Arts And Culture

Chris Lowry, BMus’11, and Peter Dayton, BMus’12, both received recognition in the American Viola Society’s 2024 biennial Maurice Gardner Competition for Composers. Among the 77 submissions to the contest, Chris Lowry was the first prize winner, with his work, “Zenith (for Jackson)” for viola and electronics. Read More

An upcoming motion picture, 'Cabrini,' features a score composed by Blair School of Music alumnus Gene Back, BMus’06. Coming to theatres on March 8, International Women’s Day, 'Cabrini' was directed by the award-winning Alejandro Monteverde. Read More

Some have said that singer Dashon Burton’s bass-baritone is enormous, capable of raising the dead or like looking directly into the sun. This year, the two-time Grammy winner is nominated once again with vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance category for their album Rough Magic (New Amsterdam Records, 2023). Read More

Vanderbilt University Press has launched a new trade series, Global Black Writers in Translation, which will publish a variety of texts by authors of African descent translated from their source languages into English. The goal is to amplify a body of writing that introduces anglophone readers to the range and complexity of Black literary and cultural production, history and political thought. Read More

The podcast, Art of Interference, dives deep into the intersection of art, climate change and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Spearheaded by a team of College of Arts and Science faculty and students, the four-season podcast seeks to broaden our perspectives on climate change and our role in it by engaging with the arts. Read More

The new prize comes as Vanderbilt University marks its Sesquicentennial by honoring its strong connection to the arts.  Read More

Glory Samjolly joins an impressive list of scholars being brought to Vanderbilt by the Global Scholars in Residence program, which was introduced in November 2022 by the Office of the Chancellor. Read More

Vanderbilt University Theatre will open its 2023–24 season with 'Good Kids,' a play by Naomi Iizuka. The play, directed by Ibby Cizmar, assistant professor of theatre, deals with campus sexual assault. Shows are scheduled for Oct. 6–8 and Oct. 12–14 at Neely Auditorium. Read More

The combined fine art project and feature-length documentary together strike at the root of anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes by exploring the challenges and aspirations of LGBTQ+ Catholics. The screening, which is free and open to the public, will be on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m., followed by a Q&A and community talk back.  Read More

Books written by alumni that have recently been published Read More

An interactive map showing the locations of sculptures around campus and offering accompanying information about each piece is now available to the Vanderbilt community. Read More

Mason Richards, BS'97, continues his quest to turn 'The Seawall' into a feature film. Read More

W.G. “Tres” Scheibe and his son, Nate, own Scheibe Design, a high-end furniture studio based in Franklin, Tennessee, where they make handcrafted pieces showcasing modernist design and gorgeous woods.  Read More

Rabbi Jonathan Brumberg-Kraus, a professor of religion at Wheaton College, has written extensively on food rituals and Jewish food for more than 20 years. His book "Gastronomic Judaism as Culinary Midrash" was published in 2018 (Rowman & Littlefield). He defines midrash as “a way of interpreting traditional stories and practices in new ways,” food being one of them. Now, he's turning his attention to Thanksgiving food myths and rituals. Read More

Jay Boyer, BA’95, is the founder and CEO of Castability, an app designed to demystify the art—or perhaps the science—of casting actors in productions.  Read More

Carsen Smith, BA'18, is the co-author of "Alien Summer #1" with James S. Murray of TV's "Impractical Jokers." The book, released March 15 by Penguin, is a middle grade reader and the first in a sci-fi series with female characters at the forefront and a tone that’s more funny than scary. Read More

Recent books written by alumni of Vanderbilt University Read More

Prolific bestselling novelist James Patterson, MA’70, and country music legend Dolly Parton have collaborated on a novel, Run, Rose, Run, to be published March 7 by Little, Brown and Co. Read More

In a new book, 'Gilded Age Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from America’s Golden Age,' Cecelia Tichi, research professor of English, explores the history of some of bartending’s most enduring recipes, as well as drinks created for business titans of the day, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt Read More