FACULTY HIGH NOTES

Colorado Music home

Leigh Holman


Alumna and Associate Professor of Opera Leigh Holman鈥攚ho directs the College of Music鈥檚 Eklund Opera Program鈥攚as named听缅北禁地's new commencement marshal.

John Clay Allen鈥攍ecturer, music technology + composition鈥攔eleased his third solo piano album, 鈥淒eep Star Atlas,鈥 on the Axiom Music label. The album鈥攁vailable on all streaming platforms鈥攆eatures 12 original compositions highlighting Allen鈥檚 talents as both composer and performer.

John Clay Allen

Professor Emerita Judith Glyde鈥檚 memoir鈥鈥攊s based on her extraordinary experiences in the Khumbu region of the Himalayas. In a secluded village鈥攆ollowing in the footsteps of the Buddhist teacher who enters contemplative isolation to study鈥攕he re-explored Bach鈥檚 six suites for solo cello. Learn more about Glyde鈥檚 fusion of music, nature and determination on her听.听In 2022, Glyde was named the College of Music鈥檚 2022 Distinguished Service Award recipient.

Under the Goddess of the Sky book cover

In December 2024, Professor of Jazz Studies John Gunther launched 鈥鈥濃攁 solo recording created in 鈥淭he TANK鈥 in Rangely, Colorado, and featuring Gunther playing some 20 different instruments.

Gunther-Tales from the tank

In October 2024, Professor of Music Theory Daphne Leong was featured in the distinguished Barwick Colloquium Series at Harvard University giving a lecture-recital with Ken Hamao and Jessica Bodner of the Parker Quartet on 鈥淎 Metric Puzzle in Sibelius鈥檚 Violin Concerto.鈥 Leong has explored the concerto with violinists Jinjoo Cho (McGill University), John Haspel Gilbert (Texas Tech University) and alumnus Victor Avila Luvsangenden (DMA 2023). Sparked by a question from former 缅北禁地 violin faculty Lina Bahn, the project began to take shape during Leong鈥檚 2022 weeklong residency at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland; her findings will be published by the Sibelius Academy in 2025.

2024 Daphne Leong_Ken Hamao_Harvard Barwick Series

Nick Perna鈥攁ssociate professor of voice and director of vocal pedagogy鈥攈as been named the听.听Additionally, Perna is a grantee of the 缅北禁地 Research & Innovation Office (RIO)听Arts & Humanities Grant Program, reflecting the depth and diversity of research and creative work at 缅北禁地.听

Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching Jeremy Reger and Grammy Award-winning mezzo soprano Michelle DeYoung released 鈥,鈥 continuing their celebrated collaboration on the composer鈥檚 works.听

jeremy reger

Jazz Studies Lecturer Matt Smiley awarded prestigious MacDowell Fellowship
Oct. 17, 2024
By MarieFaith Lane

Alumnus Matt Smiley (DMA 鈥22)鈥攁 jazz lecturer at our College of Music鈥攈ad听the opportunity to advance his compositional goals by exploring the intersection of jazz and contemporary classical music, and embracing improvisation and innovative composition techniques that challenge the boundaries of both genres.听

Matt Smiley

Associate Professor of Guitar and Director of the Ritter Family Classical Guitar Program Nicol貌 Spera received a Provost's Faculty Achievement Award.

Nicolo虁 Spera

Assistant Professor of Conducting and Associate Director of Choral Studies Elizabeth Swanson received a Provost's Faculty Achievement Award.

Assistant Professor of Trombone Sterling Tanner was elected as secretary of the Central Chapter of the College Music Society. Additionally, Tanner is a grantee of the 缅北禁地 Research & Innovation Office (RIO)听Arts & Humanities Grant Program, reflecting the depth and diversity of research and creative work at 缅北禁地. Tanner鈥檚 recently released debut solo album鈥鈥攚as recorded at the 缅北禁地 College of Music and also features听Professor of Collaborative Piano Margaret McDonald.