Faculty News and Accomplishments

Associate Professor Dr. Derek Katz gives lecture on life of Jazz Pianist, Composer, and Arranger Mary Lou Williams for Goleta Valley Library

Derek Katz

Associate Professor of Musicology Dr. Derek Katz gave a talk, titled “Mary Lou Williams: From The Lady Who Swung the Band to The Zodiac Suite,” for the Goleta Valley Library on January 24. The prerecorded talk was streamed as a YouTube Premiere via the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library YouTube channel. “In the 1930s and 1940s, a time when instrumental jazz and dance music was almost exclusively the preserve of male musicians, Mary Lou Williams had a major career as a pianist, composer and arranger,” noted Katz. “A superb and creative pianist, Williams was the primary arranger and soloist for Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy. She also arranged for Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington.”

Professor João Pedro Oliveira receives grant from Portuguese Ministry of Culture to compose Electroacoustic/Visual Music Opera

João Pedro Oliveira

Corwin Chair of Composition João Pedro Oliveira received a €40,000 grant from the Portuguese Ministry of Culture to compose and produce an electroacoustic/visual-music opera based on the Book of Daniel in the Bible. The Book of Daniel chronicles Daniel’s struggles to maintain hope in the land of his conquerors, and to remain faithful to the Torah and loyal to his Jewish identity. The production of Oliveira’s opera will be a prerecorded version adapted to COVID times, with no live singers or instruments. All action will be projected visually on the screen and multichannel audio. Oliveira will also be collaborating with the UC Santa Barbara Voice Area to present a live-staged performance of the opera.

Continuing Lecturer Dr. Jon Nathan recognized during 2020 BroadwayWorld Theatre Awards of the Decade

Jon Nathan

Continuing Lecturer Dr. Jon Nathan received recognition during the 2020 BroadwayWorld Theatre Awards of the Decade Santa Barbara Regional Awards for his work with the Santa Barbara High School Theatre Program. Dr. Nathan was recognized for Sound Design of the Decade for his work on Santa Barbara High School’s 2018 production, In The Heights. From 2013 to 2020, Dr. Nathan worked with the Santa Barbara High School Theatre Program on nearly every one of their productions. The program was named the Theatre Company of the Decade, receiving 10 out of the 20 awards given in the Santa Barbara Regional Awards. Dr. Nathan received his Doctor of Musical Arts from UC Santa Barbara in 1998.

Professor of Horn Dr. Steven Gross awarded contract with Naxos Records

Steven Gross

Professor of Horn Dr. Steven Gross has been awarded a contract by Naxos Records to release the premiere recording of William Bolcom’s Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano. Professor Gross partnered with American Double—violinist Phil Ficsor, based in Denver, and pianist Constantine Finehouse, from Boston—for the recording, which will be released in November 2021. The Trio was commissioned by Professor Gross in 2017, with the intent of creating a chamber work similar in stature to the Trio Op. 40 of Johannes Brahms. An emeritus professor at the University of Michigan, Bolcom is recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Pulitzer Prize, and a Grammy Award.

Professor of Cello Jennifer Kloetzel named Guest Adjudicator for Napolinova 2nd World Cello E-Competition

Jennifer Kloetzel

Professor of Cello Jennifer Kloetzel has been invited to serve as the American adjudicator for the 2nd World Cello E-Competition, organized by the Napolinova music association. Established to provide young artists with an opportunity to showcase their talents on a worldstage during this quarantine time, the competition is open to musicians from across the globe. For the second year in a row, Kloetzel will serve as one of three international judges, including Catalin Ilea (University of the Arts; Berlin, Germany) and Kyungok Park (Hanyang University; Seoul, South Korea). Fifteen scholarship prizes will be awarded and the winners will be promoted via radio and social media.