UMass Lowell Offers Free, Remote Sessions for the Public

Garrett Michaelsen, an assistant professor of musicianship and music theory, ran the first of the spring semester’s “Headphone Series,” hour-long evening listening and discussion sessions. He focused on jazz from the 1920s and 2020.
Garrett Michaelsen, assistant professor of musicianship and music theory, is one of several UMass Lowell music faculty members leading a program in the “Headphone Series” this spring.

03/07/2021

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-758-4664, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. – New virtual music programs for UMass Lowell students and the public are connecting participants through the art of listening in a shared experience.

UMass Lowell’s Headphone Series presents sessions during which influential musical works and performances are played for participants, taking them on a sonic journey through history. Each session is led by a UMass Lowell music faculty member, who then fosters a group discussion about the selections played. Free and open to the public, programs in the series are held via Zoom and are also streamed live on the UMass Lowell Music Department’s YouTube channel.

The series was first designed to fill a gap for the dozens of on-campus concerts and recitals that were available to UMass Lowell music majors before COVID-19 restrictions. Students are usually required to attend 10 recitals per semester.

“With COVID, ensembles obviously can’t happen in person and they don’t really work virtually. So we tried to figure out something that would be of interest to students that could be informative and interactive and could also be a social function,” said Music Prof. Gena Greher, chair of the department.

UMass Lowell’s Jonathan Richter, a faculty member who teaches choral music and music education, had the answer.

“Live music is one of the things people are missing right now, so why not have faculty present some of the pieces they find influential and have listening sessions?” he said.

Among the most popular programs last semester was “Five Moments of Musical Joy,” led by Music Prof. Alan Williams, coordinator of UMass Lowell’s music business program. The session was crafted around songs that were particularly influential to him; he will return to the topic for a session on Wednesday, March 31 that will also feature Music Associate Prof. Alex Case.

Garrett Michaelsen, assistant professor of musicianship and music theory, recently led a “Jazz in the ’20s” session, which focused on music from the Jazz Age of the 1920s but also music of the 2020s. Michaelsen boomeranged back and forth through music history, discussing the art, the artists and the cultural influences that helped shape the works presented.

UMass Lowell students have embraced the series.

“My bird loves it,” said Shaleigh Brooks, a music studies major from Auburn whose cockatiel sang along from her home during the jazz session presented by Michaelsen.

Brooks, a first-generation college student who plays drums and percussion, enrolled at UMass Lowell on the strength of its music program, she said. With plans to become a music teacher, she hopes the Headphone Series becomes a permanent part of the curriculum.

“I can spend an evening listening to an informative, intriguing and relevant presentation that is as entertaining as it is educational, in the comfort of my home,” she said.

Upcoming Headphone Series sessions include:

  • “Kate Bush: A Deeper Understanding,” with Music Assistant Teaching Prof. Christopher Lee, Thursday, March 11;
  • “Invisible Threads: Underappreciated Figures in Jazz and Black American Music, Part 2,” with music faculty member Jacob Hiser, Tuesday, March 16;
  • “Great Vocal Ensembles: What’s Possible with 10 Voices or Less,” with music faculty member Jonathan Richter, Monday, March 22;
  • “Five More Moments of Musical Joy,” with Music Prof. Alan Williams and Associate Prof. Alexander Case, Wednesday, March 31;
  • “A James Brown Primer,” with music faculty member Charles Gabriel, Monday, April 5;
  • “Alan’s Adventure in Mediated Performance,” with Williams on Thursday, April 8.

All programs begin at 8 p.m. and are streamed live on the UMass Lowell Music Department YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cnvv-BPUPnMtywNWF8JrQ, where previous programs in the series are also available. Members of the public who would like to participate in upcoming sessions should register at http://bit.ly/HeadphoneSeriesSP21.

UMass Lowell is a national research university offering its more than 18,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu

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