All News

College of Creative Arts mourns passing of dean emeritus

Phil Faini, a staple at the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts for more than 40 years, passed away Wednesday (June 7) at the age of 91. 

Faini, a native of Masontown, Pennsylvania, started his musical journey at age 16. He excelled as a drummer and played regularly with dance bands in the region. His work was featured on radio shows and he was recruited to become part of the 4th Army Band in San Antonio, Texas, where he played official ceremonies including a visit from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

Read Full Article

College names 2023 Outstanding Seniors

The schools in the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts have selected their 2023 Outstanding Seniors.

Each school selects their top senior based on merit. From the group, administrators award the College of Creative Arts Outstanding Senior honor at the college’s commencement ceremony.

Read Full Article

CCA celebrates Mentored Research Award winners

The College of Creative Arts Mentored Research Awards demonstrate the exceptional mentored research work being conducted in the arts at West Virginia University. Research in the arts can take many forms: exhibitions, performances, publications, scholarly research and more. 

“These awards highlight the high-level of creative research that our students are engaging in across the disciplines in the College of Creative Arts,” said Associate Dean of Artistic and Scholarly Achievement Mikylah Myers. “Undergraduate dance choreographers created an entirely new work for public performance; a graduate student brought together traditional Ghanian drumming with jazz drumset concepts; and an undergraduate art therapy student explored ways that art can be used in mental health diagnoses.

Read Full Article

WVU celebrates retirements of long-time faculty members with concerts April 25 and 27

Two beloved members of the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts - John Hendricks and Mitchell Arnold - will retire at the end of the school year. They will both pick up the baton for the last time as faculty during concerts in April.

“We have been so fortunate to have these two on our faculty and their final concerts are important markers in the history of the School of Music,” said College of Creative Arts Dean Keith Jackson. “They are both wonderful musicians and educators who have been student centric throughout their careers. It is hard to envision better models for creating a perfect environment for experiential student learning. They are true master teachers and will be missed.” 

Read Full Article

School of Music names new Director

With a passion for combining music, collaboration, and service, Clarinetist Kelly Burke will take the helm of the West Virginia University School of Music as Director, effective July 1.

Burke is currently a Professor of Music previously having held positions as Associate Dean in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Read Full Article

Three major awards received by WVU music community

Three members of the West Virginia University School of Music faculty and an alumnus have taken home awards at the American Musicological Society-Society for Ethnomusicology-Society of Music Theory's joint annual meeting.

H. Robert Cohen/RIPM Award 

Read Full Article

CCA welcomes Therapy Dog

Daisy, a two-year-old Labradoodle, is the newest ‘staff’ member at the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts.

As the college’s therapy dog, Daisy will be responsible for easing stress and providing a daily dose of happiness to everyone she greets.

Read Full Article

New class of Canady Scholars named

The West Virginia University College of Creative Arts has named 26 students as Canady Scholars. To be considered for the award, students must have a high grade-point average, faculty references and be fluent in two languages.

The Canady Scholarship is awarded thanks to the Valerie Canady Charitable Trust Foundation. The scholarships are named for Valerie Canady, a Morgantown native and WVU summa cum laude graduate, who was among the 270 people who died in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in Dec. 1988. Canady, who worked for H.J. Heinz Co. in their London office, was an accomplished linguist and artist in different media of expression, especially in piano.

Read Full Article