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SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Michael Beckerman (Dean, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music) writes: Have you ever had someone tell you that you just don’t understand what a piece of music is about, or that your favorite song is “second-rate”?
Yeah, me too.
My new book, “The Doctrine of One” argues that the way we make meaning out of music depends more on the individual listener than we may think. There may be established interpretations and insightful experts, but ultimately, musical interpretation is deeply personal.
Through a philosophical lens, I explore extraordinary encounters with music and art, from Bach reimagined in the Congo to music composed in the Jewish Ghetto of Terezín, and even how the discovery of a beloved artist’s Nazi past changes how we think about music.
Thanks to the generosity of my press, you can read the book for free. Link is in the bio.
SUMMER FACULTY DISPATCH | Michael Beckerman (Dean, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music) writes: Have you ever had someone tell you that you just don’t understand what a piece of music is about, or that your favorite song is “second-rate”?
Yeah, me too.
My new book, “The Doctrine of One” argues that the way we make meaning out of music depends more on the individual listener than we may think. There may be established interpretations and insightful experts, but ultimately, musical interpretation is deeply personal.
Through a philosophical lens, I explore extraordinary encounters with music and art, from Bach reimagined in the Congo to music composed in the Jewish Ghetto of Terezín, and even how the discovery of a beloved artist’s Nazi past changes how we think about music.
Thanks to the generosity of my press, you can read the book for free. Link is in the bio.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Trent Williams (Percussion Performance BA ‘28) writes: I performed with Pacific Crest for the 2026 DCI season and had a blast! It was my first year participating in drumcorps and it was crazy practicing and performing everyday for 2 months straight while traveling around the country. We traveled through a total of 12 states! I played vibraphone for the season and am proud to say that I improved very much as a musician, player, and performer! We also achieved a record breaking score for Pacific Crest at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for Championships! Go PC! 🌊🌊🌊
SUMMER DISPATCH | Trent Williams (Percussion Performance BA ‘28) writes: I performed with Pacific Crest for the 2026 DCI season and had a blast! It was my first year participating in drumcorps and it was crazy practicing and performing everyday for 2 months straight while traveling around the country. We traveled through a total of 12 states! I played vibraphone for the season and am proud to say that I improved very much as a musician, player, and performer! We also achieved a record breaking score for Pacific Crest at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for Championships! Go PC! 🌊🌊🌊
SUMMER DISPATCH | Yaron Cherniak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: As part of my fieldwork for my UCLA dissertation on Masorti identity and Piyyutim in Israeli society, I had the honor to perform alongside @hind_ennaira and the @piyutensemble. Hind Ennaira, from Essaouira, is a profound Gnawa vocalist and master of the gimbri — the sacred bass instrument at the heart of Moroccan Gnawa music, an ecstatic tradition of spiritual trance and prayer rooted in the Muslim and Amazigh tribes of North Africa. At the Tatzrif Music Festival at Yad Ben-Zvi, no one could remain indifferent to the polyrhythms escalating across the songs, the colorful ceremonial djellabas and tasseled caps, the dancing, and the merging of Gnawa chants with Hebrew piyyutim of the Abeḥsera family from Tafilalt. Performing from the inside — not just observing — is exactly why this kind of fieldwork matters.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Yaron Cherniak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: As part of my fieldwork for my UCLA dissertation on Masorti identity and Piyyutim in Israeli society, I had the honor to perform alongside @hind_ennaira and the @piyutensemble. Hind Ennaira, from Essaouira, is a profound Gnawa vocalist and master of the gimbri — the sacred bass instrument at the heart of Moroccan Gnawa music, an ecstatic tradition of spiritual trance and prayer rooted in the Muslim and Amazigh tribes of North Africa. At the Tatzrif Music Festival at Yad Ben-Zvi, no one could remain indifferent to the polyrhythms escalating across the songs, the colorful ceremonial djellabas and tasseled caps, the dancing, and the merging of Gnawa chants with Hebrew piyyutim of the Abeḥsera family from Tafilalt. Performing from the inside — not just observing — is exactly why this kind of fieldwork matters.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Madison Bottenberg (Percussion Performance MM ‘26) writes: This summer, Julie Xiang, Demitrius Alleyne, and I joined la.fci for the studio intensive at Sony Picture Studios. I had the chance to work with and hear from industry professionals, like MB Gordy and Angel Velez, about the expectations of the studio world and what it takes to be a studio musician. We also acquired hands on experience on the Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage where we recorded famous film scores like the Polar Express, Main Title of Star Wars, and Married Life from Up.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Madison Bottenberg (Percussion Performance MM ‘26) writes: This summer, Julie Xiang, Demitrius Alleyne, and I joined la.fci for the studio intensive at Sony Picture Studios. I had the chance to work with and hear from industry professionals, like MB Gordy and Angel Velez, about the expectations of the studio world and what it takes to be a studio musician. We also acquired hands on experience on the Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage where we recorded famous film scores like the Polar Express, Main Title of Star Wars, and Married Life from Up.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Rane Prak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: I attended a queer folk music jam session with my band members from Sastra Moon. At this session, we taught a Thai folk song that we learned in Dr. Supeena Adler`s Music of Thailand ensemble class at UCLA called Bai Sri Su Kwan, which means "Calling Back the Soul" and is performed as part of a traditional Thai-Lao blessing ritual for weddings, New Year, and homecomings. The ceremony summons the 32 vital life spirits (kwan) back to heal the person from illness or protect them from bad luck. Thank you to my friend, Sara, for taking the group picture!
SUMMER DISPATCH | Rane Prak (Ethnomusicology PhD `29) writes: I attended a queer folk music jam session with my band members from Sastra Moon. At this session, we taught a Thai folk song that we learned in Dr. Supeena Adler`s Music of Thailand ensemble class at UCLA called Bai Sri Su Kwan, which means "Calling Back the Soul" and is performed as part of a traditional Thai-Lao blessing ritual for weddings, New Year, and homecomings. The ceremony summons the 32 vital life spirits (kwan) back to heal the person from illness or protect them from bad luck. Thank you to my friend, Sara, for taking the group picture!
SUMMER DISPATCH | Julie Xiang (Percussion Performance BA `28) writes: I got to play Timpani 2 on Alpine Symphony at a summer music festival and also played my first solo marimba performance at the festival’s student showcase.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Julie Xiang (Percussion Performance BA `28) writes: I got to play Timpani 2 on Alpine Symphony at a summer music festival and also played my first solo marimba performance at the festival’s student showcase.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Haiden Chase (Trombone Performance BM `29) writes: These photos were taken during the 10-day LA Brass Institute at Colburn. Elias, Bishop, and I were in the same brass quintet, and we performed Four Sketches by Anthony Plog together. It was a really fun experience getting to rehearse, perform, improve as a group, and of course eat some great food together throughout the institute.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Haiden Chase (Trombone Performance BM `29) writes: These photos were taken during the 10-day LA Brass Institute at Colburn. Elias, Bishop, and I were in the same brass quintet, and we performed Four Sketches by Anthony Plog together. It was a really fun experience getting to rehearse, perform, improve as a group, and of course eat some great food together throughout the institute.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Olivia Phaneuf (Saxophone Performance DMA `27) writes: This July, I attended the Université Européenne de Saxophone (UES) in Gap, France. During this two-week program, I studied with renowned saxophone professors from around the world through lessons, masterclasses, and performances. I also participated in the Challenge Gap, where I received feedback from both faculty and peers and had the opportunity to perform with phenomenal collaborative pianists. In addition, I performed as part of a saxophone nonet throughout the Hautes-Alpes region, bringing classical saxophone music to several rural French villages. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, perform, and connect with saxophonists from around the world.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Olivia Phaneuf (Saxophone Performance DMA `27) writes: This July, I attended the Université Européenne de Saxophone (UES) in Gap, France. During this two-week program, I studied with renowned saxophone professors from around the world through lessons, masterclasses, and performances. I also participated in the Challenge Gap, where I received feedback from both faculty and peers and had the opportunity to perform with phenomenal collaborative pianists. In addition, I performed as part of a saxophone nonet throughout the Hautes-Alpes region, bringing classical saxophone music to several rural French villages. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn, perform, and connect with saxophonists from around the world.
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