Mason Gross School of the Arts

10/09/2026

Last month, our new dean, Michael Kim, sat down with Rachel Katz of WWFM - The Classical Network to discuss technology, the importance of failure and experimentation, and career readiness. Artists, he says, are disciplined, collaborative, and innovative—everything employers are looking for.

Listen: https://www.wwfm.org/show/a-tempo-with-rachel-katz/2026-10-09/new-mason-gross-dean-sees-new-opportunities-ahead-for-students-in-arts-music

📸: Nick Romanenko/Rutgers University

Dr. Michael Kim, who began his role as Dean of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, discusses his thoughts on preparing students for careers in a changing arts world on this episode of A Tempo (9/5).

10/08/2026

DMA student Nathaniel Moore (‘27) heard the music of “West Side Story” for the first time in middle school, when his teacher showed the original 1961 film to his band class. From that moment on, Moore was taken with the musical.

“I just absolutely loved it,” he says. “There’s a lot of cool musical ‘painting’ throughout the score. One of my favorite songs, ‘Somewhere,’ is a duet between the two lead characters. Some parts of the song have this tension, like dreaming of something you want, but it’s not quite there. It’s just out of reach. And as the song progresses, it starts to ascend, going somewhere hopeful. It always warms my heart, just hearing the music [of 'West Side Story'].” ❤️🎶

This weekend, Rutgers Wind Ensemble presents “Latin Night,” featuring a program of Latin-inspired music, including selections from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “West Side Story,” plus dancing, bucket drumming, and more! Click the Linktree link in our bio to get all the details 🔗

Music at Mason Gross-Rutgers Rutgers University—New Brunswick Rutgers University

10/08/2026

A huge congratulations to Dance alum Hannah (Sego) Olmo (BFA'15/EdM'16), named NJ State Teacher of the Year for 2026–27! According to the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), Olmo built a four-year dance program at Dover High School in Morris County, and created the Dance Club and the school’s first chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Dance Club participation has grown more than 300% in two years. "Hannah’s passion for teaching isn’t the only thing that stands out; it is that she identified a gap in arts education and built something meaningful to fill it," NJEA president Steve Beatty said. The five-year joint Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Education degree is a project of Mason Gross School of the Arts and the Graduate School of Education. When it debuted in 2010, it was the state's first graduate-level teacher-education program in dance. Brava, Hannah! 🔥 Read more: https://www.njea.org/hannah-olmo-named-2026-27-new-jersey-state-teacher-of-the-year/

10/06/2026

For Ian Koebner, public health partners are everywhere: on stage, in the recording studio, even in the museum.

“For millennia, people have recognized a relationship between art and healing; ancient texts, including the Bible, describe the capacity of art, sound and music to support healing,” says Koebner, who in 2025 was appointed our inaugural chair and endowed professor of Arts in Health.

The Arts in Health initiative seeks to nurture the connection between engaging with the arts and improved physical, mental, and social well-being. The initiative held its first event of the year last month, with a Well-Being Concert for Rutgers University—Newark nursing students.

Find more about Arts in Health’s 2026-27 programming at the Linktree link in our bio. 🔗

📷: John Munson / Rutgers University

10/05/2026

Thank you to all alumni, faculty, students, and friends of MGSA who came out on Thursday evening to celebrate Arts Homecoming with us. We assembled for a reception at Mortensen Hall, followed by a concert of heartfelt live performances from Music Ed. student Sam Tunkel and headliner AJAYE. MGSA presented the concert in collaboration with Instrumental Opportunity Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to expanding access to music education for New Jersey middle and high school students. ✨🎶

📸: Stephan Hudson/Rutgers University

09/30/2026

Like every young singer, Amanda Batista (BM’20) had her eye on “the big art schools” as a teenager, auditioning for several before auditioning for Music at Mason Gross-Rutgers. But after performing for the head of the vocal program, she knew immediately where she belonged.

“Eduardo Chama sat right next to me and my mom and said, ‘You have a career and a future, and I know exactly what we are going to do to get you there,’ ” Batista recalled. “I felt right from that moment this was a place where you could get individualized attention. That day I committed to Rutgers.”

It was a decision that set her directly on the path to achieving her ultimate dream: singing opera professionally. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2023.

Click the Linktree link in our bio to read more about Batista 🔗🌟

09/29/2026

We have plenty of arts-related events on tap for this year's Homecoming & Family Weekend (Oct. 1–4)—and they're all free.

🍁 First: Thursday night's Arts Homecoming concert by Americana singer-songwriter AJAYE, 7:30 p.m. at Mastrobuono Theater (DC).

🍁 Then, on Saturday at noon, warm up your vocal cords and join the Glee Club in Kirkpatrick Chapel for their pre-game Rutgers Sings! concert of favorite RU songs.

🍁 From 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, our art students will be on hand at the tailgate displaying some of the large-scale prints that they made with a steamroller.

🍁 On Sunday, stop by our downtown galleries for the Family Art Workshop & Gallery Tour from 1 to 3 p.m., featuring a walk through the galleries and a hands-on drawing and collage activity. 🎶 🎨

➡ Check the Linktree in our bio to register and to get more info. All events are open to the public. 😎

09/23/2026

For Music at Mason Gross-Rutgers student Sam Tunkel (BM ‘27), the best part of performing is connecting with the audience.

“When someone sees themselves in your song,” he says, “that’s when you know you’ve done your job well as a songwriter and performer.”

Next Thursday, October 1, Tunkel will open for Nashville singer-songwriter Ajaye, for a free concert on campus as part of our Arts Homecoming celebration. Click through to get to know more about Tunkel—from his favorite albums to his three must-haves for every performance ➡️🎶

For more info on our Arts Homecoming concert and to register for your free ticket, click here ➡ https://linktr.ee/mgsarutgers 🔗🎫

📷 1, 3: Jude Cain
📷 2: Dan Acosta

09/18/2026

Our Rutgers Theater Department students have made it across the pond! Here’s our Design and Production cohort onstage at London's Globe Theatre on Sept. 7, their first day of the program. They're embarking on a semester working with a world-renowned faculty of master teachers at Shakespeare's Globe and the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, honing design skills, diving into Shakespeare’s texts, and taking in the city. "O, what learning is!" indeed.

Rutgers University—New Brunswick Rutgers University Alumni Association Rutgers University

09/16/2026

Thursday, October 1, 2026, 7:30 p.m.: Nashville singer-songwriter AJAYE brings her Americana musical stylings to campus as the headliner for the Mason Gross Arts Homecoming concert!

During the week leading up to the concert, AJAYE will serve as an artist-in-residence on campus, stepping in as a guest lecturer in the Music Department and leading a student songwriters’ circle on September 30.

“My career has led me down a lot of different paths, shaped by all kinds of influences along the way,” AJAYE says. “I hope sharing some of my road encourages students to trust their own path, stay connected to the work, and recognize that there is no one way to build a life in the creative arts.”

Read more about AJAYE and reigster here ➡️ https://go.rutgers.edu/ajaye-at-mgsa 🔗