Faculty

Listening our way forward

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 19:59:56 +0000

Listening our way forward Mariefaith Lane Fri, 10/09/2026 - 13:59

John Davis

Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies Annie Booth: Leading by listening.

The familiar phrase “music is the universal language of mankind” is most famously attributed to American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow—but what does it mean?

On Sept. 23, I attended “The Sound of Success: Listen Your Way to the Top,” an interactive presentation co-hosted by the Entrepreneurship Center for Music and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, featuring Associate Teaching Professor of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations Visda Carson and our Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies Annie Booth.

Four of our students—Andy Carson (MME), Milo Lewon (MM Jazz), JJ Mazza (MM Jazz), Mateo Perez (BM Jazz/Leeds double major)—played John Coltrane’s “Mr. P.C.” three times. In the first pass, everyone played their own part well, but without any regard for what the others were playing—resulting in chaos. In the second, they listened a little, but the tempo drifted and each of them remained focused on themselves as the primary voice. In the third, they watched, listened and answered one another, and the music became a unified experience—same notes, same players, entirely different outcome.

Clearly, music is not universal because notes “translate”; rather, music is universal because listening is universal. Booth pointed out that you can land anywhere in the world without a shared spoken language and still build a shared repertoire, communicating in real time. The language isn't the sound, it’s the attention and respect afforded to each member of the exchange.

I believe that connections are what make music matter, and connections are made by listening first. From there, trust, inspiration, cohesion and a spirit of genuine servant leadership can turn a roomful of skilled individuals into an ensemble.

That’s why the College of Music’s universal musician approach to achieving our mission is more than a catchphrase: We are, in fact, very intentionally educating artists who can perform at the highest levels and also listen, collaborate and lead across disciplines, careers and cultures.

(Left to right) Louilarpprasert, Davis and Bowman: Connections are what make music matter.

Which brings me to Thailand. Last month, along with our Professor of Bassoon Yoshi Ishikawa, I visited the College of Music at Mahidol University outside Bangkok—one of Asia’s premier music schools where some 1,700 music students are studying classical performance, jazz, Thai music, popular music, music ed, composition, music technology, music business and more. I met with Dean Piyawat Louilarpprasert, Associate Dean for International Relations Joseph Bowman and Assistant Dean for Mobility and Exchange Junta Arakawa about how to strengthen our partnership. The campus is impressive and my new colleagues couldn’t have been more welcoming; I listened, and heard curiosity and receptivity.

In an increasingly global ecosystem, internationalization of education and research is paramount to student success, and it begins how last week’s jazz combo demonstrated: By listening, first.

When the world feels uncertain, the instinct is to hedge. I argue the opposite: Let’s push forward on what we’re good at, on what we aspire to be good at and, above all, what we’re hearing from our students. Real listening is the most dependable way forward.

With gratitude,

John Davis
Dean, College of Music

“When the world feels uncertain, the instinct is to hedge,” notes College of Music Dean John Davis. “I argue the opposite: Let’s push forward on what we’re good at, on what we aspire to be good at and, above all, what we’re hearing from our students. Real listening is the most dependable way forward.” Continue reading our dean’s exploration of what it means to make connections, pay attention and effectuate change by listening, first.

Off

Traditional

White

Symphony Orchestra presents “�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder at 150”

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:59:52 +0000

Symphony Orchestra presents “�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder at 150” Mariefaith Lane Thu, 09/17/2026 - 21:59

Adam Goldstein , Sabine Kortals Stein

Associate Professor of Composition Annika Socolofsky is a recent recipient of a Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award in recognition of her “ability to broaden the aesthetic and social narratives within the contemporary genres of classical, experimental and country music through [her] groundbreaking new composition, 'Detective Convention.’”

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Symphony Orchestra has evolved in myriad ways since the university’s formal founding in 1876.

That’s no wonder, considering the seismic shifts in the world of music in the past 150 years. In the figurative blink of an eye, human musical expression has run the gamut from Impressionism to hip-hop to atonal music to country, western and grunge.

Coming up with a program for orchestra that captures that kind of epic scope was hardly a straightforward proposition for Director of Orchestral Studies Gary Lewis. But in planning the Symphony Orchestra’s sesquicentennial celebration—Sept. 24 at Macky Auditorium—Lewis and his colleagues ultimately landed on a theme solidly rooted in the university and its history: The “�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder at 150” concert will offer audiences a musical perspective replete with connections to Boulder and its flagship university.

“We programmed works that were either written in the year 1876, or composers born in that year, or composers who are �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty,” explains Lewis. “We wanted to share solid musical connections to the university history.”

Specifically, the evening will include a performance of Suite No. 2 from “The Three-Cornered Hat” ballet by Spanish composer Manuel De Falla, who was born in 1876; as well as the Symphony No. 5 by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev whose catalogue has been a longtime favorite of the Symphony Orchestra, and who was a visiting educator at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder during Rowland Dunham’s administration (Dunham joined the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty in 1927 and was appointed the College of Music’s first dean 11 years later).

But the centerpiece of Thursday’s performance will offer an even more direct connection to our college: Associate Professor of Composition Annika Socolofsky will bring her queer country alter ego EmmyJean Jenkins to the Macky stage, performing pieces from her original composition “Detective Convention” with the orchestra. “She wrote an entire cabaret show built around this singer and band,” notes Lewis. “The selections that we’re going to do have been orchestrated.”

Breaking down silos
Such creative, innovative programming comes naturally to Lewis, who is celebrating his 19th year at the College of Music. Indeed, he embraces the college’s universal musician approach to achieving its mission as an essential value in his work as an educator.

“My goal is to break down silos,” he shares. “Classical music can and should exist alongside more pop-type genres. I think it’s important for our students to be conversant in diverse styles.”

That’s not just lip service. Under his watch, the orchestra has collaborated with pop acts including Asleep at the Wheel and the Indigo Girls. What’s more, global engagement is a standard part of Lewis’ activities as an artist and educator: Most recently, he led a master class in Berlin, Germany which included observing a rehearsal with the Berlin Philharmonie and meeting with Gustavo Dudamel, new music director of the New York Philharmonic. He also taught in Paraguay this year, both at the university and in local music schools.

“Conducting is an accumulation of experience,” Lewis reflects. “The repertoire is so vast, inviting you to constantly grow and learn. That’s the fun of the journey for me, and one that continues—to help musicians grow in their knowledge and understanding of the repertoire, and in developing their sound.”

Explore �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder orchestras

Lewis with the Berlin Philharmonie conducting class.

Lewis with participants of the workshop at the National University of Paraguay, and members of the National Symphony of Paraguay who were the lab ensemble for the workshop.

Lewis receiving an award as “Honorary Citizen of Asución, Paraguay” from the mayor!

For all of the musical styles, expressions and idioms from across the world that the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Symphony Orchestra has tackled in its storied history, its first fall concert will offer audiences a musical perspective replete with musical connections to Boulder and its flagship university. Meet Director of Orchestral Studies Gary Lewis + join us on Sept. 24 in Macky Auditorium!

Off

Traditional

White

Presenting Korean traditional music as living practice

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:12:27 +0000

Presenting Korean traditional music as living practice Mariefaith Lane Thu, 09/10/2026 - 04:12

MarieFaith Lane

Gayageum master Eunsun Jung

This month, the College of Music welcomes two acclaimed Korean traditional musicians to campus for a weeklong exploration of performance, culture, teaching and collaboration.

Organized by Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology Stephanie Choi, the college’s first-ever Korean Traditional Music Artist Residency, Sept. 22-26, features gayageum master Eunsun Jung and percussionist Seojin Kim who will lead workshops and class visits, engage local K-12 schools, participate in conversations with students and faculty, and present a public guest recital on Sept. 23. Teaching Professor of Collaborative Piano Suyeon Kim—along with Choi—will perform in the recital as collaborators.

For Choi, the residency is an opportunity to present Korean traditional music as a living tradition—rooted in the past, but still taking on new forms in the present. “My goal is to introduce Korean traditional music not only as a cultural heritage from the past, but as a living musical practice that continues to shape our communities through performance and collaboration,” shares Choi, noting that direct participation is an important complement to more traditional forms of learning.

“I learned that there’s a profound difference between learning about music through a textbook or media and actually participating as a performer or listener. Direct participation allows you to become part of a musical community and to experience the culture and history embedded in the music in a more personal and immediate way.”

The timing of the public recital adds another layer of significance: The performance falls during the week of Chuseok, one of Korea’s major traditional holidays which will be observed on Sept. 25 this year. “I think the timing makes the recital especially meaningful as an opportunity for both the university and broader Colorado community to gather around Korean music and culture.”

For those encountering Korean traditional music for the first time, Choi hopes the residency challenges assumptions about what it means for a musical tradition to be “traditional.” “I hope audiences recognize that Korean traditional music is not something simply preserved unchanged from the past, but a living medium sustained through music making as a form of human interaction,” she shares.

Percussionist Seojin Kim

Through collaboration with the Center for Asian Studies and Center for Humanities & the Arts, the residency invites conversations that reach beyond music and into questions of culture, history and society. “I hope the residency encourages conversations about what we mean by ‘tradition’ in the first place—how traditions are preserved, transmitted, transformed and sometimes reinvented as societies change,” says Choi.

Korean traditional music provides a particularly compelling lens for those questions. While K-pop has become a powerful part of South Korea’s global cultural identity, the gayageum—an ancient Korean string instrument with origins dating to the sixth century—continues to embody cultural ideals of harmony and balance.

The residency also reflects the college’s universal musician approach by inspiring students to explore perhaps unfamiliar musical practices and consider music through multiple perspectives. “Engaging directly with Korean traditional musicians encourages students not only to broaden their musical knowledge, but also to think across performance, scholarship, education and cultural contexts,” Choi says.

In sum, students will have the opportunity to encounter music as connected to history, culture and human relationships—which Choi sees as essential to developing multiskilled and multifaceted musicians.

The residency is particularly meaningful to Choi as it’s the first event she has organized at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder. It brings together several dimensions of her own work—performance, research, teaching and community engagement—while laying the groundwork for future interdisciplinary collaborations.

The Korean Traditional Music Artist Residency runs Sept. 22-26 with the public recital at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Grusin Music Hall. The residency is co-organized by the College of Music and the Center for Asian Studies with support from the Center for Humanities & the Arts and the Roser Visiting Artist Program.

Explore musicology at the College of Music

Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology Stephanie Choi hopes a weeklong residency (Sept. 22-26) emphasizing performance, teaching and cultural exchange will challenge perceptions of “tradition” by presenting Korean traditional music as a living practice that continues to take new forms.

Off

Traditional

White

Grant awards expand Entrepreneurship Center programming

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:29:01 +0000

Grant awards expand Entrepreneurship Center programming Mariefaith Lane Thu, 08/13/2026 - 14:29

Spring '26 Leading Through Dissonance cohort with guest speakers.

Kathryn Bistodeau

Spring '26 Leading Through Dissonance cohort with guest speakers.

The College of Music’s Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM) will expand its programming this year with several key grants from across campus: A Roser Visiting Artist Grant; a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Impact Grant from Leadership Support and Programming; and the renewal of an A-Lab grant from the Center for Leadership.

The Impact and A-Lab grants both help fund Leading Through Dissonance, the ECM’s leadership series that focuses on how musicians can respond thoughtfully and ethically to challenges impacting today’s arts spaces. The series kicked off this spring and, through these grants, will continue through the 2026-27 academic year.

Leading Through Dissonance will have two cohorts this year, one per semester. All participating students receive a stipend for attending, helping to alleviate the financial burden of extra time spent on campus.

Interim ECM Director Marilyn Brock says the A-Lab grant, awarded for the first time last year, allows her to accommodate student needs. “It's wound up being a great opportunity because it gives me flexibility to develop this new series based on patterns I’m seeing in feedback from students including the topics they want to talk about,” she explains, also noting her observation of broader patterns among arts organizations “when difficult current events have a direct impact on them, and they have to figure out how to respond.”

The Roser grant will allow the ECM to host a residency in March 2027 featuring Duo Mundi, a piano duo comprising George Lopez and Gulimina Mahamuti, in collaboration with the college's composition and piano departments. The residency will include classes and seminars, a guest appearance in the Leading Through Dissonance series and a performance.

“They’re both phenomenal pianists, phenomenal musicians,” says Brock. “They also have so much amazing lived experience—as entrepreneurial artists, as teachers, as people who’ve really lived the life of building a portfolio career. They have an incredible journey of how their own individual paths unfolded over the years.

“I’m very excited about the residency, and to have the time and space where they’re doing multiple events, and students get to learn from them and engage with them in multiple ways.”

Brock says the grants allow the ECM to enhance resources available to students, and to consider the larger impacts of college programming. “These grants really make a profound difference—we have a lot more opportunity to expand the events and opportunities that we provide our students. They really help our overall trajectory for the year.”

Support the Entrepreneurship Center for Music

Our Entrepreneurship Center for Music will expand its programming this year with several key grants from across campus: A Roser Visiting Artist Grant; a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Impact Grant from Leadership Support and Programming; and the renewal of an A-Lab grant from the Center for Leadership.

Off

Traditional

White

Shanti Simon views music as connection

Mariefaith Lane — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:35:57 +0000

Shanti Simon views music as connection Mariefaith Lane Mon, 07/20/2026 - 15:35

Christie Sounart

Last year, Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands Shanti Simon joined our College of Music where she oversees the band program, leads the wind conducting program and teaches undergraduate conducting. Previously, she served as flight commander and associate conductor with the United States Air Force Academy Band in Colorado Springs and the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. Her leadership at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder is guided by music’s power to bring people together, an insight she credits to her global travels.

How did you decide to pursue conducting as a career?

Becoming a conductor was a natural outgrowth of my love for music, which started in elementary school and extended into high school, where I had a positive experience in the band program. When I was a sophomore, I realized music was something I could pursue as a career.

I did my undergraduate degree at Florida’s Stetson University in music education and trumpet performance, taught in Florida public schools for four years, and then decided to get my master’s and doctorate degrees in conducting at the University of Minnesota. At 30 years old, when I was coming out of my doctorate, I applied to the Air Force and won a job. I was a professional conductor for my seven years on active duty.

You’ve traveled the world with the U.S. Air Force Band. What performance is among the most memorable for you?

The Air Force gave me an opportunity to do what I love as a profession and serve my country at the same time. My first performance was memorable because it was my first assignment in Washington, D.C. It was in 2011 for the National Tree Lighting at the White House with the Airmen of Note, one of the best jazz ensembles in the world. As a young trumpet player, I grew up listening to them on cassette tapes. And then, here I was, conducting this group for the president of the United States and the first family at the White House.

But what I think are the most memorable performances I did with the Air Force are the full honors funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. There are bands of all services out there 365 days a year honoring our fallen heroes. Allowing families a space to feel emotions during a fragile time of their lives is really meaningful. I’ll always remember the professionalism and care that was put into those funerals, and what it felt like to be honoring something much bigger than me or the bands.

Continue to full feature story

Photo by Casey A. Cass

Last year, Professor Shanti Simon joined �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Music from the University of Oklahoma as director of bands where she oversees the band program, leads the wind conducting program and teaches undergraduate conducting. Previously, she served as flight commander and associate conductor with the United States Air Force Academy Band in Colorado Springs and the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C.

Off

Traditional

White

Forever Buffs Volunteer Spotlight: Judith Glyde

Mariefaith Lane — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 21:10:22 +0000

Forever Buffs Volunteer Spotlight: Judith Glyde Mariefaith Lane Fri, 07/17/2026 - 15:10

Keeley Haynes

For more than 20 years, Professor Emeritus Judith Glyde shared her passion for music with �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Music students as a professor of cello and chamber music and chair of our strings department.

Now, she continues to bring joy and expertise to the �鶹��Ѱ��community as a Forever Buffs New York alumni chapter board member. From producing specialty holiday performances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to promoting cultural events around New York City, Glyde strengthens bonds among our alumni and deepens her personal enrichment through volunteering.

“We grow from knowing the students and, hopefully, they grow from knowing us,” said Glyde upon receiving the College of Music’s Distinguished Service Award in 2022. “To be able to continue a relationship with our alums, supporting their music and their dreams, is a rare privilege.”

Read on to learn how Glyde transfers her wisdom from teaching to volunteering and continues to make an impact today.

Continue to full Q&A

For more than 20 years, Judith Glyde shared her passion for music with �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Music students as a professor of cello and chamber music and the Strings Department Chair. Now, she continues to bring joy and expertise to the �鶹��Ѱ��community as a Forever Buffs New York alumni chapter board member.

Off

Traditional

White

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder saxophone professor makes Suntory Hall debut during Asia tour

Mariefaith Lane — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:04:50 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder saxophone professor makes Suntory Hall debut during Asia tour Mariefaith Lane Mon, 06/08/2026 - 15:04

College of Music

In May and June, �鶹��Ѱ�� Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens represented our College of Music through a series of performances, master classes and artistic collaborations in Japan and China.

The centerpiece of the tour was “American Voices with Japanese Friends,” a concert presented by Kajimoto, one of Japan’s leading artist management companies, at Tokyo’s renowned Suntory Hall (Blue Rose). Featuring a collaborative ensemble of American and Japanese artists, the event marked the first time a recital presented by American saxophonists had been featured at Suntory Hall. Mertens performed alongside American saxophone colleagues Stephen Page (University of Texas at Austin), Shawna Pennock (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) and Sarah Hetrick (University of Arkansas) as well as Japanese artists Masato Kumoi, Marie Kikuchi, Misuzu Kobayashi, Rui Ozawa, AKI Matsumoto and internationally acclaimed saxophonist Kenta Saito who was a guest artist at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in 2024.

“For me, this concert was deeply personal,” says Mertens. “It was my first return to Japan since moving back to the United States seven years ago. Sharing the stage with mentors, colleagues and friends who shaped my artistic life while introducing them to my American collaborators was incredibly meaningful.” The concert also highlighted Mertens’ ongoing advocacy for Japanese saxophone music including works by Japanese composer Nobuhito Sato that will appear on Mertens’ forthcoming debut album.

While in Tokyo, Mertens returned to Kunitachi College of Music—where he previously studied through the Japanese government’s MEXT Research Student Program—to give a master class for undergraduate saxophone students.

Following the activities in Japan, Mertens traveled to China for a weeklong solo teaching tour. He gave lessons and master classes at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the China Conservatory of Music and the Hangzhou Conservatory of Music.

“This trip reinforced my belief that music is ultimately about people,” says Mertens. “The friendships and collaborations I developed during my years in Japan continue to shape my life and work today. Years may pass, countries may separate us and languages may differ, but the relationships formed through music have a remarkable way of enduring. In a world that can often feel increasingly disconnected, I am grateful for the opportunity to strengthen old friendships and begin new ones through a shared love of music.”

Support for the Japan portion of the tour was provided in part through a CHA Small Grant from the �鶹��Ѱ��.

Learn more about our saxophone studio

In May and June, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens represented our College of Music through a series of performances, master classes and artistic collaborations in Japan and China. The centerpiece of the tour was “American Voices with Japanese Friends” at Tokyo’s renowned Suntory Hall. “This trip reinforced my belief that music is ultimately about people,” says Mertens.

Off

Traditional

White

2026 Wind Band Conducting Symposium welcomes the return of founder Allan McMurray

Mariefaith Lane — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:55:54 +0000

2026 Wind Band Conducting Symposium welcomes the return of founder Allan McMurray Mariefaith Lane Tue, 06/02/2026 - 13:55

Kathryn Bistodeau

Distinguished Professor of Conducting Emeritus Allan McMurray returns as guest clinician this week.

Forty years ago, then-Director of Bands Allan McMurray saw a need for a space where conductors could grow. In response, he founded the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Wind Band Conducting Symposium. This summer, the distinguished professor of conducting emeritus returns as guest clinician.

Twenty-one professional-level participants from 10 states will participate in the symposium, June 7-12. Professor of Conducting and Director of Bands Shanti Simon says the symposium is a rare opportunity for conductors to connect with their peers.

“These weeks are always so uplifting because they’re a chance for conductors to be with other conductors,” she says. “A lot of times as a band conductor, it’s a little bit lonely. In a high school band program, there might only be one band conductor. Then when they come here for this week in Boulder, they’re surrounded by maybe 30 other conductors who can all share stories and best practices, and just learn from one another.”

While Simon previously participated in the symposium as a guest clinician, this year is her first as the college’s current director of bands. “It was really important to me to have Allan back in my first year here because he started this symposium when he was here,” says.

“This particular conducting symposium has a history that is really important in our world. Now when you look around our country, there are a lot of conducting symposia for wind band; but when Allan started this program, there were none. So there was a real vision behind creating this conducting symposium at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.”

McMurray—who retired from the College of Music in 2013 and was inducted into the Colorado Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2024—says the initial idea came from wanting to provide inspiration and guidance to conductors. “What I learned over the years is that we’re building connections and building relationships,” he says. “And the relationships that you are trying to build are between the conductor and the score, the conductor and the ensemble, and then the ability of the conductor to unite the score with the ensemble.”

McMurray is most excited about the people: He’s looking forward to seeing former colleagues and connecting with new attendees. Some of his fondest memories are watching someone have a breakthrough in their art, and he’s hoping for more of those moments this summer.

“There are connections where you know that it’s made a difference to somebody—you can see that and the ensemble sees it,” he says. “There are breakthrough moments, like we all have—but in a conducting symposium, you’re having that breakthrough moment in front of a whole bunch of people. So everybody’s celebrating your growth.”

Simon is also excited to have more participation from Colorado band directors. “Historically, we’ve not had a lot of participation among Colorado band directors. But this year we found ways to encourage more people to join us. We really feel like we’re part of a larger music education community in Colorado and we want to be invested in that community.”

Twenty-one professional-level participants from 10 states will participate in the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Wind Band Conducting Symposium, June 7-12. Professor of Conducting + Director of Bands Shanti Simon and Distinguished Professor of Conducting Emeritus Allan McMurray share what makes the symposium unique.

Off

Traditional

White

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 �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder 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 of Denver 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 Boulder 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” (Boulder 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 �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder 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!

Off

Traditional

White

College of Music announces new Assistant Director of Bands Andrew Keiser

Mariefaith Lane — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:09:20 +0000

College of Music announces new Assistant Director of Bands Andrew Keiser Mariefaith Lane Thu, 05/14/2026 - 10:09

Sabine Kortals

The �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder College of Music is pleased to welcome Andrew Keiser—Assistant Teaching Professor of Conducting + Music Education and Assistant Director of Bands—effective this fall.

“I’m thrilled to join the College of Music, a nationally respected institution that values innovation and collaboration alongside excellence and performance,” says Keiser. “The college’s commitment to developing versatile, forward-thinking universal musicians aligns with my own philosophy, as I always strive to develop students into well-rounded musicians who are prepared to make an impact in the world going forward.”

Keiser completed a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music where he studied conducting with Robert Carnochan and Michael Hancock. At Miami, Keiser contributed to all facets of the band program while teaching undergraduate courses in conducting and arranging. In addition to conducting university ensembles and coordinating the annual Frost Honor Band Festival, he wrote music and drill for the Frost Band of the Hour and regularly directed the basketball pep band. He has also spent the last year as Director of Athletic Bands at Keiser University’s Flagship Campus in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Prior to his doctoral studies, Keiser earned a master’s degree in wind conducting from the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, Georgia, where he studied with Jamie L. Nix and directed the CSU Basketball Band. He previously taught at Angola High School in Indiana where he led all aspects of the band program, a consistent recipient of the ISSMA All-Music Award.

“I’m so excited to work alongside Director of Bands Shanti Simon and Associate Director of Bands Logan Sorey to further the great work they are doing,” he shares. “I’m eager to continue building upon the legacy of the band program at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

“Working with the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Concert Band and athletic bands will allow me to interact with many students in the program, and I’m already inspired for the future from my previous interactions with the students, staff and directors.”

He adds, “I am eager to work with students from across the university in our athletic bands to develop their potential as performers and artists who play an integral role in the culture of the university. Our athletic bands often function as ambassadors of the College of Music and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder at events, and I can’t wait to get started with the Golden Buffalo Marching Band this fall.”

An advocate for new music, Keiser has commissioned, premiered and collaborated with living composers. His work as a Conducting Fellow with the Newfound Chamber Winds has led to collaborations and performances of new works by David Biedenbender, Viet Cuong and Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri. Keiser’s 2025 transcription of Maria Schneider’s “Winter Morning Walks” for soprano and chamber wind ensemble is performed by collegiate ensembles nationwide.

“I am delighted to join the college’s music education department as I’m passionate about the future of music education,” he notes. “I look forward to working with our music education students through hands-on experiences that prepare them for the rapidly evolving field of 21st-century education.”

Welcome, Andrew Keiser!

The College of Music is pleased to announce the hiring of Assistant Teaching Professor of Music Education + Conducting and Assistant Director of Bands Andrew Keiser beginning fall 2026. Welcome!

Off

Traditional

White

Faculty

Listening our way forward

Off

Symphony Orchestra presents “�鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder at 150”

Off

Presenting Korean traditional music as living practice

Off

Grant awards expand Entrepreneurship Center programming

Off

Shanti Simon views music as connection

How did you decide to pursue conducting as a career?

You’ve traveled the world with the U.S. Air Force Band. What performance is among the most memorable for you?

Off

Forever Buffs Volunteer Spotlight: Judith Glyde

Off

�鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder saxophone professor makes Suntory Hall debut during Asia tour

Off

2026 Wind Band Conducting Symposium welcomes the return of founder Allan McMurray

Off

College of Music welcomes vocal coach + musical director Jordan Ortman

Off

College of Music announces new Assistant Director of Bands Andrew Keiser

Off

Symphony Orchestra presents “�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder at 150”

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder saxophone professor makes Suntory Hall debut during Asia tour