News
Remembering James Primosch
The Department of Music mourns the loss of our colleague Jim Primosch, who passed away on Monday, April 26, 2021 at the age of 64. He was a composer and pianist and the Robert Weiss Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania. Jim joined the faculty in 1988 and enjoyed a distinguished career in which he firmly established himself as a major figure in the arts community here in Philadelphia while also rising to national and international prominence.
We are happy to report Maria Ryan (Ph.d. 2021)
has accepted an Assistant Professor of Musicology position in the College of Music at Florida State University. Dr. Ryan will begin teaching in August 2021. Congratulations!
Music Students Shine in Awards and Fellowships
Congratulations to all!
Erik Broess recipient of Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Graduate Student!
Presented annually to graduate students in the arts and sciences in recognition of their contributions to undergraduate teaching. In general, the Dean's Award seeks to recognize teaching that is intellectually rigorous, exceptionally coherent, and that has considerable impact upon students.
Professor Mary Channen Caldwell receives a Dean's award for Distinguished Teaching by an Assistant Professor.
This award is given to assistant professors who show unusual promise as teachers/scholars. Congratulations to Dr. Caldwell and all the 2021 Teaching Award recipients!!
Mary Channen Caldwell awarded 2021 NEH Summer Stipend
Mary Channen Caldwell, Assistant Professor of Music, was awarded an NEH Summer Stipend to support research on her book project on musical hagiography and the medieval cult of St. Nicholas in western Europe (ca. 1100–1500).
Ania Vu, Gr'22 Discusses "What It's Like to Be a Composer During a Pandemic" in the Pennsylvania Gazette
Molly Petrilla from The Pennsylvania Gazette met with Ania Vu, Fourth Year Graduate Student in Composition to discuss her experience working over the last year, the various obstacles she faced while maintaining an active schedule and thoughts on how the pandemic is impacting contemporary music.
Dr. Keisuke Yamada’s (Ph.D. '20 Ethnomusicology) research featured in Research at Penn 2021, Vol. 19
Keisuke Yamada’s research on the formation of modern Japanese perceptions of Blackness has been featured in Research at Penn 2021, Vol. 19 (on p. 35). Dr. Yamada received his Ph.d. in Spring 2020. Dr.
ON VIEW: New Work of Tyshawn Sorey by LA Opera
Tyshawn Sorey's most recent song “Death” by the Los Angeles Opera premiered on Friday, February 19, 2021 and will continue to stream on LAO’s YouTube and Facebook pages. The filmmaker Nadia Hallgren also collaborated on this work with Sorey as part of LAO’s “Digital Shorts” series. It is in three acts, and performed by mezzo soprano Amanda Lynn Bottoms and pianist Howard Watkins. Free for anyone who wants to view.
Tyshawn Sorey receives award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters announced today the 18 recipients of this year’s awards in music, which total $225,000. The winners were selected by a committee of Academy members: Chen Yi (chair), Robert Beaser, Martin Bresnick, Stephen Hartke, George Lewis, Shulamit Ran, and Julia Wolfe. The awards will be presented virtually at the Academy's Ceremonial on May 19, 2021. Candidates for music awards are nominated by the 300 members of the Academy.