A clarinetist-turned-scholar whose work explores the stories told through opera, Allison Chu brings to Blair a passion for connecting music to the broader cultural and historical moments in which it is created.
Chu’s path to musicology began at the University of Michigan, where she earned dual degrees in English and Clarinet Performance. “I found myself constantly looking for connections between humanistic studies and my music performance practice,” she said. “Musicology turned out to be the answer.”
Her introduction to opera came not as a singer, but from the orchestra pit, performing works such as Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, and the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, all in a single year. At the same time, a seminar on 19th- and 20th-century opera sparked her fascination with the art form’s ability to blend music, theater, dance, literature, and design into one immersive experience. American opera became her particular focus, especially the ways composers have adapted it from a historically European tradition into a distinctly American tradition.
Chu’s current book project examines “documentary opera,” a 21st-century movement that draws on real stories and historical events to explore meaningful themes in current culture. Her research has been recognized by the American Musicological Society, the International Chapter of the P.E.O., and Yale University, where she earned her Ph.D. in Music History in 2025.
A ballet dancer before focusing on music, Chu credits her early-stage experience with shaping her understanding of movement and visual storytelling in opera. Her background as both a performer and scholar inform her teaching. “I design my classes so we’re always chasing the ‘why’—why does this music and its historical context matter? Understanding that helps performers bring more depth and meaning to their interpretations,” she said.
While visiting Vanderbilt, Chu was impressed by the Blair faculty’s enthusiasm for teaching and their commitment to students’ growth. “Every conversation I had centered on the students’ development and accomplishments,” she said. “I knew this would be an inspiring place to teach.”
Chu is also co-founder of the Midnight Oil Collective, an artist-driven cooperative that develops creative works across disciplines, and a partner at MOC Innovations, which helps bring artistic projects to wider audiences. She writes regularly for Boston Lyric Opera.
This fall, she looks forward to working closely with Blair students and guiding them through music that challenges, inspires, and engages. “Opera, and music in general, has the ability to transport us. It can tell powerful stories, invite us to think, and create unforgettable experiences,” she said. “To be a successful artist in this current performing arts landscape no longer only means being good at your craft: the skills students learn in musicological studies are just as important in preparing them to launch their own musical practice and succeed in their future pursuits.”
Learn more about Allison Chu:
Website: www.allisoncchu.com