This week at the College of Music: Student Edition - April 20, 2023

Spring 2023 Outstanding Graduating Senior
Congratulations to Izzy Fincher—the College of Music’s Outstanding Graduating Senior this spring—who will graduate with a BM in classical guitar performance, a BA in journalism, a business minor with a Music Entrepreneurship Certificate and a Music Theory Certificate, exemplifying the College of Music’s universal musician mission. Each semester, outstanding students are selected based on academic merit, a strong record of musicianship, and a record of service and leadership.
Photo credit: Kimberly Nicole Coffin

• Meet Ashraf Sewailam: 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient.
• Alumna Winona Martin, mezzo-soprano, won first prize in the 35th Annual Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition. Congratulations! 
• By a string (Boulder Weekly)—Get inspired by alumna Rachel Sliker’s musical journey—from the camaraderie she feels with a local community of “side players,” like Jeb Bows of Isakov’s band, Stelth Ulvang of the Lumineers and the musicians in Nathaniel Rateliff’s horn section, to her aspirations of leading her own band, with her own songs, on vocals and guitar. 
• Denver7 Everyday Heroes: We’re thrilled to follow the many successes of Obe Ariss, who earned a doctorate from our College of Music, and his wife, Whitney, who studied vocal performance at our college. Obe is a pianist who worked as a development director at the Colorado Symphony before he and Whitney combined their passions for music and food to open a performance space and restaurant that they owned and operated for seven years. Today, their nonprofit Preservery Foundation provides hunger relief. 
• Congratulations to the College of Music’s CU Philharmonia Orchestra for being selected as a national semi-finalist for The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music! This tremendous honor is based on the CU Philharmonia’s performances of Carlos Simon’s “Fate Now Conquers” and Adolphus Hailstork’s “Sonata da Chiesa” in September 2022.
• Learning the art of silent film scoring: Learn more about this new DMA seminar using the Grauman’s Theatres Scores collection, part of the American Music Research Center’s archive.
• Guest master class with violinist James Ehnes, April 21, 2:30-4 p.m., Grusin Music Hall: Free and open to the public. Ehnes will perform with the Colorado Symphony this weekend. 
• Wednesdays in April: Join us for our tea + equity chats—weekly DEI discussions over tea. Students, faculty, staff and other campus constituents are welcome to join us at 4 p.m. in Grusin Lobby.

• Grad Appreciation Days, May 1-4: A weeklong celebration of YOU, our Class of 2023! The CU Boulder community will host a variety of events and in-person opportunities open to all graduating students. 
• Celebrate your accomplishments at Grad Bash, May 4!
• College of Music commencement activities.
• Commencement 2023: everything you need to know.
• Meet the commencement marshal Bud Coleman.
• Stay current with the College of Music in our online newsroom.
• Campus support resources: There are many in-person and virtual support and advocacy resources available to you.
• Other questions? Check out Buff Info, CU Boulder’s centralized resource.