(Smiley, Matthew Nelson - 2024) -- MacDowell Fellowships
Overview
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Alumnus Matt Smiley (DMA ’22), a jazz studies lecturer at the CU Boulder College of Music, has been awarded a MacDowell Fellowship—one of the most prestigious, cross-disciplinary artist residency programs in the country. Set to take place over fall break, the fellowship aligns perfectly with Smiley’s teaching schedule, allowing him dedicated time to focus on his creative work without disrupting his commitments to students.
Smiley, who teaches a large 370-student jazz history class as well as a jazz combo, plans to use the fellowship to advance his compositional goals. His primary focus during this time will be composing a suite of octet music—a significant leap in scope from his usual compositions for smaller groups like trios, quartets and quintets. He’s looking ahead to spring 2025 when he hopes to record his new compositions with both Colorado musicians and other collaborators from across the country.
