Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra听

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026 | 2:30 p.m.听 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel听

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra opens the season with a performance showcasing one of the nation鈥檚 premier orchestras and Wisconsin鈥檚 largest cultural institution.听

Since its founding in 1959, the MSO has built a national reputation for artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement. The orchestra鈥檚 72 full-time professional musicians perform more than 125 concerts each season throughout Wisconsin, spanning classical, pops, family, education, and community performances.听

The MSO has presented world and American premieres by leading contemporary composers including John Adams, Philip Glass, and Roberto Sierra, while also becoming the first American orchestra to offer live recordings on iTunes. Beyond the concert hall, the orchestra reaches thousands of young people and families annually through its education and outreach initiatives.听

Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend听

November 6 鈥� 7, 2026听

Christie Dashiell听

Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.听 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel听

Kicking off the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend, GRAMMY-nominated vocalist, composer, and educator Christie Dashiell brings her distinctive blend of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, and soul to 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel as part of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in North Carolina, Dashiell is known for her improvisational artistry and rich vocal tone. A graduate of Howard University and the Manhattan School of Music, she first gained national attention performing with Howard University鈥檚 acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble Afro-Blue, which appeared on NBC鈥檚 The Sing-Off. Her sophomore album, Journey In Black, earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album and was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a 鈥渕asterpiece.鈥� The recording explores themes of freedom, legacy, grief, and joy while drawing from multiple traditions within Black American music.听

Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Ensemble听

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.听 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel听

The Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend continues with the Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Ensemble. Pianist and composer Billy Childs is recognized as one of the foremost American composers of his generation, seamlessly blending jazz traditions with contemporary classical influences. Throughout his career, Childs has received 17 GRAMMY nominations and six GRAMMY Awards, including Best Instrumental Jazz Album honors for Winds of Change and Rebirth. Childs has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and honors from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His work as a composer, performer, and arts advocate has established him as one of the most influential voices in contemporary jazz.听

Kings Return听

Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.听 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel听

Acclaimed vocal quartet Kings Return will bring its genre-blending a cappella sound to 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel. The Dallas-based ensemble first gained widespread attention through viral stairwell performance videos showcasing their lush harmonies and effortless blend. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Take 6 and Boyz II Men, Kings Return incorporates elements of R&B, jazz, gospel, pop, and classical music into its performances. Comprised of Vaughn Faison, Gabe Kunda, JE McKissic, and Jamall Williams, the quartet has built an international following through both live performances and online audiences captivated by the group鈥檚 rich vocal textures and musical versatility.听

Dreamers鈥� Circus听

Monday, April 5, 2027 | 8 p.m.听 Stansbury Theatre听

Dreamers鈥� Circus, one of the Nordic region鈥檚 most acclaimed contemporary folk ensembles, will perform at Stansbury Theatre. Blending Nordic folk traditions with classical lyricism, jazz improvisation, and pop influences, the Copenhagen-based trio has earned international recognition for its adventurous and genre-defying sound. The ensemble features Nikolaj Busk on piano and accordion, Rune Tonsgaard S酶rensen on violin, and Ale Carr on cittern. Since its formation, Dreamers鈥� Circus has released seven albums, toured internationally, and received major honors from the Danish Arts Foundation. Their latest album, Handed On, reflects on musical heritage while showcasing the trio鈥檚 inventive and dynamic approach to acoustic music.听

The Westerlies听

Friday, April 30, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.听 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel听

The season concludes with a performance by The Westerlies, the GRAMMY-nominated brass quartet praised for blending jazz, classical, and folk traditions. Described by The New York Times as 鈥渁n arty quartet鈥ixing ideas from jazz, new classical, and Appalachian folk,鈥� The Westerlies have performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Coachella while redefining expectations for brass chamber music. The ensemble, Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands on trumpet and Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon on trombone, has released 10 critically acclaimed albums and collaborated with artists including Caroline Shaw, Bill Frisell, and Nico Muhly. This performance is also part of 麻豆影院 University鈥檚 New Music Series.听

The Level Up project features the construction of two new facilities: The Loop, an indoor training center, and The Hub, a fitness, recreation, and practice facility. Today鈥檚 Level Up Kickoff Celebration revealed that phase one of Level Up will soon be underway with construction of The Hub set to begin later this month. A construction timeframe for The Loop has not yet been established.听听

The Hub is a major renovation project that will transform the lower level of the City Center East building in downtown Appleton into a state-of-the-art fitness and recreation center serving the entire campus community, complete with practice facilities for athletics and the music Conservatory.听听

鈥淭he Hub greatly expands our ability to offer the variety of fitness and recreation options our students want, while providing much-need practice space for athletics and the music Conservatory,鈥� said Chris Clarke, Vice President for Student Life. 鈥淢ore importantly, The Hub will bring students together outside of class with people they might not otherwise encounter any other way, which strengthens the sense of connection and belonging that contributes to students鈥� overall well-being.鈥澨�

Strengthening body, mind, and spirit听

The Hub features 56,000 square feet of fitness, recreation, and practice space that serves a variety of needs for the campus community:听听

FITNESS & RECREATION听

• 9,000 square foot strength training and cardio center听

• Three simulator bays with more than 50 games to give students a variety of virtual experiences听

MUSIC CONSERVATORY听

• 2,000 square foot conservatory practice suite with student lounge and recording studio听

• State-of-the-art Wenger practice modules that allow student musicians to simulate a variety of performance environments, with record/playback features that allow musicians to hear their performance objectively and adjust in real-time听

VIKINGS ATHLETICS听

• Dedicated fencing training room to rival top-tier competitors听

• Cutting-edge batting cages that can track biometrics to provide data-driven feedback to adjust mechanics, timing, and power听

• Hockey practice area with synthetic ice where players can focus on skills training, such as stick-handling, puck control, and shooting accuracy听

Supporting the vision听

The space for The Hub in the lower level of the City Center East building in the heart of downtown Appleton was entrusted to 麻豆影院 University by local business leaders John Pfefferle, Paul Hoffman, and Thomas Janssen, whose transformational gift of property brought the University鈥檚 vision for enriching campus health and wellness into focus.听听

鈥淭he Hub intentionally brings together wellness, athletics, and music, creating an environment that mirrors the way 麻豆影院 students live, learn, and grow,鈥� said 麻豆影院 University President Laurie A. Carter. 鈥淭his kind of creative, integrative thinking is exactly what today鈥檚 world 鈥� and job market 鈥� demands. The Hub reflects the adaptability, collaboration, and innovation our graduates will need to thrive and to lead in their lives after 麻豆影院.鈥澨�

During her remarks at the Kickoff Celebrations, longtime Appleton resident, business leader and 麻豆影院 Trustee Kathi Seifert reflected on 麻豆影院鈥檚 long history of campus/community collaboration over the decades.听听

鈥淭he Hub is the latest extension of that shared vision and collective effort,鈥� Seifert said. 鈥淟ocal business leaders placed their trust in 麻豆影院 to steward forward their gift of this space to create something exception. The Hub is a bold new step forward for 麻豆影院 University and our community as well.鈥澨�

A space for creativity and connection听

During his remarks at the Kickoff Celebration, head softball coach Korey Krueger 鈥�95 reflected on Virginia Woolfe鈥檚 鈥淎 Room of One鈥檚 Own,鈥� a required text during his student days at 麻豆影院 that stuck with him for decades. The book examined the need for an individual to have space and freedom to be truly creative.听听

鈥淭he Hub will be a shared space for the entire 麻豆影院 community to find that creativity, to have a space to create, grow, and thrive,鈥� Krueger said. 鈥淭he Hub is not just a project that will create a space: it is a project that will create energy, connection, and community 鈥� a room of one鈥檚 own 鈥� for everyone.鈥澨�

Practice is a crucial part of developing excellence in any endeavor, said Chris Jenkins, Dean of the 麻豆影院 Conservatory, with four to six hours of daily rehearsal being the norm for Conservatory students.听听

鈥淲ith The Hub, we鈥檙e leveling up to a new rehearsal space that befits a world-class conservatory,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淎nd our students are thrilled at the prospect of having the new practice suite available to help them level up their rehearsals and performances.鈥澨�

Joey O鈥機onnor, who is graduating in June with degrees in Trumpet Performance and Music Education, remarked that finding available rehearsal space for the hours of daily practice required by musicians can be a challenge for Conservatory students.听听

鈥淭he new practice suite at The Hub will be a game-changer for any musician who wants to be able to put in the hard work we know 鈥� and embrace 鈥� as the fuel to make us the musicians we aspire to be,鈥� O鈥機onnor said.听听

Fearless Empathy: Bringing the Story of Ruth Coker Burks to the Opera Stage

(2-minute Video) Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies, and Kristin Roach, Assistant Professor of Music and conductor of the performances, share what makes this production special.听

Blending lyrical intensity with intimate storytelling, A Nearer Mother听explores compassion, chosen family, and moral courage in a time of national fear and silence.听

鈥淲e wanted to write a piece that centers around allyship,鈥� said composer Evan Mack. 鈥淩uth Coker Burks represents the kind of clarity that cuts through fear. This work is not just about the AIDS crisis鈥攊t鈥檚 about what it means to show up for another human being when the world turns away.鈥�

McGuire added, 鈥淩uth鈥檚 story forces us to look within. Given the same stakes she faced, the same fears present in the face of that crisis鈥斕齱e can ask, would we step up to help? I like to think the opera helps people dig deep and find that little voice that says 鈥�I can鈥�,听no matter what they鈥檙e facing.鈥�

The world premiere of A Nearer Mother reflects 麻豆影院 University鈥檚 commitment to presenting new works that engage contemporary social themes while fostering meaningful artistic dialogue between artists, students, and the wider community.听

鈥淐ommissioning this opera is a true gift for the community,鈥� said Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies at 麻豆影院. The process is in its fourth year, so many students over those years were able to interact personally with the development of the work and to learn about hidden and erased histories in the LGBTQIA+ community. In a time when we are witnessing minorities face hardship, erasure, and violence, Ruth鈥檚 story gives us all an example of allyship through action and fearless empathy.鈥�

Kristin Roach, Assistant Professor of Music and conductor of the performances, noted, 鈥淪ometimes artists wonder if their performing makes a difference to the wider world. Working on this opera has affirmed that, indeed, storytelling through opera performance is a current, vibrant, and necessary tool for building a world we are proud to live in.鈥�

The evening also will feature The Clever Artifice of Harriet & Margaret, a one-act chamber opera with music and libretto by Leanna Kirchoff. Adapted from Alice Gerstenberg鈥檚 1913 play, Overtones,听the opera explores themes of rivalry, love, and societal roles among women.听 Kirchoff will attend the March 6 performance and participate in the post-production talkback.

Tickets are available now at .

Related Community Events听

In partnership with local organizations, 麻豆影院 will host additional free public events during the week following the performances:

Monday, March 9 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. The Velvet Fox 501 N. Richmond St., Appleton, WI 鈥淪haring Histories and Perspectives:鈥澨�An intergenerational LGBTQ+ event, co-sponsored with Diverse & Resilient.听

Tuesday, March 10 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. Appleton Public Library 200 N. Appleton St., Appleton, WI 鈥淎llyship in Action,鈥� co-sponsored by Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities and Fox Cities PAC.听

These events extend the opera鈥檚 themes of allyship, remembrance, and community dialogue beyond the stage and into the broader Fox Cities community.听

Land of Winter has been praised on 鈥淏est of 2025鈥� lists by The New York Times, Boston Globe, and Gramophone as well as in reviews by The Washington Post, National Public Radio and other notable news organizations.听

Michael Clayville, instructor of music in entrepreneurial studies and social engagement at 麻豆影院, is one of the founding members of Alarm Will Sound, a contemporary chamber orchestra led by Artistic Director and Conductor Alan Pierson. A trombone player, Clayville met some of the group鈥檚 founding musicians while a student at Eastman School of Music. The experience, he said, reflects the importance of a shared journey with fellow music students that he now encourages through his courses at 麻豆影院 University.听

Erin Lesser, who is married to Clayville, joined Alarm Will Sound as a flute player more than a decade ago. An accomplished soloist and chamber musician, Lesser has been a professor of flute at 麻豆影院 since 2011, where she prepares students for the contemporary music landscape, including work by living composers such as Dennehy, and using music to engage with pressing issues.听听

For both 麻豆影院 professors, their experiences as practicing musicians, and now GRAMMY award winners, show up in their teaching and in their classrooms.听听

The 麻豆影院 University Conservatory of Music offers four degree options and 28 areas of study with an emphasis on preparing students for the evolving world of music. For more information on programs available in the Conservatory of Music or in 麻豆影院鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences, contact the Office of Admissions at鈥�admissions@lawrence.edu鈥痮r 920.832.6652.听

麻豆影院 University President Laurie A. Carter

A Bold New Chapter听

The $38 million development, located at the corner of East College Avenue and South Drew Street, features more than 100,000 square feet of academic and public space. The building features the Trout Museum of Art on the first floor, state-of-the-art academic spaces on the second floor, and beautiful one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments on the third and fourth floors that are available to the general public.听

The project is a response to a growing need for new and innovative ways of preparing students for the changing world and the evolving careers ahead of them as they move into the workplace after graduation.

The interdisciplinary hub encompasses the Humanities, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, and the Conservatory of Music to cultivate cross-disciplinary collaboration and spark innovation.听

The project was made possible through partnerships with the Trout Museum of Art, community leaders, and 麻豆影院 alumni. Fredrick Fisher and Partners of Los Angeles led the architectural design. Locally owned Boldt Construction served as the general contractor for the project, and the 40 upper-level, LUX apartments are now managed by听NAI Pfefferle, a commercial real estate firm headquartered in Appleton.听

Susan Hall, a 1976 麻豆影院 alumna and current member of the 麻豆影院 Board of Trustees, said 麻豆影院 held a special place in her heart because it was where she learned to think deeply, listen generously, and believe in the power of community.听

鈥淲hen I first heard the vision for West Campus, I was struck by its boldness, A space that brings together the humanities, mathematics, computer science, and the conservatory. That鈥檚 not just interdisciplinary鈥攊t鈥檚 transformational.鈥澨�

Hall and other key supporters included local business leader John Bergstrom, Curt Detjen, President and CEO of the Community Foundation, and the Van Asten family.听

鈥淧artnerships like this ensure that our students鈥� education is not confined to classrooms but is enriched by direct engagement with the cultural fabric of our region,鈥� President Carter said. 鈥淲e are building bridges between theory and practice, past and future, campus and community.鈥澨�

麻豆影院 University Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Professor of History Peter Blitstein

A Creative and Collaborative Environment听

The West Campus academic spaces include:听

• Eight state-of-the-art classrooms
• Digital Humanities laboratory
• Music production studio
• Mathematics Commons for collaboration and study
• 30+ offices, including soundproof offices for Conservatory faculty for private music instruction with students.听

Brooklyn Schara, 麻豆影院 University鈥檚 Community Council President, said West Campus represented a promise of transformative learning opportunities.听

鈥淗ere, students are able to collaborate and innovate, not just with one another but also with our incredible faculty and staff and our community partners who share our passion for discovery, creativity, and lifelong learning,鈥� said Schara, a junior from North Freedom, WI, and a double major in international relations and Spanish.听

Learn more about 麻豆影院 University.

Roach credits the entire team for the recognition.

鈥淎ny recognition of one member of an opera production belongs to the whole team,鈥� said Roach. 鈥淢ore than 100 Lawrentians worked on our production of one-act operas, onstage and backstage and in the pit and behind the scenes.鈥澨�

The 2024 production of Cendrillon at 麻豆影院 was paired with Alice Tierney, a piece by Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger, to celebrate the contributions of women in the opera world.听

鈥淲e are always sharing resources between the two shows and really trying to present both these operas written by women,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淭rying to bring forward creators who might be underrepresented in the opera field is at the forefront of the opera program鈥檚 mission.鈥�

Meanwhile, Two Remain is based on the true stories of two Holocaust survivors, Krystyna Zywulska and Gad Beck.

Roach said one of the most powerful aspects of the theater is its ability to keep history alive by wrestling with challenging themes and stories.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so important that we continue to tell these stories through works in the theater,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we don鈥檛 lose the narrative, the truth behind what happened. Part of why we鈥檝e chosen to perform an excerpt of this work at LU this coming year is that our students are able to tell these important stories, keeping history alive and in the forefront.鈥�

The 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre program plans to perform a portion of Two Remain in their fall scenes program this year.

Looking ahead, Roach is excited by the upcoming season, which includes the world premiere of a new opera, A Nearer Mother, by composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire. The piece was commissioned by Copeland Woodruff, director of opera studies at 麻豆影院, and the 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre program. For the past three years, Woodruff has worked closely with the creative team to bring the opera to life.

A Nearer Mother explores the story of AIDS activist Ruth Coker Burks, known as the 鈥淐emetery Angel,鈥� and her daughter Allison. Burks and her daughter will be in attendance at the March 2026 performance, which will be paired with the one-act opera A Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret, by composer Leanna Kirchhoff.听

鈥淚 am so excited about doing a brand-new piece; we will be working hand-in-hand with the creators of these works,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淲orking on this opera will continue to tell the story of the many important, wonderful people that we lost in the early years of the AIDS epidemic.鈥澨�

These latest honors are a testament to the talent and commitment of 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre. 麻豆影院 has received 11 awards in The American Prize, including two special judges鈥� citations and two productions tied for first place. Roach has won the prize in Conducting, College/University division, for Suor Angelica and the prize in Conducting both in Professional and College/University divisions. Woodruff has won the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing and was the first stage director to be given The Independence Day, Honored Artists Award for Sustained Excellence. 麻豆影院 is also in the National Finals of The American Prize for Best Production for Cendrillon/Alice Tierney, and Copeland Woodruff is once again up for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing.听

Save the dates for this season鈥檚 performances:

• Fall Opera Scenes: Thursday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. in 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel. Free Admission.

• Mainstage Opera: The Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret and A Nearer Mother (world premiere): Thursday, March 5-Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 8 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre.

• Spring Opera Scenes: Thursday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre. Free admission.

Update: Nov. 17, 2025

The 2024 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre production of Viardot’s Cendrillon and Melissa Dunphy’s Alice Tierney were also awarded third place in the American Prize competition for Opera Performance in the college/university division!听

Most of all, I would emphasize to students that my entry point into academia was in student affairs and the student experience will always be my central concern. And students should know that I鈥檓 still active as a performer, so I get where they鈥檙e coming from and where they鈥檙e going.

Q: As you lead a conservatory, what constitutes success?

Jenkins: The purpose of the academic project, to me, is to enhance the musical, academic, and social development of young people so that the next generation is empowered to do better than this generation.

During the town hall that was part of my on-campus interview, I mentioned that there are so many direct stakeholders in higher education. There are faculty members who make sacrifices to dedicate themselves to a single institution; there are alumni whose relationship with the institution is lifelong just by its very nature; and there are staff members who are indispensable but whose hard work is often unacknowledged.

All those perspectives deserve respect.听I would emphasize that the primary constituency of any school must be current and future students. When we prioritize the educational and social environment for students, every other constituency benefits. Faculty must receive career development support so they can do their best possible work and set the highest example for their students. The workplace culture must be rooted in respect and belonging so staff can maintain their institutional commitment and help students thrive. When students thrive, alumni have the gratification of seeing younger graduates elevate their alma mater. All of this flows organically out of placing students at the center of the academic mission.

This doesn鈥檛 mean giving students whatever they want, because sometimes they can find it challenging to accurately perceive what鈥檚 in their best interest. But I would define success in educational leadership as creating an environment that gives students the best possible chance for their own personal and professional success by keeping them at the center of the mission.

Q: What鈥檚 your message to the Conservatory鈥檚 faculty, staff, and students as you join them on this journey?

Jenkins: I just want to be sure it鈥檚 clear that I understand this work to be a joint venture, and that whatever we accomplish will be accomplished together. A few things are certain: I won鈥檛 be perfect, because no one is; our best-laid plans will have to change at times because no plan survives first contact with reality; and there is no limit to what we can accomplish in an environment of mutual trust, respect, creativity, and inspiration.听

Before the major awards, the influential publications, and the Columbia tenure, Lerdahl began his musical journey in the Conservatory that is now celebrating a century and a half of brilliance.

Raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Lerdahl played both piano and oboe throughout high school. Though academically inclined, he came to music relatively late and felt compelled to catch up. That urgency led him to seek out conservatory training to deeply foster his skills.

鈥淚 realized I needed to completely immerse myself in music,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was already pretty well read and good at school鈥斅槎褂霸� sounded ideal because it had strong academics alongside a school of music.鈥�

The decision proved pivotal. Surrounded by musicians for the first time, Lerdahl found the intensity and totality of musical study exhilarating.

鈥淚t was just an absolute thrill to actually be studying music all day, every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 took all the required courses and enjoyed those too, but there was great excitement about studying music.鈥�

Lerdahl quickly distinguished himself, testing into advanced placement for theory, beginning piano studies with Clyde Duncan and, most crucially, starting private composition lessons with James Ming.

鈥淸Professor Ming] wanted to make me into a well-rounded musician,鈥� Lerdahl explained. 鈥淗e not only insisted I become a decent pianist, but had me study conducting, viola, French horn, and continue on oboe. He made sure I took two years of counterpoint鈥擨鈥檇 say that was all excellent training.鈥澨�

Ming was honored by 麻豆影院 in 1982 after nearly four decades of teaching composition and music theory. He himself was taught by the esteemed pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, as well as luminaries like Darius Milhaud and Howard Hanson.听

鈥淢ing would periodically go back to Fontainebleau, Paris, to study further with Boulanger鈥攈e was very much a Francophile, so he demanded good craftsmanship, and he was very practical … he was a very fine musician and a very cultured one, and so those qualities were important in what I learned.鈥�

Lerdahl recalled that among the joys of his undergraduate experience was the vibrant diversity of disciplines that surrounded him. He took philosophy and history courses, developed friendships with poets and non-musicians, and found another important mentor in William Chaney, the renowned historian.

Though widely known for his contributions to music theory, Lerdahl鈥檚 theoretical work didn鈥檛 emerge until later鈥攄riven not by academic ambition but by compositional necessity.

Following 麻豆影院, Lerdahl underwent graduate study at Princeton. There he studied with the celebrated composer-theorist Milton Babbitt, known for his strict and systematic serialism in music composition.

鈥淏abbitt was a positive and negative model at the same time,鈥� Lerdahl said. 鈥淗e was a model in his deeply thoughtful approach to music, but I couldn鈥檛 swallow the [serialist] system he built.鈥�

Babbitt鈥檚 hyper-complex music, in Lerdahl鈥檚 view, exceeded the cognitive capacities of listeners. This aesthetic crisis pushed Lerdahl to seek a new theoretical foundation鈥攐ne rooted in how people actually perceive and process music.

鈥淚 conceived of music theory as a branch of cognitive science,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce I got into that, it became a real interest in its own right. But it always fed my composing: everything I did theoretically resurfaced in my music, and my needs as a composer often suggested what to do in theory.鈥�

The most famous result of this approach is his Generative Theory of Tonal Music, co-authored with linguist Ray Jackendoff. Inspired by Noam Chomsky鈥檚 linguistics, the theory held that humans fundamentally respond to tonal music through intuitive and hierarchical structures鈥攎uch like language. The model remains one of the most influential frameworks in the field.

鈥淚 think the field of music theory suffers from a lot of theorists who aren鈥檛 practicing musicians,鈥� Lerdahl said. 鈥淚t shows up in all kinds of ways, in various kinds of theories and the way they talk about it, the way they talk about music. So, I’m very much a believer in craftsmanship, practical skills.鈥�

That practical grounding, Lerdahl said, traces directly back to his time at 麻豆影院.

鈥淥ne of the great things about being at 麻豆影院 was that I either conducted or played piano in everything I wrote,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n my senior year, I even conducted the orchestra in one of my own pieces, and my senior recital was half conducting, half piano playing. That kind of experience was invaluable鈥攅specially for someone like me, who hadn鈥檛 grown up studying music from an early age with the best teachers.鈥�

While 麻豆影院 provided this intensive musical training, it also aided Lerdahl in developing his broader interests.

鈥淭here was a general intellectual climate that was stimulating to me, even outside of music,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n that sense I grew not just as a musician, but as a thinker.鈥�

To heighten the sonic immersion, Frueh took advantage of Harper Hall鈥檚 extensive renovations last winter. He utilized the new surround sound system to project bird call recordings from different directions across the room. At one point, he improvised at the piano in response to them.

鈥淒uring COVID, my brother [Ben Frueh, a 麻豆影院 violin student] and I gave outdoor concerts for our neighbors,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淚 distinctly remember one time someone telling me they had a much easier time focusing because the performance was in a natural soundscape鈥攖he soundscape became part of the pieces that we were performing.鈥�

At 麻豆影院, Frueh found academic footing for these sentiments. A variety of influences proved influential, many found through musicology coursework and an independent study with Sonja Lynn Downing, associate professor of ethnomusicology. The work of acoustic ecologist R. Murray Schafer, bioacoustician Bernie Krause, alongside the deep listening techniques of composer Pauline Oliveros鈥斺�攑roved pivotal.听

Frueh originally considered an outdoor concert, but piano-moving logistics proved impractical. Indoors, however, he found new creative possibilities: the chance to design tailored soundscapes for each piece, pairing recorded birdsong with its musical reflection.

鈥淭he instruments in Quartet for the End of Time imitate the common nightingale and Eurasian blackbird鈥擡uropean species which we wouldn’t be able to hear live,鈥� he explained. 鈥淪o, instead I’ve been able to pull recordings of those and play those through the surround sound.鈥�

Several world premieres took this approach even further, each with a unique relationship to birds and place.

Frueh was joined by his brother Ben for Thomas Meinzen鈥檚 Headland (2024), written during a residency at Sitka Center for Arts and Ecology on the Oregon coast. It features field recordings from more than 10 birders.听

鈥淏en and I have worked with Thomas for over five years,鈥� Frueh said, 鈥渁nd this piece really celebrates the birds of that coastline. The field recordings are cued live by the performers, to enter at different points in the piece.鈥�

Headland was also recorded in the spring and will be featured on an environmentally themed EP the Frueh brothers are releasing with Meinzen on Aug. 1.

Another piece, Twitcher,听by Orson Abram, received its second performance, having been premiered by Frueh at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music over his 2024 spring break.

鈥淔辞谤 Twitcher, we used a transducer on the piano鈥檚 soundboard that amplifies the bird songs through the instrument itself, so the piano becomes the speaker鈥攖he birds basically have a voice through it.鈥�

The final two premieres underscored the recital鈥檚 global reach: Nickerson Beach by Brad Balliett evoked a Long Island birding site, including video projections in slow-motion.听

Another, Julia Tchira鈥檚 Upland Sandpiper, connected Argentina and Wisconsin through the migratory path of a single species. This piece took an activist bent, aiming to draw attention to the conservation issues often faced by different grassland migratory birds. Frueh and Tchira鈥檚 collaboration was听.

Even older pieces gained new life in this context. Amy Beach鈥檚 Hermit Thrush at Eve, which Frueh first performed as a sophomore, returned with immersive recordings of the bird that inspired it.

Frueh explained: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been influential for me to think: what is it like to interact musically with a soundscape?鈥澨�

Frueh will explore that question further this summer, performing in the soundSCAPE festival in Blonay, Switzerland. After that he鈥檒l attend Bowling Green State University to pursue further piano studies.

Fittingly, among Surtees鈥檚 favorite moments are both the dramatic midpoint and the exhilarating coda. Although he identifies the movement as the hardest piano work he鈥檚 yet tackled, the difficulties arise from unexpected details.听

鈥淭he thing that makes [the coda] so hard is actually the dynamic鈥攊t鈥檚 piano,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it was forte, it could sync much more with the keys and fit the hand better. But I remember being so satisfied when I first played through it, thinking, 鈥榃ow, I actually did it.鈥欌�澨�

Although Chopin is now the centerpiece of Surtees鈥檚 repertoire, his interest in the composer鈥檚 music developed gradually. Born and raised in Bardstown, Kentucky, Surtees began piano lessons in his hometown before transitioning to more advanced studies with Dr. Wesley Roberts at Campbellsville University. With his eye on 麻豆影院, Surtees began audition preparations鈥攊t was only at this point that his interest in Chopin came into focus.听

鈥淚 was already into Chopin when I auditioned,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it was Ballade No. 1 that sealed the deal. It just put him in a league of his own.鈥澨�

Read about LSO Concerto Competition co-winner Ben Frueh

At 麻豆影院, Surtees has found space to foster that connection. Under the mentorship of Michael Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music, his curriculum has been tailored to emphasize Romantic repertoire, particularly Chopin. Even as he explores new terrain鈥攈is current fascination is Enrique Granados鈥檚 Goyescas鈥擟hopin remains a guiding force.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a freedom and emotional honesty in his music that鈥檚 rare,鈥� Surtees said. 鈥淲ith Chopin, the music speaks for itself.鈥澨�

Surtees plans to perform the full Goyescas suite for his senior recital, but his long-term goals are still Chopin-focused.听

鈥淚 think my biggest Chopin project goal would be to learn all three of his piano sonatas,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he third is a masterpiece. … It’s pristine and chaotic at the same time. And the first, people give it a bad rap, but it鈥檚 a beautiful piece.鈥澨�

For now, though, Surtees is focused on one thing: stepping onto the Memorial Chapel stage and sharing a piece of music that has shaped who he is.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a dream to learn this concerto,鈥� he said. 鈥淕etting to perform it鈥攅specially with an orchestra鈥攊s something I never thought I鈥檇 do until much later. That鈥檚 what makes it so special.鈥�