Students

“… the entire thing came together in two weeks, which I genuinely in hindsight don’t know how that happened.” – Aaliya Ramakrishnan When Blair composition student Aaliya Ramakrishnan was asked to create the music for an ambitious AI film project led by a group of 40 Vanderbilt students, she may… Read More

Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University is proud to present the world premiere of Places of Unknowing, a new series of songs by Grammy-nominated English musician, soul singer, and music technologist Jamie Lidell. The concert will take place Thursday, March 27, 8:00 p.m., in Turner Hall, marking a… Read More

Several Blair musicians, members of student-led organization the New Music Society, will perform a special collaborative concert Thursday, March 6, 2025, 4-5:00 p.m., at the E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Center (1204 25th Avenue South). The music performance will feature a program of semi-improvised pieces celebrating EBI Studio’s current artist in… Read More

The Vanderbilt Wind Symphony kicks off a three-day tour on Monday, February 24, with an 8:00 p.m. Ingram Hall performance. The ensemble will present a preview of its upcoming appearance at the prestigious American Bandmasters Association National Convention in Chattanooga. Conducted by Thomas Verrier, the diverse program of wind… Read More

Blair School of Music students presented a check for $2,380 to W.O. Smith Music School at Friday’s Student Recital Hour assembly. Students raised the money through a series of events throughout the school year. “The Blair School has partnered with W.O. Smith for many years and we are delighted… Read More

Blair junior trombone performance major Aaron “AJ” Abbey has been named a finalist in the prestigious Kleinhammer Orchestral Bass Trombone Competition. He will travel to London, Ontario, Canada, in July for the annual competition, hosted during the International Trombone Festival which features four days of performances and master classes by… Read More

Samuel Nguyen accepts the first place award in the Tennessee Cello Workshop Competition. Blair Academy student Samuel Nguyen was recently awarded first place in the high school competition of the Tennessee Cello Workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee. The accomplishment is especially notable given that Nguyen, an eighth grader, was eligible for… Read More

A Vanderbilt Blair School of Music jazz ensemble, Blue Note Combo, will perform a benefit concert for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires on Wednesday, February 5, 6-8 p.m., at Rudy’s Jazz Room in in Nashville (809 Gleaves St.). The show is open to all ages with proceeds going… Read More

Catie Brenmark was recently a top-five finalist in the prestigious 2025 Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, hosted by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. A third-year undergraduate bassoonist, Brenmark is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar at the Blair School of Music, where she studies with Peter Kolkay. Read More

Congratulations go to a trio of Blair students who received awards at the 2025 MTNA Southern Division Competitions: Kevin Cho, Maxwell Van Hoeij, and Matthew Phan. Kevin Cho – Winner, Young Artist Piano. A student of Heather Conner, Kevin is a senior in Arts & Sciences, majoring in medicine, health,… Read More