2026 Council Election Candidates

Genevieve Robyn Arkle

I am a Lecturer in Music History at King’s College London; however, I have worked at various UK universities as an academic member of staff. This has given me a detailed understanding of the current landscape and challenges faced by the higher education sector. I currently hold the position of Deputy Director of the Institute of Austrian and German Music Research, and I have previously served as a council member for the Royal Musical Association and the Society for Music Analysis. In these roles I have developed a passion for leading large-scale institutional and organisational change. For example, I spearheaded the new RMA complaints and feedback procedure to help establish better communication and prioritise the safeguarding of the membership. If elected as a council member I would continue to strengthen the international reach of AMS and champion involvement from individuals who are currently underrepresented in the academy.
 

Alex Bádue

I have been an active member of the AMS for eighteen years. As an assistant professor in a small liberal arts college, I am deeply committed to undergraduate teaching, mentorship, and the cultivation of intellectual community. I have served in committees at the Society for American Music and the AMS, including the AMS Midwest Chapter. At my institution, I have served on committees that have given me valuable insight into curricular challenges, as well as others dedicated to supporting and funding artist-scholars. My experience organizing conferences and serving on institutional committees has given me practical insight into academic governance, strategic planning, and collaborative decision-making. Having been an active participant in the AMS as both an international graduate student and an early-career scholar, I understand what individuals in these phases of their careers need and expect from an academic society, and I will be happy to represent them.
 

Malachai Komanoff Bandy

I am an assistant professor of music at Pomona College (CA), where I teach survey-style courses and seminars, primarily to non-majors, on pre-1750s musical symbolism, rhetoric, and queer expression. As (also) an active performer, studio musician, and passionate educator of adult early-music amateurs, my scholarly perspective merges theory and practice, whether in or beyond my small liberal-arts college environment. I therefore invest in learning communities that value multidisciplinary inquiry, having recently served on committees and organized panels for the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music, the International Society for the History of Rhetoric, the Renaissance Society of America, and the AMS Pacific Southwest Chapter. As a queer junior faculty member whose career constantly blends research and performance, I experientially understand the challenges of existing between and across societal boxes. I aim to bring to the Council a sincere belief that doing good work collaboratively, with kindness, enlivens and sustains a musical community.
 

Christa Bentley

I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas who researches American folk and popular music. I have experience at a large, state university as well as a previous position at a small, private university in Oklahoma. I can bring these perspectives to the AMS Council, having seen the challenges facing different types of institutions as well as how national challenges across higher ed are playing out in this region. I am an active member of the popular music study group and am interested in how the society can continue to support the work of study groups. I have also benefited from the AMS’s support through special events including the Many Musics of America grant and the Telling Our Stories institute. I see serving on the Council as a way of giving back to the society, to help promote these opportunities, and to help shape how the AMS supports our work.

Gwynne Brown

I am a professor of musicology at the University of Puget Sound, a small private liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington. I am a white scholar and pianist whose research has explored how Blackness and understandings of musical genre have intertwined in 20th-century American music. Having benefited greatly over the years from the generous mentorship of other scholars, I am eager to welcome and support those who are new to, or feel uneasy in, the AMS. Coming from a small college where connections with faculty across disciplines are easy to nurture, I am interested in fostering connections between musicology and other fields within music and beyond. I am committed to using my voice in service of equity, accessibility, and humanity in academia, musicology, and the AMS. I previously served on the AMS Council 2016–2019; I have also served on the Howard Mayer Brown Fellowship Committee, 2021–2025, chairing in 2024 and 2025.
 

Maria Cizmic

As associate professor in the Humanities and Cultural Studies Department at the University of South Florida, I integrate my areas of research expertise regarding music in Eastern Europe, trauma and disability, popular music, and film music into my department’s interdisciplinary degree programs in Film, Humanities, and American Studies. I work with my department to negotiate the ongoing challenges that higher education faces in Florida and have honed my leadership and organizational skills by serving as my department’s Graduate Advisor, on numerous search committees across the university and School of Music, and on USF’s Tenure and Promotion Committees. I have served on the AMS Southern Chapter’s program committee and appreciate the commitment that our Society’s members devote to the AMS. I bring the perspective of a music scholar who continues to speak to music studies while working in an interdisciplinary, humanities structure at a large state institution.
 

Matthew Franke

As a senior lecturer in music history at Howard University in Washington, D.C., I bring to the Council the perspective of a mid-career, full-time, non-tenure-track professor. I have previously served as a member of the AMS’s Committee on Communications (2018–2021) and as the secretary of the AMS Capital Chapter (2020–2024); these experiences shaped my belief that the AMS needs leaders who are committed to serving the membership. Another formative experience has been my work as a union organizer and departmental representative for SEIU Local 500 at Howard University (2022–present); if elected, I will be particularly interested in working to make the AMS a welcoming and supportive environment for all members, regardless of their employment status or relationship to the academy. Finally, my scholarly work on open-access publishing has provided me with connections to librarians and publishers that may help the AMS disseminate its message.
 

Qingfan Jiang

As an assistant professor of musicology at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, I bring to the Council the perspective of an early-career instructor at a conservatory within a major research university. My experience contributing to my school’s music history curriculum reform has given me a deep appreciation for the evolving needs of modern pedagogy. Having previously served as a student representative for the AMS Greater New York Chapter, I am eager to return to serve the Society. As a former international student, I am also committed to building a welcoming and equitable environment for scholars from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. My research in global music history has allowed me to build professional networks in China, France, and Portugal. I hope to leverage these international connections to foster greater collaboration between the AMS and other musicological societies around the globe.

John Kapusta

I am currently an assistant professor of musicology at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. I am a historian of music and culture with a focus on the postwar United States. Before completing my PhD, I studied voice and performed solo roles with the Houston Grand Opera and other companies.

In my academic career, I have held both term-based contract and tenure-track faculty positions. Because of this experience, I am particularly concerned about promoting economic security and academic freedom for all faculty. To that end, I have served as an elected member of the University of Rochester’s Faculty Senate and participated in its chapter of the AAUP. I would bring this perspective and experience to the AMS Council. I believe humanities teaching and research is essential to our democracy. I want to help the AMS continue to promote the study of music in all its forms.

Jacob Kopcienski

As an Assistant Professor of Musicology at Appalachian State University, I bring the perspective of a junior scholar at a rural, public institution in the South. My sensitivity to the diverse methodologies, research subjects, positionalities, and ethical commitments of the AMS membership is informed by my experience as a white, disabled, queer scholar using interdisciplinary community-engaged research methods (archival, ethnography, and popular music/media studies). Through my research with queer/trans, African American, and working-class communities throughout Appalachia, I have built substantial relationships with performers, community organizations, and related academic societies (Appalachian Studies Association; IASPM-US). At Appalachian State, I developed leadership, collaborative, and organizational skills as the coordinator for the Music Humanities Community Conversation Series, steering committee member for High Country Humanities, and co-founder of the Resonance Center for Music, Health, and Community Engagement. These experiences shape my commitment to AMS policies and programming responsive to scholarly and community stakeholders.
 

Lena Leson

As assistant professor of musicology at Oberlin College and Conservatory, I bring to the Council the perspective of an early-career instructor at a liberal arts college as well as a conservatory, the latter of which is an institution type that is not always as visible in our discipline or well-represented on the Council. I have previously served as secretary/treasurer of the AMS Music and Dance Study Group, giving me an appreciation for the scholars and volunteers who make up this Society. Prior to my academic career, I spent several years running human resources, finance & accounting, and business operations for tech start-ups. This work sharpened my organizational, interpersonal, strategic, and leadership skills, giving me opportunities to learn how to build strong organizations and repair them when issues inevitably arise.

Abigail Lindo

As an active, internationally engaged music and sound studies scholar, avid educator, and digital humanist who has organized symposia and supported activities in the AMS Southern Chapter, I would be a beneficial addition to the AMS Council. I am assistant professor of digital musicology and Ad Astra Fellow of digital music cultures in the School of Music at University College Dublin. Across talks, podcast episodes, publications, and workshops, I have devoted energy and resources to promoting a deep appreciation for Afrodiasporic, Caribbean, and Lusophone music, musical practitioners and careers, and connections across interdisciplinary scholarly networks. I intend to further this work with a broader audience, alongside my colleagues, whilst serving on the council. As an immigrant and naturalized US citizen currently living abroad, I acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of backgrounds reflected in the membership of AMS – whom I will support via my continued relationships with fellow academics, artists, and administrators.
 

Bess Xintong Liu

As an assistant professor in musicology from the Jacobs School of music at Indiana University Bloomington, I bring to the Council the perspective of an early-career scholar-teacher at a state university music school. As I have also worked for two years as a visiting professor at a small liberal arts college, I was exposed to different pedagogies of our discipline in contrasting curriculum contexts and am keen to transform my diverse working experience into service for the Council. I have previously served as committee member of the Global East Asia Study Group at AMS, which has kindled my passion in academic service in creating networks for scholars with diverse backgrounds but share similar scholarly interests. Being an international faculty member and a former international student, I am determined to create a consistently inclusive platform for members of various backgrounds.

Peng Liu

As an Assistant Professor of Musicology at Truman State University, I bring to the AMS Council sustained experience in Society service, a practical understanding of governance work, and perspectives shaped by my background as an immigrant faculty member. My research focuses on nineteenth-century performance and virtuoso culture—especially women pianists and piano culture—as well as Asian American music and identity politics, areas that engage both historical inquiry and current disciplinary priorities. I have served the AMS through editorial board work for the Journal of Music History Pedagogy, committee service with AMS Communications, participation in the Musicology Now Task Force, leadership in the Global East Asian Music Research Study Group, and chapter-level representation. These roles have involved policy discussion, collaborative planning, and sustained institutional labor rather than one-time service. I would approach Council service with care, transparency, and a strong sense of responsibility to the Society’s governance and long-term vitality.
 

Siriana Lundgren

I am the Curator of Cultural History at the Museum of the Rockies and a historical musicologist committed to community-forward public scholarship. I recently completed my PhD at Harvard University and previously taught musicology and interdisciplinary courses as a visiting professor at St. Olaf College. My work focuses on the musical cultures of the nineteenth-century American West and often takes shape beyond the academy through museum exhibitions, public talks, radio features, and digital projects. I regularly write for public audiences, including publications such as Teen Vogue and Points West.

As a rural Montanan working across museums, universities, and community archives, I care deeply about expanding the audiences for musicology. My career has required building bridges between academic scholarship and public audiences, and I hope to bring that same collaborative, outward-facing spirit to the Council. Particularly, I hope to strengthen partnerships with museums and cultural institutions, support members pursuing careers beyond academia, and champion forms of scholarship that connect musicological research with broader publics. I am especially interested in helping the Society connect with rural publics and communities beyond major academic centers.
 

Alison Mero

I represent two different aspects of the musicological ecosystem: I have a PhD in musicology and am a published scholar, and I direct Clemson University Press, which has a growing list in music history. I have served on the Janet Levy Award Committee in 2026 and have run for AMS Council previously. I have never held a formal academic position; thus, I understand the career struggles of independent and contingent scholars. I’ve been a member of AMS for over 20 years and care a great deal for the community that it serves and cultivates. I would be honored to give back to the organization that has done so much for our discipline.
 

David Miller

I serve as Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of California, Berkeley, where I offer courses in the Department of Music and American Studies program. I have primarily taught undergraduate students and have recently been granted new insights into the world of Berkeley undergraduates through my work in the Campus Faculty Partner program, an initiative of the Residential Life office. I would be excited to share this perspective with the Council and explore how musicology might be made relevant to undergraduates of all backgrounds. I am also active as a freelance performer on early bowed bass instruments and have spent many years building bridges between the performance world and academia, which I feel could be an asset to the Society’s performance-oriented initiatives. I have previously served on the editorial board of Musicology Now and I currently serve on the committee for the Music in American Culture Award.
 

Tiffany Naiman

At the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, I balance research, teaching, and service with a strong commitment to collaborative governance and institutional leadership. As a leading scholar of David Bowie, my work engages questions of authorship, philosophy, and historical memory. Separately, my research on women and aging in the music industry addresses equity, representation, and labor. I also conduct cutting-edge research on sustainability that places me at the forefront of conversations about the music industry’s role in addressing urgent global challenges.

I have previously served as Chair of the AMS LGBTQ Study Group, fostering inclusive programming and sustained scholarly exchange. In my home institution, I have contributed to diverse faculty hiring and curriculum creation, advancing equity-centered practices and broadening the scope of music industry studies. These experiences prepare me to contribute thoughtfully to the Council’s advisory and strategic responsibilities while supporting a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking Society.
 

Joshua Neumann

As a research fellow in digital musicology at the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz, I bring to the Council American and European perspectives in research, teaching, and grant-making, along with strategic international collaboration building for public musicology. I currently serve on the MLA/RISM and Publications committees, and have previously served on the Communications, Technology, and Membership & Professional Development committees, all of which allowed me to deepen my appreciation for the mission and, most importantly, people of the Society. Working in an international context keeps me ever mindful of creating the kinds of environments wherein all members are welcome to contribute to ongoing discourse. Finally, through my research activities and pedagogical outreach, I have built connections with performers and K–12 educators; I will work to cultivate these relationships further to expand the impact and engagement of the AMS.
 

Charissa Noble

As an assistant professor of musicology at the University of San Diego, I bring to the Council the perspective of an early-career scholar working at a teaching-centered institution while remaining actively engaged in research, performance, and public programming. My scholarship focuses on twentieth-century American music and the experimental networks that shaped modernist musical life. Recent projects on ultramodern music in 1920s Carmel-by-the-Sea combine archival research with performances, public lectures, and collaborations with libraries and arts organizations. Through this work, I have become especially interested in how the AMS can support multiple forms of musicological practice—research, teaching, creative activity, and community engagement—while fostering more inclusive and expansive narratives of the field. I would bring to the Council experience organizing collaborative initiatives, mentoring students, and building bridges between academic scholarship and public musical life. I care deeply about sustaining a vibrant and welcoming intellectual community for scholars across institutions, career stages, and methodological approaches.
 

Catherine Provenzano

Catherine Provenzano’s research focuses on voice, instrumentality, labor, and technology as they intersect US popular culture. Her forthcoming book, Emotional Signals: Auto-Tune, Melodyne, and the Cultural Politics of Pitch Correction (University of Michigan Press), is an exploration of the history of pitch correction technologies and their musical and social implications. She is also currently researching the political economy of sound and software in megachurch worship contexts, and working on a second monograph called Musical Maintenance: Sound and Labor in the Long Twentieth Century. Her writing appears in the Journal of Popular Music Studies, the Yale Journal of Music and Religion, Musicology Now, Guernica, and several edited collections. She is Assistant Professor of Musicology and Music Industry at UCLA, and is a songwriter and singer.
 

Megan Sarno

I am a non-tenure track Assistant Professor of Instruction at Temple University; I teach undergraduate and graduate music students in a diverse urban setting. My previous teaching at liberal arts colleges in the midwest and at a major research university in Texas exposed me to a wide spectrum of curricular models and priorities. I also made the deliberate decision to leave a tenure-track position to better support my family, a choice that helps me understand the Society as a community of scholars with complex lives. As president (2023–24) of the AMS Southwest Chapter, I organized both a virtual meeting and a joint meeting with the southwest chapter of the SEM, experiences that strengthened my leadership and collaborative skills while connecting me with colleagues across career stages and institutional types. I see teaching and research as forms of service, and I would bring that spirit of engagement and inclusivity to the Council.
 

Braxton Shelley

As the George Washington Williams Professor of Music, of Sacred Music, and of Divinity at Yale, I would bring to the Council the perspective of a mid-career interdisciplinary scholar focused on the study and practice of African American music. Alongside my faculty appointment, I also direct the ISM’s program in Music and the Black Church, a position through which I have developed significant administrative skills. In my writing and as a citizen of the university and our fields, I have striven for diversity and excellence, weaving together ethnographic, historical, and music-theoretic perspectives in my scholarship, and working to make space for voices and bodies that have often been underrepresented in the academy. I would hope to use these experiences to advance the mission of the AMS.
 

Campbell Shiflett

As Assistant Professor of Musicology at Oklahoma City University, I can bring to the Council my experience as an early-career instructor at a small private school. As a teacher and through my service on committees dedicated to general education and program review, I have gained special insight into the specific difficulties students and academic institutions in my region face, as well as the broader challenges musicology and the humanities must meet to sustain themselves in the contemporary landscape of higher education. I also hope to lend the Council my project-management and organizational skills, honed through work organizing and facilitating events and exhibitions at OCU, the AMS Annual Meeting, AMS chapter meetings, and elsewhere. Several of these projects stemmed from my interest in institutional history, an outgrowth of my research on the mythologies sustaining Anglophone musicology. My belief in the importance of maintaining transparent institutions would fuel my participation in Council.
 

Stephanie Stallings

With a career spanning higher education and nonprofit leadership, I bring a perspective rooted in deep engagement with music practitioners and arts organizations. I hold a PhD in musicology and served on the faculty at Northern Arizona University, where I taught musicology and arts and cultural management. My research on Pan-American musical cooperation and Mexican art music has been published in JAMS and various edited volumes. Beyond the classroom, I have led several arts organizations, including tenures as Executive Director of a regional orchestra and Program Director for a global arts administration community. My professional expertise encompasses data strategy, fundraising, and audience and membership development. Currently serving on multiple committees for the Society for American Music, I am eager to contribute my cross-sector experience to the AMS Council to strengthen vital connections between scholars, practitioners, and the public.