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Marginalized Representation in Casting (Part One)
Last weekend my friends and I held a presentation party. For any of you who aren’t familiar with them, presentation parties are arguably the worst thing to come out of […]
It’s Over, It’s Done, It’s Canceled* Part 1
*Disclaimers *Disclaimer #1: I’m not an expert. I’ve spent ~19 hours doing intensive google searching, 3 hours debating with friends, and most of my life thinking about what does and […]
How To Be An Anti-racist Artist
This summer was a lot. That may be the understatement of the year. Between George Floyd, BLM, Covid, and Killer Hornets, my social media feeds were POPPING. Almost overnight I […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 6: Art Inspired by Identity
About the Authors Dr. Donia Jarrar (she/her) is an Arab and Muslim-American composer, pianist, and interdisciplinary artist. Born to a Palestinian father and an Egyptian mother, she grew up between […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 5: Managing the Artist Lifestyle
About the Authors Todd Buonopane has appeared on Broadway as Jean-Michel in Cinderella, Roger in Grease, Amos in Chicago and many characters in …Spelling Bee. He has toured with The […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 4: Freelance Musicians
About the Authors Amy K Bormet is a pianist, vocalist, and composer, known for her fearless free-wheeling style and dedication to creating new music. To collaborate with and celebrate women […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 3: Running an Arts Organization
About the Authors From Evanston, Illinois, Julie Nakagawa was a featured dancer with Christopher D’Amboise’s Off Center Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, and Twyla Tharp Dance. Returning to Chicago upon her retirement […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 2: Forging New Paths with Tanya Kalmanovitch & Ryan Muncy
About the Authors: Tanya Kalmanovitch is a Canadian violist, ethnomusicologist, and author known for her breadth of inquiry and restless sense of adventure. Her uncommonly diverse interests converge in the […]
Protected: Making and Spreading Art That Advocates for Change
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Virtual Visionaries Week 10: Engaging Communities
About the Authors Pianist, scholar, and educator, Dr. Leah Claiborne, promotes diversity in the arts by championing piano music by Black composers in her performances, research, and teaching. Dr. Claiborne […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 9: Portfolio Careers, Then and Now
About the Authors Katherine Banks is a Midwest based actor and educator. Last season, she reprised her role as Joanne in Mindhunter (Netflix) directed by David Fincher. She performed Every […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 8: Art for Social Change
About the Author Currently serving as Composer-in-Residence with the storied Philadelphia Orchestra and included in the Washington Post’s list of the 35 most significant women composers in history, identity has […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 7: Leading Beyond Crisis
About the Authors: Omari Rush has engaged the arts as both a passion and profession, and in each mode, he continues to enjoy discovery and deepening impacts. As executive director […]
Virtual Visionaries Week 1: Artist’s Many Roles with Tara Faircloth
Unbeknownst to many of us who make our way through music school, becoming a classical musician in America means signing up to be the Chief Executive Officer of a very […]
In Conversation with Theatre & Drama Assistant Professor Nancy Uffner
Nancy Uffner is a proud longtime member of Actors’ Equity Association. Her regional theatre stage management work includes the MUNY, Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, Lythgoe Family Panto, Goodspeed Musicals, Music […]
EXCEL Prize Winning Project Resumes This Month
The SMTD & Our Own Thing Piano Partnership Program (EXCEL Prize ‘18) provides free weekly piano lessons to Ypsilanti students and was created to address the lack of diversity and representation […]
EXCEL Partnering with SMTD Wellness Initiative
This academic year, EXCEL is partnering with the SMTD Wellness Initiative to present a series of events on Life-Work Balance. The Wellness Initiative was installed in Fall 2016 to provide […]
