Presidential Fellow Paul G. Feller-Simmons Discovers 400-Year Old Christmas Music
Please join The Graduate School in congratulating Presidential Fellow Paul G. Feller-Simmons on a significant breakthrough in his doctoral research. Paul is a music PhD candidate in the Department of Music at the Bienen School of Music. Paul's work engages with interdisciplinary approaches to Jewish-Christian musical exchanges, music in the Spanish colonies, and musical othering. His dissertation investigates how musical experiences mobilized culture between Jewish and Christian communities and social and territorial borders in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Northwestern Europe. Paul was recently interviewed by ABC7 Chicago for his recent discovery of 16th-century Christmas music that has been unheard of for centuries. Watch his interview here.
Paul invites all to listen to these unearthed melodies in concert by attending "A Latin American Christmas: A Musical Pilgrimage to Guatemala, Mexico, and Chile," presented by the Newberry Consort from Friday, December 13 – Sunday, December 15. Celebrate the holiday with lively villancicos, ethereal sacred motets, and sparkling pastorales that herald the Latin-American Baroque. Enjoy a pre-concert discussion panel led by Paul, whose research has informed this program—including some “new” Christmas music that may not have been heard for hundreds of years! Pre-concert discussions will begin one hour before each concert. Learn more here.
- Friday, December 13 at 7:30 PM at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church (4220 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago IL 60613). Purchase tickets here.
- Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 PM at St. Luke's Episcopal Church (939 Hinman Avenue, Evanston IL 60202). This event will also include a post-concert reception. Purchase tickets here.
- Sunday, December 15 at 4:00 PM at the National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W. 19th Street, Chicago IL 60608). This event will also include a post-concert reception. Purchase tickets here.
Paul's research has been fostered by the Presidential Fellowship which is funded by the President of the University and awarded by The Graduate School. This highly competitive award is the most prestigious fellowship awarded by Northwestern. Learn more about the fellowship and our current fellows here.
Additional articles on Paul's research:
- "This Northwestern music detective resurrected a trove of 400-year old Christmas music," WBEZ Chicago. Published December 11, 2024.
- "NU grad student's research to be highlighted in concert," Evanston Now. Published December 7, 2024.
Categories: Around Campus