Graduate violinist Gulia Gurevich gives a private concert to residents at an assisted living center as part of her work with Hospice of the Conejo (photo by Richard Gillard/Acorn Newspapers)
Making Music in a “New Normal” Department of Music faculty, students, and alumni help connect communities during the COVID-19 pandemic When traditional performance venues were shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UC Santa Barbara Department of Music faculty and students were forced to think creatively to reach their audiences. Within weeks of the university’s shift to remote operations, Music faculty and students were already adapting and sharing music both virtually and in socially-distanced settings. Shortly after remote operations began, Sarah Gibson, Teaching Professor of Composition in both the Department of Music and College of Creative Studies, was invited by violinist Jennifer Koh to write a piece for Koh’s latest project, “Alone Together.” Koh created the commissioning project and performance series as a means of support for composers during the coronavirus pandemic, and to reflect the widely varying emotions of this quarantine time. Gibson’s new piece, You Are Still Here, was premiered live by Koh on Saturday, April 11, 2020 via Facebook and Instagram, and is now available on-demand on Koh’s YouTube channel. Jill Felber, Professor of Flute, and alumna Catherine Marshall ‘18 collaborated on a series of videos highlighting Felber’s vast repertoire, particularly her “Fusions,” combinations of classical and popular songs that she arranged with pianist Dianne Frazer. These arrangements pair a popular contemporary 12 | UC Santa Barbara Department of Music | Fall 2020 Newsletter
