This week at the College of Music: Community Edition - Feb. 16, 2023

We’re so proud of graduate conducting student Kedrick Armstrong for conducting the world premiere of “The Factotum” with the Lyric Opera of Chicago this week! Dean John Davis attended this special event, along with Professor of Conducting + Director of Orchestral Studies Gary Lewis; American Music Research Center Director Susan Thomas; AMRC Advisory Board members Barbara Miller and Kennedy Pugh; and our Assistant Dean for Advancement Andrew Todd. Says Davis, “There’s no doubt about it, Kedrick’s career is quickly gaining momentum—as a conductor, interpreter and innovator.” Congratulations, Kedrick! (Photo by Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times—Director Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj (from left), conductor Kedrick Armstrong, co-creator DJ King Rico and co-creator Will Liverman at a “Factotum” rehearsal.)

Read up on “Factotum” news coverage from the Chicago Sun-Times.

• Meet incoming Associate Professor of Music Education Kelly Parkes
• Congratulations to Professor of Percussion + Jazz Douglas Walter whose musical ideas are included in Greg Giannascoli’s book—Opinions on the marimba: interviews with some of the leading marimba artist-teachers from the 20th century.
• Congratulations to alumna Ruth Opara—who earned a PhD in musicology at our College of Music—for being awarded a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship to research and analyze women’s participation in music and dance in Nigeria! 
• On Feb. 19, to commemorate their Annual Freedom Fund, the NAACP of Boulder County will present the world-class Nashville African American Wind Symphony.
• On March 4, CU on the Weekend will feature several College of Music faculty in “Music of the Long ‘70s: Black Power, Punk, Jambands and Jewish Soul.” 
• The ‘arts and humanities give meaning to our lives’: Jennifer Ho, director of CU Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts, discusses the state of arts and humanities in higher education.

• Stay current with the College of Music in our online newsroom.
• Access upcoming CU Presents digital program books here.