The UC Berkeley Department of Music is pleased to welcome Carmine Emanuele Cella, Wei Cheng, and Matthew Sadowski. Cella joins the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Music Technology, Cheng will serve as Assistant Teaching Professor directing the University and Chamber Choruses, and Sadowski will direct the University Wind Ensemble as well as the Cal Marching Band.
“These hires are the result of a year long international search, and we are grateful for the dedicated work of our search committees and interim chair Professor Edmund Campion” noted Music Department Chair and Professor Cindy Cox.
Carmine Emanuele Cella
Cella is world-recognized as a computer music researcher and composer. He holds a Ph.D. in Science, Cognition, and Technology (on mathematical models for sound) from the University of Bologna, a Doctorate in Music Composition from the Accademia Nazionale “S. Ceclilia” in Rome, as well as advanced degrees in piano performance and computer music. His main research interest is the mathematical representation of musical and acoustic signals.
From 2007 to 2009 he worked as a researcher at IRCAM in Paris as part of the Analysis/Synthesis team and later served as Composer in Residence at the same institute. In 2009, he co-founded the technology and music company 31tone, which dedicated to professional research and development for audio. From 2013 to 2015 he was head of technical design at Mogees LTD, working on human-computer interactions. From 2015 to 2016 he had a post-doc position at Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris working t on mathematical models for sound representation using deep learning. He is currently finishing his work at IRCAM and a post-doc appointment at Haute École de Musique in Geneve working on machine learning methods for assisted orchestration.
As a composer, Cella is widely commissioned and has been a member of the National French Academy in Madrid, Casa de Velazquez, and a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome. He was recently honored with a nomination to the prestigious Prix de Composition Musicale from the Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco.
Cheng grew up in China in a musical environment. She studied piano and conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, and then took Master’s and Doctoral degrees in choral conducting at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. She interned with Margaret Hillis at the prestigious Chicago Symphony Chorus and has conducted at the Oregon Bach Festival, the National Conductor’s
Wei Cheng
Symposium with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and in Italy and Bulgaria.
She maintains an active career in China, where she serves annually as a guest conductor and clinician in Beijing and Shanghai. She was a visiting professor of choral activities for four years at Earlham College in Indiana, before accepting a professorship at Denison University in 2008. She achieved tenure at Denison in 2016 where she served as Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities. In addition to conducting and administering the choral programs she has taught courses in music theory, music history, and music and politics in China.
Matthew Sadowski
Sadowski recently completed his doctorate in conducting at University of Georgia, where he was involved with the marching band, concert programming, engaging audiences, educating players, and recruiting new students. He wrote drills and arranged music for the Redcoat Band, traveling with the group for their performance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in January 2018. Sadowski was a frequent guest conductor of the Hodgson Wind Ensemble and the school of music’s contemporary chamber ensemble, Rote Hund Muzik. He also taught undergraduate conducting courses and collaborated with faculty and colleagues in composition and performance.
Sadowski earned his undergraduate degree in music education at Michigan State University and his master’s in wind conducting from Ithaca College. From 2009–12 he served as director of bands at Westview High School in Portland, Oregon. He replaces the legendary Bob Calonico, who retired after 28 years.