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Recent news
Deans Downbeat
Innovation as a collaborative act
Greetings from the road where Ive been engaged in two accreditation site reviews for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) as well as a trio of October conferences: From hosting the National Association of Music Executives at State Universities (NAMESU) Annual Meeting right here on our campus and at the new Limelight hotel to the 61st Annual Conference of the International Council for Arts Deans (ICfAD) in Santa Fe, New Mexico to the College Music Society (CMS) National Conference in Spokane, Washington this week where Ill be interacting with other deans and senior arts administrators engaged in public service and mentoring. Everywhere I go, I enjoy representing the unique achievements, aspirations and opportunities of our College of Music; along the way, Ive been struck by the supportive camaraderie and timely shared learnings among my counterparts.
As noted by American theatre and opera director Anne Bogart, We have been discouraged to think that innovation can be a collaborative act and yet its exactly thata collaborative actthats at the heart of institutions like ours.泭MORE
of the Deans Downbeat,
a regular communiqu矇泭from Dean John Davis.
泭泭Noteworthy media mentions
The evolving path of a jazz trombonist (January 2026, International Trombone Association Journal)
Assistant Teaching Professor of Jazz Studies Altin Sencalar reflects on the evolving role of the jazz trombonist todaydrawing from his experience as a performer, recording artist and educator.泭
(Dec. 17, 2025, CPR News)
Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies Annie Booth reflects on her decade-long holiday show at Dazzle which pays tribute to Vince Guaraldis timeless A Charlie Brown Christmas. That influence also shapes her playful new addition to the holiday music canon, Now Were Talkin Christmas.
(Dec. 6, 2025, That Eric Alper)
Mapping out a massive 50th anniversary tour that included dozens of stops in global cities like Seoul, London, Milan and Vancouver, the esteemed Tak獺cs Quartet honored the Tiny Desk with a special Washington, D.C. visit.
