Each academic year brings new faces and talent to campus as students return in pursuit of their dreams. The Sounds of Spirit series tells the stories of several College of the Arts scholarship recipients and highlight the donors whose generosity helps UF students study the arts and brings unique cultural opportunities to the entire campus and community.
Navid Bargrizan, Ph.D. in musicology student, entered the realm of musicology as a composer who believed that the best way to explore new and creative possibilities is through conducting research.
“A kind of art based on research is my ideal,” said Bargrizan. “Being an artist as a scientist, discovering, analyzing and concluding is my goal.”
While he admires the masters and strives to learn from them by getting to know their music and ideas, Bargrizan points out that his concentration is in modern music.
“I believe that through commercialization of the music industry, not much attention has been paid to disseminate contemporary music,” said Bargrizan. “Therefore, this field has not been understood and favored as it should have been.”
Aside from music, Bargrizan shares a love for all arts. He especially holds a passion for visual arts and art history, which he explains connect to and complement a musical background.
“It is not possible to reject the reciprocal influence of different arts, literature, philosophy, and different sciences, throughout history,” said Bargrizan. “They are various aspects of the mode of thinking of each historical era.”
With these profound connections with the arts and admiration for research, Bargrizan hopes to continue conducting research in an academic manner and to pass on his knowledge, enthusiasm and passion to the next generation.
Much in the way the University of Florida’s School of Music has done for him.
“The School of Music has granted me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and scholarly research abilities through coursework,” said Bargrizan. “It has also let me gain experience in scholarly teaching and dealing with students within my teaching assistant responsibilities.”
Bargrizan would not have been able to come to this point in his career if it wasn’t for the Robert N. and Beverly T. Singer School of Music Fellowship Fund.
The fund was created as a way to recruit graduate students to attend UF.
“I was a professor at UF for 17 years, but mainly in the sciences,” said Robert Singer. “I had always been interested in the arts and wanted to find a way to get involved with the College of the Arts.”
The fund provides School of Music and School of Theatre + Dance students the opportunity to travel, complete research and perform in ways they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.
Bargrizan feels privileged to receive such a generous award.
“Knowing that there are people out there who recognize, value and support research in the realm of music makes me want to work harder,” said Bargrizan.
Support UF’s School of Music
See students like Bargrizan perform at the school’s many solo and ensemble performances throughout the fall semester. To learn about upcoming School of Music events, visit www.arts.ufl.edu/calendar. To learn about giving opportunities within the College of the Arts, contact the Office of Development at 352-846-1218.
