The new Dr. Bob Pritchard and Dr. Keith Hamel Award in Music Technology and New Media is an interdisciplinary award that is open to students across Music, Arts, Science and Engineering who are exploring digital creativity, media arts and innovative forms of composition and performance.
For decades, Dr. Pritchard and Dr. Hamel mentored students and helped establish the UBC School of Music as a respectable program in the field of music technology. Their courses—distinct at the UBC School of Music for their interdisciplinary approach—brought together students from Music, Arts, Science, and Engineering to explore the intersection of organized sound and technology.
The future of music technology
UBC alumni discuss how their music technology research inspired them to take creative risks, flourish in collaborative spaces and pursue exciting careers.
Kiran Bhumber (BMus’14) highlights the importance of supportive learning environments and donor-funded opportunities to empower the next generation of music‑technology creators to take risks, experiment boldly, and help shape a more inclusive creative future.
Dr. Fidelia Lam (BMus’15, MA, PhD) is an artist and Assistant Professor and shares how hands‑on experimentation, interdisciplinary thinking, and a deeply supportive learning environment sparked a lasting engagement with music, media, and technology. Fidelia’s story underscores the role of curiosity, mentorship and institutional support in empowering emerging artists to take creative risks.
Ollie Rosario (BA’19) reflects on their pivot into music technology and how it has shaped their artistic practice—ultimately inspiring them to pursue graduate studies in digital media
Daniel Tsui (BMus’19, BCS’23, MMus’24) reflects on how an introductory course sparked a passion for electroacoustic music, interactive systems, and experimental instrument design—leading to pioneering projects, advanced research, and a career shaping the future of game audio.
Andrea Wong
Andrea Wong (BKin’19) is a Kinesiology graduate who minored in Applied Music Technology. She traces her career path as a new media artist and sound designer back to her education in music technology.
