News
Liza Vick Earns Music Library Association's A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award
From Penn Almanac: Liza Vick, head of the Penn Libraries’ Otto E. Albrecht Music Library and the Eugene Ormandy Music & Media Center, is co-recipient of the 2025 A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award from the Music Library Association (MLA). According to the MLA, the award “recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship over a relatively short period of time.” Ms. Vick and co-recipient Susannah Cleveland were both honored for their leadership as past presidents of the MLA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Memoriam Richard Wernick, Penn Music Professor Emeritus
Richard Wernick, Penn Music Professor Emeritus, died on April 25, 2025, at the age of 91. Serving on the Penn faculty from 1968 to 1996, Wernick was a central figure in the university’s composition program, mentoring generations of young composers. We celebrate Richard Wernick’s life and legacy with gratitude.
Natacha Diels Premieres "Adrift" on BBC Radio 3's "New Music Show"
On Tuesday, Penn Music Professor Natacha Diels premiered her new work, "Adrift," on BBC Radio 3's "New Music Show: Boulez at 100 – Reimagined," hosted by Kate Molleson and Tom Service. Performed by the UK-based ensemble Plus-Minus, the piece—commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and the group itself—presents Diels’ own interpretation of Mexican composer Julián Carrillo’s "Preludio a Colón." Listen to the piece, along with some commentary from Diels, starting at 1:08:00 through the link below.
Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Penn Music Composition Competition
Each year, the Music Department invites Penn undergraduate and graduate students to submit original composition for the David Halstead Music Prize, Hilda K. Nitzsche Prize in Music, and Helen L. Weiss Music Prize. Entries are reviewed by Penn Music composition factually and winners are awarded $600 each. This year's winners are as follows: David Halstead Music Prize: Eliana Fishbeyn for “Undrawn” Listen to Undrawn (acoustic) here
Graduate Students Andrew Burke and Max Johnson Receive 2025 Sachs Program Student Grants
Penn Music Graduate Students in Composition, Andrew Burke and Max Johnson, have been selected as recipients of the 2025 Student Grant Awards from the Sachs Program for Arts Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania. This year’s application cycle was the most competitive to date, with Burke and Johnson among two of 15 students chosen for the award. The Student Grants support creative projects led by Penn students that aim to engage the student body or the broader public. Burke and Johnson will use their grants to pursue the following projects:
Graduate Student Echezonachukwu Nduka Discusses African Pianism in West African Art Music Festival
From February 12–14, the West African Art Music Festival at the New England Conservatory brought together musicians, scholars, and students to explore the intersection of West African and European musical traditions.
Penn Music Alum Gabrielle Gillen Showcases Versatility in New Album
Gabrielle Gillen, a Penn Music alum and former participant in the Marian Anderson Performance Program, has released her new album, "Beginnings of Love." Written, recorded, and produced by Gillen over four years, the 14-track album is a deeply personal exploration of love—finding it, losing it, and discovering what it all means. Blending jazz, pop, classical, soul, and musical theater influences, Beginnings of Love showcases Gillen’s diverse artistry.
Graduate Student Sophia Cocozza Named 2025 Dean’s Scholar
Penn Music is proud to share that Sophia Cocozza, graduate student in Historical Musicology, has been named a Dean’s Scholar for 2025! This honor is presented annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise.
Music Minor Grace Gramins Finds Harmony Between Music and Business with Support from Penn Music
Grace Gramins, a Wharton undergraduate minoring in Popular Music and Jazz Studies, was recently featured in Penn Today and Wharton Stories for her unique fusion of music and business. A passionate songwriter and producer, Grace credits the Penn Music Department with deepening her understanding of composition and performance. Through courses like Professor Anna Weesner’s songwriting class, she has refined her craft while connecting with a community of fellow musicians.
Wenxin Tu (C’24) Curates Exhibit Showing a Correspondence between Marian Anderson and Florence Price
Penn Music graduate Wenxin Tu, C’24, has curated an exhibit in the Ormandy Music Gallery with guidance from music librarian Liza Vick. The exhibit was developed from Tu's participation in a new music department seminar led by Senior Lecturer Jamuna Samuel, titled MUSC 1343: Sound, Gender, and the Color Line: The Life and Times of Marian Anderson (1897–1993). The seminar, which took place partly in the archive itself, provided a unique opportunity to engage with historical materials.