KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 5, 2026

Residency includes masterclasses, composer coaching, and a culminating performance featuring the vocal music of Tom Cipullo.

The Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University will welcome acclaimed American composer Tom Cipullo for a two day residency on March 23–24. The visit will provide students with the opportunity to learn directly from one of the most respected composers of contemporary vocal music. Cipullo’s operas and songs are performed throughout the United States and internationally, and his honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. 

During the residency, Cipullo will coach BSOM voice students in individual sessions, lead a public masterclass, participate in question and answer discussions, and work with composition students through private lessons and a group seminar. His visit will conclude with a performance devoted entirely to his vocal music, presented by students and faculty of the Bailey School of Music. 

Assistant Professor of Voice Joshua Zink, who helped organize the residency, has collaborated with Cipullo for more than a decade. Zink first connected with him while preparing audition repertoire and received an aria from Cipullo’s opera Glory Denied in response to a simple inquiry. Zink described this as an early example of the composer’s generosity and added that experiences of this kind help shape a young musician’s artistic development. Zink later studied Cipullo’s cycle America 1968 for his doctoral research, which deepened their professional relationship. He noted that students benefit greatly from learning directly from living composers and called Cipullo’s visit “an extraordinary opportunity for our students to work with one of the most important composers of vocal music in the United States today.” 

Cipullo’s work is known for its lyrical intensity and dramatic clarity. His operas, including Glory Denied, After Life, Josephine, and Mayo, have received widespread praise. His song catalog explores both everyday moments and larger cultural narratives with a distinctive musical voice.

Program Highlights 

The culminating concert will include selections from An Earth to Walk Upon, Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House, In the Middle of a Life, Long Island Songs, How to Get Heat Without Fire, and Late Summer. The evening will also feature “Valerie’s Aria” from Mayo and the “Congregation Aria” from Glory Denied, performed by faculty baritone Joshua Zink. Together, the works offer a broad introduction to Cipullo’s significant contributions to American vocal literature.

Get your tickets for the performance here!