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Recent News
June 30, 2025
School of Music alumna Erin Bodnar (’13 DMA, Wind Conducting) returns to the University of Washington in Fall 2025 as director of UW Concert Bands, a one-year appointment following the recent retirement of longtime director Timothy Salzman.
While earning her DMA in Wind Conducting at the UW, Bodner studied with Salzman and assisted with direction of the UW Wind Ensemble as well as co-leading with other graduate student conductors the UW’s Concert and Campus Bands.
In order to accept the UW... Read more
June 26, 2025
“'Who wrote what and when?' were the foundational questions that gave birth to musicology in the 1800s," says Frederick Reece, assistant professor of Music History at the School of Music. "But I think they’re newly relevant in an age where AI is on everyone’s lips, and every image or text needs to be called into question as a potential fake." Reece articulated these thoughts and more in a recent conversation with faculty colleague Stephen Rumph, in which the musicologists discussed over... Read more
June 12, 2025
June 12, 2025
The School of Music celebrated its Class of 2025 on Friday, June 13 with the school's annual Grand Finale celebration, featuring student and faculty remarks, a brief performance by graduate Ella Kalinichenko (MM, Piano Performance), recognition of graduating students, and a reception in the School of Music Fishbowl.
Associate Director Ted Poor welcomed graduates and their loved ones to Brechemin Auditorium for remarks by students Adia Bowen (BM Vocal Performance; BA American Indian Studies),... Read more
June 5, 2025
"The almond tree duos," by Melia Watras is a featured pick in Bandcamp Daily's Best Contemporary Classical Music, May 2025.
By Peter MargasakThe taxonomy of contemporary classical music—new music, contemporary music, whatever you want to call it—is a thorny issue. But every month, we’ll take a look at some of the best composer-driven music to surface here on Bandcamp—that which makes room for electronic experimentation, improvisation, and powerful takes on old classics.... Read more
May 28, 2025
Jazz piano at the University of Washington has been the domain of professor Marc Seales for the past 37 years, but after June 30 of this year, he will no longer be a familiar sight around the Music Building, and visitors will no longer be invited to take a seat among the piles of papers and books, photos, mementos, and the two grand pianos that occupy his small office on the ground floor of the Music Building.
Reflecting upon his years at the UW on a recent morning and why he’s retiring this... Read more
May 22, 2025
School of Music students and alumni report recent honors, appointments, presentations and other career and scholarly achievements.
Alumna Carmen Quill (formerly Carmen Rothwell) (’14 BM, Jazz Studies), a double bassist, composer, singer, and interdisciplinary artist, is one of eight young musicians selected for Next Jazz Legacy, a national apprenticeship program for diverse improvisers in jazz. Focused on increasing opportunities for musicians... Read more
May 22, 2025
Cellist John Popham and violinist Pala Garcia begin new faculty appointments in Fall 2025 at the School of Music. Popham will serve as assistant professor of cello and Garcia (his spouse) as artist-in-residence in violin performance.
“We are very pleased to have successfully completed our search for a new assistant professor of cello and to welcome John Popham to the School of Music faculty,” says Director Joël-François Durand. “We are extremely fortunate that a spousal agreement with the UW... Read more
May 22, 2025
New publications, recordings, world premieres, clinician gigs, media coverage, and keynote presentations are among recent news reported by School of Music faculty.
William Dougherty, Composition
The newly appointed assistant professor (Composition) and his work with his Philadelphia-based organization and ensemble, Hearing Philadelphia, was featured recently in a... Read more