Christoph Wagner & Paula Corbin Swalin Faculty Features
Christoph Wagner always wanted to play the cello. The new assistant professor of cello at the University of New Mexico, Wagner started playing when he was six. Wagner says he watched his sister play the cello and never doubted that it was the instrument for him. What attracted him was the versatility of the instrument.
“You can do so many things with this instrument. You can play very low, you can play very high pitches. So you can mimic a huge spectrum of expressions, sounds, timbres and colors,” Wagner said. Wagner’s responsibilities will include growing the cello program at UNM, teaching courses related to strings and pedagogy and supporting the orchestra program. During the Fall 2023 semester, he co-lead the Sinfonia– the smaller orchestra.
Paula Corbin Swalin, soprano and Lecturer in Voice, was chosen as a classical singer participant to attend the Barcelona Festival of Song this summer. Each year the festival receives a select group of singers from around the world who immerse themselves in the art of song repertoire in Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese. Singers receive coaching, attend lectures and concerts, and participate in performances of Latin American and Iberian song, curated by the festival’s coordinator, Dr. Patricia Caicedo. Through her work at Mundo Arts and the Barcelona Festival of Song, Dr. Caicedo strives to preserve and promote Latin American and Iberian art song repertoire.
Paloma and Leila: A Tale of Twin Triumph
As twins, they’ve encountered hurdles, yet their bond and resilience shine through. In the academic world, Paloma and Leila worked under the mentorship of Professor Subhankar Banerjee on a project involving biodiversity justice and visual culture through the UNM...
UNM Department of Music Students, Faculty & Alumni sweep cast of Opera Southwest Production of Carmen in Spanish
Current students, faculty and alumni of The Department of Music at UNM have filled the cast of the upcoming Opera Southwest production of Carmen, one of the most famous operas of all time. The performance will be presented in Spanish, referencing a translation by...
Dr. Melissa Ryan appointed Assistant Professor of Education
The UNM Dept. of Music is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Melissa Ryan as Assistant Professor of Music Education and the Head of the Music Education Area. Dr. Ryan had the following to say about her new position, "The UNM Department of Music is a truly...