His trumpet teacher, a retired member of the United States Marine Band, taught Desinord how to learn scales by providing the first few and then challenging him to figure out the rest based on patterns he saw. It became a game for Desinord.

“I would sit and I would write out everything,” he said. “He only asked me to do the next scale for the next week, but I did all of them. From that point, I was hooked.”

Desinord is now the one teaching others.

This fall, the he joined the ������̳ of Arts & Sciences as a and an assistant professor of music in the Department of Performing Arts. He will spend his first year researching before teaching music theory courses starting next fall. Desinord’s current research focuses on harmony and gospel music. 

“Basically, I look at how harmony is used as a communicative tool,” he said. “How it transmits emotions and feelings within a song but also within church services.”

The interdisciplinary nature of the ������̳ excites Desinord. He hopes to collaborate with colleagues in philosophy, linguistics and Black studies, among other fields.

“I look forward to Richard taking advantage of the interconnections within the department and across the university,” said , a professor of music and chair of the Department of Performing Arts. “He is poised to produce impactful scholarship that reflects the generosity and collaboration of colleagues here. I also look forward to seeing him develop new intellectual spaces that invite students into his expertise and curiosity, particularly in how he thinks about music theory and race.”

Sources of Inspiration

Desinord was born and raised in DC to Haitian immigrant parents who he calls his “greatest source of inspiration.”

“They exemplified hard work, perseverance and selflessness in pursuit of a better life for our family,” he said.

Midway through elementary school, Desinord and his family moved to Prince George’s County in Maryland, and he graduated from the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at Suitland High School. 

It was during his time there that the teaching spark first emerged. By senior year, Desinord’s music theory teacher had given him opportunities to tutor his peers and lead lessons.

“Those experiences revealed how rewarding it could be to help others engage with and understand new material, and they solidified my interest in education as a vocation,” Desinord said. 

Teachers have always had a big impact on him, and Desinord marveled at the influence his teachers had over students. 

“I was really inspired by teachers who really cared about what we were doing, who really emphasized core parts of teaching but also were just really human,” he said. “I understood that I was growing in their presence.”

Prior to Georgetown, Desinord served as an assistant professor of music theory at Michigan State University and a lecturer of music theory at Howard University. He also taught music at a public middle school in DC for three years. 

Desinord has a Ph.D. in music theory from the Eastman School of Music, an master’s in music theory from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Music in music education from Howard University. 

At Georgetown, Desinord said he plans to teach courses on Black music, including analysis and the history of gospel and R&B. 

“That ‘aha moment,’ to watch somebody learn something — I don’t care if it’s me doing it or anyone else — that moment is really inspiring to see,” Desinord said.

Academic Role Models

There were moments during Desinord’s academic journey where he doubted himself. 

While flipping through a copy of Music Theory Spectrum, a leading journal in the field of music theory, as an undergraduate, Desinord thought to himself, “I cannot do this. I’m not intelligent enough to do this.”

He explains that part of the reason he felt that way is because he did not see many Black people studying music theory nor many academics in the field studying it from a Black perspective. Desinord’s professors urged him to keep going.

“I was fortunate to take classes with Black professors at Howard University in the field who not only modeled exceptional teaching but also encouraged and nurtured my research interests,” he said. “Seeing them excel in a space where representation is still limited was profoundly inspiring and affirmed my desire to contribute to the discipline in my own way.”

, Desinord wrote for Music Theory Spectrum, and his scholarly work has also appeared in the , and . 

“I understand the difficulty of looking at a field and seeing how few numbers there are of people like you and how daunting that could feel,” Desinord said. “A piece of advice is to not let the scarcity of people like you keep you from doing something. It just takes one.”

So, Harbert didn’t truly understand how his book, Instrument of the State: A Century of Music in Louisiana’s Angola Prison, would be received publicly until recently. 

This past year, Harbert, a professor of music and chair of the Department of Performing Arts in the ������̳ of Arts & Sciences, won three prestigious awards for the book, which was published in 2023: the , the and the .

“Each one has meant something different,” Harbert said of the awards. “It is certainly validating when you get a response from a book.”

Instrument of the State chronicles more than a century of musical history from incarcerated individuals at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as “Angola” in reference to the country of origin for many of the enslaved people who lived on the former plantation. The penitentiary still exists today and is the largest maximum-security prison in the U.S. with thousands of inmates. 

In the book, Harbert pieces together oral history and archival research to show how incarcerated individuals at the prison have found rare creative expression and a limited experience of freedom through music.

“It gives us an opportunity to think of prison as a disorganized, haphazard, conditional and historical institution,” he said.

The Society for American Music annually gives out the Irving Lowens Book Award for the book it judges as the best in the field of American music. The organization praised Instrument of the State for its “compelling narrative” that centers the voices of incarcerated musicians. 

“It opens the door to a musical world long hidden from view and prompts readers to ‘listen longer’ to the message of Angola Prison’s musical presence,” in its announcement.

The recognition meant a lot to Harbert. 

“It’s regarded as the biggest prize in the study of American music,” he said. “So that feels good.”

Each year, the American Musicological Society honors a book of “exceptional merit that both illuminates some important aspect of the music of the United States and places that music in a rich cultural context” with the Music in American Culture Award.

The organization’s awards committee wrote that, “By placing familiar stories in new contexts, we come to understand the powerful role(s) music can play in an oppressive system. Instrument of the State matters in ways subtle and profound. It challenges us to rethink old myths about the authenticity of Black music and it brings us face to face with the abomination of justice that is the American prison system.”

For Harbert, that award meant that his book was “approachable and resonant beyond the academic impact.”

“My colleague in the History Department gives everybody this advice: write for humans,” Harbert said. “So to get that prize meant that I had followed John’s advice.”

The Portia K. Maultsby Prize, given out by the Society of Ethnomusicology “recognizes the most distinguished English-language monograph in the field of ethnomusicology, with the focus being African American music and/or Black music of the diaspora.”

The organization’s awards committee wrote that Harbert “approaches this project with more care and substance, doing extensive archival research and interviews and giving honor and dignity to his conversation partners, and thereby producing a book that will have reverberations across and beyond the field.”

Chloe Hornbostel (C’26), a government major and music minor who took Harbert’s American music ethnography and rock history courses, called the book an “eye-opening read.” 

“It played a large role in my understanding and appreciation of music’s ability to carry significant historical weight,” she said. “The book taught me more about the ways in which culture and expression persist in spite of social or legal hindrances.”

Harbert said that winning the three awards reinforced to him that the musicians’ stories mattered and that they’re part of the American story. After learning of each award, he would send updates to the incarcerated musicians at Angola.

Myron Hodges, a guitarist for the Angola Big River Band, wrote in one of the book’s foreword that he was “deeply honored” to be a part of Instrument of the State.

“Instrument of the State is like no other book I’ve read about Angola because it doesn’t stereotype its subjects,” Hodges wrote. “Instead, it focuses on the musical history and the endeavors of men serving time, those of us who seek to achieve a sense of purpose, meaning, peace and normalcy in our lives, using our musical abilities to captivate the hearts and minds of our audiences and our keepers.”

“For students, the opportunity to hear one of the most significant musicians of our day is simply an unparalleled gift,” said , the Thomas E. Caestecker Professor of Music and curator of the Friday Music Series. “David’s high level of achievement, his dedication to his craft and sheer artistry represent a unique, firsthand experience and encounter to learn and to introduce students to the beauty of art music.” 

During the performance, Kim played with pianist Grace Kim, an adjunct professor in the . Kim performed pieces from George Frideric Handel, Johannes Brahms, Jules Massenet and Fritz Kreisler. 

“I am beyond fortunate to be able to play many different genres of music: of course all the great orchestral repertoire, many of the major violin concertos, chamber music and, as I am doing on campus this week, recitals with piano,” said Kim. “My favorite composers are Prokofiev and Richard Strauss. However, there are numerous works from various composers which I love like The Moldau by Smetana, the Brahms Viola Quintets and all of the Mozart Piano Concertos.

Ahead of the performance, Kim was a guest in DelDonna’s companion course, Live Music in Context and he answered questions from students, sharing his professional and personal experiences as a professional musician. 

“Music surrounds us,” Kim said. “If you walk into any library on the Georgetown campus, nearly every student is listening to music as they study. We all need music in our lives and without it, our existence is in danger of becoming a cultural wasteland. It doesn’t matter what genre we’re talking about….we all love music and it fills a place in our hearts.”

Kim spoke about his experience as a violinist and the upbringing that made his career possible. Kim’s mother, the first Korean woman to attain a doctorate in music outside of Korea, was intent on him becoming a concert violinist. 

“Music is second nature to me and the language that I have spoken my entire life,” Kim says. “But it is not everything to me and as an adult, I am catching up on all the activities that I missed out on as a child – mainly playing golf and archery deer hunting. I believe the fact that I have varied interests now helps keep my love of music fresh and vital.”

The Friday Music Concert Series, which has brought leading musicians to campus for more than 20 years, extends far beyond so-called ‘classical’ music. Just this semester, the Department of Performing Arts hosted diverse genres ranging from country to Go-Go to jazz, among other performances.  

“The Series brings musical artists of national and international reputation to campus to engage with students in the ������̳ of Arts & Sciences and beyond,” says DelDonna. “Many of the artists, including David Kim, also offer masterclasses, visit courses to work with students in our ensembles or engage in discussion to provide them with firsthand insights into the professional world.” 

Past performances have been co-sponsored by an extensive list of on-campus partners, including the , the , the , the and the .

“The intention is to bridge the academic curriculum with the broader scholastic missions of the ������̳ of Arts & Sciences,” DelDonna explains. “It is a tremendous satisfaction to curate the Friday Music Concert Series so that it reflects the interdisciplinarity of the music curriculum and faculty as well as our collaborations with other programs.”

Miller partnered with Georgetown as a participant in the . This recent initiative cosponsored by the and looks “to highlight art, activism and racial justice by focusing on work by literary, visual and performance artists whose art serves the ongoing struggle to produce new forms of racial freedom.”

This performance is representative of the types of learning experiences being cultivated at Georgetown.

“The presentation allowed a collaboration with world-renowned musician, Paul Miller, and the Georgetown Chamber Singers to display the depth of undergraduate learning in the Arts,” says , vice dean and department chair of the performing arts department. “This residency is not only a part of Georgetown’s investment in racial justice but also a longstanding commitment to artistic development.”

A renaissance man, Miller is a composer, multimedia artist, and writer. His work combines multiple genres and cultures, and addresses a myriad of social issues including racial injustice and climate change. Before the performance, he talked about the universal connections that connect us as human beings, and spoke of the importance of coming together to stop climate change.

“I have become passionate about this work because climate change and music theory are two things that unite society,” says Miller. “At the end of the day, it’s about people. Regardless of your ethnic group, it’s hard to argue with a storm that destroyed your house, or fires that destroyed your entire country. I’m really grateful that I have been able to perform at Georgetown. It’s those unexpected collisions that makes life more interesting.”

, the Thomas E. Caestecker Professor of Music in Georgetown ������̳ and the organizer of the event, describes the Summit as a way for musicians to learn how to advocate for their medium in ways that may not be obvious.

“The Music Policy Forum Summit is a deep dive into issues that affect the music ecosystem on the local and national level,” Celenza said. “Some of these are obvious, like best practices for venues, the development of new revenue streams for musicians, the current state of the music industry, copyright issues, and new trends in music journalism. Other aspects are less obvious, such as the impact on the music of government policies concerning urban renewal, noise ordinances, public transportation, the creation of new venues, and the use of public spaces.”

DIVERSE CONVERSATIONS

The Summit hosted a wide variety of speakers, each of whom participated in a different themed segment of the event. This year’s themes were access, data, collaboration and the incremental nature of music policy.

According to Celenza, the most time-consuming part of planning the event is choosing a diverse range of perspectives for each panel discussion.

“We try to have new speakers every year,” Celenza said. “We reach out to figures in the music industry that we admire and ask them what interests them at the moment, and who they would like to ‘have a conversation with’ about it.”

In particular, the Forum’s organizers look to create a discussion among representatives of different parts of the music world.

“The Summit features musicians, venue owners, government officials, radio broadcasters, industry representatives, educators, non-profit organizations, journalists and fans,” said Celenza. “It’s rare for all these facets of the music industry to come together in the same room and share ideas. It’s like a huge think tank — two days of problem-solving and the sharing of ideas/information. For example, the announcement this year that D.C. is launching a Music Census is the direct result of the conference in 2016.”

Seamus Masterson (C’21), who attended the Forum as part of his left with an impression of how important it was to bring people together for a discussion.

“I was struck most by the different types of industry professionals that were there,” Masterson said. “The various perspectives allowed for in-depth conversations at the lunch break out sessions and made me realize that music policy discussions should not only take place among policymakers but all members of the industry.”

THE FUTURE IS…

Each section of events at this year’s summit began with the phrase “The Future Is…” The slogan served as a prompt to keep the attendees thinking about what they hoped to leave the conference with.

“We’re focused on talking about solutions and moving forward. Too often, conferences about the music industry focus on complaining about what’s currently wrong with the industry,” Celenza said. “Instead of just asking what’s wrong, we’d rather ask, ‘What do we need to do next?’ What change do we hope to see in the future? And most importantly, how can we strengthen the stability of the music ecosystem for the next generation?’”

Celenza credits the event’s successful dialogue to Georgetown’s reputation for fostering socially conscious discussions.

“Speakers know this won’t be an industry-driven, for-profit event, but rather an issues-based, public policy discussion,” Celenza said. “Social justice plays a role in the conference every year. I think Georgetown’s reputation and values serves as a backdrop to the conversations.

October 20, 2017 — , in conjunction with the Music Policy Forum, , and , is hosting an all-day multimedia conference on the role of the public sector in expanding the digital cultural landscape on October 28.

DC Talks Music/FilmDocs/Media: Cross-Sector Dialogue in Today’s Digital Culture, held in Lohrfink Auditorium in the Rafik B. Hariri Building, will feature an all-star lineup of musicians, documentary filmmakers, comedians, podcasters, researchers and government officials from across the country. The goal is to explore what the various arts communities and media might learn from each other and to discover how like-minded creators can benefit from integrating strategies and networks.

DC Talks Music/FilmDocs/Media was planned by , the Thomas E. Caestecker Professor of Music as part of her class MUSC-461: Music Industry Seminar. Each year Celenza works with stakeholders in D.C.’s arts economy to organize a national conference on a music industry-related issue. While last year’s conference directly addressed the D.C. music scene, this year’s aims to incorporate creators from across the media landscape.

“We’re expanding the conversation to include a wide range of creators – musicians, podcasters, comedians, filmmakers – all of whom depend more and more on digital media,” said Celenza.

The seven-hour conference features discussions and presentations on music ecosystem development, documentary filmmaking strategy, digital distribution, podcasting, music economics research, comedy, civic leadership, and public-private partnerships.

The keynote interview features singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen and Donald Young, Director of Programs for the . It will be moderated by , Associate Dean of the ������̳ and Director of the .

Other featured speakers include actor and musician ; , NEA Media Arts Director; podcasters & ; Cynthia Lopez, former Commissioner of New York City Mayor’s ; and representatives from social enterprise .

“We live in a competitive entertainment marketplace where digital technology has fundamentally shifted the relationship between creator and audience,” said Music Policy Forum founder Michael Bracy. “Public and philanthropic sectors are rethinking how policies, programs and strategies can support healthy, sustainable arts ecosystems. We organized this conference to push those conversations forward, and we’re excited to work with Georgetown as a partner.”

The conference is free for Georgetown University students, faculty, and staff. Tickets for community members to attend DC Talks Music/FilmDocs/Media are selling for $10 and include lunch. For more information, including a full schedule of speakers, visit the DC Talks website.