News
Behind the Music: Andrew Kierszenbaum C'20 on Composing for Arcane and His Journey from Penn to Netflix
Andrew Kierszenbaum C'20 is building a strong career in film and television composition, with his work on Netflix's Arcane being a major highlight. In this interview, Andrew talks about his path from Penn to composing for the popular animated series, offering insights into his creative process, the challenges of working on Arcane, and advice for aspiring composers.
Jeffery Kallberg Helps Authenticate Newly Discovered Chopin Score
Jeffrey Kallberg, Associate Dean for Arts and Letters and a leading scholar on Chopin, helped verify the authenticity of a recently discovered unknown work by the famous composer. “My jaw dropped,” Kallberg says. “I knew I had never seen this before.” Read more and listen to the waltz in The New York Times.
Timothy Rommen Named University of Pennsylvania's Vice Provost for the Arts
The Department of Music congratulates Timothy Rommen, Davidson Kennedy Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of music and Africana studies, for his appointment as vice provost for the arts at Penn, effective January 1, 2025.
Kingsley Okyere Receives AADMS Prize from Society for Ethnomusicology
Graduate Student Kingsley Okyere received the African and African Diasporic Music Section (AADMS) African Student Paper Prize at the recent meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology for his paper, "Afrobeats’ Genre-Defying Tactics," that was first presented in Ottawa, Canada in October 2023. The 69th Annual meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology was held virtually from October 17-26, 2024.
Routledge Companion to Diasporic Jazz Features Carol Muller's Insights on South African Jazz History and Performance and Other Articles
Carol Muller contributed to the upcoming "Routledge Companion to Diasporic Jazz Studies," with her chapter focusing on exploring the diaspore in South African Jazz History and Contemporary Performance. The comprehensive volume examines jazz as a global phenomenon, emphasizing the unique narratives and cultural identities that emerge from diasporic experiences.
Private Lesson Instructor Young-Ah Tak to Release Two Schubert Piano Sonatas and Recital
A solo album by pianist Young-Ah Tak who teaches piano and chamber music at University of Pennsylvania's Department of Music will be released by the STEINWAY & SONS label on November 1, 2024. The album features two Schubert Piano Sonatas: A minor D.784 and G Major D.894. It is available worldwide through all major download and streaming services. Her Steinway & Sons Spiriocast recital will also broadcast worldwide on November 7. Praised for her “thrilling blend of fury and finesse” (San Antonio Express-News) and her 
Graduate Student Kingsley Okyere Discusses the Global Circulation, National Imaginaries, and Syncretic Loops of Afrobeats in The Black Scholar
"Kingsley Okyere’s essay takes on the question of how national imaginaries shape the sonic quality and the circuits of Afrobeats sound in Anglophone West Africa as well as globally. Okyere’s exploration might appear to rehearse the now-familiar if also playful Nigeria–Ghana rivalries, but he in fact shines a vital light on the fraught question of the circuits of exchange between these nations, two salient spaces 'from which the phenomenon is largely shaped' on the continent.
Anna Weesner Releases "My Mother in Love"
A boy sits on the stairs, reading a book about war as he also observes his mother below in the kitchen, where she has placed her head on the table and is not moving. Perhaps not breathing? So begins the first of ten songs in My Mother in Love, newly released by Bridge Records (9588), with lyrics by the composer, and performed by soprano Tony Arnold with Cygnus Ensemble.
Tyshawn Sorey Earns Grant from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage
"How can arts organizations chart a path toward greater sustainability at a time of challenge? What connections are forged when communities share their stories through art? How does a deeper understanding of American history shape our collective identity now? And what is possible when artists are empowered to dream and bring their visions to life? These questions are at the heart of the projects and artistic practices supported by the Center’s 39 new grants, representing an investment in a thriving and diverse cultural ecology in Philadelphia."
Mary Channen Caldwell Explores Silent Moves in "60-Second Lectures"
Can you imagine dancing without music, just like the silent discos of today? In the European Middle Ages, if you saw people dancing alone, you might have thought they were mystics or even possessed. Caldwell takes just a minute to explore the intriguing history of how dance and music have been intertwined—or not—through the ages as a guest of Penn Arts & Sciences series, "60-Second Lectures." Watch Caldwell's Lecture Here