Music School Unveils Recipients of 2020-21 Dean's Office Award for Opportunities
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has announced the recipients of the 2020-21 Dean's Office Opportunity Award. This prestigious award, which supports faculty research and creative activities, recognises outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of music.
This year, nineteen projects received funding, representing music's broad reach across cultures, generations, and political affiliations. The selected initiatives involve cross-collaboration with UCLA's other arts units, navigating complex societal issues and showcasing music's potential to facilitate meaningful change during difficult times.
The recipients of the 2020-21 Dean's Office Opportunity Award are: Nia Drain, Debolina Majumder, Joshua Mantin, Mila Murillo, Anastasia Radzinsky, Olivia Siegel, Jake Yacovone, and others. These students were chosen for their projects that highlight music's role in connecting and healing during challenging times.
One of the funded projects is a new version of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Other projects aim to navigate historical injustice and the post-pandemic reality, with the goal of using music as a unifying force and a catalyst for change.
Eileen Strempel, the Dean of UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music, emphasises the power of music as a unifying force. "Music has the power to connect, heal, and facilitate change in difficult times," she says. "I believe that this power will be crucial in navigating historical injustice and the post-pandemic reality."
Robert Fink, academic associate dean and chair of the school's music industry programs, also made a statement about the awarded projects. "We are thrilled to support these innovative and impactful projects," he said. "The projects funded by the Dean's Office Opportunity Award demonstrate the power of music as a unifying force and its potential to bring about positive change."
In response to COVID-19, faculty were encouraged to consider projects that highlight themes of community and social justice. The 2020-21 Dean's Office Opportunity Award recipients' projects emphasise music's potential to connect, heal, and bring about change, making a significant contribution to the school's mission and engaging with L.A.'s diverse artistic communities.
Education and self-development are demonstrated through the projects funded by the 2020-21 Dean's Office Opportunity Award at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. These initiatives showcase music's potential to unify, heal, and bring about change, highlighting its role in connection and community during challenging times.
