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Willem Rohwer comes to the College of Music from Edwards, Colorado, to pursue an undergraduate degree in double bass performance. “Developing my own musical opinions and character are really something that I want to find here,” he says. Discover Rohwer’s unique approach to a successful audition and his other interests.

The College of Music has had an alternatively-sized keyboard on loan since April 2023. Recent graduate Abigail Terrill shares how the narrower keyboard is helpful, why it’s needed and what her thesis research found about the process of transitioning between pianos.

It was a long time coming. Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen—who, for more than eight years, has supported the care and maintenance of the College of Music’s fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ—was thrilled when the opportunity arose to rebuild, refurbish and restore one of two fortepianos donated to our college by the late Douglas Taylor and his wife, Avlona, as an in-kind gift in 2019.

At the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ Entrepreneurship Center for Music, students can find the skills and tools they need for their music careers. This spring, the ECM awarded $5,820 in grants to support eight student-led professional development and community engagement projects.

The College of Music’s 2024 New Opera Workshop (CU NOW) is underway, leading up to performances of Gene Scheer’s “Polly Peachum”—as well as performances of opera scenes presented by our Composer Fellows’ Initiative—in June.

When Joy Yamaguchi graduates from our College of Music next week with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, the work she started here will continue. “Completing this degree has helped me realize my strength and solidify my focus as a multifaceted artist,” she shares.

At the College of Music’s commencement ceremony on May 9, we look forward to celebrating the remarkable accomplishments and indelible impact of undergraduate cellist Louis Saxton!

Madison Tallman graduates in May with a Bachelor of Music in flute performance along with a Music Entrepreneurship certificate and business minor. She shares highlights of her College of Music experience … and her plans for the future!

On April 10, our Entrepreneurship Center for Music will host a networking event that connects students and area music professionals.

In this edition of the Dean’s Downbeat, Dean John Davis doubles down on the College of Music’s commitment to championing diversity, equity and inclusion. “I’m convinced that by embracing DEI as integral to our universal musician mission, we not only achieve flexible, interdisciplinary career options for our graduates, but also expand the artistic landscape and cultivate a community of curious, continuous learners who challenge biases, question assumptions and engage with diverse perspectives—and who navigate nuance and complexity with openness, understanding and empathy.”