(upbeat music) - Good afternoon, how's everyone doing today?

(crowd cheering) On behalf of my faculty and staff colleagues, I welcome you to the College of Music Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremony, in attendance, our distinguished guest and speakers, alumni, family and friends, and of course our graduates.

Your undergraduate years at Michigan State University have been marked by extraordinary events that I suspect you will remember for a lifetime much as we will remember this class, we congratulate you on your tenacity and resilience, your flexibility, your talent, and your significant achievements during and through these unprecedented times.

Class of 2023, would you please stand so we can celebrate and applaud you?

(cheering) Thank you.

We now ask all to please rise and join with students and faculty in singing "America the Beautiful" led by graduating senior Kimberly Cooper with graduating seniors Paula Duo Rodriguez and Dylan Kelly.

(cheering) (upbeat music) ♪ O beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ For amber waves of grain ♪ ♪ For purple mountain majesties ♪ ♪ Above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ America, America, God shed His grace on thee ♪ ♪ And crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ From sea to shining sea ♪ (cheering) - Today we bring together our graduates, along with their families and friends to honor you and your accomplishments.

While being mindful that our community is still mourning the violence we experienced on February 13th, it may feel a bit uncomfortable to celebrate while that occasion still consumes so much of our thoughts and feelings, we are dedicated to supporting everyone who is impacted by this event, including the students who are injured, witnesses to the violence and families of those who were injured or passed and as you know, this came very close to our own music community.

As we begin to shift to a celebration of your accomplishments, let us pause for a moment of silence to consider how we live our lives in a way that honors all Spartans, including those who are no longer with us.

Thank you.

The occasion of this ceremony finds us assembled in gratitude for a university and college community and for a faculty and student body in which we take tremendous pride, beyond words of celebration and ceremony, our program today will appropriately include performances from graduating seniors.

This sampling represents only a small part of the talent within this class.

Each of you have developed and expressed your talents individually and collectively in class, in solo performance, in ensembles and through internships and community service.

Through the work you have accomplished over the past years, you have become collaborators in the best sense of the word and we know you are prepared to go forth and make the world a better place through the power of music.

It is also appropriate on this occasion to recognize the people who have made this day possible in many respects, we have in the audience today those individuals whose constant support and love have sustained you during your time at MSU with the parents, relatives, and the loved ones of our graduates.

Please stand so we can recognize and thank you.

(cheering) Behind me sits a very important group of people who have been dedicated to your success, they have taught you, mentored you, nagged you, nurtured you in your growth as composers, music educators, performers, scholars, and future leaders of your professions and communities.

And indeed, I guess I would say many of us also learn from you, will the faculty please stand to receive our recognition and our appreciation.

(cheering) Thank you.

My thanks as well to Professor Rodney Whitaker and the MSU Jazz Orchestra One as well as to the members of the class of 2023 who are providing musical selections as part of the celebration today.

And I also would like to acknowledge Andrea Kleiver, who will be captioning our ceremony today.

Thank you Ms. Kleiver.

Finally, many folks in the front row will be getting up to make some comments.

There is one who's not scheduled in the script, so I thought I would recognize and ask a person to stand who has made a significant difference for our education through the support of scholarships and the creation of the Billman Pavilion, this is Dr. James Billman.

(cheering) At this time, would you please join me in welcoming to the stage graduating seniors, Noah Mullet and Angel Hernandez who will perform "Hats Off" composed by Noah Mullet.

(cheering) (upbeat music) (cheering) We now have the pleasure of presenting the College of Music Distinguished Alumni Award to our commencement speaker, Christian Habel, Christian, would you please join me at the podium?

A native of Plymouth, Michigan.

Christian Habel was inspired to play the violin at a young age, after hard work through his early years, he graduated in 1999 from the MSU College of Music with a bachelor's degree in music performance and while in the Lansing area, he also served as associate concert master of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gustav Meyer.

He subsequently earned a master's degree from the Manis College of Music and went on to develop one of the most successful and diverse musical careers imaginable, always interested in wide ranging styles of music.

Christian developed a Moultrie genre portfolio career in days when that was really not in fashion and prior to the time that MSU and many other universities formerly developed such a focus on entrepreneurial musicianship, he has spoken of an important connection he made while on the MSU campus with William David Brohn, one of the all-time successful Broadway musical orchestrators and a founding member of our College of Music National Leadership Council, and with encouragement to strike out in different ways from Bill, he developed his unique talent and became a major musical voice on Broadway, including 12 years as concert master for the New York City production of Wicked.

He also learned or earned a lot of frequent flyer miles because he was traveling from Los Angeles to New York to do that on weekends as I recall, he went on to perform as a recital and guest soloists around the world performing as concert master and soloists at some of the most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, London's 02 Arena, and the Hollywood Bowl to name a few.

His mastery of the violin in both classical and popular music has led him to frequent high profile jobs in the worlds of popular music, Hollywood, Broadway, and television.

He has toured the world with rock and pop music icons including music Streisand, Barbara Streisand for whom he served as music director and Billy Joel and he performed and soloed with luminaries like Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and Beyonce.

You have likely heard his violin and some of Hollywood's biggest film scores including the Social Network, Life of Pie, Moneyball and X-Men.

He has accomplished all of this in addition to his classical music work with a particular focus and love for contemporary music and somehow along the way he found time to appear and perform on numerous national television programs and granny award winning albums.

Since 2014, Christian began his long association as an artistic director and master artist with the National Young Arts Foundation with whom he has directed performances at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York Live Arts and the Kennedy Center.

Together with this work, he is a nominator for the prestigious US presidential scholar in the arts.

Christian Habel is a superb example of success through hard work, talent, diversification and professionalism across multiple spheres, and he stands as one of the few professional violinists who can straddle multiple genres without missing a beat.

On behalf of the faculty, students, and staff of the College of Music, we congratulate you, Christian, for your distinctive and highly successful artistic career.

Also, thanks so much for sharing so much in the last three days, I think we had you booked pretty much full-time in the last two days, thank you for that.

We are proud to present you with the 2023 College of Music Distinguished Alumni Award.

Please accept this pylon and care stipend in recognition of your significant achievements.

I believe Dr. Rail has a presentation.

Congratulations.

(cheering) Please welcome our distinguished commencement speaker Christian Habel and I'll take this off your hands.

- Thank you, you get that?

Thank you Dean Forger, graduates, loved ones and distinguished faculty.

I'm grateful to Michigan State University for inviting me to be with you today with such an honor and one that I will value always.

The last time I was invited to Michigan State, the trip lasted five years and tens of thousands in student loans.

I can see from many of your paint expressions over here that you know or will know this truth.

Let me express another.

It was worth it.

It's been almost three decades since I walked these halls with dear friends and studied under these incredible professors and my appreciation for this university family has only increased with each passing year because they gave me the tools that I needed to do what I love.

You don't need to tell.

You don't need me to tell you that the music industry is one of the toughest to make it in.

We've all heard that it takes talent, hard work, and resilience to truly succeed.

Each one of you graduates is a testament to all three of those tenants, your talent is undeniable.

It's why you're invited here.

Your hard work put you in those chairs and your resilience is what will carry you from this day and into your individual futures.

As musicians, we impact the world in ways others can only dream of.

I am proud of what MSU prepared you for and thrilled for what is yet to come.

It's surreal to be back on this stage.

I've stood on this very spot as a student and as a professional, and now today I'm a guide, a signpost or perhaps a warning or or better yet, a reminder of what matters, where we spend our time is the greatest decision we will make in our lives.

You've been wise so far in spending it here and I have what I hope are some helpful suggestions for you, how you should spend it next.

Real Corro, your preparedness for the real world is not what you've learned but in the questions you've learned how to ask yourself.

I've found that by embracing these next concepts it will help you discover what those questions are, say yes.

Some of my greatest successes came from opportunities where I felt completely unprepared.

I've said yes to jobs I felt unqualified for, and these situations forced me into a state of belief in myself and in the proof of results garnered by extreme diligence and hard work.

My first lesson in saying yes happened right across campus in what used to be Heart Recital Hall, there were 25 of us, a mix of undergrads and grad students, sitting at the feet of our new instructor brand from Marcellas.

I was the only string player.

I wasn't a jazz musician and however, I was so appreciative of his art that I felt the need to learn from him.

He started assigning us to B-bop, early jazz and Latin jazz combos and he wanted a Dixieland combo because of his upbringing in New Orleans, but none of the guitarists played banjo, with no takers, I raised my hand and said I would learn and he gave me a little smile and said, "All right, violin boy, get yourself a banjo."

(chuckling) So Elderly Instruments just down the road gave me a deal on a worn tenor banjo and it stood up to my incessant practicing and my work led me to a proficiency I didn't know I could have and an instrument I didn't think I would love.

That Dixieland band ended up getting a lot of gigs around town and I made incredible friends from it and Branford would later give me private lessons on violin for jazz and improvisation.

I'll never forget how he taught me the art of listening in those sessions and how jumping in at an uncomfortable opportunity led to such a gift.

Your life will be an improvisation, no matter how well you plan.

None of us knows what is going to happen next.

The best we can do is show up and be ready to say yes, which also includes being ready to fail.

Failure is my next concept to impart on you and it's gonna happen, it has already happened.

It will happen and you must be ready for it.

Better yet, you must look forward to it.

In our pursuit of being artists, we strive for perfection.

We are constantly trying to capture that perfect thing.

It's what led me to study here and to practice for countless hours, but I've learned that however enticing perfection is as a goal, it is only a point of departure.

It is the missteps and the failures and how you respond that will shape you into the fully dimensional artist and human being that you are meant to be.

It's a tough concept for perfectionists.

I understand, I am one and failure hurts, but with it comes flexibility, humility, resilience and compassion.

Each misstep becomes simply a step the further along the path you get, which begs to question what exactly is a failure, each day after school, I ask my six year old son, Henry, to share with me not an achievement or the best thing that happened to him but what mistakes he made or something that didn't go right for him, after he shares with me what the mistakes were, usually snack related.

We discuss what he learned from it.

I understand how taxing the pursuit of perfection can be.

The struggle is real for a kindergartner and for a 40 year old, but if I can teach Henry the value of failing, I will have led him to acquire the skills and knowledge that will allow him to discover who he truly is.

What missteps in your own lives will become the steps that lead you to where you are, which mistakes will become the lessons you live by?

Please embed failure in your process.

It is the epic part of creativity, the truest catalyst for the creation of self.

These next several months explore more, take risks and get out of your comfort zone.

You've mastered practice, now surrender yourself to the art and see what comes next.

I believe failure is always a prerequisite to success.

I definitely already see you, the class of 2023, as living proof of it.

Not only did you overcome the challenges and interruptions of Covid 19, but you lived through these last few unthinkable months here in East Lansing for which you have my utmost respect.

I watched along with the rest of the world and I am in awe of your resilience and your courage.

You have what it takes to rebuild and succeed.

Continue to be bold in your choices.

I'd like to impact one more piece of advice.

It is about collaboration of which I am sure many of you already embrace and find value in, the concept of terroir and wines comes to mind, for those unfamiliar, it's the idea of that the surrounding area in which the wine is produced directly affects the characteristics of the wine.

The people that you surround yourself with will absolutely affect your art and every aspect of it, your motivation, your creativity, dedication and inspiration are all subject to the collaborators you keep, choose them well, cut out those who wish to drain your creativity.

We all know people who are negative and unmotivated and uninspired.

Being around that will make it more difficult for you to create meaningful work.

Seek out people who will push you and expect more.

Find those artists that demand your attention and encourage the growth of your inspiration.

Sometimes you get lucky, Bill Brohn, who Dean Forger just mentioned and whose name you see on the wall outside Cook Recital Hall's green room is my great example.

My relationship with Bill started here my sophomore year when he gave the talk at the College of Music.

I was fascinated by his prolific writing in so many formats and I couldn't help but pick his brain, which he generously made available to me, over the years, I played for him, conversed with him and even advised him on his work with the New York Phil and his writing for Joshua Bell.

His presence helped me grow in immeasurable ways and I was lucky to count him as a mentor and a close friend and it all started here.

Invest time in the people around you.

You never know who you will become a vital part of your journey, years after my graduation, Bill was doing a tiny show about to go to Broadway called Wicked and I was chosen by him to be the concert master and it changed my life.

Bill changed my life.

He made me a better artist and a person and I hope you find people like that, to the parents, family and friends here today.

The sacrifices you've all made and the support you've given may not be as appreciated as you'd like right now, but trust me, there will be a moment of recognition coming, graduates, try to never forget that you didn't arrive at this moment alone.

Try to take a moment to think on it and share your appreciation, to my mom and dad, I'm talking to you.

Thank you both so much for the infinite ways that you supported and inspired me.

Thank you and I love you both so much.

Who is it in your life who helped you get here?

Find a moment in the coming weeks to reach out to that person, those people, 'cause before you know it, some of them will be gone, though it sounds like a cliche, it all goes so fast and the older you get, the faster time moves.

Don't miss the opportunity to express how you feel.

That act of gratitude only has upsides and acknowledging it leads to joy in humility, which ultimately is the measure of your humanity, graduates, I wish the best as you move forward into these next phase of your lives.

I hope my advice will give you some aid during the rougher moments and never forget that we all believe in you, we all hope for your success.

Be sure as Rilke advised to find the questions you need to ask yourself to further your own growth because your talents and gifts are desperately needed in this world and I am waiting in anticipation for what you will create.

Congratulations class of 2023.

Congratulations to your family and friends and good luck.

(cheering) - Thank you Christian for sharing your vast experience and with those wonderful words, please now welcome the MSU Jazz Orchestra One, conducted by university distinguished professor, Rodney Whitaker, featuring graduating jazz studies majors, Evan Hadley, Steven Bowman, Hugh Downs, Joshua Watkins, Eli Howell, and Jeremiah Flack as they perform the Rodney Whitaker composition, "A Mother's Cry", arranged by Jason Hainsworth.

(upbeat music) (cheering) Thank you Jazz Orchestra One.

We are honored that MSU trustee Kelly Tebay has joined us at this ceremony today.

She was elected to the board of trustees for an eight year term that began on January 1st, 2019.

Would you please welcome the honorable Kelly Tebay?

(clapping) - Thank you Dean Forger, this is my, I just wanna say this is my eighth graduation in the last two days and I was with you guys for James Madison's.

This was even better and you guys are by far my favorite part about all the graduation, so thank you all.

Jazz orchestra One.

(cheering) On behalf of the MSU board of trustees, I welcome all the graduates families and friends who are with us at this afternoon's graduation undergraduate commencement, under the Michigan Constitution, the board of trustees is the governing body of the university by whose authority degrees are awarded.

Today's ceremony represents the culmination of discipline, intellectual work, and creative imagination.

Certainly no small accomplishment, for many of you and your family's here today, the sacrifices have been long and great.

The degree you have earned acknowledges your success and honors those who have encouraged it.

Our wish is that you will always be leaders who generously use your intelligence and your knowledge to improve the quality of life for your community, to advance the common good and to renew hope in the human spirit.

Our faculty, the administration, and the MSU trustees are all very proud of you.

Please accept our warmest congratulations and best wishes.

Go green.

(cheering) - Good afternoon, I'm Richard Desinord, Assistant Professor of Music Theory here at MSU.

When Phoenix asked me to introduce her today, I was honored, there's much I can say, but I'll keep my remarks short.

I got a chance to meet Phoenix about a year ago when I interviewed for my current position.

She was an undergraduate student representative on the search committee and we bonded over our shared music interests and our desire to see a more inclusive and diverse faculty here at MSU.

Little did I know that we shared a little bit more in common as I shared more about my background, I mentioned being from the DC and the DC area and growing up in the DMV.

Eventually graduated from Suitland High School in Maryland.

Phoenix eyes got wide and she covered her mouth and said, "Oh my God."

and I said, "What's wrong?"

And I thought I just said something wrong, wasn't gonna get the job, but she mentioned that she quickly mentioned that she also graduated from Suitland High School, so it was a full circle moment for myself and her and it was one of the last things that kind of told me this is probably where I need to be, I could say much more about Phoenix.

I went to her recital.

I thought it was Beyonce in the hallway with so many people in the hallway crowded up to greet her, but again, I'm not gonna keep you too long.

I know you really wanna hear Phoenix, so please join me in welcoming Phoenix Miranda.

(cheering) - Thank you for that wonderful introduction, thank you.

I just wanna sit up here for a second and look at y'all.

Wow.

All right.

Greetings, all distinguished guests, faculty, family, friends, and most especially the graduating class of 2023.

Let's clap it up.

(cheering) Yeah.

Thank you to the faculty and friends that encouraged me to speak to you all today, I'm so grateful.

Everyone just look around.

There's a lot of loving here and I just want us to be present in this moment.

It's a lot of go, go, go, but like you have family, loved ones, friends in the audience, like wave to them, like just take this moment.

Yeah.

Four years ago, we all made the decision to come to Michigan State University.

It personally took a leap of faith from me because my initial dream was to go to a conservatory as opposed to a university.

Ironically, I don't think I would've liked that as much as I have liked this, many of our stomping grounds began at what students may know as the great white north.

If you know who you know, despite the initial side eye, I remember West Circle gems like Landon's morning omelet station.

Were you in, y'all know, y'all know.

Were you in here good on Mary ask, "What you want, what you want?"

They would turn it one way if you want it scrambled and the other way if you wanted an omelet, those who get it, get it.

I remember late night rug talks with friends and jam sessions with cats and Campbell Hall.

We had the union jumping many time, many times.

I remember having our first diction class outside in the garden, clocking into 8:00 AM theory and learning that species counterpoint had everything to do with music and nothing to do with biology.

Yeah, I remember catching rides with new friends to local concerts, music festivals and campus events.

Initially, this place seemed like a jungle to me, but eventually it all started feeling like home.

Right after our first college spring break, we were immediately told to evacuate campus due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Some of us lost the luxury of practicing every day or fulfilling our daily schedules as planned.

Being a music student online was no joke.

We really had to adjust to a lot of uncomfortable things.

I personally spent every day in an unfinished basement with storage all around me.

There was a small area ready for when I was on camera, so while there was chaos around me, at least it wasn't noticeable to those watching.

Similarly enough, many of you all were going through your own invisible battles.

While you may have seemed okay, around you, your worlds were crumbling.

Thank you for hanging in there.

I'm proud of you for fighting the battles that no one knows about.

(clapping) We then came back junior year with new fire, some determined to make the most of the time we had left, others ready to go, and that's all right, to those who entered with us with this class and later transitioned to new opportunities during this time, my love goes out to you all and you are still a special part of this class.

I saw my friends sing lead roles in operas and play the most beautiful solo lines and concerts, I watched many of you all, receive grants for your artistic ideas, win competition.

Shout out to y'all one.

Y'all remember that and new leadership positions.

Shout out to all of my fellow RAs and campus leaders.

What we deal with trying to build, grow, and advocate for communities, especially those who are underrepresented is unmatched, after being called out of your name by drunken students and parents, y'all heard that right?

Dealing with late night incidents on duty, navigating politics with staff and administration, being the mediator and healer in moments of crisis, along with dealing with your own personal life, you still showed up every day ready to be of service and if no one else says it today, know that I see you and I'm proud of you.

Life on campus seemed to be at its peak senior year, you know, since everything was back to normal.

I remember signing up for everything, just trying to make up for lost time, much love to the coloring music family and all the collaborating organizations for all the fun we had, much of us embarked on the graduate school journey all the while making sure we were on track to graduate.

Just when it seemed like we would finally have a normal spring semester, we were hit with a nearly five hour lockdown that shook our community to the core.

My heart continues to go out to the families of our Spartans who have transitioned on and those continuing to heal.

We have really been through the unimaginable.

Don't let anyone take this moment from you, even if the most you did these four years will simply be, know that that was enough because you're here today.

We are a resilient group, we are creative, we are thinkers.

The world needs us, the world needs you.

Don't forget that and it has been just an honor completing these last four years with y'all, so I send y'all my love and I just hope y'all go out there and be great like I know you will.

Thank you.

(cheering) - Good afternoon, I am Joanna Bossi, associate Dean for Academic Services and professor of ethnomusicology.

Would you now welcome to the stage graduating seniors, once again, Phoenix, Miranda, Natalie Sweeney, Jamie Eagle, and Dylan Kelly who will perform "Soave sia il Vento" from Così fan tutte, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

(crowd cheering) (upbeat music) (singing in Italian) (upbeat music) (crowd cheering) - I'm David Rail, director of Coral Programs and senior Associate Dean for graduate studies and research and creative endeavors.

Then we now take this opportunity to present some special awards.

We have the pleasure of awarding the Dortha J and John D Withrow Excellence in Teaching Award today.

This endowed award is given annually on the basis of peer review to exceptional members of the MSU College of Music faculty who have rendered distinguished service to the university and the student body through excellence in instructional performance and or scholarly activities.

The recipients receive a plaque and a cash stipend, so please join me in congratulating two recipients this year, professor Ava Ordman and Professor Zhihua Tang.

(cheering) - Much as our graduating students will embark on a new phase of their lives so too with several highly valued faculty colleagues who will also be making a transition.

I ask them to stand as their name is called, and ask the audience to hold your applause until they have both been introduced.

Dr. Chen Huang has served with distinction as professor of HARP since 2014.

There you are, and Dr. David Rail who has served as director and professor of coral music for the past 21 years and has provided exceptional leadership as senior associate dean of the graduate studies, research and creativity will be retiring.

We thank you both so very much.

(cheering) - Good afternoon, I'm Michael Craw, associate Dean for undergraduate studies and professor of bassoon, at the April Board of Trustees meeting, 206 students from all graduating seniors were recognized with Board of Trustees awards for having the highest cumulative scholarly records by the close of the proceeding semester.

I would like to recognize James Eagle, Charlotte Jansky and Audrey Rancourt who are recipients of the 2023 Board of Trustees Award, James, Charlotte and Audrey, would you please stand and be recognized?

(cheering) I would ask Mark Rucker to join me at the podium to share the announcement of this next award.

The recipient of the 2023 College of Music outstanding senior award is Phoenix Miranda.

Phoenix, would you please join us at the podium?

(cheering) - Phoenix came to us on the day that had to be the coldest day in the history of Michigan.

She's from Maryland.

I say she's poised, she's purposeful and prepared and the reason I know she's prepared is because of that day.

Sometimes when people come from places that are not quite as cool, they don't really know how to react.

I didn't know what Phoenix looked like because she was dressed full, didn't actually know what she looked like until she came and did her audition and then I said, "Well, she's pretty too."

I don't know of a person who is more caring and more, if you need a hand should be there for you.

I often say there are 24 hours in a day and I don't believe Phoenix knows what those are because how she gets done, all the things she gets to do in that 24 hour period still boggles my mind.

I am honored to stand here with her and wish her all the love that I can give.

Thank you.

(cheering) - Students who participate in and fulfill the requirements of the Honors College by completing enriched programs of study are identified as graduating with honors college distinction.

These graduates were a white collar stole with the HC designation.

Would those students who are graduating as members of the Honors College please stand and be recognized?

(cheering) Students who attain a grade point average of 3.95 and higher are awarded University High Honor, University Honor is awarded to students who have earned at grade point averages of 3.81 to 3.94.

The gold chord added to the academic robes designates these honors.

Would all students who are graduating with High Honor or with honor, please stand and accept our congratulations.

(cheering) In recognition of Michigan State University's ongoing commitment to education abroad, I ask all graduates who participated in an education abroad program while at MSU to please stand and be recognized.

(cheering) Many College of Music students give their time and talents to important outreach and engagement activities.

These have included participation in the college's greater Lansing Community Concert series, musical Memories and Educational Engagement residency programs and early childhood classes at the Community Music School among many other programs, would those graduating students who have participated in community outreach activities, please stand to be recognized.

(cheering) In November, 2015, the College of Music formed two diversity and inclusion working groups, one comprised of faculty and the other exclusively of students.

Since then, these two groups have met collectively and independently to formulate strategies for strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging both within the college and across campus.

Members of the faculty and staff working groups were selected to represent all disciplines and areas of study within the College of Music.

With those individuals serving on the faculty and staff group, please stand and be recognized.

(cheering) Members of the student group were selected based on recommendations from faculty and staff and represent both the graduate and undergraduate levels from the various disciplines and areas of study within the College of Music.

Would those students serving on the student group please stand and be recognized.

I know you're out there.

All right, move on.

(cheering) I would like to ask University distinguished Professor Rodney Whitaker to join me at the podium to share the announcement of these next awards.

(cheering) Each year, representatives on the College of Music Diversity and Inclusion Committee choose three faculty and staff members and three students to receive excellence in diversity awards.

This year the committee recognized the following faculty and staff members.

DEIB has been the center of Michael Callahan's scholarly work in recent years.

He's currently completing a rewrite of an undergraduate textbook and two associated workbooks totaling about 2000 pages that fundamentally rethink whose music counts in the teaching of classical music.

The new book features more than 500 pages by black, Latinx, indigenous and female identifying composers, in 2018, he led an initiative to ensure that the first year of the undergraduate theory curriculum is not a gatekeeper or barrier course that privileges the students who have had access.

(clapping) Richard Desinord's research interests include harmony and genre in contemporary black church music and neo soul, the music of Robert Glasser, theory pedagogy and the visualization of music theory.

Richards has presented research on composers of jazz R and B and neo soul.

His goal is to make music theory more accessible to and inclusive of people of color.

He is a member of black classical music and educators and the International Society of Black Musicians and a fervent supporter of the Classically Black Podcast.

Richard, would you please come forward to receive your plaque?

(cheering) Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- Christine Beamer is a special assistant to the Dean for Strategic Initiatives at the College of Music.

In her position at MSU, she oversees career education, MSU's Running Start Music entrepreneurship programs, student ventures, student wellness and supports college student success initiatives.

She is passionate about community engagement and both personally and professionally and has been instrumental in the building of a culture of belonging in the College of Music, Christine, would you please come forward, accept your award?

(cheering) (laughing) I would also like to present excellence in Diversity awards to three students, two graduate students, one of them, Tyler Misone has helped the College of Music community better appreciate how accessibility and inclusiveness are essential for people of all backgrounds to succeed and PhD candidate Emily Mueller whose doctoral work demonstrates commitment to both university and equity.

Her work focuses on women high school band directors who have left the profession and undergraduate student, Jeremiah Flack, who is a founding.

(cheering) He was a, Jeremiah, was a founding member of the College of Music Student Organization, Color Me Music, as a member of his executive board.

Jeremiah met with various areas as they sought advice on DEIB initiatives.

He has been a strong advocate for students of color.

He has been and continues to be an active member in greater university activities and organizations that prioritize DEIB efforts.

Jeremiah, please come forward, receive your plaque.

(cheering) Congratulations.

- Thank you.

(cheering) - Would you please welcome to the stage graduating seniors, Natalia Orthan and Jacob Nance, who will perform "Gently", composed by Jacob Nance and "I94" from mid-Michigan miniatures by Henry Dorn.

(cheering) (soft music) (crowd cheering) (soft music) (fast paced music) - Technology is crazy.

(laughing) I'm so sorry.

Can we start?

- Yeah.

(fast paced music) (cheering) - Okay.

It's time.

Actually, at this time, we shall begin the conferral of the baccalaureate degree upon candidates from the major disciplines of the College of Music.

I will now ask the area chairpersons and distinguished colleagues to come forward and read the names of the graduates.

I am pleased to introduce Dr. Marcy Ray, associate Professor of Musicology.

- Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music please come forward.

Juliet Cayo.

(cheering) Gabriela Benson.

(cheering) I am pleased to introduce my colleague Ricardo Lorenz of Chair composition.

(clapping) - Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition please come forward, quick, soon, quickly.

Eric Saroyane.

Congratulations.

Jonathan Krueger.

(clapping) Is that it?

And now I have the pleasure of introducing my colleague, Rodney Whitaker, director of Jazz Studies.

(cheering) - Will the candidates for the Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies please come forward.

Emma Wilburn.

(cheering) Juan Cortez.

(cheering) Roger Vax, Nicholas Holder.

(cheering) Eli Howell, Jeremiah Flack.

(cheering) Wyatt Thomas Forton.

(cheering) Evan Kelti, Hugh Downs.

(cheering) Stephen Bowman Jr. (cheering) I am pleased to introduce my colleague Karen Salvador.

- Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education please come forward.

Charlotte Jansky.

Grace Argyle.

(cheering) Sure.

Jillian Bo.

(cheering) Joel Burns.

(cheering) Douglas Nancer Jr. (cheering) Evan Derico.

(cheering) Peyton While.

(cheering) Andrew Dupre.

(cheering) Forester Day, oh, I'm gonna say Forrester Day one more time.

Alison Wagoner.

(cheering) Mathia Stefki.

Kimberly Cooper.

(cheering) Mikayla Warner And Dylan Kelly.

(cheering) I'm pleased to introduce my colleague, Ming Wang, chair of the woodwind area.

(clapping) - Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance please come forward.

Luke Height.

(cheering) Joshua Harris.

(cheering) Ben McWilliams, Sebastian Cole.

Ryan Evans, Emma Brown.

(cheering) Ajur Anchord.

(cheering) Natalia Warden.

(cheering) August Coleman.

Anna Claire Harwood.

(cheering) Anthony King.

(cheering) Emmett Henry.

(cheering) Macari Russell Williams.

(cheering) Eric Sorin.

(cheering) Phoenix Miranda.

(cheering) Kennedy Robinson.

(cheering) James Eagle, Natalie Sweeney, (cheering) Paula Dova Rodriguez.

(cheering) Noah Keith Mullet.

Angela Hernandez.

(cheering) - As we will now confer the degrees, I ask Trustee Tebay to join me at the podium and I ask the degree candidates to please stand, on behalf of interim President Woodruff, who has delegated to me the authority in the state of Michigan vested in the board of trustees.

I confer upon all of you the degrees for which you have been recommended with all the rights and distinctions to which they entitle you.

I'm going to pause because I started a little early and we want everyone to be front and center.

This will just be a brief pause.

- Tell dad jokes.

- I need to work on my improvisation.

There are many here that do that so well.

Hey, thank you for your patience, on behalf of Interim Provost Woodruff, who is delegated to me the authority of the state of Michigan vested in the board of trustees.

I confer upon all of you the degrees for which you have been recommended with all the rights and distinctions to which they entitle you.

I now ask each of you to move your tassel from the right side of your cap to the left side, signifying your admission to the community of scholars.

Congratulations!

(cheering) I now invite all to rise and sing both verses of the alma mater, led by graduating senior Peyton Well and graduating seniors Kennedy Robinson and Dylan Kelly.

Lyrics can be found in your program insert, following the alma mater.

We ask that the audience be seated until the platform party, the faculty and the graduates have recessed.

(upbeat music) ♪ MSU, we love thy shadows ♪ ♪ When twilight silence falls ♪ ♪ Flushing deep and softly paling ♪ ♪ O'er ivy covered halls ♪ ♪ Beneath the pines we'll gather ♪ ♪ To give our faith so true ♪ ♪ Sing our love for Alma Mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises MSU ♪ ♪ When from these scenes we wander ♪ ♪ And twilight shadows fade ♪ ♪ Our memory still will linger ♪ ♪ Where light and shadows played ♪ ♪ In the evening oft we'll gather ♪ ♪ And pledge our faith anew ♪ ♪ Sing our love for Alma Mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises MSU ♪ (crowd cheering) (crowd laughing) (upbeat music) (crowd cheering)