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SUMMER DISPATCH | Candace Hansen, (Musicology PhD ‘26) writes: I’ve been gigging! Playing drums for Alice Bag Band on her final punk tour at home in LA and on tour in the Midwest and Pacific North West, presented “But I’m A Cheerleader” for Zebulon’s queer film fest, and published an article about the history of On Our Backs for Playgirl Magazine.
SUMMER DISPATCH | Candace Hansen, (Musicology PhD ‘26) writes: I’ve been gigging! Playing drums for Alice Bag Band on her final punk tour at home in LA and on tour in the Midwest and Pacific North West, presented “But I’m A Cheerleader” for Zebulon’s queer film fest, and published an article about the history of On Our Backs for Playgirl Magazine.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Next up on the feature is Music of Bali! Directed by I. Nyoman Wenten, the ensemble features gamelan music and dance. The Balinese gamelan gong kebyar is famous for its fast tempos, abrupt changes of texture, and brilliantly costumed dancers who act out stories from the Ramayana.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Next up on the feature is Music of Bali! Directed by I. Nyoman Wenten, the ensemble features gamelan music and dance. The Balinese gamelan gong kebyar is famous for its fast tempos, abrupt changes of texture, and brilliantly costumed dancers who act out stories from the Ramayana.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Next up, we have Music of Thailand! Directed by Supeena Adler, this ensemble showcases two musical traditions from distinct regions of Thailand: Central and Northeast. The ensemble also invited nine talented master dancers from the Los Angeles area on stage to embody the region’s diverse tribes.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Next up, we have Music of Thailand! Directed by Supeena Adler, this ensemble showcases two musical traditions from distinct regions of Thailand: Central and Northeast. The ensemble also invited nine talented master dancers from the Los Angeles area on stage to embody the region’s diverse tribes.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Did you know that we offer world music ensemble courses that are open to all UCLA students? In these ensembles, students engage with traditional vocal music, instrumental music, and dance, which culminate in an end-of-year concert. Here are some pictures from our Music of Java Ensemble, directed by Joko Sutrisno. The ensemble centers on the music of Central Javanese gamelan.
[ETHNOMUSICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT]
Did you know that we offer world music ensemble courses that are open to all UCLA students? In these ensembles, students engage with traditional vocal music, instrumental music, and dance, which culminate in an end-of-year concert. Here are some pictures from our Music of Java Ensemble, directed by Joko Sutrisno. The ensemble centers on the music of Central Javanese gamelan.
Our commencement speakers in action:
This year, we were honored to welcome @madamegandhi as our commencement speaker. Alongside her were student speakers Racquel Bernard and Aditi Sreenivas. Thank you to these three remarkable individuals for sharing their wisdom and hopes for the future with us!
Our commencement speakers in action:
This year, we were honored to welcome @madamegandhi as our commencement speaker. Alongside her were student speakers Racquel Bernard and Aditi Sreenivas. Thank you to these three remarkable individuals for sharing their wisdom and hopes for the future with us!
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2026!
We are endlessly proud of your achievements and your commitment to the musical community 🎵 we wish you the best in your future endeavors and #gobruins 🐻💙
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2026!
We are endlessly proud of your achievements and your commitment to the musical community 🎵 we wish you the best in your future endeavors and #gobruins 🐻💙
Meet Madame Gandhi, our 2026 Commencement Speaker.
Five studio albums. International activism. A Harvard Business School master`s degree earned while touring as the drummer for GRAMMY-nominated artist M.I.A.
As an artist, activist, and public intellectual, Madame Gandhi has built a career defined by curiosity, creativity, and a commitment to making the world more connected and compassionate. Along the way, her music has reached Spotify`s Viral Top 50 charts and has been featured by Netflix, FIFA, and more.
Learn more. Link in bio.
Meet Madame Gandhi, our 2026 Commencement Speaker.
Five studio albums. International activism. A Harvard Business School master`s degree earned while touring as the drummer for GRAMMY-nominated artist M.I.A.
As an artist, activist, and public intellectual, Madame Gandhi has built a career defined by curiosity, creativity, and a commitment to making the world more connected and compassionate. Along the way, her music has reached Spotify`s Viral Top 50 charts and has been featured by Netflix, FIFA, and more.
Learn more. Link in bio.
RACQUEL BERNARD, 2026 COMMENCEMENT GRADUATE SPEAKER
What does resistance sound like? Beyond the venerable tradition of protest songs, it can live in something more subtle: a voice, a rhythm, a timbre, a way of claiming space through music itself.
Racquel Bernard has spent years thinking about those questions in reggae music. In a genre whose history has often centered male voices, women artists have long challenged sexism, shaped the music’s evolution and expanded its expressive power—often without receiving equal recognition in the record books. Bernard’s work explores how resistance is embedded not only in lyrics, but in sound itself.
READ THE INTERVIEW - LINK IN BIO
RACQUEL BERNARD, 2026 COMMENCEMENT GRADUATE SPEAKER
What does resistance sound like? Beyond the venerable tradition of protest songs, it can live in something more subtle: a voice, a rhythm, a timbre, a way of claiming space through music itself.
Racquel Bernard has spent years thinking about those questions in reggae music. In a genre whose history has often centered male voices, women artists have long challenged sexism, shaped the music’s evolution and expanded its expressive power—often without receiving equal recognition in the record books. Bernard’s work explores how resistance is embedded not only in lyrics, but in sound itself.
READ THE INTERVIEW - LINK IN BIO
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