Nazareth University School of Music

09/22/2026

Percussion students of Professor Kristen Shiner McGuire, Tyler Bracy and Nathan Crane, were fortunate to attend the dress rehearsal of Caleb Breidenbaugh performing Kevin Puts’ Marimba Concerto. What a beautiful piece and what outstanding playing!

They also had the wonderful opportunity to go backstage and see the brand-new five-octave marimba, along with the impressive array of mallets that produce different timbres on the rosewood bars.

What a fascinating experience! Can’t wait to hear the concert today! 🎶

09/16/2026

Naz Weekend is almost upon us! Join the School of Music for a Drum Circle on Saturday, 9/19 from 2-3pm in A4!

09/11/2026

Dr. Marjorie Roth, Professor of Flute and Music History, playing bass flute on Jeff Tyzik’s Mallorca with jazz soloist Ali Ryerson at the National Flute Association’s annual convention in Portland, Oregon, August 7, 2026.

The piece was written in celebration of this year’s NFA Distinguished Service Award, presented to Rochester’s own Joanna Bassett—retired RPO flutist and founder of the Rochester Flute Association.

08/24/2026

Music therapy professor Melissa Reed, MS.Ed, MT-BC recently completed a sabbatical during which she worked with Rochester area early childhood teachers and librarians to teach them how to incorporate music into their work. The online learning module below was the culmination of that work and is offered free to those working with young children in the Finger Lakes and Western NY area. Please consider sharing to those who may be interested!

https://learners.naz.edu/browse/projectrise/courses/sing-play-grow-music-for-early-learners?fbclid=IwY2xjawTvLqJwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAGJyaWQRMVBOSUFTNE1EU3BPb2pZRmRzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeYxamJG5LD1L9vDo8k1Oj4Sgdm4ID7RUqqnQ29SRdtIp5AdAqdrmd0txvv3Q_aem_PebtdNhJjn2Qap95mMvvcQ

Sing, Play, Grow: Music for Early Learners is a foundational module designed for early childhood providers who regularly use music in their work but often lack formal training in how to do so effectively. Research shows that most early childhood providers value music and are far more likely to use i...

08/21/2026

Be part of a music ensemble!

All students, regardless of major, are welcome to join a music ensemble on campus to continue singing, playing, and creating music while you are here at Naz.

For information on how to join or audition for any of the following large ensembles, go to https://www2.naz.edu/school-music/ensembles

08/10/2026

Congratulations to Tyler Bracy, B.M. in Music Education and Performance '27, and Eian Moran, B.M. in Music Education '29, on their recent performance with the Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps, Nashua, NH, at the DCI World Championship Semifinals in Indianapolis, IN. Founded in 1955, the Spartans are 9 time DCI Open Class World Champions and just completed their inaugural year in the World Class division. Tyler and Eian performed as members of the front ensemble and trumpet section respectively. Congratulations on a great season and your success in the World Championship!

08/09/2026

Music education faculty member, Rich Tilley, recently presented his work “Diversifying and Democratizing Music Teacher Education in a Time of Political Unease” at the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Policy Commission Pre-Conference Seminar in Toronto, Canada and the ISME World Conference in Montreal, Canada.

As a Commissioner and newly appointed Co-Chair Elect for the ISME Policy Commission, he helped to plan and facilitate the Policy Commission’s Pre-Conference Seminar and participated in rounddtables, facilitated policy networking groups, chaired research sessions, and celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Commission.

Congratulations to all of the international scholars, music teacher educators, and P-12 music educators who participated in the ISME Pre-Conference Seminars and World Conference!

07/27/2026

Professor Bonnie Choi has been in Paris for the past couple of months as a Fulbright Scholar. She has been conducting research on Cécile Chaminade while experiencing Parisian life and traveling to other parts of France.
Through her Fulbright experience, Bonnie has begun several collaborative writing projects. Her recent article on the piano duets and duos of Cécile Chaminade was published in American Music Teacher. This fall, her edited volume on Mel Bonis will be released by Furore.
Looking ahead, Bonnie has also been selected to present at the MTNA National Conference in March 2027. She is grateful for the opportunities, friendships, and collaborations that her Fulbright experience continues to provide, and she looks forward to making the most of her remaining time in Paris.

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Professor John Reef on the publication of his article, “Analytical Essay: The A-major Fugue from Book II of The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 888, by J.S. Bach,” in the Spring 2026 issue of the Indiana Theory Review!

05/04/2026

Eight graduate students shared their work at a Research Showcase this Saturday. Students participating in the event included Melissa Coyle, Samantha Stolzenburg, MC Lopez, Connor Groene, and Alex Boucher. They presented their research in a public poster session, followed by presentations of their Graduate Capstone Research Projects in an open session at Nazareth.

Many thanks to Dr. Koster and Dr. Tilley for presiding over the event!