Department of Music at California State University, Northridge
Encyclopedia
Ranked in the top 25 accredited university programs in the nation, the Music Department at Cal State Northridge is known for superior teaching provided by 70 distinguished faculty and professional musicians. Currently, there are more than 500 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in music.
CSUN’s music programs have been recognized internationally for the excellent preparation of students in a variety of careers in classical and commercial music. Located within 20–30 minutes from the center of the film, television, and recording industry, the Music Department at Cal State Northridge offers outstanding studying and performing opportunities in connection with the leading educational institutions and cultural venues of the Los Angeles area.
CSUN’s music programs have been recognized internationally for the excellent preparation of students in a variety of careers in classical and commercial music. Located within 20–30 minutes from the center of the film, television, and recording industry, the Music Department at Cal State Northridge offers outstanding studying and performing opportunities in connection with the leading educational institutions and cultural venues of the Los Angeles area.
Faculty (past-present)
- Liviu MarinescuLiviu MarinescuLiviu Marinescu is a Romanian composer of orchestral and chamber music, currently teaching at California State University, Northridge...
composition - Gregg BissonetteGregg BissonetteGregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father...
drums - Bob McChesneyBob McChesneyBob McChesney is an LA based jazz and studio trombonist, famous for his use and mastery of the 'doodle - tongue,' a method of articulation on the trombone as well as his ultra fast and melodic solos.-Biography:...
jazz trombone - John PisanoJohn PisanoJohn Pisano is a jazz guitarist born in Staten Island, New York.John has accompanied in concert or recording some of music's biggest names, including Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Herb Alpert, Natalie Cole, Michael Franks, Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Joe Pass, Frank Sinatra, Barbra...
jazz guitar - Ron PurcellRon PurcellDr. Ronald Charles Purcell was an American guitarist, with degrees from the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, California State University, Northridge, Lisboa Conservatorio de Musica, Lisbon and the Orfeo Catala Lleidata, Barcelona...
guitar - Ron Borczon Music Therpy
Notable Students
- Kim PensylKim PensylKim Pensyl is a pop-jazz and New Age music keyboardist. He attended Ohio State University, and the University of California, Northridge for graduate school and had several CDs produced by Shanachie Records. He has worked in bands with Al Hirt, Don Ellis, Hubert Laws, Gerald Wilson, and Guy Lombardo...
keyboard - Vicki BoeckmanVicki BoeckmanRecorder artist Vicki Boeckman is an American performer and educator. She was introduced to the recorder while studying flute at California State University, Northridge. In 1981, she moved to Denmark to continue her studies and teach at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, returning to the United...
recorder, flute - Beverly GrigsbyBeverly GrigsbyBeverly Grigsby née Pinsky is an American composer, musicologist and electronic/computer music pioneer.-Life:Beverly Pinsky was born in Chicago, Illinois, and studied music as a child. She moved to California with her family at the age of 13 and graduated from Fairfax High School...
composer - Ron PurcellRon PurcellDr. Ronald Charles Purcell was an American guitarist, with degrees from the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, California State University, Northridge, Lisboa Conservatorio de Musica, Lisbon and the Orfeo Catala Lleidata, Barcelona...
classical guitar - Scott GlasgowScott GlasgowScott Glasgow is a Hollywood-based musical composer. He earned his Bachelor of Music from California State University, Northridge and his Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2001 where he was a student of Conrad Susa. Scott studied with John Corigliano at the Aspen Music...
composer - Kentaro SatoKentaro SatoFor the manga character see Kentaro Osada., aka Ken-P, is a Los Angeles-based award-winning composer/conductor/orchestrator/clinician of media music and concert music . His works have been broadcast, performed, and recorded in North and South America, Asia, and Europe by well-known groups...
Media and Commercial Music - Michelle DeYoungMichelle DeYoungMichelle DeYoung is an American classical vocalist who has an active international career performing in operas and concerts. Raised in Colorado and California, DeYoung is a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artists Development Program...
voice - Robert LipsettRobert LipsettRobert C. Lipsett, birth name "Mister Lipsett" is a renowned violin teacher in Los Angeles, California. He holds the Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. He also serves on the faculty at the Aspen School of Music, the Colburn Conservatory and the...
violin - D. Scott RogoD. Scott RogoD. Scott Rogo was a writer and researcher on subjects related to parapsychology. He wrote or co-wrote 20 books and more than 100 magazine and journal articles, 7 books were reprinted in 2005 by Anomalist Books, Leaving the body was reprinted in 2008 by Simon & Schuster...
oboe - Richard Campbell (musician) bass guitar
- James FortuneJames FortuneJames Fortune is a gospel music singer. He is a graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas, and attended Cal State Northridge. He is the choir director at Higher Dimension Church in SW Houston, TX. Higher Dimension church was organized on January 23, 1999 at Judy Bush Elementary School...
voice - George Stone (composer)George Stone (composer)George Stone is an American musician and educator. He has composed or arranged over 100 works for instrumental ensembles, with the bulk of his material for jazz band.-History:...
composer - Jeanne PoolJeanne PoolJeanne Pool is an American composer, author and music producer.-Life:Jeanne Pool was born in Paris, Illinois, and studied music in New York City at Hunter College of the City University of New York, where she received a bachelor's degree in music. She received a masters degree from California...
composer - Garrett ByrnesGarrett ByrnesGarrett Byrnes is an American composer.Byrnes was born in Bad Kreuznach, Germany while his father was stationed at the U.S. Army Base there, and relocated to New Jersey in the United States...
composer - Stephen CohnStephen CohnStephen Cohn is a composer of concert and film music living in Los Angeles, California. His compositional style embraces an expanded tonality with a 21st century perspective.- Early life :...
composer - John CodaJohn Coda- Life :Coda was born in Los Angeles and began composing music when he was still in his teens. He learned to play the drums, piano and flute. After earning his Bachelor of Music degree in composition at California State University, Northridge, he worked for various recording studios in Hollywood,...
composer - John DoanJohn DoanJohn Doan is one of the best-known harp guitarists in the world. In addition, he is a performer, Emmy-nominated composer, historian, instrument collector, and university professor.-Background:...
guitar - Michael Glenn WilliamsMichael Glenn WilliamsMichael Glenn Williams is an American composer, pianist and technologist.-Biography:Williams' earliest years were spent in New York, beginning trumpet studies and composing at 8 years old. At 12 he was programming DEC PDP 8 minicomputers...
composer, pianist - Ronnie BlakeRonnie BlakeRonnie Blake is a trumpeter from Fullerton, California. Blake studied at Cal State Northridge. He won the International Trumpet Guild's Mock Orchestra Audition in 1992 as well as the local Dolo Coker Jazz Scholarship and Outstanding Trumpet Player in the Pacific Coast Jazz Festival...
trumpet - Bruce BransbyBruce BransbyBruce Bransby is an American double-bassist and university professor.- Performance career :Bruce Bransby began his musical career as a trombonist and pianist, but discovered his calling as a double bassist while in college at California State University Northridge. He studied with Nat Gangursky,...
bass - KalaniKalaniKalani, is an American classically trained percussionist, clinician, performer, author, and educator. He is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter at national and international conferences and is a certified Orff Schulwerk specialist...
percussion - Maia SharpMaia SharpMaia Sharp is an American singer and songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has written songs for and collaborated with several country and pop musicians including Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain, and Art Garfunkel.-Early life:...
voice - Gordon GoodwinGordon GoodwinGordon L. Goodwin is a Grammy award-winning American studio pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger and conductor. He now lives in Southern California with his wife Lisa, daughter Madison and two sons, Trevor and Garrison.- Early years :...
piano - Jeff Purtle trumpet
- Nicole CabellNicole CabellNicole Cabell , is an American opera singer. She is presently best known as the 2005 winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition....
voice - Toshiyuki ShimadaToshiyuki ShimadaToshiyuki Shimada is a Japanese American orchestral conductor. He is Music Director of both Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in New London, CT, and Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning, NY...
conductor - Paul RoesslerPaul RoesslerPaul Roessler was a prominent member of the L.A. punk scene during the late 1970s and '80s. He played keyboards in bands such as The Screamers, Twisted Roots, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender, SAUPG, Geza X and the Mommymen, Mike Watt and the Secondmen, Nina Hagen and The Deadbeats...
singer - Leland SklarLeland SklarLeland "Lee" Bruce Sklar is an American musician, singer-songwriter and film score composer. A prominent bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to thousands of albums as a session musician...
singer, film composer - Alphonse MouzonAlphonse MouzonAlphonse Mouzon is a well-known jazz-fusion drummer and percussionist, and the Chairman/CEO of Tenacious Records. He also composes, arranges and produces, as well as acts...
percussion - Masauko Chipembere JrMasauko Chipembere JrMasauko Chipembere is a Malawian Jazz musician. Chipembere was born in Malawi and was raised in Los Angeles while his parents were in political exile. He is the son of political nationalists Henry Masauko Blasius Chipembere and Catherine Chipembere...
jazz studies - John DensmoreJohn DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
jazz studies - Tony ClementsTony ClementsTony Clements was the Principal Tubist of the San José Symphony from 1981 until its closure in 2001. He subsequently became Principal Tubist and a soloist with its successor, Symphony Silicon Valley....
tuba - James Lee StanleyJames Lee StanleyJames Lee Stanley is an American folk singer-songwriter.-Biography:Stanley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania of Italian, German, Cherokee Indian, Scotch/Irish and English heritage. He said in a 2002 interview that as a child he was "shy, bright, blessed ... strict father gentle mother ......
singer-songwriter
External links
- http://www.csun.edu/music/