Department of Music and Theatre Abstracts

Presenter(s): Laurel Izzo, Sam Landy

Showcase Advisor: Anne Croteau

Abstract: This year University of Albany Theatre program produced the plays, In The Blood, Our Town, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The costume shop was tasked with curating costumes for each production. In this presentation student assistants Sam Landy and Laurel Izzo show the opportunities they had this year such as fine tailoring suits for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Additionally, Landy was costume designer for In The Blood, an opportunity only give to one student each year. The result of these productions exemplify their skills as seniors. They are excited to explain their work to the UAlbany community and any future employers.

Presenter(s): Khair Ali, Kevin Beam, Stephanie Blanco, Sean Boschulte, Elijah Dauphin, Jonatan De La Rosa Ruballos, Taylor Hutchinson, Jarrett Jacobs, Jordan Medina, Yhalani Miller, Jayden Ng, Jarvis Nyantakyi, Arianna Olivier, Nicole Orellana, Lucas Pulley, Aiden Sanders, Darren Seegobin, Mike Seney, Brandon Sydnor, Tyanne Tanor

Showcase Advisor: Kyra Gaunt

Abstract: A Mixtape for Big Ears in Ethnomusicology is a panel and listening session showcasing mini audio papers created by learners in AMUS 309: Musics of the World (led by Associate Professor Kyra Gaunt). Centering the audio paper as a method for advancing new possibilities for sonic research, the project treats sound not only as an object of study but as a mode of scholarly inquiry.

Drawing on ethnomusicology and sound studies, students produce short works grounded in genre, place, and analytical lens. A curated selection of 2–3 minute audio papers will be presented, followed by discussion. Inspired by the Audio Paper Manifesto, these works foreground performative aesthetics, situated and partial knowledge, affect, and multimodal argumentation. The session invites reflection on listening through lens as a way to broaden cultural perspectives and unsettle U.S.-centered ears that can limit knowledge and flatten the lived meanings of sound for communities beyond Euro-American norms.

Presenter(s): Aidan Doherty, Aria Curcio, Cifer Ruswick, Daniel Frooks, Eli Pardo, Emma Clements, Gabriel Ross, Jacqueline Dennehy, Jason Lambert, Jason Scott, Joseph Bonfiglio, Juniper Zhanglam, Justin Ault, Justin Murphy, Matthew Houlihan, Oliver Mercurio, Patrick Mahar, Renald Mendez, Ripti Gope, Sean Kearney, Simone Silverberg, Vincent Zheng, Zihao Luo

Showcase Advisor: Thomas Wilson

Abstract: Wwise is a powerful audio middleware software used to program music and sound in games. In this demonstration, I will showcase how to integrate sound effects and music into video games.