions.

“Mike had known us from coming to the shows and watching us grow up, basically,” Murphy said.

That eventually led to other opportunities, including an invitation to join STEEM.

Learn more about the ��ý��Ƶ Conservatory of Music

Murphy said he took his musical training to another level when he enrolled at ��ý��Ƶ.

The work he’s done in the Conservatory has allowed him to grow with his music. He had hesitated at first to apply to ��ý��Ƶ because he wasn’t sure he wanted to go to school so close to home. But when the Conservatory unveiled its new B.M.A. degree, focused on jazz and contemporary improvisation, it quickly became his top choice.

He has played with Conservatory ensembles and worked closely with Conservatory faculty while continuing to play with all of his local bands.

“It has been greatly humbling to play with these groups and to have this education,” Murphy said. “I play with much more patience now and it has allowed me to have more confidence to play. At the same time, I’m encouraged to take risks and I’m able to try new things here with my music.”

Michael Murphy

Class Year: 2023

Major: Guitar

Hometown: Neenah, Wis.

Activities: Sol Studios, Music Performance

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B.M.A. degree opens path for Conservatory students with a passion for bluegrass

Communications — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 21:32:42 +0000

��ý��Ƶ sophomore Tashi Litch is a mandolin player with a passion for bluegrass music and a deep curiosity about the world.

So, when the Orcas Island, Washington, native set out to select a college, he had two priorities in mind. He sought a music conservatory willing to nurture his bluegrass skills, and he sought a college that would allow him to explore academic subjects across the liberal arts. He found what he was looking for in ��ý��Ƶ’s��Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) degree, launched three years ago with a focus on jazz and improvisational music but open to almost any genre of music. Its 50-50 split between music courses in the Conservatory and non-music courses in the college gave him what he needed.

Litch is now one of more than 30 students who have come to ��ý��Ƶ via the B.M.A. program since it launched in 2019.

“��ý��Ƶ was one of the few that has a college and a conservatory and allows students to participate in both,” he said. “That was pretty important to me, to be able to study music at a high level and also be able to take liberal arts college courses. That’s what drew me in.”

��ý��Ƶ students dance at LUaroo to the bluegrass sounds of the foursome now known as The Woebegones.

A love of bluegrass

Since arriving at ��ý��Ƶ, Litch has found his interest in bluegrass nurtured, embraced alongside the classical and jazz repertoire that has long been the Conservatory’s calling card.

He connected almost immediately with a fellow B.M.A. student from Washington state, Evan Snoey, a fiddle player who shares his deep love of bluegrass.

“We knew each other from out in Washington,” Litch said. “He is a year ahead of me and he had felt out the scene here and knew a few players. When I got here, I said, ‘We have to do something, we’ve got to play some bluegrass.’”

That led them to Dominic LaCalamita, a B.M.A. student from Naperville, Illinois, and Ian Harvey, a music and philosophy double major from Seattle. Together they became The Woebegones (they were earlier known as Highcliff).

Evan Snoey

Coached by Matt Turner, a music instructor in the Conservatory, the foursome has been pushing the boundaries, turning a Billie Eilish song into a bluegrass tune, covering a song by The Strokes, and embracing the progressive bluegrass sounds of the Punch Brothers. They’re also playing some bluegrass standards and have a couple of originals in their set.

They’re getting a chance to show their skills on a big stage during the first weekend of October. The foursome has been invited to perform at the annual IBMA World of Bluegrass Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. They’ll be performing as the ��ý��Ƶ Bluegrass Band as part of Saturday’s College Band Showcase.

Litch had connections with some of the festival organizers after having played the festival in his youth as part of a Kids on Bluegrass collective.

“I thought it might be cool to put our names in and see if we can go out there to play,” Litch said. “And here we are. We’re going to be doing an hour-long set on one of the big stages.”

Litch said he grew up playing the fiddle and then the mandolin. He tagged along to jam sessions with his musical family and spent much of his free time trying to emulate the skills of mandolinist Chris Thile. He hit the road during recent summers to play at bluegrass festivals as a duo with his brother.

Now studying at ��ý��Ƶ and playing in a quartet with other talented music students is raising his game, he said.

“I’m used to playing with a duo, so having the four-piece band was a really different dynamic for me,” he said. “It’s really exciting. There are so many more possibilities and directions we can go with that. I love the more high-energy type of bluegrass that you can do with four of us.”

A beautiful fit with B.M.A.

That’s sweet music to Turner, who has worked closely with the bluegrass foursome while also welcoming B.M.A. students focused on jazz, electronic music, punk, mariachi, global music, and songwriting. They are students looking for high-level music and theory instruction but through a lens of their own choosing.

“I think I can safely say that most of these students would not have come to ��ý��Ƶ if the B.M.A had not been here,” Turner said. “We’re very excited about all of these students. They’re really good musicians and they’re great scholars, which is an important part of the B.M.A. because it’s a 50-50 split between non-music and music courses.”

Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory, said it’s no coincidence that three of the four members of the bluegrass band are seeking B.M.A. degrees. They are following a path that was envisioned when the program was first rolled out.

“Although the specific track in the B.M.A. degree is called Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, the program welcomes students interested in a broad range of contemporary music styles,” Pertl said. “The common thread is that all of our students, no matter their primary focus, are musically curious, collaborative, and boundary-crossing. These students have brought bluegrass in as another prominent voice in our multi-faceted musical community, so they really are a perfect fit for ��ý��Ƶ and the B.M.A. program.”

Litch said he has felt that love since the day he brought his mandolin to campus.

“I’ve been able to improve my skills as a musician technically, but also my theory understanding, especially with jazz theory, which complements bluegrass and makes me a more well-rounded musician,” he said.

“The whole ethos of the B.M.A. program is that anyone is welcome,” Litch added. “So, for me, with bluegrass, it’s been great. It’s been really supported.”

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Reframing of a music major adds greater flexibility for ��ý��Ƶ students

Communications — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 21:55:07 +0000

Brian Pertl calls it a “true liberal arts music major.”

��ý��Ƶ has reframed its��major to make it more open-ended in a student’s pursuit of whatever slice of the music world that interests them, a change the dean of the Conservatory sees as liberating.

“No big deal, just the coolest, most flexible B.A. music major on earth,” Pertl said.

The newly retooled B.A.Music major differs from the bachelor of music, bachelor of musical arts, and five-year double degree options in its flexibility. It is no longer centered around Western classical music and no longer requires an audition on a Western classical instrument.

“Anyone who is serious about any aspect of music or any genre of music could pursue this major,” Pertl said.

Not only is there no audition requirement, there are only three courses that are required—an intro course, a musicology course, and a��Senior Experience��ǳܰ��.

“Each student then designs their own unique musical pathway, with close consultation with a faculty advisor,” Pertl said.

This is the second significant addition to ��ý��Ƶ’s musical offerings in the past three years. In 2019, the��was launched, focused on jazz and contemporary improvisation. It also widened the musical path into the Conservatory and has since drawn students interested in everything from��ٴ��ٴ��.

Here are the varied ways you can��pursue an��education in music��at ��ý��Ƶ:

B.Mus: A pre-professional music degree, it allows students to major in performance, music education, theory, or composition. There also is a jazz emphasis in performance or composition. ��ý��Ƶ two-thirds of the courses are in music.

B.M.A.: This also is a pre-professional music degree, but it is focused on jazz and contemporary improvisation. It allows for more genre flexibility beyond the classical Western canon and leans into musical fluency needed for life as a 21st century musician. ��ý��Ƶ 50% of the coursework is in music, the other half in the liberal arts.

B.A.Music: This is a liberal arts music major, with one-third of the required coursework in music, the other two-thirds in fields of the student’s choosing.

Five-Year Double Degree: This is a five-year program that allows the student to combine a bachelor of arts degree in the college and a bachelor of music degree in the Conservatory. It’s one of the benefits of attending a university that features both a world-class Conservatory and nationally ranked liberal arts college.

Expanding the opportunities within the B.A.Music program offers a more varied path into ��ý��Ƶ for music-minded students and a chance to build toward a wider array of careers within the world of music. That’s a win for ��ý��Ƶ and a win for prospective students, Pertl said.

“A student still could be focused on classical music performance but it isn’t required,” he said. “Instead, they might be a singer-songwriter, a music producer or recording engineer, an aspiring composer, musicologist, ethnomusicologist, or music theorist. They might be interested in dance, arts management, music therapy, or music and entrepreneurship.��They might play fiddle, or sitar, or modular synthesizers.”

Opening that door just a little wider to all musical experiences is what the Conservatory of Music is all about, Pertl said.

Another benefit, he said, is that the B.A.Music major brings new flexibility around ensemble requirements. That’s huge for student-athletes who also are interested in music. They can now craft a course schedule that doesn’t restrict their opportunities to participate in athletics.

Pertl applauded Associate Professor of Music Julie McQuinn and a team of Conservatory faculty for leading the effort to reshape the major.

“The beauty of this major is that it welcomes a much broader variety of music and music makers into the Conservatory, and that’s great news and more great music for everyone,” Pertl said.

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“Transformative impact:” Six ��ý��Ƶ faculty members earn tenure promotions

Communications — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:22:55 +0000

Six members of the ��ý��Ƶ faculty, spread across numerous academic departments, have been granted 2020 tenure appointments.��

President Mark Burstein and the college’s Board of Trustees, based on recommendations by the faculty Committee on Tenure, Promotion, Reappointment, and Equal Employment Opportunity, granted tenure to Deanna Donohoue (), José L. ��Գ��Բ��ó�� (), Dylan Fitz (), Jonathan Lhost (), Lavanya Murali (), and Melissa Range (). All six have been tenured and promoted to associate professor.

“Since their arrivals at ��ý��Ƶ, Deanna, Jose, Dylan, Jonathan, Lavanya, and Melissa have made fabulous contributions to the University — inspiring our students, bringing fresh vision to our mission, and having transformative impact in our programs in Chemistry, Jazz, Economics, Anthropology, and English/Creative Writing,” Provost and Dean of Faculty Catherine Gunther Kodat said. “I’m absolutely delighted that their contributions are being recognized through the awarding of tenure and promotion, and look forward to continuing together our rich, rewarding work for years to come.”

To get to know them better, we asked each of the six to answer three questions.

Deanna Donohoue, chemistry

Donohoue

She has been at ��ý��Ƶ since 2013, much of her time spent teaching via ARTEMIS (Atmospheric Research Trailer for Environmental Monitoring and Interactive Science), a mobile laboratory for atmospheric measurements. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a Ph.D. in marine and atmospheric chemistry from Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami.��

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in chemistry?

I have been lucky to have amazing mentors in my life. I think my interest in chemistry was first sparked in high school. I had a high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Thomas, who took us to the Colorado School of Mines to mine for gold and silver. We got to help prepare the rock for blasting and then collect samples. We then brought those samples back to school and performed purity assays. It was at this moment that I discovered how chemistry was the perfect balance between practicality and creativity, and I could see myself pursuing a career.��

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

I would hope that every student is taking the new challenge of learning in different ways as a chance to grow. I know that in my classes, I can see students gaining skills and experiences they would never gain on campus. We are asking you all to work on your own, and often work through ideas without professors and classmates, helping you see what is essential along the way. This independent work means students are finding where they have misunderstanding or misconceptions faster and more often.��

��What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

I hope that my classroom would be known as a place you are pushed to meet your full potential while you are supported – sometimes by tough love – through the hard days. I think I am known for asking tough questions, having high expectations, and pushing students outside their comfort zone. I am the professor who gives extra credit for failure and someone who will help you with whatever you need. I do not expect or even want perfection. Instead, I expect and want each individual to push themselves into uncomfortable spaces so that they grow as a scholar and as a person.

José L. ��Գ��Բ��ó��, music

��Գ��Բ��ó��

��ý��Ƶ’s director of Jazz Studies studied saxophone, flute and clarinet at the Free School of Music in San Juan, Puerto Rico, completed his bachelor of music degree at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and received his master’s in music from the Eastman School of Music, where he later taught as a professor of jazz saxophone.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in music?

My��initial inspiration was my family and culture, since music in a Puerto Rican family has a strong��presence. I grew up listening to music, in recordings as well as��seeing family members, including my father, playing a combination of Latin percussion instruments at family gatherings, church and community. As��I got older,��I started to explore other music besides my��folkloric roots. It was at this time I heard jazz, specifically saxophonist Dexter Gordon. From that moment I knew I wanted to do nothing else but be a professional musician.��

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

This is a challenging time for all humanity, and as an educator I commend students for living out these uncertain times with grace and maturity.��My��approach to��the��new��challenges of distance learning is with love,��compassion,��and��flexibility. I’m assessing every student’s needs, then��adapting to what is��possible,��understanding that��there will be limitations under the��circumstances. The most important thing is that they are mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy and in a safe environment.

What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

I hope my students would say that my teaching style is individualized. I want to really��know my students so that I may inspire them to grow as musicians as well as individuals.��Truly knowing them will give me the sense of how to��best prepare them for��success��and how to go about being��their best selves. My goal for my students is for them to leave ��ý��Ƶ with the skills, tools, and confidence to succeed when times are great, but also for times such as now.

Dylan Fitz, economics

Fitz

A member of the economics faculty since 2017, he has done research and taught in the areas of development economics, social policy, and effective altruism, and has studied economies in Latin America and Brazil.�� He earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in economics?

As an undergraduate politics major, I was interested in how different countries design social policies to fight poverty. As I learned more, I realized that I was mainly interested in economic research and I was drawn to empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of programs. I’ve continued pursuing this interest, using empirical methods to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs on different social groups. Most people agree that we should reduce poverty, but deep disagreements arise over how to best accomplish this. I like the economic research that helps us design more effective and broadly-supported policies.

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

Fortunately for me, I’m teaching our intermediate macroeconomics course, which has a wealth of online resources that I am taking advantage of. Aside from adjusting how I teach with distance-learning, I’m developing a lot of new materials to help my students understand the effects of coronavirus through the use of macroeconomic models and current health and economic data. For example, we will develop a model of infectious disease growth and use it to learn about flattening the curve and herd immunity while tracking current health statistics. We will discuss how this crisis might impact long-run growth and explore how economies recover from crises.��

What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

I hope that students find my classes to be challenging, fair, and fun. I try to push students to learn a lot while maintaining clear standards and offering plenty of support. Economics provides an interesting framework that allows us to better understand and improve the world, and it’s easy to motivate the content with relevant contemporary and historical examples.

Jonathan Lhost, economics

Lhost

He joined the ��ý��Ƶ faculty in 2014 and has pursued interests in industrial organization, game theory, and microeconomics, among others. He has a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Texas.��

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in economics?

A Law & Economics course I took at Amherst College first sparked my interest in pursuing a career in economics. I enjoyed the application of economic theory to legal issues. The course’s professor inspired me to become a professor at a liberal arts college as well.

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

Remote learning during a global pandemic is unprecedented. I have students all over the world, in different time zones, and in a wide range of circumstances. I know some students will be in some pretty difficult situations. My main goal is to do what I can to help all students make it through the term successfully. I’ve structured my courses in a way such that students can learn the material but without the added stress and fear of failing the class due to circumstances beyond our control. Flexibility will be important for everyone.

What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

It is my hope that students leave my courses believing they can accomplish things they previously didn’t believe they could do and with the confidence to tackle interesting problems. I hope that students will look back years after graduation and find what we’ve done together at ��ý��Ƶ useful as they put their liberal arts skills to the test.

Lavanya Murali, anthropology

Murali

A member of the ��ý��Ƶ faculty since 2010, her areas of study have been in linguistic anthropology, sociolinguistics, and gender and sexuality, among others. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delhi and a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in anthropology?

There are two people who are largely responsible, I’d say. One was my high school sociology teacher, Dr. Madhu Sharan, who was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. Sociology in India draws a lot on social anthropology; they’re pretty closely taught. I loved her classes, and I absolutely fell in love with social anthropology and sociology. I haven’t looked back from that, really. The other was my father, S. Murali. He loved people, he loved culture and history, he loved a good argument. He’d drag us to museums, ruins, exhibits, and so on constantly—I suppose we’d either have come out of it hating that sort of thing or loving it, and I loved it.��

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

My goal, as an anthropologist, is to inculcate in my students empathy and compassionate observation and analysis. That means I have to be empathetic and compassionate myself. These are stressful times, and my classes don’t need to be an additional source of stress. As I told them, we’re going to acknowledge that these are not normal times in the ways in which we teach and learn from each other. But I also want some things to stay normal, in terms of ��ý��Ƶ culture — fun, community, closeness, flexibility, and care for each other. My goal has always been for learning to be hands-on, student work to be expressive and meaningful to them, and for my classroom to be a low-stress zone. This changes none of that — it only strengthens those commitments.��

��What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

Ha! They have a lot to say about it, and they’re definitely not shy about sharing it with me. But I hope that they would say it was fun, relaxed, and real. It’s possible to be approachable and fun and still pedagogically comprehensive, and that’s what I shoot for. I care deeply about my students, about their well-being, and about their intellectual growth.

Melissa Range, English

Range

An award-winning writer and poet, she has been on the ��ý��Ƶ faculty since 2014. Much of her academic focus has been in poetry and creative writing, including contemporary American poetry and 19th��century poetry. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from the University of Tennessee, her master’s degree in creative writing from Old Dominion University and also holds a master’s of theological studies from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She earned her Ph.D. in English and creative writing from the University of Missouri.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in English/poetry/creative writing?

I knew I wanted to be a writer from an early age. I didn’t know anyone who was a writer. Actually, I’m pretty sure for a long time I thought only dead people could be writers, but still the desire was there. I think it must’ve come from reading. As soon as I learned to read, that’s what you’d find me doing — in my room, on the porch,��at the supper table, in the hayloft of the barn, in the top of a pine tree I had climbed. I liked books not only for their stories; I liked them for their sentences, and their images, and the words themselves.��The library was my natural habitat. As soon as I learned to write, I was always scribbling, not necessarily to make anything finished, just to explore my thoughts and emotions and to play around with language.

How are you approaching the new challenges of distance learning?

It’s a stressful time, and we need to take care of ourselves and one another, so I’m proceeding with flexibility, kindness,��humor, and collaboration as my watchwords. We’re all new at doing this, and I hope we can try everything with a light touch.��This term��is challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for creativity, so I’m looking forward to trying lots of things I’ve never tried before in the classroom.

What do you hope your students would say about your teaching style?

I hope they would say that most of my jokes are funny . . . though you never know. I think they might mention my energy and enthusiasm, my��high standards (true), and my particularly Appalachian brand of tough love (also true).��I think they would say that my classes offer many elements of surprise, and that as a teacher��I’m rigorous, yet playful, and often just plain wacky.��There’s a bit of running around the room, and sometimes there are props like puppets and bonnets, as the occasion dictates. I hope they would say that while I expect a lot from my students, I am also prepared to give a lot.��

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Music Archives - �������ý��Ƶ

�������ý��Ƶ summer music programs bring nearly 80 young musicians to Appleton

Theatre, music, aviation camps bringing young students to �������ý��Ƶ this summer

Theatre Camp

Music camps

Aviation Camp

Students in songwriting class meet with novelist, get chance to pitch music for upcoming film

Study in the Conservatory of Music

Decoda Chamber Music Festival returns to �������ý��Ƶ for second year

On Main Hall Green With … Wen-Lei Gu: Blend of teaching, performance for violin virtuoso

In the classroom

Out of the classroom

On Main Hall Green With … Andrew Mast: Embracing the rush of music, history

In the classroom

Out of the classroom

Conservatory student Michael Murphy flexes his music skills with multiple bands

Learn more about the �������ý��Ƶ Conservatory of Music

Michael Murphy

B.M.A. degree opens path for Conservatory students with a passion for bluegrass

A love of bluegrass

A beautiful fit with B.M.A.

Reframing of a music major adds greater flexibility for �������ý��Ƶ students

“Transformative impact:” Six �������ý��Ƶ faculty members earn tenure promotions

Deanna Donohoue, chemistry

José L. ���Գ������Բ�����ó��, music

Dylan Fitz, economics

Jonathan Lhost, economics

Lavanya Murali, anthropology

Melissa Range, English

Music Archives - ��ý��Ƶ

��ý��Ƶ summer music programs bring nearly 80 young musicians to Appleton

Theatre, music, aviation camps bringing young students to ��ý��Ƶ this summer

Decoda Chamber Music Festival returns to ��ý��Ƶ for second year

Learn more about the ��ý��Ƶ Conservatory of Music

Reframing of a music major adds greater flexibility for ��ý��Ƶ students

“Transformative impact:” Six ��ý��Ƶ faculty members earn tenure promotions

José L. ��Գ��Բ��ó��, music