At the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder College of Music, student ingenuity and creativity know no bounds. Recently, two graduate students鈥擭icholas Felder, a DMA student in music composition and Ian Gunnarschja, a master鈥檚 student in saxophone performance and pedagogy鈥攔eceived grants supporting their innovative projects.

Felder鈥檚 grant came from  with support from the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Office of the Provost and 欧美口爆视频 Boulder University Libraries. Open 欧美口爆视频 shares educational resources across the four 欧美口爆视频 campuses and beyond; any content created is made publicly available.

鈥淢y project鈥擡quitable Practices in Music鈥攚ill be an open Canvas course focusing on topics such as personal and social identity, systems of power and oppression, and cultural humility,鈥� Felder says, 鈥渢o support my Basic Composition class as well as student musicians broadly.鈥�

Along with developing this resource, he has been leading equity workshops at our College of Music to help students consider practices such as compassionate listening and open communication. 鈥淚 would love to thank the open educational resource [OER] leads and the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Digital Accessibility Office for all their support and guidance during the development of this project,鈥� Felder adds.

While the College of Music is fortunate to have DEI Director Alexis McClain on staff, other colleges and schools of music across the country don鈥檛 have their own diversity, equity and inclusion resources or staff. 鈥淭hey rely on university programming to implement equitable practices,鈥� Felder explains. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to sharing this content with students in the College of Music and music schools nationwide.鈥�

Gunnarschja鈥檚 grant came from the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts' MFA/MM Excellence in Creative Research Microgrant which supports the creative practice of master鈥檚 students鈥攅.g., equipment, space, materials and honoraria that are not otherwise covered.

鈥淭he grant supports my development of an accessible website that supports neurodiverse musicians in their pursuit of wellness,鈥� Gunnarschja says. 鈥淭his resource will focus on practices such as the Alexander Technique, Body Mapping and Dalcroze, alongside a curated selection of general resources that are beneficial to the neurodivergent community.鈥�

More specifically, the CHA grant will help fund the website domain, allow Gunnarschja to interview experts and increase accessibility on the website.

鈥淭his website represents a novel approach to a master鈥檚 thesis by prioritizing an accessible, user-friendly and lasting format,鈥� Gunnarschja adds. 鈥淚 aim to foster a thriving community where musicians of varying neurodiversity can connect, support one another and access wellness resources that meet their unique needs.

鈥淚 look forward to creating a space where I can curate resources that I would have benefited from as a neurodiverse musician.鈥�

Congratulations to Felder and Gunnarschja for their meaningful achievements!

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Photo: Internationally acclaimed clarinetist Mariam Adam headlines 欧美口爆视频 Clarinet Day 2025.

It seemed like a nice idea, recalls Professor of Clarinet Daniel Silver: Let鈥檚 gather together the clarinet programs at 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 four major Front Range university music departments and create a day celebrating the clarinet with workshops, exhibits, a lecture, maybe a concert or two and a master class with a guest artist. Let's call it 欧美口爆视频 Clarinet Day.

That was 15 years ago鈥攁nd it's been going strong ever since. On Jan. 19, 2025, 欧美口爆视频 Clarinet Day returns to the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder College of Music.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always been camaraderie among us,鈥� notes Silver, referring to his counterparts at 欧美口爆视频 State University, the University of Northern 欧美口爆视频 and the University of Denver鈥檚 Lamont School of Music. The clarinet departments agreed to each hold a Clarinet Day annually, with the locale rotating, so that each campus would host every four years; thus, it falls on 欧美口爆视频 Boulder to welcome clarinet lovers to our Imig Music Building next month.

Every 欧美口爆视频 Clarinet Day is different, Silver points out. 鈥淓ach host puts their own stamp on it.鈥�

The upcoming Clarinet Day will begin with a morning recital by 欧美口爆视频 players (with guests from Wyoming), followed by Silver's talk on practicing techniques. An afternoon concert by the Ambler Clarinet Choir will be followed by a free evening recital featuring guest clarinetist 鈥攚ith Suyeon Kim, associate teaching professor, collaborative piano鈥攁t 6:45 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall.

Silver notes the significance of Adam鈥檚 presence. A founding member of Imani Winds and a sought-after international soloist, she represents more than a superior interpreter of the clarinet: 鈥淪he鈥檚 a woman of color and鈥攇oing back 30 years鈥攖here haven鈥檛 been many like her in the music world. We need more like her, shining a light on (musicians) who are not white males.鈥�

Referencing the College of Music鈥檚 universal musician approach to achieving its mission, he adds: 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a reflection of that here, where we鈥檝e taken steps to increase the diversity of our people.鈥�

Recalling the first Clarinet Day, Silver points out: 鈥淲e had about 60 attendees. Now, each event attracts around 200.鈥� So, who are all those clarinet lovers? Students, alumni, educators and performers, as well as exhibitors鈥攆rom Brad Behn and Brandon Chambers to the Flesher-Hinton Music Company, Mark Sloss Professional Wind Instrument Consultants and Vandoren | Dansr.

Lastly, Silver highlighted another important category of attendees: 鈥淎udiences who just want to hear good music.鈥�

We thank all participating staff, faculty, and guest artists and teachers; and we thank the Roser Visiting Artists Program, the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts and Conn-Selmer for their support of 欧美口爆视频 Clarinet Day.

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Photo credit: Hao Zhou

A complaint about high frequencies would prove fateful for Clarrisse Bosman and her future path as a musician and educator.

Bosman, who will graduate from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 College of Music this winter with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in both bassoon performance and instrumental music education, recalls the moment that led her to the largest instrument in any typical orchestra.

鈥淚 started playing music on the flute. I was practicing one day, and my mother couldn鈥檛 stand the high register,鈥� says Bosman, adding that she was asked to find some other musical means to express herself. She obliged, opting for an instrument at the other end of the register in terms of pitch and size. 鈥淚 said, 鈥極kay, I鈥檒l pick the largest instrument that I can get my hands on.鈥�

Bosman, who鈥檚 apt to chuckle as she points out that she鈥檚 a 5-foot-2 musician playing an instrument that normally measures about 4-foot-5, quickly made an immediate and profound connection to the bassoon鈥攐ne that helped steer her course through Cherry Creek High School in Englewood and then at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder.

鈥淚 fell in love with it. It鈥檚 so unique. It literally stands out among the orchestra,鈥� Bosman continues. 鈥淚 knew that I wanted to pursue music and especially music education. I鈥檝e always had a passion for music education and teaching people.鈥�

The decision to build on the musical foundations she built in high school at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder boiled down largely to faculty, she says. When it came to finding a mentor that could offer her direction鈥攂oth in terms of her own performance and her ability to inspire others鈥攕he found a perfect fit in Yoshiyuki Ishikawa, professor of bassoon.

鈥淔or me, music and where I chose to study depended on the professor,鈥� she reiterates. 鈥溑访揽诒悠� Boulder has set me up for success in the teaching world. I鈥檓 grateful to have had such great mentors in the College of Music.鈥�

Specifically, our program offered Bosman the chance to come into her own as a soloist, even as it provided opportunities to build real-world teaching experiences in classrooms across the Denver metro area, including a stint at Campus Middle School, literally next door to her former high school. Along with student teaching and practicums at Sunset Middle School, Horizon High School and other institutions, these experiences helped Bosman develop her own teaching style.

鈥淚 have a diverse teaching portfolio鈥擨鈥檝e taught concert band, jazz band and orchestra as well as mariachi ensemble. Usually students choose to only student teach in one area, but it鈥檚 been fun to have the opportunity to specialize in different areas,鈥� she says. 鈥淣othing prepares you like putting it into practice. 欧美口爆视频 Boulder provides rigorous challenges and puts us into actual classrooms.鈥�

Bosman developed her teaching experience as she found opportunities to perform for audiences. One of her most memorable concerts came in the midst of a crisis, she says.

鈥淢y apartment caught on fire the night before my senior recital,鈥� she remembers, crediting 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 Basic Needs Center for providing assistance in the face of the emergency. 鈥淚 grabbed my concert heels, my dress and a few belongings and woke up the next day like nothing happened. I had to put on my senior recital. It鈥檚 the concert that stands out the most,鈥� she adds, noting that her bassoon was safe in her locker at school and that the performance ultimately turned out successful.

Bosman, who balanced several different interests and passions in high school, found the same equilibrium at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder. Even as she honed her skills as a musician and teacher, she continued pursuing other interests and passions鈥攆or example, she served as the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Ice Skating Club president, coached members of the Ice Skating Club and participated in several on-campus programs. She notes that 欧美口爆视频 Boulder provides incredible opportunities and support programs, especially through the Center for Inclusion and Social Change which was instrumental as a first-generation student being the first in her family to graduate college.

Bosman dedicated herself to finding a well-rounded existence at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥攋ust as she pursued dual degrees that align with the college鈥檚 universal musician approach which aims to develop multiskilled artists who are equipped to make a difference in our world as broadly-based professionals.

That dynamic will remain with Bosman as she preps for her next steps. She knows she loves teaching, particularly at the middle school level; and she knows no matter where she travels, her passion for music and teaching will follow.

鈥淚 have plans to be a substitute teacher for music until more full-time positions open up and I鈥檓 exploring coaching opportunities in the figure skating world,鈥� she notes. 鈥淚鈥檓 also a traveling spirit and I would be open to something a little more tropical if it ever arises. (But) I do keep music at my heart.鈥�

The University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 winter 2024 degree conferral is Dec. 19. To all our inspiring, accomplished graduates, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the Forever Buffs family鈥攚e hope you鈥檒l join us for our spring 2025 recognition ceremony!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Semi-finalists included:

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

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

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

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With support from a $15K 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) grant, the Chicago-based returned to the College of Music earlier this month as guest artists in our Faculty Tuesdays series and SoundWorks series.

鈥淭he composition department has been bringing ~Nois to campus for the last six or seven years,鈥� says Carter Pann, chair of the composition department. 鈥淭his is the first year that two studios hosted the quartet鈥攃omposition and saxophone. The plan was for ~Nois to work with our student and faculty composers, and with students in [Assistant Professor of Saxophone] Nathan Mertens' saxophone studio.鈥�

Indeed, the five-day residency was packed鈥攊n addition to Faculty Tuesdays and SoundWorks concerts, ~Nois also presented a master class, a guest lecture in the Department of Theatre & Dance and more. College of Music students had the opportunity to rehearse with members of the quartet, ask questions, and get feedback on performances and compositions.

CHA grants support projects that amplify the arts and humanities, and create community around campus. The College of Music's composition and saxophone departments were awarded more than they applied for, allowing for an extra house concert in a donor鈥檚 home.

鈥淚 believe that the application meets all criteria and that it is far ranging,鈥� wrote CHA Director Jennifer Ho. 鈥淭his is one reason I鈥檝e increased the award鈥攕o that you may be able to think even more capaciously in creating programs that will involve multiple community members within the College of Music and across campus.鈥�

The College of Music鈥檚 relationship with the quartet began with Pann鈥檚 musical connection with a family member of one of the musicians. 鈥淥ne of the ~Nois members, Jordan Lulloff, is the son of a very good friend of mine whom I have written lots of saxophone music for,鈥� shares Pann. 鈥淎 lightbulb went off and I realized that Jordan was in this new quartet of Northwestern University grads.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really useful and it鈥檚 a great opportunity for young composers to write for saxophone quartet. It鈥檚 a very enterprising endeavor because saxophonists in general clamor for new music.鈥�

Through the years, ~Nois has become familiar on campus, and created even more and deeper connections. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just game when they鈥檙e here,鈥� adds Pann. 鈥淭hey end up seeing donors, seeing the dean, working with students, coming to classes鈥︹��

Pann hopes the residency inspired creativity among our students. 鈥淲hen students work closely with them, the ~Nois boys are so professional. They don鈥檛 skimp on anything. They will crash open the door to rehearse more with these students. They鈥檙e constantly teaching them what their instruments can do.

鈥淭hese guys increase the learning horizon tenfold. When you see somebody that鈥檚 kind of close to your age breaking into this professional realm鈥攊t鈥檚 really inspiring to our students.鈥�

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tallman moved to Boulder from 欧美口爆视频 Springs, struck by how tight-knit the College of Music is. 鈥淚 just love the community here,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 have really enjoyed getting to work with fellow students and build strong relationships with other people. 

鈥淚 think it makes us much better musicians when we know people on a personal level because music is such a personal thing.鈥�

Alongside performing, Tallman leveraged the College of Music鈥檚 business offerings: She鈥檒l graduate with a Bachelor of Music in flute performance as well as a Music Entrepreneurship certificate and business minor. 鈥淚 like having a balance of tangible results鈥攍ike working in the nonprofit world鈥攁nd very subjective results, like playing music. I like having both. I think it鈥檚 a nice balance.鈥�

Business courses empowered Tallman to build practical skills for potential future entrepreneurial ventures. 鈥淔or the music entrepreneurship capstone, I鈥檓 working on studio materials for when I want to start a private studio,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 really important. 

鈥淭here are so many aspects of that, like setting up an LLC and payments and all these nitty-gritty things鈥擨鈥檓 really glad that I have the tools and resources to learn those kinds of things now.鈥�

Tallman鈥檚 future goals also include playing chamber music and working in the nonprofit sector. She explains, 鈥淚 want to work for a nonprofit that does outreach to make arts more accessible in schools. I actually had a personal experience with that鈥攊n fifth grade through middle school, the arts were not funded by my school. I think it鈥檚 important that kids have arts experience.鈥�

Next year, Tallman will continue her journey in both performance and management鈥攕he鈥檚 starting a master鈥檚 program in music and arts management at 欧美口爆视频 State University. 鈥淚鈥檓 super excited!鈥�

Congratulations to Madison and all of our winter 2023 and spring 2024 graduates!

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Like any other musician, Civelli finds a very personal kind of magic in performing. As a clarinet player, Civelli depends on the instrument for inspiration. But she doesn鈥檛 operate in a musical vacuum. 

Soon after Civelli began connecting with music and performance on a personal level, she knew she wanted to share the experience with others.

鈥淚鈥檝e known I wanted to teach music since I was in 7th or 8th grade,鈥� recalls Civelli, who graduates from the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder College of Music this month with a bachelor鈥檚 in music education (instrumental band emphasis). 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been something that鈥檚 been there.鈥�

The dual drive to play and to teach is part of what brought Civelli from Connecticut, where she completed the first two years of her college career, to 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥攁 place she felt had more to offer in terms of her professional and personal ambitions. Transferring to the College of Music halfway through her undergraduate studies boiled down to a 鈥済ut feeling,鈥� she recalls, a sense that Boulder was the right place to refine her skills.

Two years later, that intuitive leap to a new learning environment has proved invaluable. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I really knew what was in store for me while I was transferring. I saw opportunities as they came up and I discovered more than I thought I would,鈥� Civelli says, crediting her professors, TAs and fellow students with helping her find new dimensions to her playing and teaching. 鈥淚鈥檓 a far better clarinet player than I ever thought I could have been, and a far better teacher as well.鈥�

True to the college鈥檚 mission to develop multiskilled, multifaceted universal musicians, Civelli found opportunities in both realms. Between playing high-profile performances with concert ensembles and coaching high school marching band students, Civelli鈥檚 time in 欧美口爆视频 has deepened her firsthand experience as both a musician and an educator, roles that are equally important as she looks beyond graduation.

鈥淥ne of my strong beliefs in music education is that I am developing lifelong lovers of music,鈥� Civelli says. 鈥淲hether they end up becoming professional musicians or not, at the end of the day they will be consuming music for the rest of their lives. Having the ability to explain why they like or do not like a song they hear, or why a guitar riff is really neat, is important.鈥�

Congratulations to Ashley and all our winter grads!

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Goodwin graduates this month with dual Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥攐ne in composition and one in bassoon performance. During their four years at our College of Music, the instrument has served as a gateway to creative growth, personal connections and artistic expression. They performed with the entire bassoon studio for holiday concerts, composed works that have been performed by the Chicago-based ~Nois saxophone quartet and collaborated with the university鈥檚 dance department.

All of these achievements stemmed from a connection to an instrument that could very well be considered accidental. 鈥淚 was in fifth grade and it was pick-your-instrument-night at school,鈥� says Goodwin, recalling a pivotal moment in their native Texas suburb. 鈥淎ll the flute spots were filled and my next two instruments of choice were also filled,鈥� they add, explaining how they landed on the bassoon. 鈥淣ow I know it was fate.鈥�

Goodwin soon fell in love with the instrument鈥攊ts low range, its expressiveness, its unique role in the orchestra. 鈥淏assoon just happened to be the reason why I made so many friends, too鈥攊t was my gateway into the orchestra world,鈥� they say. 

Playing the bassoon ultimately led to an interest in composition鈥攁 passion sparked in 8^th-grade orchestra class鈥攖hat eventually helped steer Goodwin鈥檚 path from Texas to Boulder.

鈥淚 knew that I wanted to study both bassoon performance and composition,鈥� Goodwin reflects. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to go to a place where I was able to do both, where a well-rounded education was encouraged. The 欧美口爆视频 Boulder College of Music was one of the only schools I applied to that was flexible in terms of the course load.鈥�

Indeed, our College of Music with its universal musician mission proved to be the perfect environment for Goodwin. In their eight semesters here, they not only successfully completed a double major, but also meaningfully connected with professors, peers and fellow musicians who helped chart their course in performance and composition. 

Specifically, Goodwin credits Professor of Composition Carter Pann and Professor of Bassoon Yoshiyuki Ishikawa for their constant support and guidance, just as they offer thanks to their fellow College of Music students for consistent inspiration.

鈥淚 feel like I learned a lot about perseverance and endurance, in terms of training and learning and studying,鈥� they say. 鈥淚 also learned about attention to detail鈥擨 think I really expanded that skill in college. Those lessons are applicable to almost any field.鈥�

Congratulations to Isabel and all our winter grads!

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Great ideas can come from anywhere鈥攅ven a meal with your friends. Three 欧美口爆视频 Boulder College of Music alumni鈥擟olleen White (DMA 鈥�17), Paul Zaborac (DMA 鈥�17) and Cecilia Lo-Chien Kao (DMA 鈥�19)鈥攄eveloped a vision for the (SMF) over brunch, and soon started working to make their dream come to life. 

鈥淲e casually thought, 鈥榃hat if we developed our own chamber music festival?鈥� Less than a year later, we had funding and a business plan,鈥� White says. 

The nonprofit festival, held in Manhattan, Kansas, debuted in 2023 and will return for its second season in June 2024. [Experience the SMF performing 鈥溾�� by Ingrid St枚lzel.]

The SMF aims to tell stories through chamber music and each season features a unique theme. The 2024 theme is 鈥淐reatures Great and Small,鈥� focusing on music inspired by wildlife and creatures of all sizes. 

The festival also hosts community events, children鈥檚 events and a composition competition that encourages composers to submit new works for voice, flute, saxophone and piano. The compositions must highlight narrative, focusing on the untold stories of underrepresented or marginalized groups and the festival theme; winning works will premiere during the summer festival.

鈥淭here鈥檚 something really unique and special about chamber music,鈥� Kao says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an intimate and powerful connection among the performers and this connection extends to the audience. 

In their festival activities, these music alumni say they regularly apply skills learned at our College of Music. 

鈥淓ntrepreneurial know-how gained at 欧美口爆视频 has been instrumental in helping us develop this festival,鈥� explains Zaborac. 鈥淔rom arts administration, marketing and audio/video production to audience relations and creative concert programming. Being able to draw on this wide skill set has significantly contributed to the success of the festival, allowing us to create something really exciting. 

鈥淧erhaps most important was the entrepreneurial mindset itself, of looking at challenges and finding creative solutions鈥攁nd the will to overcome, persevere and build something.鈥�

Congratulations!

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