This week at the College of Music: Faculty + Staff Edition - Sept. 14, 2023

Celebrating the inspiring, illustrious career of CU Presents Executive Director Joan McLean Braun
Boulder native and CU Boulder alumna Joan McLean Braun (BM ’81 and MBA ’93) has achieved an extraordinary 30-year career at her alma mater, much to the delight and deep appreciation of campus and community audiences alike. “From the beginning—back when I directed the college’s jazz studies program in the early 2000s—Joan took the time to really listen and understand the goals, needs and performance activities of the program which opened the gates for me to achieve what I envisioned,” recalls Dean John Davis. “She extended the same can-do, open-minded approach to all academic areas in the College of Music, quickly recognizing that she needed to closely partner with our departments and studios to develop the infrastructure of a sustainable performing arts entity that also supports our academic mission.” Braun will retire at the end of the 2023-’24 season—learn more about the lasting impact and influence of her leadership.

• The Cleveland Orchestra residency—“A great partnership” resumes: This week, we were thrilled to welcome back members of the renowned Ohio orchestra who worked side-by-side with our student musicians for three days packed with sectionals, rehearsals, mock auditions, master classes, a Q&A and a Faculty Tuesdays concert. 
• Congratulations to our Assistant Professor of Composition Annika Socolofsky on the release of her second solo album—“I Tell You Me”—in collaboration with the ~Nois Saxophone Quartet. The album is a celebration of queer joy and defiance with a three track song cycle where Socolofsky deconstructs the nursery rhyme, “sugar, spice and everything nice.” Additionally, the album features three remixes by queer artists Phong Tran, Darian Donovan Thomas and No Plexus. 
• Sept. 16: Join the Colorado Buffaloes and our Golden Buffalo Marching Band at our next home game vs. CSU! And check out this video, Ralphie explained—how this bison became a buffalo.
• The CU Boulder SoundWorks series kicks off Sept. 20 (see event details below)! Learn more about this unique, inspiring concert series-meets-forum for the creation and performance of new and original works. 
• Sept. 19-20: We’re thrilled to participate in the third annual, campuswide Culture Crawl—including a CU Boulder SoundWorks performance featuring student composers of the College of Music’s Composer Fellows’ Initiative; our Brass Quintet in Residence performing classical, jazz and Latin tunes at Norlin Library; and a Macky Auditorium Open House, home of our American Music Research Center! Check out the full schedule of events.
• Join us for upcoming College of Music Coffee Hour events! Thursday, Sept. 21; Monday, Oct. 16; and Wednesday, Nov. 15, in Grusin Lobby, 8:30-10 a.m.
• American Music Research Center announces interim director, upcoming events: The AMRC’s interim director, Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology Austin Okigbo, shares the center’s fall semester highlights—including free performances of “Song of Pueblo” on campus and in Pueblo, Colorado.
• Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano invites nominations for the 2023 Chancellor’s Employee of the Year Award. This annual award is presented to CU Boulder staff in recognition of and appreciation for exceptional job performance and distinguished contributions to the campus community. 
• Join the Buffs One Read community: The theme for 2023-’24 is Community Compassion and Caring and this year’s selection is “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” by his holiness the Dalai Lama, archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams. CU Boulder community members with an IdentiKey may access print, audio and ebook copies through our Libraries.

• Stay current with the College of Music in our online newsroom.
• Preview, download or print CU Presents digital program books.
• CU Gigs, the College of Music’s musician referral service, fields requests from our community: If you have students whom you believe would be good representatives of the College of Music in the community, please make sure they’re aware of CU Gigs!
• New on our website: 
  • New hire onboarding checklist + instructions
  • Financial services + travel info
• Campus calendars + key dates (Office of the Registrar): At your fingertips, academic calendars by topic.
• The Center for Humanities & the Arts offers grants and fellowships for faculty, staff and graduate students to provide direct support for research and creative work in the arts and humanities. 
• CU Boulder’s Workforce Development Hub provides inspiration, education and resources for staff, faculty and researchers to build and grow flexible and impactful learner programs.
• The Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is dedicated to serving the emotional and psychological needs of the campus community. Learn more and explore upcoming workshops.
• The CU Boulder Police Department is a full-service operation and responds to university concerns around the clock. Learn more + register for alerts.
• Questions? Check out Buff Info, CU Boulder’s centralized point of contact for information and resources.