UCLA Names Michael Beckerman New Dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music

Acclaimed higher education scholar and author Michael Beckerman has been named the new dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. He will begin his role at UCLA on or before October 1, 2025.

Prior to his appointment at NYU, Beckerman was Distinguished Professor at Lancaster University (2011–15) and a member of the music faculty at UC Santa Barbara (1992–2003) and Washington University in St. Louis (1982–1992). A highly regarded musicologist, Beckerman specializes in Czech and Eastern European music, with strong ties to ethnomusicology, composition and performance. Author or editor of seven books, Beckerman was awarded the Dvořák Medal and the Janáček Medal by the Czech Ministry of Culture and is also a laureate of the Czech Music Council. He was also awarded the Gratias Agit Award from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Harrison Medal from the Society of Musicology in Ireland and has twice received the Deems Taylor Award.  Dr. Beckerman received honorary doctorates from Palacký University in 2014 and from Masaryk University in 2022.

 

“As the new dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, I bring a lifelong passion and strong commitment to the study and performance of music,” said Beckerman. “I am eager to contribute to this school's extraordinary stature and support the success of the next generation of musicians, music industry leaders, scholars and educators. It is also my desire to deepen the engagement with the local Bruin community while furthering the school's global reach to raise its international profile.”

 

Deeply committed to teaching, Beckerman received the Golden Dozen Teaching Award from NYU in 2013 and the George Estabrook Distinguished Alumnus Award from Hofstra University in 2012. He currently serves on the board of directors for the NYU Center for Ballet and the Kalabis Foundation; on the international advisory board of Muzikološki Zbornik; on the editorial boards of Konturen, Musicologica Olomucensis, Journal of the Society for Musicology in Ireland and the Journal of Film Music; as vice president of the Dvořák American Heritage Association; and as artistic adviser for the Martinů and His World Bard Music Festival. He received his B.A. in music from Hofstra University and his M.A., MPhil and Ph.D. from Columbia University.

 

“Professor Beckerman's academic, professional and administrative experience and achievements, coupled with his UC roots, position him well to lead The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music at this pivotal moment,” UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt wrote in a message to campus. “Recognizing the importance of the arts to our mission of higher education, Chancellor Frenk and I are confident that the school will continue to fulfill its vital role on campus and will reach new heights under Mike's capable leadership.”

 

The Herb Alpert School of Music prepares students for twenty-first century music careers. Home to renowned musical scholars, music industry experts and world-class musicians, educators and composers within one institution, the school of music offers students a vibrant interdisciplinary education that prizes music performance and scholarship while also emphasizing active engagement in the greater Los Angeles community. Esteeming all musical traditions as vital expressions of an evolving global society, the school of music boasts over 40 ensembles performing music from around the world.

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