Humanities & the Arts Blog
Paul Kozel, Director of the Sonic Arts Center, sits in his office, two speakers behind him with a microphone in front, enthusiastically explaining Atmos technology. He begins by flashing back to Fall 2024. Thanks to a generous donation from alumnus Allen Grubman, Kozel, with Winy Taveras, the Center鈥檚 Senior Technical Associate, installed a mountain of equipment into a brand-new, state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos studio鈥攖he third and most advanced Atmos studio in the Center. Since then, this new studio has elicited jaw-dropping reactions from students and faculty alike.
Atmos is a鈥 Read More 禄
First-year CCNY students can take an exciting new course, Worldmaking: Introduction to Global Humanities and Arts. Worldmaking is a dynamic sampling of the humanities and arts where students learn about many subjects, such as music, writing, philosophy, art, and history. Each week, faculty members from the humanities and the arts (H&A) departments share highlights from their field, along with personal insights from their scholarship. This process gives students a chance to see the range of intellectual activities explored in H&A. They also discover the importance of鈥 Read More 禄
On Tuesday, February 20th, 2025, I stepped outside and was greeted by needles of ice disguised as snow. Shielding my eyes, I nonchalantly headed towards Compton-Goethals Hall where a rehearsal for CCNY Theatre and Speech Department鈥檚 musical Pippin was underway.
5:50 PM鈥擳he acting team hauls in music stands, chows on food, and sets up the chairs for rehearsal. I watch with curiosity.
6 PM鈥擳he actors sit and wait for the music director, Paul Rigano, to begin. 鈥1 - 2 - a - 1 2 3 4.鈥 Paul shuffles to the rhythm of his piano keys, leads the cast in song, and engages in meaningful鈥 Read More 禄
CCNY has a rich history of GRAMMY庐 Award-winning alumni and faculty. Jazz musician alumni Dan Pugach 鈥11 was awarded a GRAMMY庐 for Best 鈥淟arge Jazz Ensemble鈥 for his album "Bianca Reimagined: Paws and Persistence" by the Dan Pugach Big Band, featuring Nicole Zuraitis, on which CCNY Masters of Music student Nitzan Gavrieli played piano and CCNY Masters of Music private instructor Pete McCann played guitar. Jon Rezin, a graduate of the Sonic Arts Center (SAC) in 2002, previously won a GRAMMY庐 for Best Musical Theater Album for his contributions to "The Bridgerton Musical" and鈥 Read More 禄
On January 20, 2025 a cohort of students and professors from CUNY City College of New York arrived in Havana for a week of immersion in Cuban music and culture. The program was a series of exchanges and workshops with Cuban students and professors from El Instituto Superior De Las Artes (ISA). El ISA is Cuba鈥檚 premiere institution for the arts and has graduated many of its famous modern musicians. The cohort was a mix of ten undergraduate and graduate students of CCNY鈥檚 famed jazz program led by Suzanne Pittson, chair of the music department, and professors Ray Gallon and Mike鈥 Read More 禄
Adjunct Professor David Cieri crafts the soundtrack of history in Ken Burns鈥檚 latest documentary The American Revolution
When Adjunct Professor David Cieri first moved to New York City, he was making a living playing piano at a dingy hotel on the Upper West Side. One night, while playing, he met Erik Ewers, a friendly-looking man who asked him about his plans for music. Cieri shared that he wanted to create music for documentary films, a pursuit that combined his two passions鈥攎usic and history. Before leaving, Cieri recounts, Ewers gave him an impish smile, said little else, and left a note on the piano as he walked out鈥攁 torn-off piece of letterhead from Florentine Films with a phone鈥 Read More 禄
CCNY alum Ingrid Griffith brings social justice and humanity to life on stage in Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed & Unbowed
鈥淚t was in my dormitory room during my freshman year of college. Normally, I would just exchange comments with my friends. This moment, I went into detail about growing up in Guyana and coming to the U.S. when I was 12 years old. There was silence in the room. No one was cutting me off. They just wanted to hear more. They were deeply engaged. I felt a power. I realized that an impactful story and performance asks for honesty, detail, and an open heart.鈥 鈥擟CNY English alum, actor, and playwright Ingrid Griffith
Griffith is a New York City鈥 Read More 禄
On December 5, 2024 I walked into the NAC Ballroom twenty minutes late for the start of the CCNY James Baldwin Centennial Celebration symposium. Regardless, I was still greeted by friendly smiles and a festive ambiance. The day-long event was a joyous display of diversity and black empowerment, and the capstone event of CCNY semester-long celebration of Baldwin and his work. A captivating poster of Baldwin was displayed in the ballroom as a keystone of African American achievement, making me feel revitalized as an aspiring black author and researcher. This鈥 Read More 禄
From Starbucks unions to autism research, CCNY alums reflect on the significance of their philosophy studies
The Philosophy Alumni Panel at CCNY on December 3rd not only offered a fascinating discussion on the transformational potential of philosophy, but it also clarified the essential role that philosophical thinking plays in influencing careers, individual lives, and society. The panelists, Brandi Alduk, Steven Hernandez, Simon Michelini, and Professor Pat Hope, demonstrate the profound impact of philosophical inquiry on activism, education, and personal growth. These alums discussed the role of philosophy in addressing social equality, neurodiversity ethics, and workplace disputes.鈥 Read More 禄
Adjunct History Professor Rory Duffy teaches history in the classroom and through documentary filmmaking
Ever since his father took him to Gettysburg as a teenager Professor Rory Duffy has been captivated by history. Currently, alongside teaching United States history here at CCNY he concentrates much of his creative, intellectual energy on documentary filmmaking鈥攊nvestigating historical and contemporary social movements and presenting his findings in emotionally compelling ways. His latest picture, A Fragile Peace, already won Best Feature Documentary at the Crown Points Film Festival in Chicago at just the beginning leg of its festival circuit.
鈥淕rowing up,鈥 Duffy recounts. 鈥淚鈥 Read More 禄
Last Updated: 08/16/2024 12:02