Voice + opera + musical theatre

College of Music welcomes vocal coach + musical director Jordan Ortman

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 15 May 2026 13:20:39 +0000

College of Music welcomes vocal coach + musical director Jordan Ortman Mariefaith Lane Fri, 05/15/2026 - 07:20

Sabine Kortals

The CU ��ý�� College of Music is pleased to welcome Jordan Ortman—Associate Teaching Professor of Vocal Coaching and Musical Director in Music Theatre—effective this fall.

Ortman is a former faculty member at Metropolitan State University where he coached and music directed the opera and musical theatre programs, co-led the BFA-MT performance program and taught theory and piano classes. During his tenure at MSU Denver, he coached staged operas and opera scenes programs, and served as music director and conductor for musicals. He continues to teach applied piano at the Colorado School of Mines.

In addition to teaching, he enjoys working with many Denver arts organizations including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (Broadway Tours, Theatre Company and Theatre for Young Audiences), Opera Colorado, the Arvada Center and ��ý�� Opera Company. He is the former Opera Colorado Young Artist pianist and coach (“Cenerentola,” “L’elisir d’amore,” “La bohème,” “Falstaff”). Recent credits include “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast” (Arvada Center), “Manon,” “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “Signor Deluso” (��ý�� Opera), “The Pirates of Penzance,” “A Grand Night for Singing,” “1776” (Performance Now), “Wicked,” “White Christmas” (DCPA Broadway tours), “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” “Goodnight, Moon” and Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play” (DCPA Theatre for Young Audiences). For many summers, he has been a music director and pianist at Quisisana Music Resort in Center Lovell, Maine.

Ortman believes that versatility is an asset in the performing arts industry. As such, his interests and opportunities range from chamber music and duo piano recitals to opera and musical theatre music direction—as well as arranging and composing.

“The lines that once divided various genres and pathways within music have blurred and I believe that future careers in music belong to curious, collaborative and determined students,” he says. “Interest and expertise in many facets of music making should be encouraged and the entrepreneurial spirit celebrated.

“I look forward to guiding the talented students at CU ��ý�� and preparing them to be comprehensive, universal musicians—and, indeed, well-balanced people.”

Ortman earned a Master of Music in collaborative piano from the University of Northern Colorado where he studied with Willem van Schalkwyk and Vergie Amendola; and a Bachelor of Arts in music performance (piano) from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas.

Welcome, Jordan Ortman!

The College of Music is pleased to announce the hiring of Associate Teaching Professor of Vocal Coaching + Musical Director in Music Theatre Jordan Ortman beginning fall 2026. Welcome!

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Gems of the AMRC collections: The George Lynn Memorial Award and the Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award continue with generous bequest

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:01:24 +0000

Gems of the AMRC collections: The George Lynn Memorial Award and the Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award continue with generous bequest Mariefaith Lane Thu, 04/23/2026 - 14:01

Kathryn Bistodeau

Christina Lynn-Craig and her father George Lynn, 1984.

Christina Lynn-Craig (DMA ’94, voice + vocal pedagogy), a board member of the college’s American Music Research Center (AMRC), has had deep ties to CU ��ý�� her whole life.

“Both my mother and father were on faculty here in the early 1950s,” she says. “They met in 1950, so they were still dating when they were teaching here. Then I met my husband in 1990 when I was a DMA candidate in voice. We were musical partners before we became life partners.”

Her father George Lynn and her late husband Alex Craig both have collections in the AMRC archives. Along with being a composer, Lynn was a nationally celebrated choral conductor and organist, and an assistant professor of music at the College of Music from 1950-52. Craig was a pianist, composer and staff accompanist at our college from 1976-2011.

AMRC Director Michael Uy notes, “our archives are full of many compositional treasures written by CU ��ý�� faculty—it really is an incredible resource for student performers, researchers and teachers.”

Each of their collections, which contain a complete catalogue of their compositional scores, also has a biannual award that encourages students to research or perform a selection of the music and write about their experiences. The two awards—the George Lynn Memorial Award and the Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award—are given to College of Music students on a rotating basis. This spring, the George Lynn award was granted to Glenda Luck and Grace Stringfellow.

Now, Lynn-Craig is making a generous donation in the form of a bequest, to ensure the continuation of the two awards. “We are beyond grateful for Christina’s gift which provides a permanent monetary incentive for our students to engage with the AMRC’s collections,” says Uy.

CONTINUE TO FULL STORY

Alumna Christina Lynn-Craig, a board member of the college’s American Music Research Center, is making a generous donation to ensure the continuation of the George Lynn Memorial Award and the Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award. The two awards are given to College of Music students on a rotating basis. This spring, the George Lynn Memorial Award was granted to Glenda Luck and Grace Stringfellow.

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Donor spotlight: Scholarship honors the legacy of Mary Ramsour

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:48:42 +0000

Donor spotlight: Scholarship honors the legacy of Mary Ramsour Mariefaith Lane Thu, 04/23/2026 - 13:48

Adam Goldstein + Sabine Kortals

It took time for Mary Ramsour to follow her dreams.

Ramsour (BM ’94, MM ’97) earned degrees in voice performance and vocal pedagogy from CU ��ý�� and went on to found an opera company—Lyric Artists of the West—that produced performances of scenes from various operas, inclusive of non-traditional artists like herself; lead a church music program; and make creative expression a central pillar in her life.

The College of Music wasn’t her first academic destination, however, and the career she pursued so passionately until her death from breast cancer in 2019 came after she’d already spent nearly a decade as a successful attorney. Music called to Ramsour from an early age, but she didn’t heed the message until later in life.

“Mary always had a gorgeous voice and she absolutely loved singing,” recalls Joanie Andrews, Ramsour’s sister. Andrews adds that Ramsour started singing in elementary school, but that their parents insisted she pursue a traditional career; so she earned a law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law after she completed a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

From there, Ramsour’s path seemed set. She started her own practice and specialized in family law. She drew clients with her kindness, determination and smarts, carving out a niche representing AIDS patients, a population still largely overlooked in the late 80s. She ultimately moved on to a large law firm in downtown Denver where she specialized in product liability defense.

But Ramsour wasn’t happy. The CU ��ý�� College of Music would offer her a gateway to a much more fulfilling life. “She called me up one day and said, ‘I have to talk to you—you can’t tell anyone, but I’m quitting my job,’” says John Patchett, Ramsour’s brother. “She said, ‘I’m going to do what I always should have done—I’m going back to school to study music.’

“We all thought it was wonderful,” Patchett adds. “The law was an occupation, but music was her passion and her love.”

Once Ramsour made that decision, she couldn’t be stopped. She commuted daily to the ��ý�� campus from Denver and faced the challenges of beginning a new academic path as a non-traditional student, refining her “big, Ethel Merman-like voice” into a finely honed instrument.

“She loved being at the College of Music,” says Patchett. “She made so many good friends—her peers adored her.”

As Director of Music and the Arts at St. James Presbyterian Church in Littleton, Colorado, Ramsour ultimately landed a position that fused her love of music with her deep faith. It was work she pursued passionately until her final days, her unflagging commitment inspiring those who knew and loved her best.

In 2019, David Andrews offered a very special gift to his wife, Joanie. On Christmas morning, she found an envelope under the tree with information inside about a new scholarship that he was establishing in her sister’s name.

“Mary was very special—she took the leap from an established career to pursuing her dream. That’s guts. That’s something that doesn’t happen very often,” says David Andrews, adding that the $5,000 scholarship is designed to encourage other non-traditional voice students to pursue their dreams, too.

Indeed, the Mary Catherine Ramsour Memorial Endowed Voice Scholarship Fund represents a way for Ramsour’s family, many of whom live outside of Colorado, to continue her legacy at the College of Music—one that reflects her passion, her kindness, her faith and her courage. For Ramsour’s husband, Bo, and their three daughters, the scholarship fund represents “how much she poured her heart and soul into the program, and often was a source of motherly and lawyerly support for the younger students.”

Adds Joanie Andrews, “She was a wonderful woman and I think about her every day.”

Related:
Mary Ramsour in her own words: “From Advocate to Artist—from the courtroom to the concert hall” (Modern Opera Music Magazine, Vol. IV, 2000)

Explore giving opportunities at the College of Music

Joanie and David Andrews established the Mary Catherine Ramsour Memorial Endowed Voice Scholarship Fund to continue the legacy of Joanie Andrews’ sister: Mary Ramsour earned degrees in voice performance and vocal pedagogy from CU ��ý�� and went on to found an opera company, lead a church music program and make creative expression a central pillar in her life. The scholarship in her name is designed to encourage non-traditional voice students to pursue their dreams, as she did.

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Meet 2026 Distinguished Alumnus Wei Wu

Mariefaith Lane — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:43:29 +0000

Meet 2026 Distinguished Alumnus Wei Wu Mariefaith Lane Wed, 04/15/2026 - 12:43

MarieFaith Lane

Photo credit: Solomon Howard

The ��ý�� College of Music is thrilled to announce that Wei Wu (MM ’13) has been named our 2026 Distinguished Alumnus in recognition of his international career and contributions to the art of opera. For the Grammy Award-winning bass, his path to success includes embracing new music and a willingness to say yes to the unfamiliar.

New operas: A collaborative approach
Two moments define Wu’s career: The first is his participation in the CU ��ý�� New Opera Workshop (CU NOW)—the College of Music’s extended summer workshop, the first of its kind in a U.S. academic institution, where graduate voice students have direct interaction with living composers and librettists to develop and perform their music. The second was “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs”—a contemporary opera written by composer Mason Bates and librettist Mark Campbell (Thtr ’75): Wu performed the role of Kōbun Chino Otogawa in the world premiere at Santa Fe Opera; the recording won a 2019 Grammy Award.

Wu’s ability to learn quickly and contribute to evolving works helped him stand out in young artist programs and build lasting relationships with creators. “CU NOW is where I started, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” says Wu. “And singing in ‘The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs’ premiere—and creating that role collaboratively—was the turning point in my career.

“I was surprised when we won the Grammy—but looking back, it makes sense. There’s growing recognition of the importance of new works in American opera.”

For Wu, who came to the United States from China in 2007, that recognition carried particular weight, and the moment resonated far beyond the award itself. “You could count on one hand the number of Chinese artists who have won a Grammy—now I’m one of them,” he says. “It felt surreal—and also meaningful—to represent where I come from on an international stage.”

He adds, “A few days later, a friend texted me and said I was all over the media in China. It happened so fast. I was still processing everything.”

Despite the Grammy milestone, Wu remains grounded. “I’m a bass,” he says with a laugh. “I keep a low profile. I’m grateful for everything, and I’m always learning.”

Beyond talent
Over time, Wu came to understand the importance of preparation, persistence, and timing—beyond nurturing talent. “You work hard, and when the opportunity comes, you’re ready to take it,” he says.

For Wu, being ready is a daily discipline. As a non-native English speaker, he worked intensively on diction—an effort that paid off when Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera, once singled him out as having the best English diction on stage.

As a member of one of the first cohorts of CU NOW, Wu also gained all-important, hands-on experience building opera from the ground up. These opportunities helped shape his identity, reflecting the college’s universal musician approach to achieving its mission—in Wu’s case, not only developing and emerging as technically strong, but also adaptable, curious and collaborative where “writers, composers and performing artists continuously exchange ideas.”

For Wu, the “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” felt like a natural extension of the collaborative mindset he developed at CU NOW, founded by Leigh Holman in 2010. Like the workshop itself, the opera was built through close collaboration among composers, librettists and performers—an environment in which Wu thrives. “Creating a role from the beginning, being part of that process, was incredibly meaningful,” he says. “Telling a story people already recognize—like Steve Jobs—helps them lean in. That kind of connection really resonates and it’s often what brings new audiences into the theater.”

Equally important, according to Wu, is sincerity and authenticity in performance. “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you connect with the audience?” he says, further noting that the artists he admires most are “not only great performers, they’re also genuinely good people.”

As the world of opera evolves, Wu remains energized by its possibilities. He sees new works as essential to reaching broader audiences and mentorship as key to sustaining the art form. “I was lucky to find my mentors,” he says. “Now, I’m a mentor to young people.”

Advice for future artists
For students preparing to enter the field, Wu’s advice reflects both experience and perspective: “Open your mind to different genres, ideas and opportunities,” he says. “Embrace collaboration and be willing to grow beyond what feels comfortable.”

He also emphasizes resilience in a demanding profession. “Passion is essential through ups and downs. You have to love it.”

Congratulations on your well-earned distinction, Wei Wu!

Discover the CU ��ý�� New Opera Workshop

We’re thrilled to announce that Wei Wu (MM ’13) has been named the College of Music’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus in recognition of his international opera career and commitment to new works. Reflecting on his journey, Wu—a Grammy Award-winning artist—encourages future artists to stay open, embrace collaboration and remain resilient, emphasizing that passion and preparation are key to long-term success.

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Dressing the “Vixen”: Meet the College of Music costume shop!

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:31:56 +0000

Dressing the “Vixen”: Meet the College of Music costume shop! Mariefaith Lane Thu, 04/02/2026 - 13:31

Kathryn Bistodeau

As Ann Piano walks me around the Imig Music Building, she opens doors into rooms I’ve never seen. Inside, racks of colorful fabric, shelves upon shelves of shoes, bins of belts and the ghosts of characters who had come before.

Piano, the college’s costume coordinator/designer + shop manager, joined the College of Music full-time in 2021. She and her team help advise the selection of opera and musical productions; then the creative work begins.

“Once the shows have been selected, I read them,” Piano says. “I research past productions. I look to see if it’s a show we should be trying to put into our stock—like, are those costume pieces useful? Can I reuse these things many times over the years?”

This spring, the costume team is creating ensembles for “The Cunning Little Vixen,” a 20th-century opera by Leoš Janáček presented by our Eklund Opera Program, April 16-19. The three-act opera explores the cycle of life through the fairy tale setting of a forest and the turning of its seasons.

The show features two “worlds” in its cast of characters—the human world consisting of roles like the Forester, the Innkeeper and the Parson; and the animal world including the Fox, the Dog and the titular Vixen. In Piano’s mind, the humans are inspired by traditional Bavarian fashion but with a colorful, patterned twist not usually seen in this show.

“A lot of times they make the humans sort of dark, gray and drab and that’s not my speed,” she says. “This is a life-affirming story, right? Let’s let the humans be colorful and bright. The stories are fairy tales and they are from that world—I thought we should be representing that.”

For the animals, the team is using earthy tones—browns, greens and rusts. To disguise the human actor underneath, Piano plans to use an abundance of textures and ruffles.

“It’s like this high fashion concept of textures and avant-garde touches to represent the animals. We’re disguising the shape of a human but not making them fully an animal.”

Along with Piano, the costume team includes Wardrobe Coordinator Carolyn Miller and Costume Shop Assistant Nia Quan, plus a few student positions, who costume some five shows a year across the college’s opera and musical theatre programs. For some shows, the team rents the bulk of the garments from another company, then creates pieces to fill in the gaps—as for “Oklahoma!” in March. Others, like “Vixen,” are fully imagined and executed by our team.

Piano’s excitement about the designs and vision for “Vixen” is palpable. She says one of her favorite parts of her role is the fittings—getting the student performers into the costumes and witnessing the final piece of the puzzle falling into place.

“They’ll try on two or three things and their faces just light up, and you know you found the right piece that makes them feel good to wear,” she says. “I think that’s really my job. I storytell a little bit with the arc and the color story—but really, my goal is to make the performers feel like they’re that character. That they can embody the character, look good and feel good about that.”

Due to significant campus activity and noise impacts on April 17 and 18 from a large university‑hosted event, several performances of “The Cunning Little Vixen” have changed. The dates and times currently listed on cupresents.org reflect the updated schedule.

Photo credit: Sarita Narayanswamy

Explore our Eklund Opera Program

Costume Coordinator/Designer + Shop Manager Ann Piano explains the process behind creating costumes for College of Music operas and musicals. She also explains her vision for the college’s production of “The Cunning Little Vixen,” April 16-19.

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SSCI grant to examine singing at altitude

Mariefaith Lane — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:56:55 +0000

SSCI grant to examine singing at altitude Mariefaith Lane Mon, 03/23/2026 - 10:56

College of Music

Nicholas Perna, associate professor of voice + director of vocal pedagogy—along with students Whitney Robinson (DMA ’28) and Alice Del Simone (DMA ’26)—demonstrates how the RespTrak system measures abdominal and rib cage movement.

The CU ��ý�� College of Music is pleased to share that Associate Professor of Voice + Director of Vocal Pedagogy Nicholas Perna—and a team of collaborators including Jen Walentas Lewon (CU ��ý�� Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences), and Mona Abaza and Blair Whiteside (CU Anschutz Department of Otolaryngology)—were awarded a $10K grant from the CU ��ý�� Division of Social Sciences (SSCI).

SSCI grants support initiatives focused on equity, interdisciplinarity, student success and staff/faculty support. This newly funded collaboration is a multiyear initiative that will examine why it's difficult to adapt to singing here in Colorado, and provide best practices for singers who tour through or move to our state “to keep their voices healthy and adapt to singing at altitude with efficiency,” says Perna, who directs the college’s vocal pedagogy program.

To start, a new RespTrak system—purchased with support from Perna’s CU ��ý�� Arts & Sciences grant last year and housed in the Berton Coffin Voice Lab—will measure abdominal and rib cage movement as singers adapt respiratory strategies upon arriving at altitude over several months. The SSCI grant funds a stroboscope system housed in the CU ��ý�� Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SHLS). “This is the first stroboscopic system on the CU ��ý�� campus,” notes Perna. “This system will allow us to take high-definition pictures and videos of the vocal folds of a singer to determine function, normality and health of vocal fold anatomy.”

The screenings will provide SLHS graduate students with supervised experience performing stroboscopic exams on singers. Participating College of Music singers will benefit from the opportunity to have a baseline stroboscopic screening upon their arrival at CU ��ý�� and near the conclusion of their first year.

Congratulations to all awardees!

An innovative, ‘multiplistic’ approach to vocal pedagogy

A newly funded interdisciplinary collaboration will examine why it’s difficult to adapt to singing here in Colorado, and provide best practices for singers who tour through or move to our state “to keep their voices healthy and adapt to singing at altitude with efficiency,” says Nicholas Perna, associate professor of voice + director of vocal pedagogy.

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An innovative, ‘multiplistic’ approach to vocal pedagogy

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 03:14:32 +0000

An innovative, ‘multiplistic’ approach to vocal pedagogy Mariefaith Lane Wed, 02/18/2026 - 20:14

Adam Goldstein + Sabine Kortals Stein

In August 2024, Nicholas Perna joined the College of Music faculty as associate professor of voice and director of vocal pedagogy. In describing the college’s wide-ranging approach to teaching the subtleties of the human voice, Perna draws on a unique term that bears the precision, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking he brings to his teaching style.

“I really like the word ‘multiplistic,’” says Perna, promptly conceding that it’s not liable to be found in a dictionary. “We teach across a variety of genres and styles, and we approach the singing voice from the perspective of functional voice training—not from any kind of tradition of ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’

“We view the human body as a functional system,” he adds.

This nuanced approach to developing the human voice has made Perna one of the world’s most in-demand vocal trainers, long before his arrival at CU ��ý��. Perna’s students have found success on Broadway stages and international touring productions; and they’ve won prestigious prizes and honors including the Lotte Lenya Foundation grand prize and the Chinese Art Song International Singing Competition. Perna himself—a 2025 CU ��ý�� Arts & Humanities grantee for his “Adaptation of Singers Respiratory Plethysmography at Altitude“ project—has won praise and plaudits for his vocal work in companies like Opera Mississippi and the Santa Fe Opera.

Perna’s work at the College of Music has further advanced his innovative approach to music education, aligned with the college’s universal musician approach to achieving its mission. “One of the things we try to do here is prepare our students for the future,” explains Perna. “We believe they need to be ready to navigate in and out of as many styles and genres as possible.”

In his current role, Perna teaches voice lessons and voice pedagogy courses, and supervises graduate theses and dissertations as well as vocal pedagogy teaching assistants. He also oversees the Berton Coffin Voice Lab, named after the late CU ��ý�� professor who established the college’s first doctoral program in voice and pedagogy.

“Berton Coffin was an internationally recognized, seminal figure and author in vocal pedagogy,” notes Perna, pointing to books like “Overtones of Bel Canto” that revolutionized methods for improving vocal strength and musicality through the lens of scientific phonetics. “He was actually writing about applied acoustics and physics in the singing voice at a time when to measure any of that would’ve taken a very large computer, a very high-tech lab.”

Perna is committed to making the lab one of the premier centers for research and innovation in the country when it comes to the science and craft of vocal pedagogy. “Over the past 18 months, we’ve been able to build out a very impressive facility,” he shares. “We’ve expanded to have one of the top five voice labs embedded in a music unit in the country.

“We’re doing significant work, not just on the singing voice, but also acoustics, aerodynamics. We’re now set up to measure respiratory physiology as well. Here at altitude, it’s an especially important consideration.”

For all the serious science and academic rigor that comprise his professional pursuits, Perna is also committed to including a degree of fun into his teaching and his own study of the human voice. In 2017, he launched the weekly “VocalFri Podcast” that combines voice science, pedagogy and even dashes of sci-fi and nerd pop culture. To date, the podcast has logged over 250 hours of content featuring top vocalists, performers and teachers from around the world.

Since his arrival in ��ý��, Perna and his fellow VocalFri creators have used the podcast to spotlight what’s happening at the College of Music; he’s involved students, explored the ins and outs of teaching voice and offered insights into the college’s priority to develop multiskilled, multifaceted universal musicians who are well-equipped for flexible career options.

“‘VocalFri’ has become the public-facing voice of CU ��ý�� vocal pedagogy,” Perna says. “It’s certainly put this program back in the national spotlight.”

Perna is always on the lookout for ways to keep the College of Music connected to the broader trends and innovations in the field. He’s currently vice president of outreach for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), the largest association for professional voice teachers in the world. He’ll begin his term as the organization’s president-elect in July.

“NATS has been so much of my professional life,” reflects Perna. “I’ve served at every level of NATS that there is.

“The most important thing with NATS is the networking—it’s a vast international network of singing teachers that has given me my professional colleagues and mentors.”

All these perspectives have culminated in an approach to vocal pedagogy that’s turned out world-renowned artists—and one that is evolving voice education at the College of Music to new heights.

Discover the Berton Coffin Voice Lab

Associate Professor of Voice + Director of Vocal Pedagogy Nicholas Perna is committed to making the Berton Coffin Voice Lab one of the premier centers for research and innovation in the country, emphasizing the science and craft of vocal pedagogy.

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2025-26 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Competition winners announced

Mariefaith Lane — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:38:43 +0000

2025-26 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Competition winners announced Mariefaith Lane Wed, 11/19/2025 - 10:38

Kathryn Bistodeau

Congratulations to the winner of the 2025-26 Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Graduate Student Performance Competition: Violinist Katharine Nelson!

At the competition finals on Nov. 18 in Grusin Music Hall, Nelson performed works by Eugène Ysaÿe, Florence Price and William Kroll accompanied by collaborative pianist Gabrielle Lowman. In addition to winning first prize ($2,000), Nelson—a student of Takács Quartet members Harumi Rhodes and Edward Dusinberre—also earned the $250 audience favorite prize.

“I’m immensely grateful to Harumi Rhodes and Edward Dusinberre for their guidance,” Nelson says. “It was a privilege to share the stage with my pianist, Gabrielle Lowman, who made the learning process so enjoyable.”

Flute and piccolo player Mallory Wood, a student of Professor of Flute Christina Jennings, won second prize ($1,000). Other finalists this year (awarded $500 each) include soprano Alice Del Simone, a student of Associate Professor of Voice Jennifer Bird-Arvidsson and Associate Professor Voice Andrew Garland; baritone Tyler Middleton, also a student of Andrew Garland; and the Skyline Saxophone Quartet comprising Joel Ferst (soprano saxophone), Spencer Cox (alto saxophone), Catherine Oles (tenor saxophone) and Gavin Martellotti (baritone saxophone)—all studying with Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens.

Esteemed judges
This year’s competition finals were judged by Barbara Lynne Jamison, general director and CEO of Opera Colorado; alumnus Charles Lee (DMA ’04, cello performance), principal cellist of the ��ý�� Philharmonic and cello faculty at Metropolitan State and Regis universities; and Rita Sloan, professor emeritus of collaborative piano at the University of Maryland and founder of the Aspen Music Festival collaborative piano program.

2025 semifinalists
Mark Bennett, trombone
Alice Del Simone, soprano
Jared Hartl, tuba
Carrina Macaluso, mezzo soprano
Aimée McAnulty, viola
Paige Michaud, flute
Tyler Middleton, baritone
Katharine Nelson, violin
Luca Pompilio, piano
Mallory Wood, flute
Alex Yang, percussion
Cello Quartet: Priscilla Kim, Matthew Huff, Thea Dardanis, Sam Moore
Skyline Saxophone Quartet: Joel Ferst, Spencer Cox, Catherine Oles, Gavin Martellotti

2025 semifinal judges
Associate Professor of Opera and Director of the Eklund Opera Program Leigh Holman; Professor and Chair of Composition Carter Pann; and Teaching Professor + Chamber Music Coordinator for the Chamber Music Program Meta Weiss.

The competition, launched in 1986, is named in honor of Bruce Ekstrand—former CU vice chancellor, supporter of the college and member of the CU Golden Buffalo Men’s Chorus. Every year, CU ��ý�� College of Music graduate students compete in preliminary competitions in their studios for the opportunity to advance to the semifinals and finals. The competition is generously supported by the Ekstrand family—Norma Ekstrand, Andrea Ekstrand, and Brad and Diana Ekstrand among other College of Music donors.

Finalists of the 2025-26 graduate competition. Photo by Kathryn Bistodeau.

Finalists of the 2025-26 graduate competition.

Skyline Saxophone Quartet with Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens.

Congratulations to the winners—and all participants—of the College of Music’s annual graduate student competition, named in honor of former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Bruce Ekstrand.

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Lynn-Craig Living Music Award recipients announced

Mariefaith Lane — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 18:57:23 +0000

Lynn-Craig Living Music Award recipients announced Mariefaith Lane Wed, 07/30/2025 - 12:57

Kathryn Bistodeau

The American Music Research Center (AMRC) awarded the 2025 Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award to Kristina Butler (MM ’25, voice) and Katiann Nelson (MM ’25, voice). The awardees will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Nelson’s project—”Making a Composer: Alex Craig”—involves presenting a recital of Craig’s works alongside works by composers that Craig found inspirational.

“I’m really looking forward to diving into the music itself,” says Nelson. “For me, getting to know a new composer through their work is like getting to know a new friend—I’m excited to start this process with a composer who is completely new to me.”

Butler will also be organizing a recital and hopes to record the music she prepares. Her project—”Seasons of Life: Music of Alex Craig”—will explore the seasons of life in the context of the four weather seasons.

“I’m most excited to work artistically from a relatively blank slate as there isn’t a wealth of recordings of Professor Craig’s music,” explains Butler. “Learning music without a recording is an exciting challenge that frequently comes with learning contemporary works. It’s even more magical when everything comes together!”

The Lynn-Craig Living Music Award is open to both undergraduate and graduate students and supports the performance of works by the late composer Alex Craig, housed in the Rare and Distinctive Collections at the CU ��ý�� Libraries.

Congratulations to our most recent Lynn-Craig Living Music Award recipients!

The American Music Research Center awarded the 2025 Alex Craig and Christina Lynn-Craig Living Music Award to Katiann Nelson and Kristina Butler, both recent voice performance grads.

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CU NOW unpacks the story of an opera legend

Mariefaith Lane — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:59:54 +0000

CU NOW unpacks the story of an opera legend Mariefaith Lane Mon, 06/09/2025 - 13:59

Photo credit: Kathryn Bistodeau

Kathryn Bistodeau

Photo credit: Kathryn Bistodeau

It’s that time of year again—CU ��ý��’s New Opera Workshop (CU NOW) has taken over the College of Music, and the world of opera will never be the same.

Every summer, CU NOW hosts an extended workshop where graduate voice students and alumni have direct interaction with living composers and librettists to develop and perform their music over a few weeks—resulting in premieres at Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Wexford Festival Opera and more. This year, CU NOW again welcomes composer and librettist Mark Adamo and his new work “Sarah in the Theatre” about the legendary American opera conductor, impresario and stage director, Sarah Caldwell.

“Other than the best acronym in the business, CU NOW serves as a laboratory—an incubator for pieces that are going to be produced and commissioned at some point,” Adamo says of the program founded in 2010 by Leigh Holman, the College of Music’s associate professor of opera and director of our Eklund Opera Program. “Generally, the composer and the librettist come in, and either they want to work out certain things musically that they haven’t tried before, or develop it dramatically. It’s a pretty flexible brief.”

Adamo has been a guest artist here before to workshop “The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.” The opera premiered in 2013 but Adamo wasn’t quite satisfied with the end product. He brought the work to CU NOW in 2017 to create a revised, compressed version that he says was transformational. “It was a great, great experience, I have to say. We had a fabulous time together. So I’m very grateful to be back,” Adamo says.

Hannah Benson, an Artist Diploma student in opera and solo voice, says the workshop was a draw for her attending CU ��ý��. In her first year participating, she’ll play the lead role. “CU NOW is unique in that it’s such a good environment for learning, including how to be professional and how to work efficiently in some higher stakes,” she says.

Photo credit: Kathryn Bistodeau

Working on brand-new material offers CU NOW participants the opportunity to trust their instincts and try new things in a collaborative space. Benson notes the experience has helped her to break past mental boundaries and push the limit of her craft.

“The thing that’s the most different is that what we’re working on is tangibly new,” Benson says. “When you’re working on something that you’ve been with for a while, it can sometimes feel like it gets stale. With this experience, things are always changing.”

“Sarah in the Theatre” focuses on the real character of Sarah Caldwell (1924-2006)—the first woman to conduct the Metropolitan Opera, the second woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic, and chief conductor and artistic director of the Opera Company of Boston which she founded in 1959.

“A great figure, but one of the reasons that we may not know her so much today is that she never met a budget that she couldn’t blow through,” Adamo says of Caldwell’s well-documented financial mismanagement. “She could be thoughtless and negligent to her artists. It was all constantly a race between the genius and the demons.”

“Sarah in the Theatre” aims to explore what makes a show come to life by highlighting Caldwell’s collaborators behind the scenes. It tells the story of Caldwell’s incredible rise and fall, and offers an honest look at artistic geniuses and what they sacrifice for their art.

For Adamo, the heart of the show comes to one question: “How do you love someone who can do as much damage as they can do good?”

Join us for a semi-staged production of “Sarah in the Theatre“ on June 13 at 7:30 p.m. and June 15 at 2 p.m. in the Imig Music Building’s Music Theatre, N1B95. Performances are free and open to the public, and include a deep-dive, moderated talkback.

Every summer, the CU New Opera Workshop (CU NOW) hosts an extended workshop where graduate voice students and alumni have direct interaction with living composers and librettists to develop and perform their music over a few weeks. This year, CU NOW again welcomes composer and librettist Mark Adamo and his new work “Sarah in the Theatre” about the legendary American opera conductor, impresario and stage director, Sarah Caldwell.

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