Madeleine Bernstorff is a cultural producer, film curator, author, and lecturer at the Institute for Music and Media at Robert Schumann University Düsseldorf. Her work bridges research-based film curating, feminist film history, and avant-garde cinema, with a focus on resistance movements and political documentary forms. Education : Studied media art at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich, University of Munich, and F+F School of Design Zurich Research : Avant-garde cinema, feminist film movements, migrant representation, and socio-political documentation Teaching : Guest professorships at Berlin University of the Arts, Munich Academy of Fine Arts, and international institutions Collaborations : Co-founded Sputnik cinema (1984) and Blickpilotin feminist film collective (1989) Publications : Edited works on Trinh T. Minh-ha, René Vautier, and Afghan cinema Her filmography includes The Fanaticism of the Suffragettes (2010), Candan (2005), and Zitronenfilm (1997), exploring themes of gender, migration, and historical memory through Super8 and video art. She has curated exhibitions at Tromsø Kunstforening and programmed films at institutions like the Arsenal Cinema Berlin and Oberhausen Short Film Festival.
Michael Beverland is a Professor of Brand Strategy at the University of Sussex Business School, specializing in consumer culture and brand management. His research explores marketplace authenticity, digital person brands, and consumer work dynamics. Institution: University of Sussex Business School Key Focus: Authenticity, Consumer Agency, Digital Influence His work examines: Authenticity in brand-consumer relationships Digital influencers' emotional labor Design thinking in crisis response Cultural heritage and postcolonial branding Consumer journeys in educational contexts Recent publications address analog technology revival, sustainability tensions in sharing economy branding, and digital exploitation of influencers. He contributes to the ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work and blogs about social media influencer challenges. Scientific contributions include: Associate Fellow recognition Over 20 years of research on brand equity evolution Foundational work on brand authenticity measurement Pioneering studies on consumer fanaticism Policy briefs on manufacturing revitalization
Ning Lu is a Professor of Piano at the School of Music, University of Utah, and a visiting professor at Beijing Central Conservatory of Music and Nanjing Normal University. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Music Diploma from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. As a Chinese/American pianist, he is celebrated as a recitalist, chamber-music collaborator, orchestral soloist, educator, and competition adjudicator with over 400 recitals performed globally. Education: DMA, University of Colorado, Boulder Music Diploma, Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing Research and Creative Activities: Ning Lu specializes in piano performance rooted in the Russian piano tradition, enhanced by Chinese keyboard techniques. His work extends to directing music festivals and competitions, including the Utah International Music Academy and the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Competition, where he has raised over $122,000 in funding since 2007. Teaching: He teaches advanced piano pedagogy, keyboard skills, private piano lessons, and doctoral recitals. His students have achieved national and international recognition, including multiple MTNA and Steinway National Competition wins. Scientific Awards and Honors: Top Teacher Award, Steinway & Sons (2022) MTNA Steinway & Sons Young Artist Piano Competition, Southwest Division Winner (2019) Guest Performing Artist, Committee of China World Expo (2010) Performing Artist, Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation (2009) Leadership and Outreach: As founder/executive director of the Annual Utah International Music Academy (2013–present) and artistic director of the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Competition (2013–present), he has spearheaded international collaborations and educational initiatives in piano performance.
Satoru Hayamizu is a Professor at Waseda University 's Green Computing Systems Research Organization , with a career spanning over four decades. His research focuses on Audio-Visual Speech Recognition , Machine Learning , and Medical Informatics , as evidenced by 126 publications and an h-index of 18. Education: The University of Tokyo (PhD in Mechanical Engineering) Prior affiliations: Gifu University (2002-), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (1981-2001) Research Interests include: Audio-visual speech recognition with sparse representation and DNN techniques Development of low-cost CNN-based road condition detection systems Swallowing function evaluation using acoustic and image processing Human behavior analysis for service operation estimation Research Trends reveal consistent work in multimodal signal processing (2006-2024), deep learning applications (2012-2024), and medical diagnostic systems (2006-2017). His publications show integration of sparsity modeling (2012-2021), industrial equipment diagnostics (2018-2021), and social impact technologies (2013-2024). Research Projects funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science include: Swallowing timing estimation (2018-2021) Multimodal silent speech recognition (2016-2020) ICT-based piano learning systems (2013-2016) Keyword display mechanisms (2010-2012) Labs & Collaborations include partnerships with Satoshi Tamura (co-author on 12+ papers), Hidekazu Fukai , and Chiyomi Miyajima . His work bridges academic research and industrial applications , particularly in manufacturing AI (2024 book) and Timor-Leste infrastructure monitoring.
Julie Junghwa Park serves as an Associate Professor of Music at Eastern Illinois University, specializing in voice instruction within the Music Department. An acclaimed international performer, Dr. Park has collaborated with prestigious institutions including the New York Lyric Opera, Castleton Music Festival under Maestro Lorin Maazel, and the National Music Opera Theater in Kassel, Germany, with performances spanning Italy, Germany, Poland, and South Korea. Her academic credentials include: Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University Master of Music and Professional Studies certificate from the Manhattan School of Music Bachelor of Music from Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea Diploma from Staatliche Musik Akademie, Kassel, Germany Diploma from Orfeo Music Academy, Parma, Italy Dr. Park's artistic research emphasizes vocal performance excellence in opera and classical repertoire, characterized by technical precision and creative interpretation. Dietlinde Turban Maazel, Artistic Director of Castleton Music Festival, specifically commended her 'natural predilection for interpreting classical music' and 'exceptionally skillful expression of conceptualizations through voice performance.' Her expertise extends to master classes with renowned artists including Mirella Freni and Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. Competitive recognition includes dual First Prizes at the Golden Era of Romantic Music International Competition and BAIVC International Competition, culminating in Carnegie Hall performances at Weill Recital Hall. Festival engagements encompass Castleton Music Festival, Karkonoski Music Festival in Poland, and Salzburg's Summer Academy Mozarteum. Professional accolades highlight her competitive achievements: First Prize, Golden era of romantic music international competition First Prize, BAIVC international competition Dr. Park maintains an active performance schedule while fulfilling teaching responsibilities, though specific advising details and grant activities are not documented in available materials. Her international festival participations and master class engagements demonstrate ongoing professional development in vocal arts.
Gábor Bodnár is a Professor at the Institute of Arts Communication and Music , Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) , where he serves as Head of the Department of Music Culture. His work bridges music pedagogy, creative education, and interdisciplinary studies. Academic Focus : Music education, creative teaching methods, and the integration of formal and non-formal education. Research Themes : Application of the Kodály concept in global teacher training, translation theory in musical contexts, and the interplay between text and music in art song repertoires. Publications : Recent works explore Aldous Huxley's musical ideas, Schumann's Dichterliebe revisions, and innovative pedagogical frameworks for music educators. Professional Impact : Bodnár has developed postgraduate programs emphasizing talent care and Kodály principles, influencing music education curricula and assessment systems in Hungary and beyond.
Walter Bruno Berg is a Professor of Latin American Literature at the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg , specializing in the Department of Romance Studies . His research bridges literary analysis with cultural identity formation, focusing on hybridity and intertextuality in Latin American contexts. Academic Affiliation: Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany Research Leadership: Directed subprojects in Collaborative Research Centers 541 and 321 Key Collaborators: Dr. Markus Klaus Schäffauer, Joachim Michael, and others Research Interests center on the dialectics of orality and literacy in Argentine literature, the function of alterity in collective identity, and genre hybridity across media. His work examines how literary forms in the 19th and 20th centuries negotiate cultural selfhood through translinguistic and transmedial practices. Publications and Projects include analyses of Borges, Cortázar, and contemporary Andean narratives. He has explored themes such as: Orality as a political tool in teatro criollo ScriptOrality in post-avant-garde texts Genre evolution in telenovelas and mass media Gender dynamics in Mexican literature His recent works address the interplay between literary transcription and migration, emphasizing Buenos Aires as a cultural node. Advising includes mentoring PhD candidates like Markus Schäffauer (dissertation on scriptOrality) and Joachim Michael (telenovela analysis). He has collaborated on interdisciplinary colloquia, including the 2004 La France et la formation de la culture Latino-Américaine .
Sylvie Douche is a Professor of Musicology at Sorbonne University, specializing in French music of the 19th and 20th centuries. She is affiliated with the Institute for Research in Musicology (UMR 8223) and actively participates in multiple research teams including Critical musical editions, History of Musical Theories, Genres and repertoires, Music and Religion, and Aesthetics and links with other arts. Her research spans several major programs including French Romances & Melodies, Complete instrumental works of Camille Saint-Saëns, and International exchanges between musical theory and practice. Her educational background includes: Musicology studies at the Sorbonne and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris Postgraduate degree in Art History (Paris I) Postgraduate degree in Comparative Literature (Sorbonne University) Sylvie Douche's primary research focus centers on the intricate relationships between music and literary texts, with particular emphasis on French musical traditions from the 19th and 20th centuries. She has developed significant expertise in theatrical music, especially French melodrama of the Belle Époque, having authored an award-winning monograph on the subject. Her scholarly work also explores the press and piano repertoire of this period, revealing how musical culture intersected with broader social and literary movements. As a pianist herself, she brings practical musical understanding to her academic research, creating a unique interdisciplinary perspective that bridges performance practice with historical scholarship. Professor Douche has established herself as a leading authority on several French composers including Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Koechlin, and Maurice Emmanuel. Her editorial work on correspondence and critical editions demonstrates her commitment to preserving and interpreting primary source materials. She has made substantial contributions to understanding the Schola Cantorum of Paris, an important but sometimes overlooked institution in French musical history. Her research on Roland Barthes and music represents an innovative intersection of literary theory and musicology that has opened new avenues for interdisciplinary scholarship. Her notable scientific achievements include: Prix des Muses for her work on Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy (2012) Mahmoud Guettat Prize for her monograph on French melodrama of the Belle Époque (2016) As Vice-president of the Maurice Emmanuel Association, Professor Douche plays an active role in promoting research and appreciation of this important French composer. She has supervised numerous doctoral theses and mentored emerging scholars in the field of French musicology. Her editorial work with OMF Editions (French Musical Observatory) since 1991 has been instrumental in making rare musical correspondence and documents accessible to researchers worldwide. She has secured funding for major research projects including the Complete instrumental works of Camille Saint-Saëns and studies of French Romances & Melodies across different historical periods. Professor Douche is deeply involved with the Institute for Research in Musicology (UMR 8223), which operates across multiple locations including the National Library of France, Sorbonne University's Clignancourt Center, the Sorbonne Centre, and a dedicated Research Center on Rue Serpente in Paris. She participates in five distinct research teams that cover critical musical editions, historical music theories, genre studies, music and religion, and aesthetics. Her collaborative projects often involve international partnerships, reflecting her commitment to fostering global dialogue about French musical traditions.
Professor Therese Smith is a faculty member at the School of Music, University College Dublin , where she has served as Head of School (2008–2011) and Deputy Head of School (2005–2008, 2018–2021). Her research focuses on Ethnomusicology, African American music, Irish traditional music, music and identity , and traditional song . She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other foundations for fieldwork in the U.S. and Ireland. PhD and MA from Brown University BA, BMus, and Dip in Music Teaching from University College Dublin Her scholarly output includes work on fieldwork documentation, religious music practices, and cultural memory. Recent publications analyze music ownership, digital worship, and the ethics of traditional song collecting. She has served as external examiner for multiple institutions and is active in professional organizations like the International Council for Traditional Music Ireland. International Certificate of Merit (2013) Catherine Briggs Award shortlist (2013) Alan P. Merriam prize nominee (2004) Therese coordinates modules in Ethnographic Methods, African-American Religious Music , and Dissertation Supervision at UCD. She also mentors PhD students and evaluates academic proposals nationally and internationally.
Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt holds the position of Visiting Professor at Berlin University of the Arts' Faculty of Music within the Julius Stern Institute, specializing in Violoncello performance. An internationally acclaimed cellist, he maintains an active performance career with leading orchestras including Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under conductors such as Charles Dutoit and Marek Janowski. His musical development was shaped by studies with David Geringas and Aldo Parisot, which propelled him to early recognition in major international competitions. Schmidt's artistic identity centers on classical cello repertoire with significant contributions to both traditional and contemporary works, particularly evidenced by his Prize for Contemporary Music at the Rostropovich Competition. Professor Schmidt's performance interests encompass solo cello literature, orchestral collaborations, and intensive chamber music work with artists including Lang Lang, Emanuel Ax, and Gil Shaham. He is particularly noted for his interpretations spanning Baroque to modern compositions, with special emphasis on German Romantic repertoire and 20th-century works. His distinguished career includes the following accolades: Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris and Prize for Contemporary Music from the International Rostropovitch Competition First prizes at German Music Competition Bonn and International Australasian Cello Competition Prizewinner status at International Tchaikovsky Competition and International Leonard Rose Competition German Record Critics' Prize and Diapason d'Or (2013) for Weber's piano quartet recording As an active chamber musician, Schmidt co-founded the 'Cello Duello' ensemble with Jens Peter Maintz and served as a member of Chamber Music Society Two at Lincoln Center. His discography features recordings for Sony Classical and Capriccio labels, including Schumann and Elgar cello concertos. Current performance schedule includes engagements at Berlin Philharmonie and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg in May-June 2025.
Professor Lina Oravec is a distinguished scholar in Music Education at the University of Koblenz-Landau, where she has served as Professor of Music Education since 2015. She currently holds leadership positions including Managing Director of the Center for Teacher Education (2023-2025) and leads multiple significant research projects such as KuMuS-ProNeD, DiEP-M, and All-in-Band. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in elementary music education. Her research interests focus on elementary school music education, inclusive classroom music-making, music teaching by non-specialist teachers, the interface between elementary and school music education, and qualitative-empirical teaching research. She has pioneered approaches to digital music competencies and inclusive music education practices that have influenced teacher training programs across Germany. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on inclusive music education, qualitative research methodologies, and the challenges of music instruction in elementary schools. Her work consistently addresses the practical implementation of music education theory while focusing on equity, accessibility, and teacher development in music education contexts. Senior Fellowship of the Stifterverband for Innovations in Higher Education (2019) Stifterverband Fellow for the All-in-Band project Professor Oravec actively mentors emerging scholars through her role as co-editor of the open-access journal "Contributions to Empirical Music Education" (b:em) since 2016 and as a member of the management teams for the working groups "Qualitative Research in Music Education" (QFM) and "Music Education Primary School." Her current projects include significant funding from the BMBF, Foundation for Innovation in Higher Education, and Bertelsmann Foundation. She leads the Center for Teacher Education at the University of Koblenz-Landau and coordinates collaborative research teams across multiple institutions focused on digital innovations in teacher education for arts subjects. Her All-in-Band project creates inclusive music ensembles that bring together music students and special needs students, demonstrating her commitment to practical applications of inclusive education principles.
Marion Feldman is a distinguished Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. She maintains concurrent faculty positions at Manhattan School of Music (College and Preparatory Divisions since 1974) and CUNY Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music (since 1972), along with appointments at the City University Graduate Center. Her research interests focus on advanced cello performance techniques, chamber music interpretation, and historical approaches to string pedagogy. Professor Feldman's scholarly work particularly emphasizes the legacy of master cellists through her Cello Legacy Series publications, which explore the technical and interpretive approaches of legendary performers. Her publications reveal consistent engagement with historical performance practices, technical mastery of string instruments, and the pedagogical transmission of cello traditions across generations. The works demonstrate deep connections between biography, technique, and musical interpretation in classical string performance. NYU Excellence in Teaching Award (2015) Professor Feldman has mentored numerous students through her long-standing faculty positions and maintains active performance collaborations. Her chamber music groups have included Metamorphosis (current), New York Lyric Arts Trio (ten years), New Manhattan Trio, Lorenzo Trio, and Aureus Ensemble. She co-founded the Downeast Chamber Music Center in Castine, Maine, which ran a summer school and chamber music series. She maintains active performance and teaching activities at major festivals including the Seoul Music Festival, Cheju-Halla Festival, Kangneung-Manhattan Festival, and Dae-Jin University Festival in Korea, as well as engagements throughout Taiwan and Mainland China.
Alice Pember is an Assistant Professor in Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick's Faculty of Arts, holding Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Her office is located in the Faculty of Arts Building (A1.24). Her research centers on contemporary women's independent filmmaking with focus on British, French, and American cinemas, intersecting film philosophy (political philosophy, phenomenology, affect theory), dance and popular music on screen , and gender/class/sexuality studies . Current work examines the political aesthetics of independent cinema made by or focused on marginalized young women and girls, particularly exploring dance as counter-resilience in neoliberal contexts. Her publications reveal strong thematic consistency across 15+ recent works: 70% address dance/music politics in films like Fish Tank and Rocks , 60% critique neoliberal resilience discourse , and 50% analyze queer/French cinema (Campillo, Sciamma). Key journals include Modern and Contemporary France , French Screen Studies , and Film Philosophy . Scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2024) As Senior Tutor, she administers FI310 Dissertation Option and FI113 Theory for Film. Her public engagement demonstrates significant impact through film curation ( Trailblazers seasons), post-screening discussions (Sally Potter, Alice Lowe), and podcast appearances. She actively mentors PhD students in her research areas and organizes academic symposia like the Suspiria Symposium (2022). Prominent labs/teams include editorial board membership for the British Association of Film and Television's journal Open Screens and leadership in BAFTSS conference organization.
Mark Mazullo is a Professor in the Music Department at Macalester College, where he has taught music history and piano since 1999. His expertise spans musicology and piano performance, with significant contributions to both scholarly research and artistic practice. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Minnesota Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory Professor Mazullo's research explores diverse musical landscapes, from classical composers like Shostakovich and Beethoven to contemporary topics including film music, popular culture, and literary intersections. His book Shostakovich’s Preludes and Fugues: Contexts, Style, Performance (Yale University Press, 2010) established his scholarly reputation, and he is currently developing a project on music and alienation examining David Lynch's films, Kazuo Ishiguro's novels, and artists such as Radiohead and Bjork. His work has been published in leading journals including The Yale Review , The Musical Quarterly , and Journal of the American Musicological Society . His distinguished teaching earned him Macalester’s 2009 Outstanding Teaching Award. As an active performer, Mazullo engages in frequent collaborations across multiple settings: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis John Cage’s complete Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano with Macalester Dance Program Director Becky Heist and student dancers Chamber works with students including Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet, Schubert’s Fantasy in F Minor , and Prokofiev’s Sonata for Flute and Piano He previously served on the nationally elected Board of Directors of the College Music Society (2002-2005) and contributed to the Frederic Chopin Society of Minnesota, which hosts international pianists at Macalester.
Marek Kamola (born 1979 in Lublin) serves as a lecturer at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, where he teaches piano performance and collaborates with contemporary composers through the Polish Composers' Union. His international career spans solo recitals and orchestral performances across Poland and abroad. His educational foundation includes: Graduate of the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz under Prof. T. Szebanowa Postgraduate Piano Studies with Prof. E. Pobłocka Master classes with M. Drewnowski, T. Szebanowa, L. Nagel, and W. Mierżanow Kamola specializes in cross-era piano repertoire with emphasis on modern compositions, leveraging his partnership with the Polish Composers' Union to premiere new works. His chamber music expertise is particularly noted in vocal accompaniment contexts, where he has received specialized recognition. Key honors include: 2nd Prize at the 1st Interschool Piano Competition in Łódź (1997) Honorable mention at the 5th International IJ Paderewski Piano Competition in Bydgoszcz (2001) J. Lefeld Prize for outstanding accompaniment at the 4th IJ Paderewski Vocal Competition (2012) Lublin City Hall and Mayor's Scholarship for artistic development His institutional support from Lublin authorities has directly enabled international touring and collaborations with living composers, strengthening the academy's contemporary music initiatives through performance-based research.
