UNC Department of Music

06/02/2026

“To ‘play pretend’ is to embody who you aspire to be, to shift out of rumination and into reality. And that goes for our dreams, goals, and love. I hope you can find yourself in the themes of this album, and that it can mean even a fraction to you what it means to me.”

Congratulations to rising senior Cogan McMichaels on the release of his debut album, Play Pretend, yesterday! Though this is his debut album, the music major and business administration minor is no stranger to creating music. Having released over 20 singles and an EP already, Cogan considers this album the next big step in his musical journey. Being raised by a musician and an artist, creativity and music have always been a large part of his life, though he didn’t enter his undergraduate years at Carolina as a music major. Instead, this decision came in his sophomore year after realizing that his passion for music was more than just a hobby. “I went into winter break obsessed with everything I’d learned, writing songs using the Nashville Number System, and newly confident in some musical terminology,” Cogan reflected. “That same semester, on the night of my 20th birthday, I had an epiphany … I decided that I would major in music.”

“I’ll never stop writing and producing my own music, and I’m looking for others who feel the same way. The fourth song on the album, ‘Melodies,’ is about realizing my life will always revolve around music. I don’t know where … Read more

05/29/2026

✨Graduate Student Appreciation Post✨

We’re so proud to have such phenomenal graduate students teaching and researching alongside our esteemed faculty. From conference presentations and hosting the 15th Annual UNC-KCL Music Conference in Chapel Hill to earning awards and scholarships for their research and teaching undergraduate and community courses, music graduate students impressed on all fronts. In May, we capped off another wonderful academic year by celebrating three new M.A. graduates and five new Ph.D. graduates at the department commencement ceremony. Read about some of this year’s impressive accomplishments of this incredible group of scholars via the link below!

The department is proud to have phenomenal graduate students teaching and researching alongside our esteemed faculty.

05/26/2026

“Multiple times, in different countries, people have just kind of waved me over and asked me who I am, what I’m doing and then say, ‘Would you like some tea?’ and I end up sitting and having tea with people I’ve never met. There are a lot of friendly, welcoming people all over the world. I like to think that if you just open yourself up to being approachable and friendly, those are the times I feel good about the world.”

Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Mark Katz on his recent Fulbright U.S. Scholar award! Katz is no stranger to global travel, research, and teaching. Among many projects, he founded Next Level in 2013, a global hip-hop diplomacy program funded by the U.S. State Department. Katz plans to use the Fulbright Award to conduct research in Korea next year.

📸: Donn Young

Professor Mark Katz, recently awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award, uses music and technology for American diplomacy.

05/22/2026

“I like to tell my students that there are many ways to build knowledge and talk about history. Who we are matters and how that story is told. I think music makes us human. By hearing and understanding music, we learn a lot about each other.”

Distinguished Professor Naomi André began her musical journey as a pianist but quickly changed course to pursue her first love: singing. And that’s how she found her calling — specifically in studying opera, both as an art form and a reflection of life. Now, Dr. André is an opera scholar who describes her work as examining opera in both expected and unexpected places, ranging from the opera stage in the United States, Europe, and South Africa to teaching opera in prisons.

“I have a wide scope in how I think about opera,” she said. “I was trained in a traditional opera canon, and I wrote my dissertation on Giuseppe Verdi. I’m currently teaching a first-year seminar on Verdi’s operas. However, I am also a founding member of the Black Opera Research Network, with members across the U.S., South Africa and Europe. We think about Black composers, performers and librettists and how Blackness is represented in opera.”
UNC College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Naomi André is an opera scholar who describes her work as examining opera in both expected and unexpected places

05/19/2026

“The creative sound design projects I completed in Music Production I with Professor Pablo Vega became a central part of my graduate application portfolio. The technical foundations and mentorship I received from Prof. Vega were truly pivotal in helping me reach this next step.”

Recent graduate Will Kim, who earned his Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Analytics earlier this month, is headed to Duke University this fall to pursue his Master of Engineering in Game Design, Development, and Innovation. “As I’ve been reflecting on my journey to this program, I realized how much the Music department shaped my path. I originally started taking classes like Fundamentals of Tonal Music (MUSC 121) to fulfill a general requirement, but I ended up following my interest into Rap Lab (MUSC 157) and Music Production I (MUSC 161) with Professor Pablo Vega,” he reflected.

The gratitude and admiration that Will has for Prof. Vega are mirrored in Vega’s pride for his former student. “Will is an exceptional student, and his acceptance into the Master of Engineering in Game Design is a testament to what we’re building here at UNC,” wrote Prof. Vega. “Teaching these last five years has been a highlight of my professional career, and moments like this reinforce my commitment to educating the next generation of industry professionals.”

Congratulations to Will on his graduation and his acceptance to the Master's program at Duke!

05/15/2026

“It’s not just that perfect is the enemy of good, but that _being_ perfect is the enemy of _being_ good. And as students in the UNC Department of Music, we live that idea out every day. … The push from the Department of Music to explore other disciplines helped me become a well-rounded and efficient leader.” -Orly Baum, Class of 2026

Nearly one week ago, on Saturday, May 9, we celebrated the incredible Class of 2026! With musical performances by graduating seniors and their peers across a wide range of genres, speeches from Orly Baum and the keynote speaker, Dr. Donovan Livingston, and the presentations of degrees and awards, the afternoon was filled with that quintessential UNC Music spirit. That spirit which celebrates excellence, embraces differences, and forges connections. As Dr. Livingston reminded the Class of 2026, “Every orchestra, ensemble, chamber, symphony, and cypher is a sacred space where we compose the soundtrack to our personal healing, collective freedom. … [When catastrophe happens, as they’re bound to], allow your purpose – rooted in some, fulfilling creative practice – to be the voice you use to speak up, to take a stand, to write yourself back to life.”

Class of 2026, we’re so proud of all you’ve accomplished during your time at Carolina, and we can’t wait to see all that you do next! Congratulations, graduates!

A huge congratulations and thank you also goes out to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this year’s celebration a success, especially Graduation Committee Chair Professor Susan Klebanow. After nearly two decades of leadership on the committee, this year was her final year and we’re so thankful for her tenure in this role!

05/13/2026

Happy FDOC, Tar Heels! It’s officially summer now that Summer Session I and Maymester are here! ☀️

05/11/2026

“I think it’s a perfect place to showcase ‘Ex Machina.’ This program is a testament to America at 250: shaped by a diverse group of brilliant American artists whose distinct voices come together to reflect the full, rich spectrum of who we are.” -Associate Professor Clara Yang, UNC Piano Area Head

Tonight, Dr. Clara Yang’s multimedia project “Ex Machina” is taking the stage at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York. After the project’s debut in Moeser Auditorium as part of the department’s Festival on the Hill in March 2024, Dr. Yang took the performance to Los Angeles. Now she will be performing tonight in New York as part of Carnegie Hall’s “United in Sound: America at 250” festival. Read more: https://www.unc.edu/posts/2026/04/27/clara-yang-brings-ex-machina-to-nyc.

05/06/2026

Congratulations, Class of 2026 - you did it! 🎓 Now it’s time to celebrate! Swipe to see some of the accolades of this year’s incredible graduating class of music students.