As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a-changin’.” To this end, we are proud to present First Chair Chats, a Digital Music Collective at UNT Libraries focused on discussions that are reshaping the music landscape today and tomorrow. Special guests from music pedagogy, production, protection, and preservation will join the UNT Music Library staff in exploring some major changes on the horizon, and how each group is responding to these new opportunities.

Episode 3 - Great Ideas and Lessons Learned

We are excited to announce the continuation of our First Chair Chats series! Several invited guests from the UNT Libraries and the UNT College of Music will discuss Great Ideas and Lessons Learned about online music education under the lens of the pandemic.

• April Prince - Principal Lecturer in Music History
• Gaby Alvarado - Flute Instructor and Music Processing Graduate Services Assistant
• Blair Liikala - Director of Recording Services and Christopher Walker - Administrative Coordinator for Jazz Studies
• Eric Nestler - Distinguished Teaching Professor of Saxophone

Our presenters were invited for their experiences with teaching large courses, addressing technology challenges, and teaching music literature courses with large amounts of course materials.

YouTube link coming soon.

Episode 2 - Music & Coronavirus

Join Jeffrey Snider, Julie Giroux, Andrew Trachsel, and Rachael Zipperer for a comprehensive chat on how the current coronavirus pandemic has affected musicians and how creative artists are handling this issue.

• Adam La Spata, Ph.D. - UNT Music Special Collections
• Jeffrey Snider, D.M.A. – UNT Associate Professor, Vocal Studies
• Julie Giroux – Emmy Award Winning Composer
• Andrew Trachsel, D.M.A. – UNT Associate Professor, Wind Studies
• Rachael Zipperer – UNT Archivist

Episode 1 - Music & Copyright

Join Maristella Feustle, Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden, Kevin Hawkins, and John Murphy as they discuss the current landscape of copyright law, and how recent changes to policy will impact works both new and old.

• Maristella Feustle - Music Special Collections Librarian
• Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden - Assistant Professor of Music History
• Kevin Hawkins - Assistant Dean, Scholarly Communication
• John Murphy - Professor Emeritus of Jazz History, former Chair of the Division of Jazz Studies