Jay Mollerskov (MM 2006, Music Composition & Theory) has been named ArtRoot’s writer-in-residence for the first half of 2026. While studying at the Peck School of the Arts, Mollerskov was influenced by former music department faculty Hal Rammel, Steve Nelson-Raney, and the late Dr. Yehuda Yannay.
In ArtRoot’s January 10 announcement, Mollerskov reflects on his background as a musician, his creative interests across multiple art forms, and what he hopes to explore during the residency. He also describes how his perspective shifted after watching Don’t Look Back, a documentary following Bob Dylan.
“I came away from the documentary with a personal realization,” Mollerskov explained. “While I had spent decades as a musician with a hand in many/most of the other arts, I couldn’t name almost any poets newer than Kerouac or Ginsberg (from whom we are a half-century removed) aside from a few local friends! This was something I needed to remedy!”
That realization prompted Mollerskov to more deeply engage with contemporary poetry and return to writing, a focus that will inform his work as ArtRoot’s writer-in-residence.
To read Mollerskov’s full statement, ArtRoot.