Cristle Collins Judd

Cristle Collins Judd is a distinguished academic and scholar in music theory, holding the title of Music Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Music Emerita at Bowdoin College. She has served as Dean from 2006 to 2015, overseeing academic affairs, faculty, and curriculum. Previously, she was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania for 13 years and later worked at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Currently, she serves as President of Sarah Lawrence College.

Her research focuses on early music, Renaissance music theory, and the works of Gioseffo Zarlino. She has authored seminal books like Reading Renaissance Music Theory and Tonal Structures in Early Music, earning awards such as the Wallace Berry Award and the Emerging Scholar Award. Her work bridges theory and practice, analyzing Zarlino’s compositions and theoretical writings.

Education: PhD in Music (King's College, London), MMus (King's College, London), MM (Rice University), BM (Rice University). She has held leadership roles in organizations like the American Musicological Society and Society for Music Theory, contributing to editorial boards and grant reviews.

Award-winning educator, Judd taught music theory, Renaissance studies, and composition. Her career highlights include critical editions of Zarlino’s motets and collaborations with early music ensembles like Ensemble Plus Ultra and Singer Pur. She remains active in musicology, administration, and interdisciplinary scholarship.