Check out what we've been up to in Block 7 and what's to come in Block 8!

On April 1, six music majors presented their capstone projects. Whether exploring the creation, consumption, or commodification of music, each student offered unique insights into the role of music in society and the profound effect of engaging with music intentionally. Click below to see video recordings of each 20-minute presentation.

The American Folk Music class jamming at Colorado College-Baca campus.

The Block 7 course American Folk Music was once again a tremendous success. With 34 students and two professors, Keith Reed and Ofer Ben-Amots, the class explored the cultural and musical history of bluegrass, tracing its roots to Irish, Scottish, and African traditions that merged into Appalachian and American folk music. Alongside this historical perspective, students engaged with the theory and harmonic structures that shape this distinctive style.

Under Keith’s dedicated tutelage, students moved beyond study into practice, learning to play and perform the music themselves. For some, this proved to be a life-changing experience, as they had the opportunity not only to hold a musical instrument for the first time, but also to excel and perform at an impressive level.

A highlight of the block came during the third week, when the class hosted the distinguished bluegrass musician, composer, and storyteller Josh Goforth. The group spent an immersive week at Colorado College-Baca campus, culminating in a concert for the local community at the Conference Center.

Another exciting moment came when the top Colorado College Bluegrass Ensemble joined the class and continued on to perform at the annual Bluegrass Meltdown in Durango over the weekend.

Finally, a collaboration with Professor Lidia Chang’s course, Listening to Music, brought the two classes together to explore 18th-century English Country Music and Dances, offering a fascinating perspective on connections between musical traditions.

One of the four American Folk Music bands performing back at Packard Hall.

The Ivalas String Quartet performing Jessie Montgomery's Strum and receiving a warm welcome to the Music and the Menu gathering.

The Music Department hosted a vibrant interdisciplinary course convergence and concert event co-organized by Professors Lidia Chang and Liliana Carrizo. The event brought together students from Dr. Chang’s Listening to Music course and Dr. Tomi-Ann Roberts’ Aesthetics of Psychology class for an immersive engagement with the Ivalas Quartet. Since its founding in 2017, the Ivalas Quartet has earned national recognition for expanding the classical canon by centering and affirming the work of BIPOC composers and performers alongside traditional repertoire. With residencies at The Juilliard School and the University of Colorado Boulder, major competition wins, and a strong commitment to mentorship and education, the ensemble shared both artistic craft and interdisciplinary insight with students.

Organized in partnership with EPIC (Educational Partnerships Immersive Concerts)—with key contributions from Sergei Vassiliev and Shauna Smith—and the ENT Center for the Arts, the convergence and concert invited students to explore meaningful connections between music and aesthetics and illustrated the impact of collaboration across disciplines and institutions. The concert was generously supported by Karen Mosbacher, with additional support for the course convergence at CC provided by Chris and Larry Jones.

Following the convergence class, students and faculty gathered for a shared meal with the Quartet as part of the Music Department’s Music and the Menu series, which pairs visiting musicians and concert events with acclaimed culinary artists from the Colorado Springs community. The luncheon featured Afghani cuisine from Shah Kabob House, and invited students, faculty, staff, and guest artists into a shared space of community for conversation beyond the class session and performance.

Six Concertos.
Three Commissions.
Two Schools.
Period Instruments.

CC’s Collegium Musicum and DU’s Lamont School of Music are teaming up for a pair of performances featuring some of J.S. Bach's most well-known concertos, as well as new works. Check out this feature article to learn more about the collaboration between the schools as well as the living composers that will be featured at the performances.

Rehearsing for The Brandenburg Project at a weekend mountain retreat.

All performances are FREE and take place in Packard Hall unless otherwise indicated.

Chamber Chorus: A World of Song
Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Featured Works:
Folk Songs of Slovakia, Ireland, and Latvia
Johannes Brahms: Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny)
Works by Elizabeth Alexander and Elaine Hagenberg

Chamber Orchestra
Tuesday, April 28, 7 p.m.
Mozart: Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
Gounod: Symphony No. 1

Concert Band: Songs from Our Stories
Wednesday, April 29, 7 p.m., Celeste Theatre
Music from Hamlet, Moby Dick, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, and Les Miserables.
Featured Soloist: Umi Givens, singer-songwriter
Guest Host: Steven Hayward, Professor of English and Director of Colorado College Journalism Institute