René Izquierdo (Professor, Classical Guitar; Area Head, Guitar) recently performed for WUWM as a part of their Live at Lake Effect web series. Filmed at the Lake Effect Surf Shop in Shorewood, Wis., Izquierdo played a handful of classical pieces …
Michelle Grabner (BFA 1984; MA 1987) was recently featured on Milwaukee PBS in a segment called “The Arts Page,” where Grabner discussed her participation in Actual Fractals Act II, a new exhibition by Sculpture Milwaukee. Grabner’s work in Actual Fractals …
In an article for The New York Times, writer Elisabeth Vincentelli called American Players Theater an “unexpected bright spot” in theatre. To help illustrate her point, she quoted prolific actor Chiké Johnson (BFA 2000, Theatre), who reflected on his experience performing in the rain to fully captivated audiences. The Department of Theatre has strong ties to A.P.T., with many alumni holding positions across various aspects of theatre.
Alum Jacob McDonald (BFA 2013, Music: Guitar) was recently interviewed by Shepherd Express about his Walker’s Point recording studio Density Studios. As the owner and full-time engineer at Density, McDonald has utilized his more than 20 years of audio experience to help artists achieve their musical goals through professional audio services and music lessons.
Dawn Springer (Teaching Faculty I, Dance) was recently featured by Radio Milwaukee for her exploration of ballet traditions and gender norms through her project, “Step of Two.” Springer’s choreography, which featured former Milwaukee Ballet dancers Itzel Hernandez and Anna Hidalgo, showcases two females performing a deconstructed version of the classical ballet piece Pas de Deux. She was interviewed on an episode of Radio Milwaukee’s podcast “Uniquely Milwaukee.”
Milwaukee artist and PSOA alum Fred Kaems (BFA 2016, Art) was recently featured in CBS 58’s ongoing “Art in MKE” series that highlights the work of local artists. Kaems has become a recognizable name in the Milwaukee art scene with murals of his being commissioned throughout the city. He describes his pieces as bringing color to what he feels was previously a “pretty gray” place to be.
PSOA alums Quinn Hester (BFA 2021, Film), Kurt Ravenwood (BFA 2011, Film), and Ryland Tews (BFA 2014, Film) are the creative forces behind Hundreds of Beavers. The black-and-white slapstick comedy has become one of 2024’s most successful independent films. The film was shot under a modest budget of $150,000 across 12 weeks, nine of which were in sub-zero temperatures in northern Wisconsin. Tews, who wrote and starred in the film, discussed this in his recent interview with Variety Magazine.
PSOA faculty Maria Gillespie (Associate Professor, Dance) and Christal Wagner (Lecturer, Dance) recently showcased their collaborative work “Dixit Dominus and Cantos” at Calvary Presbyterian Church. The piece was presented with 13 members of Danceworks Performance MKE, for which Wagner is the artistic director. The work was described by Shepherd Express as one of “the most exciting collaborations in the Milwaukee dance world this season.”
UWM alum Jeremy Novy was recently featured in a comprehensive piece by CBS 58. Novy is best known as the artist behind the black, white, and orange koi fish that get painted throughout city sidewalks, starting in Milwaukee but now branching all around the world. The idea came to Novy following a study abroad trip to China that he took while studying at Peck School of the Arts.
Jesse McLean (Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres) and her feature-length documentary Light Needs were recently featured in an article by Tone Madison. McLean’s film is paired with four experimental shorts for a botanical inspired program in the 2024 Wisconsin Film.
In the article, McLean’s film is described as shining “a light on the responsibility for care towards other living beings,” which she does by prioritizing houseplants as subjects in addition to interview snippets from their owners.
‘Earlybird’ writer-director Martin Kaszubowski (MFA ’14, Film) recently spoke with Kristopher Pollard from Milwaukee Film and Radio Milwaukee’s Dori Zori on the popular podcast Cinebuds. In the episode, Kaszubowski reflected on his time at Peck School of the Arts, specifically noting that his experience with DocUWM and the course, Zen and the Arts of Filmmaking, were instrumental to his development as an artist. Milwaukee audiences may have seen his film, which includes several additional PSOA connections among the cast and crew, when it screened at 2023’s Milwaukee Film Festival. It is now available for streaming.
In March, the UW-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble Chamber Winds performed at the Wisconsin state capitol. Director of Bands, Dr. Thomas Gamboa, spoke with CBS 58 about the opportunity for students to perform. In addition to the beautiful reverb and special nature …
A grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will fund a multiyear creative research project at UWM to support the creation and presentation of a new dance theater work from choreographer, writer, director and filmmaker David Roussève. With the …
As a part of the new Baird Center opening this May in downtown Milwaukee, 21 artists have been commissioned to create original pieces that will be displayed throughout the complex. Among them are four artists who either graduated from or …
Elena Abend (Teaching Faculty and Area Head of Piano) was featured on the Milwaukee PBS show, Adelante. Abend and her husband Orlando Pimentel shared their unique story about how they have recently brought their excellent musical skills to a pair …
