On Sunday, May 17th, the Department of Music celebrated the class of 2026 in Hertz Concert Hall. The uplifting ceremony highlighted the bright future awaiting these students as family and friends cheered them on.
Department Chair David Milnes kicked off the festivities, speaking on the importance of the day and the significant accomplishments of the students. With much of the Music Department’s faculty in attendance, Professor Milnes touched on departmental highlights over the past academic year, including the 50th anniversary of the Department’s Ethnomusicology program, and the arrival of new faculty members Mu-Xuan Lin and Chris Batterman Cháirez.
Following Professor Milnes’ remarks, the 2026 Department Citation & Matthew William Fisher Memorial Award in Music recipient, Gianna Faith Caudillo, addressed her fellow students. Gianna spoke about the community that is built around a genuine love of music, and the connections that grew between her and her fellow students as a result.
After Gianna came Ph.D. graduate Ryan Gourley, who was receiving his doctorate in Ethnomusicology. Ryan’s research explores the ways that touring operatic vocalists, migrating musicians, and commercial recordings shaped the Russian imperial imagination of Manchuria in the early 20th century. In speaking about the milestone of graduation, Ryan encouraged everyone to soak in the celebratory nature of the day and relish all that they had accomplished at Berkeley.
Once these speakers finished, graduates were awarded their diplomas. The doctoral candidates in attendance—Andrew Blanton, Ryan Gourley, Max Jefferson, Caitlin Romtvedt, Rose Ward, Jonathan Wu and Collin James Ziegler—were hooded by their faculty advisors. After the doctoral candidates, congratulations were given to two students receiving Masters of Arts—Josiah Adrineda and Allie Mangel—an important milestone in their path to a doctorate. These graduate presentations were followed by the Department of Music’s largest graduating class ever, with more than 65 undergraduate students walking across the stage to receive their diplomas and congratulations from Chair Milnes.
A reception for these graduates and their families immediately followed the commencement ceremony just outside of Hertz Hall. Students, their families, and friends joined faculty and staff to celebrate the occasion on a perfect Berkeley spring day.
Congratulations to all of our graduates! A PDF of the commencement program and photos from the commencement and reception are linked below.