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February 2016
David Yager


UArts Welcomes New President to Campus

 
The University of the Arts community welcomed President David Yager to its campus on January 15, 2016, his first official day as the 140-year-old institution's fourth president since receiving university status in 1987. Yager, who was chosen unanimously by the Board of Trustees after a national search, was most recently dean of the Arts Division at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a position he held since 2009. Prior to that, he worked for 23 years at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. An accomplished photographer and designer whose work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, Yager's extensive background as an artist, academic, researcher, entrepreneur and business executive will allow him to strengthen the University of the Arts and further expand its reputation as an innovative leader. "I am looking forward to helping to shape the University's future and to raising its profile as we enter this new chapter in its history together," said Yager. "I'm especially looking forward to working with UArts' high-quality faculty, students and scholars."

Read more >> 

Above: UArts President David Yager (center) chats with Music students Greg Wilson '16 (Saxophone) and Frank Rein '16 (Trombone) in the School Store. 
 
Sabin Howard

Sculpture Alum Chosen to Create WWI Memorial in DC
 
UArts alumnus and master sculptor Sabin Howard BFA '86 (Sculpture) was selected as part of the design team to create a National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. Howard, who taught anatomy in the University's Illustration program for a number of years, collaborated with architect Joseph Weishaar on the winning concept titled "The Weight of Sacrifice." The design includes long bronze walls covered with bas reliefs that will be executed by Howard based on his own drawings; he will also create a three-dimensional sculpture.
Read a New York Times article >>

Above: A sketch of Howard's "Wheels of Humanity" sculpture from "The Weight of Sacrifice."
 
Like No One Else

Graduate Ensemble Featured in 'All About Jazz'     
 
Like No One Else, the new release by the School of Music's Graduate Ensemble, received a glowing review in the January 12 issue of All About Jazz. The recording was produced by Professor Don Glanden, head of the graduate Jazz Studies program, and features Dimitrios Angelakis MM '15 (Jazz Studies), Tal Shtuhl MM '16 (Jazz Studies), Daniel Nissenbaum MM '15 (Jazz Studies), Conner Saltzer '16 (Instrumental Performance) and Ryan Kuhns BM '10 (Instrumental Performance).

Read the review >>
 
Polyphone 2016

Brind School Announces 2016 'Polyphone' Festival, March 20-27            
 
The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts has announced the 2016 lineup for "Polyphone," a "festival of the emerging musical." Running March 20-27 on the UArts campus, the 2016 Polyphone Festival produces staged concerts of new musicals and re-imagined canonical works offering professional composers, librettists and directors an opportunity to develop their work among the rich creative community of the Brind School. The festival will program five musicals, including both classical and new works, with three performances each. The Polyphone Festival was co-founded in 2015 by Brind School Director Joanna Settle and Master Lecturer C�sar Alvarez, a New York-based composer, lyricist and performer who serves as Polyphone's artistic director.

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Above: Aerial view of the recent Polyphone Festival retreat featuring all 80 participants, students and professionals, led by C�sar Alvarez.  
 
David Bowie

Professor Discusses David Bowie's Legacy, Hillary Clinton on Salon.com             
 
Camille Paglia, University Professor of Humanities & Media Studies, was interviewed on Salon.com about the legacy of David Bowie, who died on January 10. Paglia, who has often hailed the music icon as one of her central influences, especially for her book Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson, wrote a catalogue essay on Bowie for the Victoria & Albert Museum's 2013 show of his costumes, which is still touring internationally. Sexual Personae is included on the New York Public Library's list of Bowie's 100 favorite books, which went viral after his death.

Read the interview >> 
 
Paglia also has a featured piece on Salon.com about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who she contends suffers from "blame-men-first" feminism. "Hillary's sometimes impatient or patronizing tone about men, which can perhaps be traced to key aspects of her personal history, may prove costly to her current campaign."

Read the article >>
 
 
Alumni Council

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Alumni Council
 
The  Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for graduates to join the Alumni Council, which assists the Office of Alumni Relations in its efforts to engage and support UArts alumni. Members of the Alumni Council play an active role in the life of UArts by participating in alumni events, reconnecting alumni to their alma mater, helping students - our future alumni - to be successful, and much more. Nominees are elected based upon their demonstrated leadership and service to their chosen profession, UArts and the community. Nominations are due by February 29, 2016. Phone interviews will be conducted during the month of March, and the Alumni Council will vote on the appointment of selected candidates at its April meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Tracy E. Smith, director of Alumni + Parent Relations, at 215-717-6139 or [email protected] .
 
 
Nominate a qualified candidate >>