Administration

Associate Dean for Administration, Finance, and Planning

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Mat Lake

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Associate Dean for Administration, Finance, and Planning

Associate Dean for Faculty

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Ryan Dohoney

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Associate Dean for Faculty

ryan.dohoney@northwestern.edu
847-491-7542

Ryan Dohoney is Associate Dean for Faculty and Professor of Musicology. He previously served as Director of Graduate Music Studies. He has served on the Bienen faculty since 2013.

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Associate Dean for Student Affairs

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Linda A. Jacobs

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Associate Dean for Student Affairs

linda.jacobs@northwestern.edu
847-491-3818

Linda Jacobs has served as associate dean for student affairs since 2025, having previously served as assistant dean for student affairs since 2010. She has served the school in various other roles, including as assistant dean for admission and student affairs, director of student affairs, and interim director of undergraduate studies. As a lecturer in music theory at the Bienen School, she taught first- and second-year music theory, music history, 16th Century Counterpoint, 18th Century Counterpoint, Improvisation in 18th Century Music, and a first-year seminar. She has given presentations in music theory at regional and national conferences. Jacobs received her master’s and PhD degrees in music theory from the Bienen School of Music. Her dissertation was titled Tonality and the Music of Steve Reich.

Assistant Dean for Admission and Financial Aid

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Thomas Crespo

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Assistant Dean for Admission and Financial Aid

thomas.crespo@northwestern.edu
847-491-3141

Thomas Crespo joined the Bienen School administration in August 2022. He previously served as Assistant Dean of Admissions at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University. Crespo holds master’s degrees in bassoon performance and chamber music performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he studied with Jeffrey Lyman. He completed a bachelor’s degree in bassoon with a double minor in corporate strategy and leadership and organization from Vanderbilt University, where he studied with Cynthia Estill and Laura Hauser. As a performer, Crespo has appeared regularly with orchestras in Michigan and Tennessee, including the Adrian, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Rochester, Southwest Michigan, and Toledo Symphonies. He has also participated in numerous festivals, orchestral tours, and summer programs nationally and internationally.

Mat Lake

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Associate Dean for Administration, Finance, and Planning

Ryan Dohoney

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Associate Dean for Faculty

ryan.dohoney@northwestern.edu
847-491-7542

Ryan Dohoney is Associate Dean for Faculty and Professor of Musicology. He previously served as Director of Graduate Music Studies. He has served on the Bienen faculty since 2013.

Read Professor Dohoney's full biography

Linda A. Jacobs

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Associate Dean for Student Affairs

linda.jacobs@northwestern.edu
847-491-3818

Linda Jacobs has served as associate dean for student affairs since 2025, having previously served as assistant dean for student affairs since 2010. She has served the school in various other roles, including as assistant dean for admission and student affairs, director of student affairs, and interim director of undergraduate studies. As a lecturer in music theory at the Bienen School, she taught first- and second-year music theory, music history, 16th Century Counterpoint, 18th Century Counterpoint, Improvisation in 18th Century Music, and a first-year seminar. She has given presentations in music theory at regional and national conferences. Jacobs received her master’s and PhD degrees in music theory from the Bienen School of Music. Her dissertation was titled Tonality and the Music of Steve Reich.

Thomas Crespo

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Assistant Dean for Admission and Financial Aid

thomas.crespo@northwestern.edu
847-491-3141

Thomas Crespo joined the Bienen School administration in August 2022. He previously served as Assistant Dean of Admissions at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University. Crespo holds master’s degrees in bassoon performance and chamber music performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he studied with Jeffrey Lyman. He completed a bachelor’s degree in bassoon with a double minor in corporate strategy and leadership and organization from Vanderbilt University, where he studied with Cynthia Estill and Laura Hauser. As a performer, Crespo has appeared regularly with orchestras in Michigan and Tennessee, including the Adrian, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Rochester, Southwest Michigan, and Toledo Symphonies. He has also participated in numerous festivals, orchestral tours, and summer programs nationally and internationally.

Director of Concert Management

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Jerry Tietz

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Director of Concert Management

jerryt@northwestern.edu
847-491-4754

Jerry Tietz joined the Bienen School of Music in 2015 as director of concert management. He previously served as general manager for Chicago Opera Theater. Tietz began his career in arts administration in 2005 at Glimmerglass Opera Festival in upstate New York. After two seasons at Glimmerglass, he moved to Manhattan where he spent four years as an artist manager at the arts management firm Barrett Vantage Artists. After returning to his hometown of Chicago in 2010 to work as director of artistic operations for Chicago Opera Theater, Mr. Tietz was appointed general manager of Chicago Opera Theater in 2012. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Jerry Tietz

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Director of Concert Management

jerryt@northwestern.edu
847-491-4754

Jerry Tietz joined the Bienen School of Music in 2015 as director of concert management. He previously served as general manager for Chicago Opera Theater. Tietz began his career in arts administration in 2005 at Glimmerglass Opera Festival in upstate New York. After two seasons at Glimmerglass, he moved to Manhattan where he spent four years as an artist manager at the arts management firm Barrett Vantage Artists. After returning to his hometown of Chicago in 2010 to work as director of artistic operations for Chicago Opera Theater, Mr. Tietz was appointed general manager of Chicago Opera Theater in 2012. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Department Chairs

Karen Brunssen

Co-Chair, Department of Music Performance

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Taimur Sullivan

Co-Chair, Department of Music Performance

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Drew Edward Davies

Chair, Department of Music Studies

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Graduate Studies

James Giles

Director of Music Performance Graduate Studies

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Richard Ashley

Director of Graduate Music Studies

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Music Advisory Board

Members of the Board serve as advisors to the Dean and advocates for the Bienen School of Music.

Members

Trine Sorensen, Chair
Megan Paynter Anderson
Adrienne Barris
Alejandra Boyer
Judy Bundra
Michelle Miller Burns
Ellie Choi
Diane Douglas
Margee Filstrup, Chair Emerita
Scott Filstrup
Shaun Finnie
Melissa Ngan
Carole Ringer
Alexander Rorke
Liz Rorke
Jeannette Segel
Todd Smith
Bozhong Peter Xue

Emeritus Members

Jane Dean
Richard Dean