Job title:
Musicology
Bio/CV:
Born and raised in the Caribbean, Rodney is a musicologist and PhD student whose research focuses on post-war contemporary music in Puerto Rico. As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow (MMUF), he previously worked on interdisciplinary research in music, history, and art history. His current work examines Puerto Rican music through the lens of post-colonialism and modernism frameworks, to understand how music festivals—from Festival Casals in the 1960s to later contemporary music festivals and biennials—shaped the landscape of new music in Puerto Rico. Rodney explores how these festivals fostered intersections between music, visual arts, and film, and how their openness to international participation contributed to the eclecticism of the repertoire.
Aside from his academic interests, his passion for choral composition has led him to participate as a Tenor in choral ensembles since 2016, such as the UPRRP Choir; Philharmonic Choir of San Juan; Ars Vocalis PR; Orfeón San Juan Bautista and our UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus. In addition, a few choral works by different choral ensembles have already premiered in Puerto Rico. His love for music and the humanities motivates him to compose contemporary choral music to this day.
Publications
2025. “Repensando El país de cuatro pisos (1979) de José Luis González a través de la cultura musical puertorriqueña” Blog for the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies (CLACS).(forthcoming)
Aside from his academic interests, his passion for choral composition has led him to participate as a Tenor in choral ensembles since 2016, such as the UPRRP Choir; Philharmonic Choir of San Juan; Ars Vocalis PR; Orfeón San Juan Bautista and our UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus. In addition, a few choral works by different choral ensembles have already premiered in Puerto Rico. His love for music and the humanities motivates him to compose contemporary choral music to this day.
Publications
2025. “Repensando El país de cuatro pisos (1979) de José Luis González a través de la cultura musical puertorriqueña” Blog for the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies (CLACS).(forthcoming)
2024. "Forms of resistance and exclusion in Puerto Rican vanguard music in late 20th century: The Case of Francis Schwartz" Revista Musiké 9, no. 1
2023. "Representación de la violencia política e institucional en las artes visuales del siglo XX-XXI en Puerto Rico.” Revista [in]genios 10, no. 1.
MA. Musicology (History & Literature in Music), UC Berkeley, 2025.
BA. Humanities in History of Americas, Foreign Languages (French & German), and Music, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, 2023.
MA. Musicology (History & Literature in Music), UC Berkeley, 2025.
BA. Humanities in History of Americas, Foreign Languages (French & German), and Music, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, 2023.
Role:
