Music

CU Opera Songbirds Hit the High Notes

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:47:05 +0000

CU Opera Songbirds Hit the High Notes Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:47

Helen Olsson

In June, two renowned opera singers from CU were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Cynthia Lawrence (Mus’83; MM’87) studied music at CU and went on to share the stage with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti more than 70 times. Keith Miller (Art’97), on the other hand, was a star football player who pivoted to opera after graduation. They have both performed stints as principal artists at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Soprano, equestrian, stunt woman

“When I heard about [the Hall of Fame induction], I couldn’t believe it,” Lawrence said. “To be recognized is beyond an honor.” But the honor is no surprise to those in the singer’s orbit. Lawrence has performed with virtually every opera company in Colorado and worldwide, from Paris to Prague, with legendary performers like Plácido Domingo and Mirella Freni.

"Cynthia has a world-class voice. People say she was kissed in the throat,” said acclaimed tenor Mark Calkins (MMus’87), who met Lawrence at CU. (They married in 1985.) “She won the Metropolitan Opera contest in 1984 at age 23 — a stunning achievement.”

Lawrence credits her success, in part, to her time at CU. “It’s a great school with great facilities. Barbara Doscher was one of the best voice teachers in the world,” said Lawrence. She also points to her background as a competitive equestrian. “If you’re nervous on horseback, that horse may dump you in the dirt,” she said. “In opera, you also have to keep your nerves underneath you. That discipline, concentration and preparation made me a better performer on stage.”

In addition to jumping horses, Lawrence credits childhood time on the trampoline with her ability to perform dramatic free-flying leaps in Puccini’s “Tosca.” Lawrence, who insisted on doing her own stunts, perfected numerous daring feats on stage. She frequently plummeted backward (into a hidden foam pit), and her most notable stunt was a 26-foot forward jump at Royal Albert Hall.

Bass-baritone, athlete, thespian

Keith Miller grew up on a beet farm in Ovid, Colorado, a town so small that its high school football team consisted of six players and there was no school choir. A football scholarship recipient and three-year starter as a fullback, Miller played opera music in the locker room and sang in the shower.

He was inspired by varsity players singing the CU fight song on the sidelines. “These guys, my idols, were singing like they were warrior poets,” he said. Not long after the 1994 Michigan game, when CU made one of the greatest comebacks in Buff history, Miller took his then-girlfriend to see “Phantom of the Opera” in Denver. “I felt the same emotion at the opera that I had during the Michigan game,” he said.

In 2001, while working out with the Denver Broncos at North Dakota State University, Miller took refuge from a snowstorm in a music practice room. “I started singing along to “Don Giovanni” — and someone knocked on the door.” He was offered a scholarship on the spot. He declined, but decided it was time to start following the music. On the way out, he saw a flier for the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Minneapolis and decided to audition. Suddenly, Miller had a dozen job offers to sing and decided to pursue singing full-time.

The next fall, Miller enrolled at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and, after graduation in 2006, auditioned for the Met in New York. He made his debut at the opera’s opening-night gala. At the reception, he bumped into someone who remarked, “Wonderful performance,” in a familiar Scottish accent. It was Sean Connery.

Beyond the Hall of Fame

Today, the inductees are still showing off their versatility. Miller serves as founder and CEO of CedoHealth and has recently moved back to Colorado to re-engage with the Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF). (For six years, he served as director of opera and oversaw the CBMF’s Opera Young Artists Program.) He also has his sights set on film acting. “There are things out there creatively I want to do,” he said. “My journey’s not done.”

Meanwhile, Lawrence works as the endowed chair professor for voice and opera at the University of Kentucky, where she’s teaching the next generation of opera singers. “I love teaching. When students have that ’Aha’ moment, when they finally get it — that’s the prize.”

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Illustration by Chris Buzelli

This year, CU songbirds Cynthia Lawrence (Mus’83; MM’87) and Keith Miller (Art’97) made the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

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Developing the Universal Musician at CU Boulder

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Developing the Universal Musician at CU Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Ally Dever

With over three decades of experience as a performer, educator, conductor and administrator, College of Music Dean John Davis champions a holistic approach to musical education through a mission he calls “developing the universal musician.” Davis originally joined CU Boulder in 1999 as director of the jazz studies department. Following three associate dean roles from 2012 to 2020, he assumed the role of dean in January 2021. He discusses his musical background, career achievements and the issues within higher education that have inspired his leadership philosophy.

How did you get your start in music?

My musical journey began with the decision to pick up the trumpet in elementary school, which is reflective of how one small choice can change a person’s entire life.

I eventually joined my high school jazz band, which was led by a band director who regularly performed in shows and big-band gigs. And that came at a time when jazz musicians like Stan Kenton and Woody Herman were touring the nation. That exposure really inspired me, so I stuck with it.

What prompted your shift from music performance to education and leadership?

After earning my master’s degree in music, I found myself seeking a change. I realized that the life of a professional freelance musician lacked the stability I sought, particularly in terms of job security and benefits.

Reflecting on my family’s military history, with my father’s service in both World War II and the Korean War, and my grandfather’s tenure as one of the oldest soldiers in the army, I became curious about that experience. So I enlisted as an infantry soldier for two years.

During my service, I gained a deeper understanding of the educational backgrounds of my fellow soldiers, many of whom had very little education beyond a GED or a few years of college. This made me realize the power of education in expanding opportunities beyond people’s immediate circumstances.

That really solidified my commitment to education and prompted my return to academia to pursue a doctorate in trumpet performance and pedagogy, with an emphasis in jazz studies. But I wanted to play a more significant role in shaping music education, and that ultimately steered me toward administration.

What’s the basis of your leadership philosophy?

Most music institutions have traditionally offered two career paths for students: performance and education. While those tracks are still very valid, many students are now seeking out music careers that don’t necessarily fit into those two areas, such as arts administration and entrepreneurship, tour management, recording engineering, music copyright law or health and wellness in music.

For decades, students have had to find their way to these careers through mentorships, outside education, self-teaching or learning on the job. As the dean, I want to address the demand for additional career pathways.

This has led me to establish the concept of the universal musician — a leadership philosophy and strategy aimed at providing students with a wide range of experiences and training so they can meet the demands of today’s industry and be better equipped to find success and fulfillment in emerging fields.

How did the pandemic impact higher education?

The pandemic was by far the most influential factor in shaping my approach to leadership.

During the peak of COVID-19, one of our professors shared an impressive composition created by a recent graduate and performed by current and former CU Boulder students over Zoom. I was struck by the remarkable quality of the sound and presentation, despite each musician performing from their own little Zoom square. From technical setup to sound engineering and video editing, the project showcased a range of abilities beyond the traditional curriculum and allowed students to explore unique avenues of learning.

It also highlighted the skills and training that we as a college didn’t provide at the time — these students had to develop these skills independently. Since then, we’ve offered new badges, micro-credentials, certificate programs and interdisciplinary degree options to give students more agency in their education. With these new offerings, we hope to confirm the value and redefined relevance of higher education today.

How do diversity, equity and inclusion factor into your philosophy?

Many musicians seeking higher education face significant barriers due to a lack of early training or access to instruments, teachers and practice spaces.

CU Boulder’s goal is to create an environment of inclusive excellence where all aspiring musicians, regardless of their background, feel welcome, valued and supported. It’s an essential part of our mission to develop universal musicians who are equipped and empowered to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

What’s your favorite song?

The one song that always stops me in my tracks is Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile.” The lyrics mean everything: “Smile though your heart is aching; smile even though it’s breaking…although a tear may be ever so near, that's the time you must keep on trying.” Despite being released in 1936, its relevance persists, demonstrating the impact of music across generations.

What do you believe is music’s most significant impact on society?

Music is what makes us human. When something of great significance takes place, people turn to music. It can serve as a celebration of joyous occasions, but it’s also where we find comfort and understanding in times of darkness.

Music provides a platform for self-expression and helps us navigate the complexities of the world and our role within it. And that is crucial in today’s society, where the need for connection and empathy is paramount.

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Photo by Matt Tyrie

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Brass Queens: Redefining the Landscape for Female Musicians in NYC

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Brass Queens: Redefining the Landscape for Female Musicians in NYC Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Erika Hanes

In the heart of New York City’s vibrant music scene, a dynamic force is shaking up traditions and breaking down barriers. Meet Brass Queens, an electrifying nine-piece, New Orleans-style brass band on a mission to redefine the landscape for female musicians in the Big Apple.

But before they were playing major gigs like the Met Gala, performing on Good Morning America or releasing their debut album, “Black & Gold” the Brass Queens had to fight their way into existence. According to Ally Chapel (ArtHist’14), one of the founders of the Brass Queens, opportunities for female musicians in New York City circa 2018 were abysmal.

“In the music industry, a lot of success comes down to your connections,” Chapel said. “At the time, the scene was so oversaturated with male musicians and bandleaders that it was hard for us to get enough attention to make those critical connections in the first place.”

Love for the Marching Band

Chapel’s journey from art history major to working full time in music began in Colorado’s foothills. Born and raised in this Rocky Mountain state, CU Boulder was a natural choice. Soon after enrolling, Chapel’s love for music and art found fertile ground when she joined the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. Having done marching band throughout high school, Chapel thought she knew what to expect.

"Where I came from, the marching band wasn’t in the spotlight," Chapel said. "There wasn’t this sacred bond between musicians and the school or the fans [like at CU Boulder]. I remember thinking, “‘This is really special.’”

During her college years, Chapel immersed herself in music as much as possible. Pivotal moments during this time shaped not only her musical aspirations, but also her life decisions for years to come.

After graduation, Chapel crammed all her belongings into two boxes, grabbed her saxophone and headed for the Big Apple, where she jumped into the arts scene. She soon found a day job at a prestigious painting gallery, filling her evenings with jam sessions and impromptu performances with local musicians.

Becoming Brass Queens

Among the female musicians Chapel met during these early days, many became the foundation for Brass Queens, not just as a band, but as a cultural revolution. Most had struggled to find reliable and consistent collaborators among their male cohorts. By 2019, Chapel was done waiting. Joining forces with friend and bandmate Alex Harris, the two musicians formed their own group dedicated to pushing musical boundaries and empowering female musicians.

“Brass Queens formed on March 9, 2019,” Chapel said. “I’ll never forget it because it was the day after International Women’s Day. That felt significant to us.”

Chapel immediately went to work on crafting the brand identity for the band, something she learned a lot about through CU’s Technology, Arts and Media (TAM) program. She knew the unifying power that two colors could have from her time at CU, so the group adopted black and gold as their official colors — also the colors of the Saints in New Orleans, where their sound originates.

By enforcing a black-and-gold dress code at gigs, Chapel hoped to establish the same sense of pride she felt while performing as a member of the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. That unifying element has become their story, which they celebrated by naming their debut LP “Black & Gold.”

Inspired by the soulful sounds of New Orleans, the Brass Queens’ band consists of one sousaphone, drums (both line and set), two trombones, one alto sax, one tenor sax, three trumpets and a whole lot of passion.

From Gigs to the Met Gala

When Brass Queens first hit the gig circuit, they accepted a variety of opportunities that came their way. Soon, birthday parties, street festivals and busking on the streets of Brooklyn turned into higher-paying gigs at venues across the city. Within the year, the group became a local standout, earning them invitations to play at iconic venues like the Blue Note Jazz Club and exclusive events like the Met Gala. Chapel’s leadership and unwavering commitment to her craft propelled the band forward, earning them a loyal following and critical acclaim.

“We’re experiencing more success now because we’re doing something different. We don’t look or sound like other bands. We’re showing people that you don’t have to fit the mold to be successful at what you love.”

Brass Queens do not take their success for granted. In 2017, several Brass Queens members helped establish Brooklyn Brass Band Collective, a nonprofit created to help increase access to the transformative power of music for adult musicians. Ally Chapel currently serves as the organization’s president along with two other Brass Queens, who serve on the board.

Looking ahead, Chapel’s impact on the music industry shows no signs of slowing. With collaborations on the horizon, including recording projects at Atlantic Records and touring across the country, the Brass Queens are poised to reach even greater heights.

Her advice to aspiring artists?

“Just start,” she said. “Find your community. Follow what inspires you.”

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Photos by BeKa Photography

Ally Chapel (ArtHist’14) started an all-female New Orleans-style brass band called Brass Queens. She adopted the colors black and gold for her band in CU’s honor.

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The Sound of Science

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Sound of Science Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 02:00

Kelsey Yandura

Grace Leslie stands in front of a crowd, a flute perched at her lips. In many ways, the ingredients of this performance are nothing extraordinary: performer, audience, instrument … other than, perhaps, the odd-looking headband affixed to her head.

When she begins, the silvery sounds of the flute are joined by a wash of vaguely electronic tones. The result is ethereal and strange, moving between atonal and harmonious, unsettling and soothing.

What you’re hearing are Leslie’s brain waves. During this performance of “Vessels,” a 30-minute brain-body concert, she wears a special EEG (electroencephalogram) monitoring device that measures electrical activity from her brain. These brain waves are then sonified by means of an algorithm that imprints their spectrum onto a bank of recorded samples of flute and singing.

In other words, Leslie is playing two instruments: the flute and her own brain.

This is the sort of work Leslie does in the Brain Music Lab at the ATLAS Institute, CU Boulder’s interdisciplinary institute for radical creativity and invention.

The Lab as a Venn Diagram

“We discover different kinds of ways to transform data with sound and transform sound with data.”

Interdisciplinary at its core, the Brain Music Lab is focused on the nexus between music, technology and neuroscience.

“We look at people experiencing music and study their brain waves,” said Leslie. “From there, we develop new ways of working with that data and then often transform it back into the performance or a new artistic piece.”

Typically, students begin with a broad scientific concept. For example: “What would we learn if we measured the brain waves of jazz performers during an improvisational set?”

At an ordinary lab, measuring that data may be the end result. However, the Brain Music Lab takes it a step further. Once those brain waves are measured and analyzed, the question becomes: “How do we transform what we’ve learned into a new artistic expression?” The result may be a visual art piece, a composition or even a new form of electronic instrument.

The lab works on the continuum of an art-science loop.

“We discover different kinds of ways to transform data with sound and transform sound with data,” said music composition student Jessie Lausé (MMus’23).

The lab residents come from a variety of disciplines, their interests overlapping like a Venn diagram — from music students seeking to create experimental compositions to engineering students interested in a more artistic expression of their work. The thing they have in common is a desire for interdisciplinary innovation.

“It’s super exciting for a student with an electrical engineering background to be able to apply the technical skills that they have to brain waves or a medical question or to a creative pursuit,” said Leslie. “I’m constantly astounded by the work that they’re doing. They surprise me every day.”

Hyperscanning

PhD candidate Thiago Roque (PhDCreatTechCogSciNeuroSci’27) is investigating the phenomenon of neural entrainment in musical settings to better understand social interaction and empathy.

His current research is centered on hyperscanning (a procedure that records activity in two brains at the same time) during a musical performance to better understand the neurological link between performers and audience, as well as between performers themselves.

“We are trying to measure the engagement and the connection between the audience and the musicians,” he said. “It’s this fundamentally different way of saying that musical communication is an interbody experience, and then measuring the brain waves that would result from that.

“The whole idea is to operationalize how two brains find synchrony while someone is playing music and the other one is listening.”

He hopes this set of research will help inform how we understand empathy — by watching how people interact with each other in nonverbal ways.

Found Objects

“I really like this idea of not needing to know how to play an instrument to engage in music.”

Lausé is focusing on creating experimental works using sound from “found objects” rather than traditional instruments. Elements of a piece might include pouring out a bucket of water, ripping up crisp sheets of paper or dropping floor tiles from a height of five feet. A recent piece featured Lausé peeling a butternut squash alongside a saxophone quartet.

“I’m interested in anything that makes a good sound,” said Lausé. “I was pursuing this idea that within an object is everything you need to play this piece of music. It has an intuitive nature.”

At a macro level, Lausé’s work centers on accessibility.

“I really like this idea of not needing to know how to play an instrument to engage in music,” they said. “I didn’t grow up thinking that I was going to be in classical music or in academia. That was never something that was an accessible thought to me growing up.”

Lausé hopes this work will appeal to people who may not traditionally be encouraged to pursue revolutionary ideas.

“I think a lot of what I want to do in my work is break some kind of barrier,” they said. “For me, it’s a matter of putting experimental art and process and creativity on display so that more people know it’s possible for them.”

An Interdisciplinary Community

For Leslie, interdisciplinary work has always been second nature. Raised by a physicist and a musician, she was encouraged from an early age to fuse her interests together. However, she’s found that the rest of the world tends to relegate skill sets to their own separate industries.

Leslie’s hope has been to create a lab that ushers traditionally disconnected fields into the same room. When she came across CU Boulder’s ATLAS Institute, it felt like the perfect fit.

“ATLAS is a truly, truly unique place,” said Leslie. “Experimental work is impossible without the support of others in other disciplines. And when you are able to build a little world to support that work, I think what comes out of it is very special.”

As the lab moves forward at CU, Leslie hopes it will become a place where more and more students and their work will find an expression.

Is it art? Is it science? At the Brain Music Lab, the answer is simply, “Yes.”

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Illustrations by Andy Gilmore

The Brain-Music lab fuses neuroscience with music, technology and engineering. The result? An interdisciplinary community producing revolutionary art grounded in empathy and human connection.

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Remembering Ron Miles

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Remembering Ron Miles Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

THEN
2020

In 2020, cornet player and composer Ron Miles (MMus’89) released his last album, Rainbow Sign. A fixture in the Denver music scene, Miles’ warm jazz melodies dazzled audiences. He last served as director of jazz studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he taught for more than 30 years. Miles died on March 8, 2022, from complications from a blood disorder.

“If you played a Ron Miles song right, in the best of moods you'd be crying,” pianist Jason Moran told NPR in March 2022.

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Photo by Elliot Ross

A fixture in the Denver music scene, Ron Miles’ warm jazz melodies dazzled audiences.

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Orchestrating Social Consciousness

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Orchestrating Social Consciousness Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Allison Nitch

CU graduate student is gaining national recognition as a musical conductor.

Conductor Kedrick Armstrong (MMus’23) will earn his master’s degree in orchestral conducting this May, but his career is already hitting a high note.

An advocate for classical music performance and publication, plus the preservation of the voices of musicians of color, Armstrong is passionate about bringing recognition to Black female composers — with the Center for Black Music research in Chicago, Illinois, and the Helen Walker-Hill collection at CU Boulder among his crucial research tools.

In 2022, Armstrong conducted the world premiere of Irene Britton Smith’s Sinfonietta (1956) with CU Boulder’s University Symphony Orchestra — the result of a “year-and-a-half labor of love,” he said. “It was truly one of the most life-giving moments for me as a conductor, a musician, a person, an artist and a humanitarian.”

Bringing Sinfonietta to life for the first time in decades was a testament to Armstrong’s belief about what the work of every artist should be: Along with making great art, he said, “…find where your culture, identity and the work you love to do meet the needs of the field and the vocation.”

Choosing such an ambitious piece was something Armstrong sees as a personal and triumphant moment and described his inner monologue as he embraced the daunting endeavor: “I'm going to do this, it's going to be really hard — but we're going to buckle down and figure out how to get through this.”

A Musical Journey

Once the orchestra reached the Sinfonietta premiere, Armstrong felt “pride in myself and the entire school for wrapping their arms around me in the process,” he said.

He highlighted a guiding principle that’s been with him from the beginning: “I strive to make music with people who enjoy it as much as I do, and for me as a conductor it's all about community and collaboration.” With that in mind, Armstrong attributes the success of the performance to the support the orchestra provided since their first rehearsal together.

“It means a lot to a young conductor to have the respect and trust of your peers [the orchestra] and I felt throughout that entire process … they were along for the journey. [Performing Sinfonietta] was one of the special moments in all of our lives, careers — and especially our time at CU.”

Conducting Success

Armstrong always takes time to recognize the roles that Gary Lewis — professor of conducting and director of orchestral studies — and Susan Thomas, professor of musicology and director of the American Music Research Center — played in his achievement.

“It was so amazing to have both Susan and Gary beside me along this whole process, guiding and supporting me and finding the resources, people and tools for me to talk to,” he said.

In February John Davis, CU Boulder’s dean of the College of Music, attended Armstrong’s performance as he conductor of the world premiere of The Factotum with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

“Not only is Kedrick already widely valued as a conductor, he’s keen beyond his years when it comes to manifold, socially conscious collaborations that connect the dots between artistry and engagement in the social issues of our time,” said Davis. “I’m especially impressed by Kedrick’s active leadership in advancing new and diverse music, and in lifting up underrepresented composers and performers of all identities.”

He added, “In realizing my vision to prepare our students as universal musicians — that is, developing multiskilled, multifaceted artists who are equipped to innovate and engage in a diversity of disciplines as both creatives and changemakers — it’s deeply important to me to support and encourage those students who, like Kedrick, embrace and model what we’re aiming to achieve.”

On That Note

For Armstrong, a classical musician who got his start as a gospel church pianist, conducting The Factotum provided a new professional challenge for him: cohesively blending multiple musical genres for a performance in just three short weeks. Armstrong prepared for the opera infused with elements of barbershop harmonies, hip-hop, jazz and musical theater by listening to shows such as The Wiz and analyzing old videos of barbershop quartets.

“How do we best unify all of these different styles and genres and authentically represent them on the stage? This show and a lot of the work that I do right now requires me to dip into various styles … so that I have something to pull from in a rehearsal room,” he explained.

Looking ahead, the 2023 season offers several debuts and exciting engagements for Armstrong. He’ll begin his duties with the Galesburg Symphony Society and conduct two masterworks and one community concert with the Knox-Galesburg Symphony. Future engagements also include the Opera Theater of Saint Louis and Houston Grand Opera.

Said Davis, “It’s my hope that the College of Music increasingly provides our students the latitude, agency and welcoming space to explore their creative and scholarly work — as Kedrick has done — in ways that encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, and in ways that positively impact our world beyond their graduation — as Kedrick is sure to do.”

Armstrong is listed among The Washington Post’s 2022 “composers and performers to watch.”

For Armstrong, becoming a conductor is about determining how he can create the best environment for the most authentic musical experience.

“[It] has never been about power, it has never been about status, it's never been about control,” he said. “It's always been about being a servant, a facilitator and a cultivator.”

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Photo courtesy Kedrick Armstrong

CU graduate student is gaining national recognition as a musical conductor.

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The Music of Pueblo

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:11:44 +0000

The Music of Pueblo Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/06/2022 - 11:11

Christie Sounart

Susan Thomas and Xóchitl Chávez with musicians Sam Medina and Gilbert Medina.

Xóchitl Chávez (LatinAmer, SpanLit’02) grew up in Pueblo, Colorado's east side in a life rich with cultural heritage.

“Summertime meant church festivals and street parades," said Chávez, who was a member of Pueblo's youth marching band programs. “There was always some sort of music being played.”

Working as a young, bilingual radio personality in the city, she learned of the diverse historic music venues that served as hubs where long-term Pueblo residents and migrant workers united. The importance of these hubs has stayed with her as she studies cultural anthropology and ethnomusicology.

Chávez is now the first Chicana tenure track assistant professor in the music department at the University of California, Riverside. For the past year, she’s partnered with CU Boulder on a research project, “Soundscapes of the People,” that blends her work and heritage.

In 2019, Chávez met Susan Thomas, director of CU’s American Music Research Center, who was seeking a research project to focus on the diversity of Colorado’s music histories. Chávez encouraged her to start interviewing musicians in Pueblo.

“I was hooked,” said Thomas. “The thing that has really struck me is how fascinating Pueblo is as a city. It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been.”

Thomas — also the College of Music’s associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion — secured grants to study and preserve the history of music in Pueblo and surrounding areas, and began interviews in 2021.

By the end of the project, Thomas, Chávez and a team of three graduate students will have spoken to about 80 musicians and community members for the project, some of whom have played in Pueblo for nearly 70 years.

“Looking at music and sound is a powerful way to consider how Puebloans have built resilient communities and social identities,” said Thomas.

One particular elder, Sam Medina, known for his improvised songs called “versos,” helped coordinate interviews with musicians in their 80s, even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April 2022, the team secured a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to continue the research through 2025. The interviews, music and stories collected will be publicly available through CU’s digital library and CSU Pueblo.

Said Thomas: “The American West has been really understudied. This is an opportunity to change the narrative about how people have made music and why it matters.”

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Photos courtesy Xóchitl Chávez

CU’s American Music Research Center is studying Pueblo’s abundant musical histories.

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Q&A with CPR's Brad Turner

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 19:54:58 +0000

Q&A with CPR's Brad Turner Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/20/2021 - 13:54

Alexx McMillan

Brad Turner directing a live taping of On Something.

Put Your Headphones On

After working several years as a print reporter and editor, Brad Turner (Jour, Mus’02) moved to Colorado Public Radio (CPR) where he is now executive producer of the Audio Innovations Studio, overseeing podcasts and other creative audio projects. In his eight years at CPR, he has explored his interests in journalism and music while producing podcasts with the newsroom, composing theme songs and scores, hosting a podcast on modern composers, and reporting stories for the radio. Here, he talks about his time at CU, his recent projects and the power of podcasting.

What was the best part of your CU experience?

Well, I met my wife Kim in one of my reporting classes. So that's hard to beat. And there were many places in Boulder I loved. I spent a lot of time on the Boulder Creek Path, in Chautauqua Park and shopping for music at Second Spin, which is long gone but always had something great in the new arrivals section.

What skills did you learn at CU that help you today in your career?

I earned degrees in journalism and music, which was fantastic. Podcasting didn't really exist at that point, but there were still moments where I got a glimpse of what I might like to do for a living. I wrote a couple of features about the Conference on World Affairs for a reporting class, and my instructor Sandra Fish helped get them published in the Boulder Daily Camera. Those first bylines in the newspaper are a thrill for a journalism student, and I loved interviewing people about the ideas that went into their work. On the music side, I remember really pouring myself into chopping up sounds on a computer for my electronic composition classes with John Drumheller and Michael Theodore. I got so into playing with sound on a computer screen that I'd be in the lab well past midnight.

More than anything, I learned at CU that I love the kind of work that lets you sink into a flow state and lose yourself for a few hours. I feel that when I write a script for an audio story, mix a podcast episode or write music.

What is special about podcasts versus other forms of media?

It's a really intimate medium. Great podcasts can have similarities to radio news, documentary film or talk shows, but it feels a little different to have the voice of a host or storyteller in your ear. That's powerful. I think it helps us connect on an emotional level with stories and ideas. I find it very easy to empathize with other people's stories that I hear in podcasts.

I've also come to appreciate that podcasts are a break from screen time. I like that both as a listener and as a parent.

You’ve helped produce many podcasts at CPR. Is there one that you are particularly proud of?

I am really proud of Systemic, which we released earlier this year. I hired a brilliant producer named Jo Erickson last fall, and in her first week or two on the job she came to me and pitched this great idea for a documentary series. She wanted to follow Black police officers who were working to make changes to law enforcement from the inside. This seemed like such an important story to tell. So Jo and the rest of our team collected audio over the next few months, and we released the show around the anniversary of George Floyd's murder. Apple Podcasts placed Systemic in its featured podcast queue that week, and it was amazing to have so many listeners discover the show during that national moment of reflection.

**You've launched a new podcast, Music Blocks. Tell us about it.**

Music Blocks grew out of a research project with CPR Classical, the classical music station at Colorado Public Radio. We wanted to create a show for younger listeners. We had conversations with teachers and curriculum experts in Colorado schools and heard they could use something to help students think more deeply about music. We’ve released eight episodes so far, using listening examples from both current pop music and classical music. The common thread in each episode is an emotion, like happiness or fear.

**You helped create Back From Broken, an interview podcast about recovery and comeback stories. What inspired this series’ creation?**

It began as a passion project. Our host, Vic Vela, is a journalist who's in recovery himself. A small team worked with Vic to find a format, and we settled on an intimate series of one-on-one interviews about substance abuse and other challenges people struggle to overcome. We hear about how the person's life got off track, what the worst moments were like, how they found a path back and what they've learned from it all. It touches on incredibly raw subjects at times, but it always ends in a hopeful place. I think it's important that we interview some big names like members of Colorado folk-rock band The Lumineers or professional wrestler Jake the Snake Roberts along with everyday people, because addiction and mental health affect people in so many different ways.

Why is telling these stories important?

Back From Broken changes lives. We've had other podcasts that racked up more downloads, but the volume of messages we get from Back From Broken listeners is incredible. We've had listeners say that hearing the show led them to re-examine their lives or decide to seek treatment. Or we hear from family members who have a newfound sense of empathy for a loved one who's struggling. It's a great feeling to work on a show that means so much to listeners who need it. We saw the listenership grow quite a bit during the pandemic, probably because people wanted to hear stories about overcoming difficult times and finding hope.

What is your go-to podcast?

I listen to so many podcasts because I need to stay on top of what kinds of new shows people are making and talking about. I end up listening to a little of everything, but rarely make it through a whole season of anything because there's just so much to hear. But the exception to that is probably Heavyweight, a show that helps people find closure for unresolved moments from their past. That podcast is so beautifully written, and I'm pretty sure I've laughed out loud at some point in every episode.

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working?

I like to spend my weekends with my family, usually riding bikes or hanging out in the mountains. We also love to visit national parks. I'm really happy that concert venues and movie theaters are opening back up. I've been at Red Rocks and the Alamo Drafthouse lately, making up for a lot of music and films that I didn't see over the past year and a half. And I still like to play bass and make music on the computer, just like when I was at CU.

Condensed and edited by Alexx McMillan.

Photo courtesy of Brad Turner

Brad Turner, executive producer of Colorado Public Radio’s Audio Innovations Studio, talks about his time at CU, his recent projects and the power of podcasting.

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CU's Austin C. Okigbo Studies Music from Past Pandemics

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000

CU's Austin C. Okigbo Studies Music from Past Pandemics Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/02/2021 - 00:00

Kelsey Yandura

Austin C. Okigbo, associate professor College of Music, affiliate faculty Ethnic Studies and Global Health

Austin C. Okigbo, associate professor in the College of Music and affiliate faculty in Ethnic Studies and Global Health, studies the intersection of music and public health. He traces the way people express themselves musically during times of widespread illness — a highly relevant topic given COVID-19. Here he discusses his research on past health crises and how music has played a role in the current pandemic.

Your areas of interest are really diverse (music, African studies, global health). How do they intersect?

Ethnomusicology is by definition a very interdisciplinary field. I study African music and, within those studies, my subject area is global health. I did my PhD research working with HIV/AIDS choirs based in South Africa. I seek to understand how people use music to articulate their experiences of disease in a global health context.

Why study the music of pandemics?

When I was doing research in South Africa, I started doing archival studies on past public health crises and epidemics in the area to give my research a broader historical context, like the 1713 outbreak of smallpox and the influenza of 1918. I began to identify where and what the musical responses were and compare them to what we were seeing with HIV/AIDS. The research just kept going.

What themes did you see carrying through in your research of this music?

“People are expressing their feelings about economics, politics and religion with music.”

There is plenty of research about how music is used as an educational tool during public health crises — for example, promoting protective measures. However, my research seeks to understand how people articulate their personal experiences of a disease. Music is a means by which people express what is on their minds... And what are people expressing? Feelings about economics, politics and religion.

Do you see people making similar creative works and music today?

Absolutely. For two semesters during the coronavirus pandemic, I taught classes around disease and music. I asked students to use the current artistic responses they’re seeing today to launch a broader conversation. It’s been fascinating. Students have been able to identify some of the political extremities that have characterized our nation’s response to the pandemic.

You found that social and cultural events surrounding pandemics fueled the responses and behaviors toward them. What would you say were the major events at play in 2020?

Disease epidemics reveal the fault lines already present in a society. The social and cultural difficulties that this country faces as a nation are real. The pandemic highlighted inequalities at the level of race, social class and economic class.

Diseases tell us who we are at an individual and a broader societal level. The disease is a sickness itself, but it does reveal other forms of sickness. It’s social, political and economic maladies that we suffer from as well.

Did your findings surprise you?

“Conspiracy theories about vaccines now echo those that followed the invention of the smallpox vaccine in the 1790s.”

Initially, yes. I was juxtaposing historical epidemics that spanned over 300 years. And yet there was consistency — for example, conspiracy theories about vaccines now echo those that followed the invention of the smallpox vaccine in the 1790s. New York and London experienced violent resistance to quarantine measures in 1918. You would think that culture has changed a lot or that people’s mindsets would have changed a lot...but it didn't matter. The precedents in history are there; we often just aren’t aware of it.

What about physical sickness leads us to express ourselves musically?

Music is an expressive form, and the arts are a part of how people bring out what they have on their minds and articulate their life experiences.

Have you been listening to any favorite music over the course of the pandemic?

I have been listening to Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. He was the inventor of Afrobeat music and was very political and radical in his thought. Even though he died in 1997, his music still feels like it’s speaking to the present. The things he criticized in his music (like government corruption, wasteful spending and economic disparities) are relevant to how many countries are responding to the current pandemic, especially in Nigeria and Africa.

What’s next for your research?

I’m working on a book project now. It’s a comparative study of African concepts of justice, which interestingly will include issues of justice in the context of epidemics. I’m also thinking about a book project that will look at music and the global history of pandemics. It will allow us to explore the ways humans have responded musically to global outbreaks of diseases across centuries, going back to the Renaissance and up to this moment.

Condensed and edited for clarity.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photo Courtesy Austin C. Okigbo

Austin C. Okigbo, associate professor in the College of Music and affiliate faculty in Ethnic Studies and Global Health, studies the intersection of music and public health.

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The Colorado Lullaby Project Bridges Mental Health and Parenting

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000

The Colorado Lullaby Project Bridges Mental Health and Parenting Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/02/2021 - 00:00

Kelsey Yandura

When Susan Ornitz first heard her custom lullaby, created by students at CU’s College of Music, she was floored. Her 7-month-old daughter Zoe loved it, too.

“She was so excited. She just started squealing. It was like she knew it was written for her,” said Ornitz.

In December 2020, Ornitz agreed to participate in CU’s Colorado Lullaby Project, a program pairing student musicians with new parents to create a custom song for their little ones. Over the course of several collaboration sessions, mother and musicians used details about Zoe — her nickname, favorite stuffed animal and emerging personality — to craft a very personal song.

Months later, though Zoe has grown, the song (titled “Little Wild Thing”) is still special for the mother-daughter duo.

“We still love to sing it together on our stroller walks,” Ornitz said. “I didn't think of it as something that was going to be so memorable, but it’s such a special thing to us now.”

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The Birth of the Project

The project began in New York City in 2011. As a part of Carnegie Hall’s community engagement programs at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, composer and teaching artist Tom Cabaniss was working with HIV/AIDS patients in the pediatric unit when he heard murmurs about teen moms in the OB-GYN unit having a difficult time connecting with their newborns.

“I wondered what would happen if we could help these mothers create their own lullabies for their children,” said Cabaniss. “What kind of bond would that forge?”

Ten years later, Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project has a network of partners — including CU Boulder — across the globe. From Slovakia to Alaska, each iteration is unique. Some partners work with mothers in birthing centers, others in correctional facilities.

“The diversity of lullabies themselves can be so wide, and the expressions of the project can be equally wide,” said Cabaniss. In 2017, he had been toying with the idea of finding a research partner when CU’s Reneé Crown Wellness Institute and the College of Music’s Entrepreneurship Center for Music called, asking about the project. He was thrilled.

Grace Law

Together, they formed the Colorado Lullaby Project. The pilot program kicked off in 2020 under the direction of Grace Law (MMus’21), a graduate assistant with the Entrepreneurship Center for Music, with the help of Anne Fritzon (MPsych’20; PhD’24), a graduate student in clinical psychology.

Under the project’s model, student musicians help parents write the music, while the Crown Institute studies the effects of lullabies on the parents’ mental health, wellness and social connections.

Mother and Musician

Lullaby creation takes place over several sessions with the child’s mother, father or guardian and involves the creation of musical motifs, lyrics and melody.

Ornitz knew she wanted an Americana vibe in her song — an acoustic, roots-style tune that felt rustic and homey. From there, they began weaving relevant details into the lyrics. Though she doesn’t identify as a “creative person,” the team made the songwriting process accessible through various creative exercises.

For example, the team often asks parents to write a letter to their child. The personal nature of the letter helps give the artists insight into the parents’ world and shapes the lullaby’s message.

In Zoe’s “Little Wild Thing,” the “Viking girl” symbolizes a phase where she made little growling sounds. “My husband called them her ‘Viking noises,’” said Ornitz.

The song goes on to reference various animals, a nod to Ornitz’s occupation as a veterinarian and her daughter’s beloved stuffed animal collection.

The term “lullaby” is used broadly for the songs. “It doesn’t always have to be very calm and soothing. Some parents end up writing something upbeat to get their kids focused. It’s flexible, and they don’t have to fit in some certain box,” said Law.

This was true for Ornitz. “We kind of decided we wanted it to be a wake-up, happy type song,” she said.

“It's an equal collaboration, but we really try to empower the parent to create something that reflects what they want,” said Law.

Ultimately, the project is rooted in empathy — creating a lullaby with a parent is a practice of deep listening.

This gave parents something to be excited about and to look forward to. Many felt like they were strengthening the relationships with their families and their kids.”

Pivoting During a Pandemic

The university’s pilot season of the Lullaby Project was scheduled to kick off during the 2020 spring semester — until COVID-19 hit.

“We were slated to have all of our sessions in person,” said Law. “Once the pandemic happened, our team was still determined to make it work.”

They quickly reworked the model. Instead of meeting with mothers in person at birthing centers, everyone tuned in via Zoom, sometimes with team members logging in across the country.

“We had to think about how to imitate an in-person musical experience through the internet, still have it be engaging and still have people feel like it was a really gratifying experience,” said Law.

CU was the first national or international partner to implement the project digitally. Some parents even expressed a preference for the virtual model.

“It’s much more equitable in a way that parents don’t have to travel, and they don’t have to find child care. They can do it from the comfort of their own home, and they feel really comfortable,” said Law.

Findings and Future

Nearly all caregivers who completed the program reported a positive experience with the Lullaby Project at CU.

Researchers from the Crown Institute found families showed improvements in social connections and decreased loneliness. The lullabies also improved symptoms of depression and anxiety. Many parents reported the lullaby had a positive impact on their relationships with children, partner or family.

“Throughout the pandemic, there’s been a collective sense of hopelessness,” said Law. “This gave parents something to be excited about and to look forward to. Many felt like they were strengthening the relationships with their families and their kids.”

“Especially with COVID and the challenges of being a new mother, the project made me feel special,” said Ornitz.

The Colorado Lullaby Project has served over 60 families to date. Law plans to make this program available every fall and spring and have continuous enrollment for both students and parents or guardians to be engaged in the project.

“This is going to be a long-standing program for us,” said Law. “Our plans are to really hone in how we’re doing it here and be able to spread it to other universities to reach more families.”

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Illustration by Marion Deuchars

CU project pairs student musicians with new parents to create custom songs for their babies.

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CU's Austin C. Okigbo Studies Music from Past Pandemics

Your areas of interest are really diverse (music, African studies, global health). How do they intersect?

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Have you been listening to any favorite music over the course of the pandemic?

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