Michigan Muse Fall 2026 > Dean’s Reflection

Dean’s Reflection

Building bridges between SMTD students and the performing arts world beyond campus is at the core of everything we do.

It begins with our faculty, who, in addition to being skilled and devoted teachers, are active artists and scholars. They lead and perform in ensembles, compose music, and choreograph dance works. They perform in, design, produce, stage manage, and direct productions of all kinds. They conduct research and write scholarly articles and books. They instruct and perform at festivals all over the world. And everything they gain from these experiences informs and infuses their teaching at SMTD.

While remaining firmly rooted in core traditions, we continually pursue innovation at SMTD, responding to the ways the performing arts are changing and creating new opportunities for students. One recent example is the Department of Dance’s partnership with the talent agency McDonald Selznick Associates (MSA), which represents dance artists and choreographers pursuing careers in the commercial dance industry, including Broadway, concert tours, television, and film. Through this partnership, MSA artists come to campus as guest teachers, enabling students to broaden their skill set and make themselves known to professionals in the field. This connection came about thanks to the late Judy Rice, a cherished dance faculty member who passed away this past spring, and it will serve as a meaningful aspect of her legacy.

The EXCEL Lab, SMTD’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and career services center, is devoted to helping students prepare for life after graduation. It serves as an incubator for entrepreneurial ventures, providing coaching and funding in the form of grants and prizes. It connects students with arts internships, leading to valuable work experience and networking. And it leads arts immersion trips to cultural centers, contributing to students’ professional development.

Any discussion of the ways students are supported in establishing their careers would be incomplete without acknowledging the alumni network. Every year, hundreds of SMTD students graduate and join this remarkable and ever-growing community. Whether it’s for career advice, a place to stay while auditioning, or introductions to key people in the industry, those entering the profession know they will be bolstered by the generations of alumni who’ve come before them.

In this issue of Michigan Muse, the feature stories explore three ways SMTD builds bridges between student life and professional careers. One article examines the exciting Chamber Music Artist Mentor Program, a donor-funded initiative that makes it possible for the Department of Chamber Music to host several prominent guest ensembles and artists each year, pairing these visiting musicians with student ensembles. Through in-depth interactions, students hone their skills while also gaining practical wisdom about chamber music as a profession. This program has even enabled student groups to travel outside of Ann Arbor to perform alongside these professional musicians, a truly rare and wonderful opportunity.

Another article highlights the practice of the Department of Conducting to put doctoral students at the helm of campus ensembles. Encompassing bands, orchestras, and choirs, these groups are made up of non-music-major students from across the university. With the support of faculty, doctoral conducting students lead these ensembles in much the same way an artistic director would lead a professional ensemble: they select the repertoire, communicate with the musicians, and conduct rehearsals and concerts. The conductors gain essential professional experience, and at the same time, hundreds of U-M students have the chance to continue making music at a high level as they pursue degrees in other fields.

The third article explores the myriad benefits of the senior showcases – performances given by graduating students in the Departments of Dance, Musical Theatre, and Theatre & Drama for audiences of agents, managers, and other industry professionals. In ways both immediate and far-reaching, these showcases act as launching pads, providing essential networking opportunities and helping students envision and begin their careers.

When I consider the full breadth of what SMTD offers its students, I feel a powerful sense of pride in our school. A life in the performing arts certainly has its challenges, but it’s filled with much more promise and joy when, as stated by composer Carlos Simon (DMA ’17) in his 2026 SMTD commencement speech, “You’ve got a great cloud of witnesses pushing you to get to your destination.”

Be well, and Forever Go Blue,

Dave Gier, Dean
Paul Boylan Collegiate Professor of Music
School of Music, Theatre & Dance