Press Inquiries - The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Press

Inquiries

Robert Baker
Director, Strategic Communications and Marketing
robertbaker@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu

 If you have general questions regarding public relations, image requests, or would like to be added to our mailing list, please email us at communications@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu.

Most of our faculty are available for news media interviews by arrangement. Please contact Russell Kelban, Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, for assistance. Our faculty are leaders in their fields and include a boundary-pushing medievalist, a leading scholar of the American musical, jazz legends, masters of traditional world music instruments, a punk scholar, in-demand composers and others who are fostering transformative critical thinking about music and musical practices. Other areas of expertise include:

  • African diaspora, critical race studies, social movements, nationalism, national anthem
  • Rap, hip-hop, jazz, blues, funk, R&B, soul; pop music, rock n roll, Motown
  • East Asia, Korean music
  • Film and TV music
  • Jewish music, Klezmer, Jewish liturgical music
  • Music business, streaming media, technology and entertainment, copyright
  • Music and politics; music, gender, and sexuality
  • Opera studies
  • And more…
UCLA Marching Band Serves as a Symbol of Unity for Los Angeles
In a special “state of the city” address on Monday, February 2, 2026, Mayor Karen Bass looked ahead to several major events that Los Angeles is set to host in
The Cultural Stakes of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, from Madonna to Bad Bunny
Professor Joanna Love, who completed her doctorate in musicology at UCLA in 2012, examines how halftime performances reflect changing ideas of America
Alumnus Jake Heggie Wins Grammy
The composer was honored for his opera ‘Intelligence,’ while several other Bruins contributed to award-winning music
Faculty and Alumni Recognized in 2026 Grammy Awards
Congratulations to faculty and alums of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music who have been been recognized in the 2026 Grammy Awards.  Music alum Alexander Lloyd Blake is the
Composition Alum Jake Heggie Wins Grammy
From the Daily Bruin: “You might be in a theater with two to 3,000 people you don’t know,” Heggie said. “But because of the experience of this human drama and
Alumnus Brian Vu Talks Grammy Nomination, Opera Performance
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music alumnus Brian Vu received a nomination for Best Opera Recording at the 68th Grammy Awards for his performance in “Huang Ruo: An American Soldier.”

Press Releases

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Award-Winning Scholar and Musicologist Michael Beckerman Named New Dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
Acclaimed higher education scholar and author Michael Beckerman has been named the new dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. He will begin his role at UCLA on
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Receives Gift from Mike Curb Foundation for State-of-the-Art Student Recording Facility and More
Through a special pledge by Mike Curb, California’s former lieutenant and acting governor, and music industry veteran, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music will begin construction on a new
Happy Holidays from Michael Beckerman, Dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music! Enjoy this festive performance of “Oh Hanukkah,” composed by Mordkhe Rivesman, and may the season bring you peace, joy and light.  #ThisisUCLAmusic #UCLA #Music #HappyHolidays

Happy Holidays from Michael Beckerman, Dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music! Enjoy this festive performance of “Oh Hanukkah,” composed by Mordkhe Rivesman, and may the season bring you peace, joy and light.

#ThisisUCLAmusic #UCLA #Music #HappyHolidays
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GOOD NEWS, Go Tell It! The African American Music Ensemble of the Department of Ethnomusicology at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music wishes you the very best this holiday season.  “Go Tell It” by John Wesley Work, Jr., arranged by Diane White-Clayton, director of the ensemble.  soloists - Alexis Richmond, Michael Torres
piano - Diane White-Clayton
bass guitar - Dawson Lau
percussion - Dax Corcoran  #thisisuclamusic #ucla #music #happyholidays

GOOD NEWS, Go Tell It! The African American Music Ensemble of the Department of Ethnomusicology at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music wishes you the very best this holiday season.

“Go Tell It” by John Wesley Work, Jr., arranged by Diane White-Clayton, director of the ensemble.

soloists - Alexis Richmond, Michael Torres
piano - Diane White-Clayton
bass guitar - Dawson Lau
percussion - Dax Corcoran

#thisisuclamusic #ucla #music #happyholidays
...

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Happy Holidays from the Piano Studio at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music! Sophia Jin and Helen Yuan bring the magic with a four-hands arrangement of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).  See our Full 2025 Holiday Playlist on YouTube. Link in bio.  #ThisisUCLAmusic #UCLA #Music #Piano #NutcrackerSuite#

Happy Holidays from the Piano Studio at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music! Sophia Jin and Helen Yuan bring the magic with a four-hands arrangement of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).

See our Full 2025 Holiday Playlist on YouTube. Link in bio.

#ThisisUCLAmusic #UCLA #Music #Piano #NutcrackerSuite#
...

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Maceo’s Daydream  Maceo’s Daydream, an original work by Nina Zipnick and Jonah Lachs, students at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, was performed by the Ginger Smock String Ensemble under the direction of Regina Carter during the Fall Jazz Concerts on November 23, 2025.  Violin: Miles Quale
Harp: Nina Zipnick
Bass: Jonah Lachs  See the whole song on our YouTube channel, @UCLAalpert  Our jazz ensembles perform live concerts three times a year. Visit our event calendar for more information: https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/calendar/  #thisisuclamusic #ucla #jazz #newmusic

Maceo’s Daydream

Maceo’s Daydream, an original work by Nina Zipnick and Jonah Lachs, students at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, was performed by the Ginger Smock String Ensemble under the direction of Regina Carter during the Fall Jazz Concerts on November 23, 2025.

Violin: Miles Quale
Harp: Nina Zipnick
Bass: Jonah Lachs

See the whole song on our YouTube channel, @UCLAalpert

Our jazz ensembles perform live concerts three times a year. Visit our event calendar for more information: https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/calendar/

#thisisuclamusic #ucla #jazz #newmusic
...

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Happy Holidays from the Tuba & Euphonium Studio! Enjoy this toot-ally definitive rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by master’s student Bradley Stires with his friend Nicholas Gil on guitar, performed during the studio recital on December 8, 2025.
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Catch this and more holiday favorites from the Tuba/Euphonium studio, under the direction of Aubrey Foard, on our YouTube channel. Link in bio.

Happy Holidays from the Tuba & Euphonium Studio! Enjoy this toot-ally definitive rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by master’s student Bradley Stires with his friend Nicholas Gil on guitar, performed during the studio recital on December 8, 2025.
-
Catch this and more holiday favorites from the Tuba/Euphonium studio, under the direction of Aubrey Foard, on our YouTube channel. Link in bio.
...

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