Teresa McCollough, professional pianist, professor of music at Santa Clara University, and 2024-26 Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts, brings to campus a celebration of new music created in collaboration with her former students—award-winning alumni artists and composers, Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10, Sam Pluta ’01, and Brian Thorsett ’00. As part of her Sinatra Chair tenure, SCU alumni Melinda Martinez Becker ’04, M.A. ’06 and Sameer Gupta ’98 will also appear in the Music@Noon series and in other events including class visits, workshops, lectures, and masterclasses.
Upcoming Events
Alumni Bios
Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10
Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10 composes original musical compositions that explore important and timely social issues. Named a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow, Nicolás recently debuted “Dolores,” an opera centering on the life and activism of United Farmworkers co-founder Dolores Huerta. Learn more »
Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10 composes original musical compositions that explore important and timely social issues. Named a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow, Nicolás recently debuted “Dolores,” an opera centering on the life and activism of United Farmworkers co-founder Dolores Huerta. Learn more »
Sam Pluta ’01
Sam Pluta ’01 is an artist and composer who uses laptop-generated sound and electronic improvisation to create distinctive aural experiences that envelope and immerse the audience. Named a Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition in 2019, Sam is Associate Professor and Chair of Computer Music at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Learn more »
Sam Pluta ’01 is an artist and composer who uses laptop-generated sound and electronic improvisation to create distinctive aural experiences that envelope and immerse the audience. Named a Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition in 2019, Sam is Associate Professor and Chair of Computer Music at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Learn more »
Brian Thorsett ’00
Brian Thorsett ’00 is a gifted tenor known for his captivating and luminous voice. A much- acclaimed singer, Brian performs opera, oratorio, and recital repertoire in the U.S. and around the world. Currently an Associate Professor at Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Arts, Brian has also taught at Santa Clara University and the University of California, Berkeley. Learn more »
Brian Thorsett ’00 is a gifted tenor known for his captivating and luminous voice. A much- acclaimed singer, Brian performs opera, oratorio, and recital repertoire in the U.S. and around the world. Currently an Associate Professor at Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Arts, Brian has also taught at Santa Clara University and the University of California, Berkeley. Learn more »
McCollough will bring collaborative music to the campus community through her time as Sinatra Chair.
About the Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts
The Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts was established in 1980 with funds from the proceeds of the 14th Annual Golden Circle Theatre Party, headlined by Frank Sinatra. Each year, Sinatra Chairs and Visiting Artists energize the arts at Santa Clara University, inspiring our students and bringing life to our mission by fostering critical reflection and direct engagement with the world through the performing arts. Previous Chairs include Brian Thorstenson, Mark Duplass, BD Wong, Rhiannon Giddens, Taye Diggs, W. Kamau Bell, Anna Deavere Smith, and Silk Road Ensemble.