Music department head Eileen Strempel appointed as dean at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has announced the appointment of Eileen Strempel as the inaugural dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music. The news was originally published on the UCLA Newsroom.
Strempel, an accomplished opera singer, brings a unique blend of artistic talent and academic leadership to her new role. She has performed with renowned opera companies such as the Bolshoi Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Theatre St. Louis, and Chautauqua, Skaneateles, and Berkeley Early Music festivals.
Beyond her performance career, Strempel is a respected scholar in the field of musicology and opera studies. She has contributed research on contemporary opera, the sociocultural roles of music, and music pedagogy. Her scholarly interests focus on the music of women composers.
Strempel has also held significant academic leadership roles. Prior to her current position, she served as senior vice provost for academic affairs (2015-18), acting associate provost for faculty affairs and strategic development (2016-17), and special assistant to the provost (2018) at the University of Cincinnati.
As the inaugural dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music, Strempel will lead the establishment and development of the school, a newly formed professional school dedicated to advancing music education, research, and performance. Her mission is to shape the school’s academic programs, faculty recruitment, and community engagement initiatives, ensuring that the school embodies innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in music training.
The search/advisory committee for the dean position was chaired by David Schaberg, dean of the Division of Humanities in the UCLA College. Other members included Lily Chen-Hafteck, Nina Sun Eidsheim, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Michael Hackett, Peter Kazaras, and Mark Kligman.
Judi Smith, who served as interim and founding dean of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music for three years, played a key role in establishing the school as the University of California's first standalone school of music. Strempel's appointment is effective from July 8.
Strempel is a nationally recognized champion for transfer students. Along with Stephen Handel, she co-edited the two-volume set "Transfer and Transformation: Fostering Transfer Student Success." They are currently working on their third book about transfer students.
In addition to her role at UCLA, Strempel is a board member of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, the Cincinnati Opera, and the Cincinnati Song Initiative. She also holds faculty appointments at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is an active member of the American Council on Education Council of Fellows.
Strempel received her bachelor of music from the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and her master of music and doctor of music from Indiana University.
With Strempel's appointment, the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA is poised to embark on an exciting journey, integrating diverse musical disciplines, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and elevating UCLA’s presence as a leading institution for music scholarship and creative practice.
Eileen Strempel's appointment as the inaugural dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA highlights the university's commitment to combining lifestyle, education-and-self-development, and general-news, as she brings a unique blend of artistic talent, academic leadership, and community engagement to this role. In her new position, Strempel aims to shape the school's academic programs, ensuring it embodies innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in music training, while also serving as a board member for organizations focusing on transfer students.
