尝补飞谤别苍肠别鈥檚 has now brought home DownBeat Awards 34 times over the past four-plus decades.聽This is the second time in three years the program has won two awards in the same year. Encarnaci贸n credits the students’ commitment to a wide range of music.

鈥淭he students we get here are smart, they鈥檙e curious, they like to explore,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, we bring them different kinds of music, and they鈥檙e in, they鈥檙e engaged. For me, it鈥檚 seeing how they grow, how they engage with the art. That鈥檚 the reward.鈥�

The work of faculty across the Conservatory, Encarnaci贸n added, is a collective effort that shows up in the stellar performances of music students both individually and in ensembles.聽

鈥淭he DownBeat Awards speak to the talent, teamwork, and collegiality that makes the Conservatory thrive,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is an honor and an inspiration to work with everyone involved in this process. Winning two awards in the same year again demonstrates enormous program depth.鈥�

For Encarnaci贸n鈥檚 contest entry in the Latin Group category, he submitted three charts from a performance during the 2024 Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration. Students were studying a different musical genre that included Afro-Cuban and Venezuelan rhythms.聽

鈥淭hese are very challenging to play, especially for the rhythm section,鈥� he said.聽

For Darling鈥檚 Jazz Ensemble entry, she submitted three contemporary charts that聽are challenging to play聽and require excellent musicianship from every member of the ensemble. In addition, they call for significant improvisation.

鈥淚t is fun to work on compositions like this because improvisation is woven throughout the fabric of the music,聽and it is rewarding for everyone to hear how it聽all comes together,鈥� she said.

The awards speak to the high level of consistency that has been built into a jazz program with an impressive track record dating back to the 1970s. Now led by Encarnaci贸n, it is among the best undergraduate jazz programs in the country.

As a singer in the choir, I鈥檝e experienced this beautiful tradition first-hand. The university鈥檚 three choirs join the 麻豆影院 Symphony Orchestra, forming an ensemble that can hardly fit onstage.

I find myself encountering a curious paradox: while it’s harder than ever to hear my own voice amidst hundreds of musicians, I feel louder, empowered by the support of this vast ensemble.

鈥淚t teaches us so much about how to be musicians and how to communicate,鈥� said Dupere, associate professor of music and director of orchestral studies. 鈥淵ou have to communicate with Mozart鈥攊t鈥檚 exposed, and you can hear it immediately if there鈥檚 no conversational aspects to the music.鈥�

Pedagogically, it teaches a different set of skills for both ensembles, explained Stephen Sieck, associate professor of music and co-director of choral studies.

鈥淚t’s the only time the orchestra really has to think about the text setting and word stress,鈥� Sieck said, 鈥渁nd the only time the choral ensembles have to think about being in tune with woodwinds.鈥�

The tradition stands among the most anticipated 麻豆影院 performances, with a history of multiple decades on its belt. Its repertoire is not confined to canonical standards; the 麻豆影院 faculty regularly alternates between traditional classics and important contemporary works. Last year featured This Love Between Us by Reena Esmail, written in the last decade; the previous year was Brahms鈥� 1868 German Requiem; before that, two works by the contemporary composer Adolphus Hailstork.

Such opportunities are uncommon among other liberal arts colleges, Sieck remarked.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e at a school of music big enough to do oratorios,鈥� he said, 鈥渋t really opens up this entire library of outstanding music that composers throughout the centuries have poured a lot of their best work into.鈥�

For nearly a year, planning commences as Conservatory faculty sift through repertoire. Dupere, Sieck, and their colleagues work together to select the piece that aligns best with the abilities of the current students.

The choice of Mozart’s Great Mass was deliberate; it boasts numerous soprano solos鈥攁 perfect fit for the plethora of talented sopranos in the Conservatory.

鈥淚t is so exciting to be able to fully let go and enjoy a different kind of freedom that singing with an orchestra brings,鈥� said senior Tanvi Thatai, a soprano soloist from Sterling, Virginia, double majoring in music performance (voice) and linguistics. 鈥淚 definitely have some more tools under my singing belt, from ensemble coordination to some of the more technical aspects of singing.鈥�

The frequent soprano solos sung by Thatai and others reflect Mozart鈥檚 intention to showcase the talents of his wife, Constanze, who probably first sung the part. In this regard, the Great Mass was very much a wedding gift to his spouse, but it also reflects a look back at his predecessors.

鈥淚t is simultaneously so, so Mozart.鈥� explained Sieck, 鈥渂ut there are so many spots in which it is clear that he is a student of Bach and Handel.鈥�

Many scholars regard the Great Mass as the culmination of Mozart’s study of earlier contrapuntal music, with nods to Handel’s iconic Hallelujah chorus, an emphasis on counterpoint, and the use of a Bachian double choir.

Like Mozart鈥檚 Requiem, the Great Mass was left incomplete. Regardless, the work belongs to the missa solemnis (solemn mass) tradition, where composers wrote monumental works better suited for concert than worship.

鈥淭his music is glorious, transcendent, and so needed in our time today,鈥� Dupere said.

Each movement expresses a distinct character, varying between devastating chromaticism and optimistic jubilance. With orchestral and choral forces of such magnitude, the music becomes emotionally charged and genuinely moving.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something to be celebrated when we all come together,鈥� Dupere said.

Indeed, these moments of such immense artistic unity hold a special place in my 麻豆影院 experience. Each one stands as a yearly highlight, and together they form timeless memories.

鈥淲ith evening performances by incredible guest artists Alicia Olatuja and Magos Herrera, and LU student groups performing throughout the day, it is a joy to celebrate and recognize the contributions of women in jazz at this year鈥檚 festival,鈥� said Patty Darling, instructor of music and director of the award-winning 麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble.

Jazz Weekend was the vision of the late Fred Sturm, who launched it as a non-competitive music festival for high school and middle school students interested in playing and learning about jazz. It has attracted a long list of jazz luminaries who have performed on the Memorial Chapel stage, among them Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall, Bobby McFerrin, and Cassandra Wilson. Last year鈥檚 Jazz Weekend festival included a concert by Samara Joy, who would go on to win Best New Artist honors at the Grammy Awards four months later.

鈥淲e are excited to have 27 groups from 18 different schools here this year,鈥� Darling said. 鈥淚n addition, there will be lots of performances from 麻豆影院 jazz groups including six combos, Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble.鈥�

The goal of Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend is to create a low-stress clinic environment鈥攏o trophies or ratings鈥攅arly in the school year, and inspire students with workshops led by renowned clinicians and 麻豆影院 faculty, Darling said. Students learn about improvisation, jazz language and style, and get the opportunity to hear performances from other schools.聽

For full event details, visit聽.

Guest artists

7:30 p.m. Nov. 3: Alicia Olatuja Quintet. Listening to acclaimed vocalist, composer, and arranger聽Alicia Olatuja is an unforgettable experience. Olatuja gained global recognition for her vocal performance during President Obama鈥檚 second inauguration, and she has been praised in the聽New York Times聽as 鈥渁 singer with a strong and luscious tone.鈥�

7:30 p.m. Nov. 4: Magos Herrera Quartet. A dazzling jazz singer-songwriter, producer, and educator known for her sultry voice and unique presence in the Latin American jazz scene,聽Magos Herrera鈥檚聽style blends contemporary jazz with Ibero-American melodies and rhythms, transcending language barriers. With nine albums and collaborations with renowned producer Javier Lim贸n, she has received accolades and performed at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide.

Also on Saturday鈥檚 schedule:

8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.: High school & middle school clinics

10-11:30 a.m.: LU Mary Lou, Melba, and Elvin combos in Cloak Theater (free)

1:30 p.m.: 麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble & Jazz Band concert in Memorial Chapel (free; also available via )

3-4 p.m.: LU Thelonious and Miles combos in Cloak Theater (free)

Tickets for evening concerts: Purchase tickets from the LU Box Office (920-832-6749) or online. The Box Office is open Monday-Saturday from 1-6 p.m. and an hour prior to events. Adults: $30/$25; seniors: $25/$20; LU faculty/staff: $10/$9; students (LU and non-LU): Free

In addition, 麻豆影院 students Reese Pike and Vivian Shanley have formed a new student group, the Jazz and Gender Equity Initiative (JGEI), which champions the contributions women and non-binary people have made to the art form of jazz. They have organized performance events on campus and done other outreach. A combo comprised of JGEI members will be performing on the Saturday afternoon showcase concert.聽

Some of the visiting high school and middle school bands will play commissioned charts that Conservatory faculty and students provided in advance. 麻豆影院 senior saxophonist Owen Brady composed a Jazz Weekend piece, Bear in Mind, and Darling composed a chart for the bands. That continues a tradition first established by Sturm when he was leading the jazz program.

鈥淲e are honored to continue Fred鈥檚 tradition of a non-competitive festival where everyone is welcome and encouraged to listen, learn, and play together,鈥� Darling said.

The聽DownBeatAwards, now in their 46th year and featured in the magazine’s June edition, are among the highest honors in jazz education.聽Pertl called it 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� for two 麻豆影院 ensembles to win top awards in the same year.

鈥淓ven more amazing is that with these two awards, it means that 麻豆影院 has garnered six top DownBeat Awards in the past six years,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat is a remarkable run.鈥�

尝补飞谤别苍肠别鈥檚 jazz program has now brought home DownBeat Awards 32 times over the past four-plus decades.聽Winning two in the same year 鈥渄emonstrates enormous program depth,鈥� Pertl said.聽

The Latin Group award came for a concert performance delivered by the Jazz Band in the fall as part of 尝补飞谤别苍肠别鈥檚 annual Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend. It featured music from Venezuela, Africa, and Cuba.

鈥淲e went into it with a lot of different concepts about how to approach the music, how to feel the music,鈥� Encarnaci贸n said. 鈥淭his is music that鈥檚 coming from different parts of the world. What was amazing was the response from the students. They embraced everything about it.鈥�

The winning entry in the Large Jazz Ensemble category, meanwhile, came from a series of performances from LUJE last spring and this fall. They featured contemporary music compositions that required a lot of improvisation.

鈥淭he passion, the execution, it was there,鈥� Darling said.

The awards speak to the high-level of consistency that has been built in a jazz program with an impressive track record dating back to the 1970s. Now led by Encarnaci贸n, the program has been intentional in diversifying its repertoire in recent years, exploring sounds from around the globe.

鈥淭he students we get here are smart, they鈥檙e curious, they like to explore. So, we bring them different kinds of music, and they鈥檙e in, they鈥檙e engaged.”
– Jose Encarnaci贸n, director of jazz studies

鈥淭he creative process is the most important thing,鈥� Encarnaci贸n said. 鈥淭he students we get here are smart, they鈥檙e curious, they like to explore. So, we bring them different kinds of music, and they鈥檙e in, they鈥檙e engaged. For me, it鈥檚 seeing how they grow, how they engage with the art. That is so rewarding for all of us, and it is an honor for our students to be recognized for the work they are doing.鈥�

Darling said the work of faculty across the Conservatory is a collective effort that shows up in the stellar performances of music students both individually and in ensembles. The DownBeat Awards speak to the talent, teamwork, and collegiality that makes the Conservatory thrive.

鈥淥ur jazz faculty are incredible musicians and jazz educators,鈥� Darling said. 鈥淪tudents learn so much from them in their private lessons, classes, and in combos, and that is the foundation of the work we are doing in the jazz ensembles. Doing it together, especially after the pandemic, there鈥檚 a heightened appreciation and joy in the collaborative creative process.鈥�

Take a listen

• Hear the 麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble:聽 补苍诲听
• Hear the聽麻豆影院 University Jazz Band (Latin Jazz):

More than聽200聽students will聽perform in聽the Major Works聽concert, one of the showcase events on the Conservatory calendar each spring.聽The choirs聽have been working on the performance for six weeks; the orchestra for four weeks. It includes, among other musical challenges, singing in unfamiliar languages.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to share our musical talents in the Conservatory,鈥� Swan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a project where we get to collaborate interdepartmentally, the orchestra and the choirs working together. 鈥� It鈥檚 an important part of what we do聽and it鈥檚 a celebration of what聽our聽students can do musically.鈥�

The pieces聽to be performed聽come with powerful back stories.

A Silence Haunts Me聽speaks to聽Beethoven’s agony at losing his hearing, expressed in a heartbreaking letter to his brothers.聽Runestad, a Minneapolis composer, and Todd Boss, a Minneapolis poet, debuted the choral piece in 2019 to wide acclaim.

This Love Between Us,聽meanwhile,聽is about unity, working between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music.

鈥淚ts seven movements juxtapose the words of seven major religious traditions of India (Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Jainism,聽and Islam), and specifically how each of these traditions approaches the topic of unity, of brotherhood, of being kind to one another,鈥澛燛smail聽writes聽on her website.聽

Sutanu Sur,聽on聽tabla, 补苍诲听Shreekant聽Shah,聽on聽sitar, will聽join the 麻豆影院 students as guest artists聽on聽This Love Between Us.

Sur, who grew up in India 补苍诲听now聽lives聽in Appleton, performed last year with the Fox Valley Symphony. For many in the audience, it was their first introduction to the聽tabla,聽twin hand drums most familiar in the music of India.

鈥淭he audience was surprised to learn all the nuances of the聽tabla,鈥� Sur told globalindian.com. 鈥淭he only way to promote something is to get people to learn about it.鈥�

Four student soloists will be featured on聽This Love Between Us鈥攋unior聽Tanvi聽Thatai, soprano; senior聽Holly Beemer, alto; junior聽Matthew Carlson, tenor; and first-year Billy Greene, bass.聽They鈥檙e exploring singing in an unfamiliar musical style.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great educational opportunity for them to learn, grow, and create,鈥� Swan said.

翱苍听A Silence Haunts Me,聽senior聽Ami聽Hatori聽will be featured on piano.

Swan called聽A Silence Haunts Me聽a 鈥渃reative force鈥� and said Esmail鈥檚聽ThisLove Between Us聽is a complex, gorgeous, and sonically exciting musical adventure.聽Those two works and the Boulanger orchestral piece bring with them a聽connecting thread鈥攍ove.

鈥淚 like to find a theme,鈥� Swan said of planning for the Major Works聽concert. 鈥淭he connection for this one comes from the title of the Reena Esmail piece,聽This Love Between Us. It鈥檚 love for different things. The first piece embraces a love for spring. The聽Runestad聽piece聽expresses a love for music; Beethoven鈥檚 desire and passion to write music and to explore musical sounds. And Esmail鈥檚 piece is searching for love between different people, the common bonds we share.鈥�

If you go

What:聽Major Works Performance

When:聽8 p.m. April 21

Where:聽麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel

Cost:听贵谤别别

It was in March 2020 that COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, sending students home as 麻豆影院 and other schools quickly shifted to remote classrooms. In the Conservatory, faculty began experimenting with ways to keep the music alive and the learning robust. Out of that came the video project that is now being honored.

The New Music Ensemble chose聽颁辞尘颈苍驳听罢辞驳别迟丑别谤听because of the ways it addresses, musically, themes of isolation that 鈥渨e had heightened awareness of during the pandemic,鈥� Clayville said.

The piece is built around an ever-present bass line and text that is gradually revealed, then repeated. The musicians, Clayville said, are given instructions that ranged from a large degree of freedom, such as 鈥渃onstruct 2-3 note melodies,鈥� to no freedom whatsoever. By the end of the piece, the musicians are instructed to play the bass line.

鈥淚t was quite challenging to pull off,鈥� Clayville said. 鈥淭here were musical hurdles like, how do you interact and improvise with other musicians when you’re recording at different times? We tackled this by recording in rounds鈥攐ne or two people would record; I’d put together a rough mix of their recordings and send it to the next group who would then be able to respond to what they heard. Logistical challenges like finding a quiet space in which to record with no sibling or road noise. And technical issues鈥攃ell phones don’t create the best audio fidelity.鈥�

Besides Clayville, the performers included faculty members Estel铆 Gomez (voice), Mark Urness (bass), Erin Lesser (flute), and Michael Mizrahi (piano). The students, many of whom have since graduated, included Becky Swanson 鈥�19, saxophone; Nick Muellner 鈥�20, saxophone; Nolan Ehlers 鈥�20, percussion; Eve Werger 鈥�19, piano/melodica; Gabriel Hartmark 鈥�21, viola; Julia Johnson 鈥�19, cello; Zoe Markle 鈥�20, bass; and current seniors Nate Scott, bassoon; and Mindara Krueger-Olsen, violin.

鈥淭he audio recording was created by the students and faculty recording the piece, section by section, with cell phones from their homes,鈥� Clayville said. 鈥淭hey played along to a recording made by Mark and Estel铆. I took those recordings and edited and mixed them into the audio you hear in the video.鈥�

The video was created by Dave Razor, a local artist.

The text comes from Sam Melville, who wrote it while incarcerated at Attica. Rzewski, the composer of聽颁辞尘颈苍驳听罢辞驳别迟丑别谤, knew that Melville died a short time after its writing and understood the ironies of the text, Clayville said.

鈥淚t was incredibly gratifying to see this project come to fruition,鈥� Clayville said. 鈥淒espite the numerous challenges that the pandemic and quarantining imposed, it was heartening to have these musicians dedicate their time and energy to this performance. It felt like we were still a 麻豆影院 community even聽though we were recording from across the country.鈥�

Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory, said winning The American Prize for this project is a testament to the innovation and student-focused efforts that played out at 麻豆影院 during the early days of the pandemic.

鈥淲hen you listen to the phenomenal quality of the recording and the stellar musicianship displayed across the entire ensemble, it is difficult to believe that the 鈥榚nsemble鈥� was distributed across the country and around the globe recording their parts individually in bedrooms and living rooms during the first months of the pandemic,鈥� he said.聽鈥淭his illustrates the immense power of music to transcend time and space, and the commitment of the faculty, staff, and students to think beyond limitations to collaboratively transcend the most daunting challenges.鈥�

Joy is in concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in Memorial Chapel.

Teague and the Jazz Ensemble, LU Jazz Faculty, and LUPE (麻豆影院 University Percussion Ensemble) will be in concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, also in Memorial Chapel. Tickets for each performance are $25-$30, .

This will mark the first fully in-person Jazz Weekend since 2019. The weekend was limited to the 麻豆影院 community last year because of pandemic restrictions.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited to have all the students back from the high schools and middle schools,鈥� said Jos茅 L. Encarnaci贸n, associate professor of music and director of jazz studies.

Encarnaci贸n and Patty Darling, instructor of music and director of the award-winning LU Jazz Ensemble, together with Jillian Johnson, director of conservatory programming, are organizing this year’s聽Jazz Weekend.聽聽There is huge enthusiasm from the 18 schools that are bringing their bands to campus, Darling said.

鈥淔red intended this to be a non-competitive festival,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he focus is on learning. There are no trophies. Nobody wins. It is, just come in, learn jazz language 补苍诲听style, and explore improvisation.鈥�

The weekend will include a focus on women in jazz, from composers to performers. Continuing Sturm鈥檚 tradition, 麻豆影院聽senior Lucy Croasdale, a saxophone student, and Darling have created聽new, free jazz聽ensemble compositions聽that have been distributed聽to all participating schools.聽

There is a buzz about the Samara Joy performance slotted for Friday night. She followed up her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International聽Jazz Vocal Competition with the 2021 release of a self-titled debut album,聽backed by the Pasquale Grasso Trio.聽She was then signed by Verve Records, and her Verve debut, Linger Awhile, was released last month.

鈥淪he鈥檚 just amazing,鈥� Encarnaci贸n said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 like 22 and people are already comparing her to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald. Those are big, big names. She comes from a family of musicians and she鈥檚 drawing on so many influences. At that early age, to be at that level with her control, her range, her maturity in her singing, it鈥檚 just incredible.鈥�

Teague, meanwhile, brings a different sound than what鈥檚 been featured at Jazz Weekend in the past.

Encarnaci贸n first met Teague, head of steelpan studies and professor of music at Northern Illinois University, during an online music conference in the midst of the pandemic.

鈥淚 was completely blown away by the way he plays that instrument,鈥� Encarnaci贸n said.

Jazz Weekend organizers are working to place a camera above Teague so the audience can see his hand movements on an overhead screen during the performance.

鈥淭he band is loving his music,鈥� Darling said of the Jazz Ensemble rehearsals. 鈥淗e sent four charts to rehearse and his music is beautiful. It鈥檚 some of the most rhythmically, melodically connected music I鈥檝e ever heard. 鈥� It鈥檚 challenging but it鈥檚 so much fun to play.鈥�

Albright, a trombone instructor in the Conservatory, joined the faculty in 2016. He directs the Trombone Ensemble, performs with the Faculty Brass Quintet and the Faculty Jazz Ensemble, and coaches chamber music and jazz small group ensembles.

In 2019, he was聽, which earned three Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. He was part of recording sessions in Justin Vernon鈥檚 home studio in Eau Claire, with a horn section dubbed the Worm Crew.

Prior to coming to 麻豆影院, Albright worked as a professional musician in New York City while also teaching at Purchase College and in the pre-college division of The Julliard School. A member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, he has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Chamber Brass, the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Miguel Zen贸n Identities Jazz Orchestra, the Alan Ferber Big Band, and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra. In addition to Bon Iver, he has recorded with Sufjan Stevens and The National.

Albright earned bachelor of music degrees in applied music (trombone) and jazz studies and commercial media from the Eastman School of Music.

Albright鈥檚 message to students coming into his classroom or studio:聽鈥淚 am here to help students become better trombonists and musicians.聽Ultimately, though, my wish is in some small way to help students become better humans鈥攂etter versions of themselves who begin to see their own potential and inner strength.聽The bonds created between studio teacher and student are strong and often last long after graduation.聽I cherish those connections.鈥�

Mark Dupere

Dupere, director of orchestral studies,聽, among other directorial and teaching work at 麻豆影院. His work with the orchestra聽.

He also recently formed the 麻豆影院 Chamber Orchestra, a smaller, predominantly string ensemble, and has conducted numerous student orchestra clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas.

Dupere received his doctor of musical arts in orchestra conducting at Michigan State University in 2016. He joined the 麻豆影院 Conservatory faculty that same year.聽

A cellist specializing in Baroque period performance, he received a master鈥檚 degree at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague and was a member of the Anima Eterna Orchestra in Brugge.

Dupere spent many years performing as a professional cellist before pursuing conducting and directing.聽As a founding member of the chamber music ensemble Haagsche Hofmuzieck, he performed and gave master classes throughout Europe and the United States. The group made several recordings and was a finalist in the International Telemann Competition in Magdeburg, Germany. He has performed on BBC Radio and Arte TV.聽

Dupere鈥檚 message to students coming into the LSO:聽鈥淓ven though we have upwards of 80 musicians in the orchestra, ideally, we would all function like a chamber music group, where everyone is integral to the product as a whole. This requires great personal dedication from each person and contributes to a wonderfully collegial atmosphere.鈥�

Constance Kassor

Trained in both classical and modern Tibetan, with reading fluency in Sanskrit, Kassor is a scholar of Buddhist thought and Himalayan religious traditions, with a particular focus on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

In 2020, she was聽, allowing her to spend a year collaborating with a Tibetan monk in the translation of an important 15th-century Tibetan Buddhist text. It鈥檚 a project Kassor and Ven. Dr. Ngawang Jorden, principal of the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal, had been working on off and on for six years.

Her forthcoming book,聽Accounting for Awakened Awareness: The Madhyamaka Philosophy of Gorampa Sonam Senge, is under contract with Wisdom Publications. In 2020, she wrote and recorded an audiobook for The Great Courses and Audible called聽Religious Lessons from Asia to the World.

Kassor joined the 麻豆影院 faculty in 2016. She received her Ph.D. in religious studies, with a specialization in West and South Asian religions, in 2014 from Emory University.

In 2020, she received 尝补飞谤别苍肠别鈥檚 Mortar Board Award, presented annually to a faculty member who best advances the spirit of scholarship, recognizes and encourages leadership, and provides service.

Kassor teaches courses in Buddhism and gender, Buddhism in India and Tibet, the theory and practice of yoga, Hinduism, religion in South Asia, and the seminar in Buddhist Philosophy. She also teaches regularly in聽First-Year Studies.

Kassor鈥檚 message to students coming into her classroom:聽鈥淚鈥檓 here to help. The main reason why we all come together in a classroom is to learn from each other. Learning happens when we have conversations, struggle to understand new ideas, and ask and answer questions. We鈥檙e so fortunate at 麻豆影院 to have small class sizes, and I love that I can really get to know my students here. If you come to my office, I鈥檓 happy to work with you on anything that you鈥檙e struggling with in class, or we can just drink some tea and chat.鈥�