It is hard to believe that this message marks the end of my third year at Cal Poly — and what a year it has been! We welcomed three new faculty members, our faculty and staff received well-deserved honors and the department presented more than 75 performances. Be sure to read about our premiere Cello Fest! A standout collaboration was the symphony’s innovative Butterfly Lovers project, which featured a talk by Political Science Department Chair Helene Shanruo Ning Zhang and violinist Chen Zhao — an inspiring example of interdisciplinary creativity. The Chamber Choir and PolyPhonics gave a deeply moving performance of Eric Whitacre’s “The Sacred Veil.” Poet Charles Anthony Silvestri’s personal introduction added profound context to an already emotional work, as did the students’ folding 1,000 paper cranes for an art installation for Cottage Children’s Medical Center for which it also raised funds. PolyPhonics’ Carnegie Hall performance was a highlight to a year of showcasing our students’ talent. We now look ahead to broadening our students’ cultural and musical understanding with our upcoming Arab Music Ensemble and Wind Ensemble tours.
In addition to supporting our students, our faculty continue to publish and present their academic and artistic work. I was honored to serve as session chair at the 60th International Congress on Medieval Studies, proudly representing Cal Poly’s teacher-scholar commitment. And speaking of commitment — after decades of dedication, creativity and mentorship, Alyson McLamore will retire at the end of the next academic year. Read more on the faculty page, and sign her e-card!
Alicia M. Doyle