Skip to main content

Chair and Professor; Director of Wind Studies

Matthew Westgate sitting with hands clasped.

Conductor Matthew Westgate “leads with a combination of expressivity and crispness” (San Francisco Chronicle). His performances are praised as “dramatic, incisive, and passionate” (Audiophile Audition) and full of “verve and swagger” (MusicWeb International).

Matthew Westgate sitting with hands clasped.

Dance Program Director, Professor

A black and white headshot of Thomas Vacanti.

Thomas Vacanti (BS in Dance, Skidmore College ‘02. MFA in Dance, Smith College ’04) is Professor of Ballet and Director of the Dance Program at UMass Amherst. In 2012, Tom received one of UMass Amherst’s highest honors, The Distinguished Teaching Award.

A black and white headshot of Thomas Vacanti.

Assistant Professor of Music Education

A headshot of Daniel Albert.

A strong proponent of partnerships with K-12 music educators and arts organizations, Albert continues to be active as a presenter at state, regional, and national music education conferences, has been a featured clinician at schools throughout New England, and, as a public school music teacher, has collaborated with composers and the Community Music School of Springfield (Massachusetts) to create artist-in-residence programs and commissioning projects that enrich the education of school music students.

A headshot of Daniel Albert.

Senior Lecturer, Director of the Minuteman Marching Band

Timothy Anderson directing in front of a basketball game.

Timothy Todd Anderson has been at the University of Massachusetts Amherst since 2011. He is the director of the over-370-member, award-winning Minuteman Marching Band. Under Anderson's direction, the Minuteman Band has performed in both the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the 2018 Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, CA. Both performances were televised internationally.

Timothy Anderson directing in front of a basketball game.

Associate Professor, Cello

A headshot of Edward Arron with a cello.

Cellist Edward Arron has garnered recognition worldwide for his elegant musicianship, impassioned performances, and creative programming. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Arron made his New York recital debut in 2000 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Since that time, he has appeared in recital, as a soloist with major orchestras, and as a chamber musician throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

A headshot of Edward Arron with a cello.

Professor, Music Theory, Area Coordinator

A headshot of Brent Auerbach.

Dr. Auerbach's research focuses primarily on extending the concept of the musical motive as it pertains to analysis. Other research interests include the group-mathematic properties of harmonic sequences, pedagogy, and the aesthetics of Baroque composition and counterpoint.

A headshot of Brent Auerbach.

Graduate Program Coordinator

UMass collegiate M in maroon on gray
UMass collegiate M in maroon on gray

Assistant Professor, Piano

A headshot of Steven Beck.

A recent New York concert by pianist Steven Beck was described as “exemplary” and “deeply satisfying” by Anthony Tommasini in the New York Times.  He is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where his teachers were Seymour Lipkin, Peter Serkin and Bruce Brubaker.

A headshot of Steven Beck.

Professor, Trumpet

Eric Berlin holding a trumpet.

Yamaha Performing Artist Eric Berlin has made the music of our time the focus of his career. As a soloist, he has commissioned, premiered and recorded new works for trumpet from some of today’s most important composers, including Christopher Rouse, George Tsontakis, Stephen Paulus, Joseph Turrin, Anthony Plog, Eric Ewazen, and James Stephenson.

Eric Berlin holding a trumpet.

Lecturer, Dance Education

Ann Biddle holding a piece of paper.

Ann Biddle has been a dance educator, staff developer, curriculum consultant, writer, and choreographer for the past 30 years. In addition to teaching with UMass Amherst’s Dance Program, she is currently the Director of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) Institute for Professional Learning and Advancement and the Director of DEL at Jacob’s Pillow.

Ann Biddle holding a piece of paper.

Filters

Skip filters