News

UMass jazz trombone faculty member Ben Barnett has earned his second career Grammy Award nomination, up for Best Latin Jazz Album as a member of Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Department of Music and Dance chair Dr. Matthew Westgate has been named a Distinguished Faculty member for the 2025-26 academic year, the University announced on Monday afternoon. 

In his December 2nd lecture, entitled The Art of Conducting: Creating Community Through Music, Professor Westgate will share methods (both musical and non-musical) that bring people together around common goals and, in turn, help connect them as a community.

The Department of Music and Dance is sad to announce the passing of Lynn Klock, 75, beloved saxophone professor at UMass for 35 years.

The Department of Music and Dance mourns the death on Aug. 11, 2025 of Sheila Jordan, the beloved jazz vocalist who taught at Jazz in July for many years.

The Coltrane Tribute Ensemble from the Jazz & African-American Music Studies Program (JAAMS) has been selected to receive a 2025 Student Music Award from DownBeat Magazine.

The class of 2025 was celebrated today in Bezanson Hall during the annual Music Convocation ceremonies, including the announcement of 15 music scholarship and department awards. 

The UMass Amherst Symphony Orchestra and director Gonzalo Hidalgo Ardila are proud to announce the winners of this year’s Concerto Competition.

Graduate student Daniel Ryu, freshman Laura Wang, and graduate student Robert Grahmann were selected to perform with the UMass Symphony Orchestra during their concert on Friday, April 11, 2025, at 7:30 PM in Tillis Hall.

The UMass Amherst Department of Music and Dance has announced plans for the 2025 Bach Festival and Symposium, which will take place on campus and in the town of Amherst from April 25-27.

We are sad to announce to the UMass Amherst music community the recent passing of beloved voice professor Paulina Stark, at the age of 88.