Katherine R. Larson is a Professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) and Vice-Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Undergraduate Programs. Her academic work bridges Early Modern Literature, Gender Studies, and Musicology through groundbreaking research on 16th-17th century women’s writing, embodiment, and song culture. Current projects: Special issue of Sidney Journal , The Post-Pandemic University (Routledge), and Cambridge Companion to Mary Wroth Collaborative initiatives: Co-developer of Early Modern Songscapes digital platform with Sarah Williams and Scott Trudell Research Focus: Integrates feminist theory with textual analysis of early modern poetry, drama, and musical practices. Key themes include gendered soundscapes, spatial production of songs, and critical pedagogy innovations. Awards: John Charles Polanyi Prize for Literature Rhodes Scholarship 2014 Co-Editor Recognition from Society for the Study of Early Modern Women Grant Support: Funded by SSHRC, Connaught Foundation, Folger Shakespeare Library, and Jackman Humanities Institute.
Vincenzo Borghetti is an Associate Professor of Music History at the University of Verona, Italy, where he has been employed since 2008, first as a Lecturer ("ricercatore") until 2017, then promoted to his current position. He previously held teaching positions at the University of Vienna (2015-2016) and was a Lila Wallace–Reader's Digest Fellow at Villa I Tatti, Harvard's Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence (2007-2008). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pavia-Cremona in 2001. His scholarly work centers on Renaissance polyphony and early twentieth-century opera, with particular expertise in music philology, court culture, and the intersection of music with visual arts and literature. Borghetti has made significant contributions to Rossini scholarship through his critical edition of Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra (2016) for the Fondazione Rossini's critical edition series. Borghetti's publications appear in leading journals including Early Music History , Acta musicologica , Journal of the Alamire Foundation , and Imago Musicae . His research demonstrates consistent engagement with both historical musicology and interdisciplinary approaches connecting music to broader cultural contexts. Gabriele D'Annunzio Award (1998) for co-authored monograph Il bacio della Sfinge: D'Annunzio, Pizzetti e "Fedra" Grant from Fritz Thyssen Stiftung (2018) for organizing the International Conference "Books, Images, Objects: The Media of Secular Music in the Medieval and Early Modern Period" As an active scholar in musicology, Borghetti contributes to major reference works including the Handbuch der Musik der Renaissance , demonstrating his standing in the international academic community. His work bridges historical musicology with cultural studies, offering nuanced interpretations of musical practices within their broader social and intellectual contexts.
Anne Piéjus is a CNRS Researcher specializing in Early Modern Music, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches integrating literature, theater, history, and digital humanities. She leads the Mercure galant program, producing enriched editions of music, text, and images while advancing digital methodologies in musicology. Her research includes studies on Italian Renaissance music, French Baroque theater, and music's role in education and devotion. Positions: 1st Class Research Director at CNRS-IReMus (2021–present) Formerly at the Paris Philharmony (2001–2002) and University of Fribourg (2001–2002) Fellowships: Villa Medici (Rome, 1998–2000), Thiers Foundation (1995–1998) Research Interests: Music in early modern press, theater, and education; sacred music in Renaissance Rome; digital humanities; music and politics; interdisciplinary performance studies. Awards: Thorlet Prize (2015), Alfred Verdaguer Prize (2015) Prime d'Encadrement de Recherche (2016, 2020) Prix des Muses (2001) Advising & Grants: Supervises graduate students in the Doctoral School “Concepts et langages”; led ANR-funded research on school spectacles under the Ancien Régime. Labs/Teams: Heads the Mercure galant program and co-founded the European seminar Building Relationships in a Changing World .
Luca Zoppelli is a Professor of Musicology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, since 2000. Previously, he held academic positions at the University of Salento (1993–1998 as Lecturer, then Associate Professor) and taught at several Italian conservatories including Padua, Vicenza, and Lecce. His research focuses on 19th-century opera, Venetian music history, musical dramaturgy, and the aesthetics of Baroque music. He co-directs the critical edition of Vincenzo Bellini's works and served as editor of the Schweizer Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft / Annales Suisses de Musicologie (2008–2019). Education: Studied Musicology and Literature at Ca' Foscari University in Venice (B.A., 1984 under Giovanni Morelli). Specialized in Baroque music aesthetics, operatic narrative structures, and the interplay between music and drama. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary musicological methodologies. Research interests prominently feature operatic composition processes, the role of narrative in music, and the socio-political dimensions of 19th-century Italian opera. His publications critically analyze composers like Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, and Bellini, with notable contributions to understanding musical dramaturgy and the evolution of operatic forms.
Mengxiao Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures from Yale University, an M.A. in Classical Chinese Literature and Philology from Beijing Normal University, and a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature from the same institution. She completed postdoctoral training as a Sheng Yen Postdoctoral Fellow in Chinese Buddhism at the University of California, Berkeley (2019-2021). B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Normal University M.A., Classical Chinese Literature and Philology, Beijing Normal University Ph.D., East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University Postdoctoral Training: Sheng Yen Postdoctoral Fellow in Chinese Buddhism, University of California, Berkeley (2019-2021) Wang specializes in traditional Chinese literature and culture with a primary focus on the interplay between literary production and religious practice, particularly examining how Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian traditions intersect with theatrical performance and literary creation in late imperial China. Her research reveals how religious practices shaped theatrical forms and how literary works served as vehicles for religious expression, with particular attention to gender dynamics within religious contexts. Her current book project, Buddhism and Theatricality in Early Modern China, investigates how monastics and the laity reshaped theater as a form of religious endeavor during the 16th and 17th centuries. Analysis of Wang's 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory exploring the intersections of Chinese literature, religious practice, and theatrical performance across multiple dynastic periods. Her work demonstrates particular expertise in Buddhist influences on Chinese drama, with recurring investigations of specific texts like the Buddhist play Guiyuanjing. She has established a distinctive research niche examining gender representations within religious theatrical contexts and the complex relationships between monastic communities and literary production. Her scholarship spans multiple disciplines including literary history, religious studies, theater studies, and gender studies, with particular strength in textual analysis of primary sources from late imperial China. Wang has taught courses including Introduction to Chinese Culture, Art and Literature; Cultural Topics in East Asian Literature; Classical Chinese I; Chinese Fiction; and specialized seminars on China. Her teaching reflects her research interests in Chinese literature, religion, and cultural history.
Bryan Bowser serves as Associate Dean for Theatre Arts & Entrepreneurship, Program Director and Associate Professor of Arts Management & Entrepreneurship, and Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies at Baldwin Wallace University's Conservatory of Performing Arts. He holds dual degrees from the institution: an MBA in Entrepreneurship and a Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.). His educational background includes: MBA in Entrepreneurship from Baldwin Wallace University B.M.E. (Bachelor of Music Education) from Baldwin Wallace University Bowser's professional focus centers on arts management, entrepreneurship in creative sectors, and inclusive arts education. As a passionate advocate for community engagement, he has presented research at major conferences including the Association of Arts Administration Educators, College Music Society, Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and National Guild for Community Arts Education. His work bridges academic theory with practical non-profit leadership. His administrative leadership encompasses advising students in the Arts Management program and managing comprehensive Conservatory operations. Previously as associate director of external affairs, he directed community arts initiatives, summer programs, and opera productions while overseeing fundraising, marketing, and alumni relations. This operational expertise was honed during three seasons as director of operations and development at Lyric Opera Cleveland prior to his return to Baldwin Wallace. Community impact defines Bowser's career through board leadership roles including president of the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, chair of the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Central Great Lakes Region, and board member of The Brecksville Theatre.
Olga Wołkowa serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with a career spanning over four decades in opera and concert performance. She has held positions as repetiteur at Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz since 1993 and previously served as chief repetiteur and Artistic Council member at the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine) from 1984 to 1993. She graduated from the Kharkiv Conservatory (Ukraine) in 1978 under Professor Maria Yeshchenko's piano instruction. Wołkowa's professional expertise encompasses: Opera preparation and performance across major works including Mozart's Don Giovanni, Rossini's The Barber of Seville, and Ravel's The Child and the Spells Vocal competition accompaniment for prestigious events like the S. Moniuszko Competition and Ada Sari Competition International concert performances as both soloist and collaborator throughout Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Italy, and Germany Her contributions include extensive radio/television recordings, preparation of harpsichord/celesta parts for operas, and accompaniment for the Festival of Music Competition Winners in Bydgoszcz.
Professor Lisa Barg serves as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Music at McGill University's Schulich School of Music. Her research focuses on gender, race, and sexuality in 20th-century music, with notable work on Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Melba Liston. She co-edits the Women and Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture . Education: B.A. (Antioch College, 1987), M.A. and Ph.D. (SUNY Stony Brook, 1994/2001). Research Interests: Jazz studies, feminist musicology, modernist histories, opera/music-theater, cultural theory, and collaboration. Her work intersects queer theory, Black music history, and critical race studies. Recent Research: Her book Queer Arrangements: Billy Strayhorn and Midcentury Jazz Collaboration (2023) examines Strayhorn’s music at the intersection of jazz and Black queer history. Funded projects include SSHRC grants on collaborative creativity in music recording. Awards: Kurt Weill Prize (2000), Philip Brett Award (2013) Grants: SSHRC Principal Investigator for “Collaborative Creativity: Sound Recording and Music Making” Teaching includes undergraduate courses on 20th/21st-century music and opera, alongside graduate seminars on gender and jazz, feminist musicology, and avant-garde performance.
Susan McClary is the Fynette H. Kulas Professor of Music at Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Music (College of Arts and Sciences). A globally influential scholar, she has held professorships at the University of Minnesota, McGill University, UCLA, and the University of Oslo. Her work redefines music analysis by addressing its cultural, social, and gendered dimensions, challenging traditional aesthetic frameworks. Education : PhD in Music (Harvard University, 1976). Earlier degrees include a B.Mus. from Southern Illinois University (SIU). Research Focus : McClary’s interdisciplinary research spans the European classical canon and contemporary popular music. Key themes include gender in music, musical form’s socio-political content, and the intersection of music with identity, particularly in Renaissance and Baroque eras. Her approach emphasizes music as a dynamic social practice rather than an abstract art form. Publications & Impact : She authored landmark books such as Feminine Endings (1991) and Conventional Wisdom (2000), translated into 20+ languages. Her writings bridge musicology with feminist theory, cultural studies, and critical social analysis. Awards : 1995 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship Advising : Oversaw over 50 doctoral dissertations Courses Taught : Music History, Music Theory, Early-Music Performance Practices Her work remains foundational in redefining music’s role in sociocultural contexts.
Flora Willson is a Senior Lecturer in Music at King's College London, affiliated with the Department of Music within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She holds a PhD from King's College London and previously held fellowships at King's College Cambridge and King's College London. Her research focuses on 19th-century opera, urban and cultural history, and music's material culture. Education: BA Music (Selwyn College, Cambridge); MMus and PhD (King’s College London). Research Interests: Willson examines evolving concepts of music production/consumption in the 19th century, with special attention to operatic canons, technological impacts on opera, and cross-cultural musical exchanges. Notable projects include a book on opera’s ties to urban infrastructure in 1890s London/Paris/New York, exploring travel/communication technologies' influence on operatic institutions and performers. Publications reflect her expertise in Puccini, Meyerbeer, Verdi, and opera’s relationship with war/cultural memory. She frequently engages with public audiences through Guardian columns, BBC Radio 3 appearances, and program notes for major opera houses like the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne. Teaching spans all undergraduate levels with a focus on 19th-century music history, while postgraduate teaching includes research methodologies and specialized opera topics. She has supervised numerous dissertations and advised on projects ranging from film music to dance studies. Grants include leading the ERC-funded 'Music in London 1800–1851' project (2013–2018). She collaborates with institutions like the BBC Proms and Royal Opera House, offering academic communication consultancy. Labs/Teams: Core member of King’s Music Department research group, contributing to interdisciplinary projects linking musicology with urban studies and digital humanities.
Martha Elliott is a Lecturer in Voice at Princeton University's Music Department since 1985. She has performed globally with ensembles like Continuum and the Princeton University Orchestra, and her teaching focuses on vocal performance practices from Baroque to contemporary music. A.B. cum laude, Princeton University (1982) M.M., Juilliard School (1984) Fellowship at Aspen Music School (1983) Fellowship at Tanglewood Music Festival (1984) Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute (1987) Her research interests include historical performance practice , Baroque singing , and mindfulness in vocal pedagogy . She has also explored menopause and vocal health , with publications on the topic. Her publications, including two books, emphasize Baroque music and historical vocal techniques . Academic keywords span musicology , early music , and vocal education . Martha Elliott has received recognition including a Grammy nomination for her performance in 2005 and critical acclaim for her books in Early Music America and Classical Singer Magazine . She has taught generations of vocal students, many of whom pursued professional careers in musical theatre, opera, and graduate programs. Her courses at Princeton include German Lieder , Baroque Vocal Chamber Music , and musical theatre .
Dr. Chang Bi-Yu is a Researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and a Visiting Fellow at Ruhr University Bochum. Her work focuses on the interplay of culture and power, particularly in the context of Taiwanese identity formation, cultural policy, and spatial representation. She holds a PhD from an unspecified institution, with her dissertation examining Taiwan's post-war cultural policies (1945-2001). Her research has been funded by grants including the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation and Taiwan's Ministry of Education. Key projects include analyzing cartographic representations of 'China' in Taiwanese maps and exploring spatial constructs like Chung-hsin New Village. She is co-editing Imaging Taiwan and authoring a monograph on spatial narratives in post-war Taiwan. Her work bridges cultural studies, political history, and geography, emphasizing how state power shapes national identity through cultural and spatial frameworks.
Sarah J. Townsend is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the College of the Liberal Arts. She holds a PhD from New York University and a BA from the University of Iowa. Her research integrates Marxist theory, political ecology, and performance studies to explore intersections between culture and capitalism in Latin America and beyond. Education: PhD in Spanish & Portuguese (NYU), BA in Spanish (University of Iowa) Her current projects include Opera in the Amazon: Culture, Capital, and the Global Jungle , analyzing the Teatro Amazonas opera house’s role in rubber-boom era capitalism, and Rio-mar, Mare internum , examining transnational connections between the Amazon and Mediterranean regions. She has held prestigious fellowships, including the ACLS Burkhardt Residential Fellowship (2021–2022). Research interests span Amazonian studies, avant-garde theater, sound studies, and critical race theory. Notable publications include The Unfinished Art of Theater: Avant-Garde Intellectuals in Mexico and Brazil (2018), winner of multiple awards, and co-edited volumes like Stages of Conflict (2008). Awards: Modern Drama Outstanding Article Prize (2018), ACLS Burkhardt Fellowship (2020) Academic service includes organizing the Hemispheric Americas lecture series and leading the Redesigning Modernities grant project. Teaching focuses on Latin American performance, modernisms, and cultural ecology, with courses in Portuguese, Spanish, and English.
Michael Symmons Roberts is Professor of Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, within the Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Humanities. A renowned poet, librettist, and broadcaster, he holds a degree in Philosophy and Theology from Oxford University and was formerly Executive Producer at BBC Religion & Ethics. Full Name: Michael Symmons Roberts Position: Professor of Poetry Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University Department: Department of English Field: Poetry and Creative Writing His research interests center on modern and contemporary poetry, with a particular focus on intersections between poetry and theology, science, music, and broadcast media. He is deeply engaged in exploring how poetic form interacts with spiritual, scientific, and ethical questions, often through collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. Michael’s recent publications and creative works reflect a sustained exploration of spiritual and existential themes. His poetry collections such as Drysalter and Ransom , radio dramas like Paradise Lost and Utopia , and choral works including Quickening and The Birds of Rhiannon demonstrate a consistent engagement with religious symbolism, myth, and the human condition. His works are frequently shortlisted for major literary prizes, highlighting their critical acclaim. Among his many honors are the Forward Poetry Prize (twice), the Costa Poetry Prize, the T.S. Eliot Prize shortlist (five times), the Jerwood Award for Non-Fiction, and the Sandford St. Martin Award. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a trustee of the Royal Literary Fund. Forward Poetry Prize for Best Collection (2013, 2004) Costa Poetry Prize (2013) T.S. Eliot Prize Shortlist (2001, 2004, 2013, 2017, 2021) Fellowship of the Royal Society of Literature (2014) Whitbread Poetry Award (2004) Eric Gregory Award (1988) BBC Audio Drama Awards (2013, 2014) He supervises PhD students in poetry and creative writing, teaches campus and online workshops, and is active in public engagement through performances, radio broadcasts, and commemorative poetry projects. His collaborations with composer James MacMillan have resulted in major commissions for the BBC Proms, Royal Opera House, and Welsh National Opera, underscoring his impact across literature and music. He has not been associated with any formal research lab but leads creative teams in interdisciplinary performance and literary projects.
Anna Mikolon is a Professor at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk, where she serves as Head of the Inter-Faculty Department of Accompaniment since 2022. She also works as a pianist-repetiteur in the Faculty of Vocal and Acting and as a piano teacher and accompanist at the Complex of Music Schools in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz. PhD in Musical Arts (2018) Doctoral studies at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk Graduated from Grażyna Bacewicz State Primary School of Music and Fryderyk Chopin State Secondary School of Music Her research focuses on Vocal Music , Chamber Music , and Music Pedagogy , with notable monographs on the interpretation of Shostakovich's works and the role of imagination in pianist education. Recent publications explore Ukrainian influences in Noskowski's piano music and social impacts of children's songs. Anna's artistic career spans 1,300+ concerts across Europe, including collaborations with the Baltic Opera and participation in festivals like Gdańsk Music Summer. She has received the Cultural Scholarship of the City of Gdańsk and multiple competition awards as an accompanist. Her scientific awards include: First Prize, Early Music Competition (Łódź) First Prize, Solfeggio Competition (Łódź) Cultural Scholarship of the City of Gdańsk (2017) She has contributed to numerous student awards through her accompaniment and teaching, and her work integrates interdisciplinary influences from theatre, literature, and visual arts into musical interpretation.
