Dr. Alexis Luko joins School of Music as new director
Jul. 1, 2021 | Faculty, News
It is an honour to take up leadership of the UVic School of Music. More than that, it is a privilege to serve, a great responsibility and a humbling opportunity. I look forward to working with and supporting students, staff, instructors, faculty, and community partners, to build on UVic’s reputation of excellence in research, creativity and performance.
Dr. Alexis Luko, a noted musicologist, educator and university administrator, has been appointed Director of the School of Music, Faculty of Fine Arts, for a 5-year term beginning July 1, 2021.
Dr. Luko comes to UVic from the School for Studies in Art and Culture at Carleton University, where she served as Assistant Director. She previously worked at the College Music Department at the University of Rochester and at the Eastman School of Music. A UVic alumna (BA, BMus ’99), Dr. Luko holds a PhD in musicology from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. “For me this is a homecoming. My husband and I are proud alumni of UVic. We look forward to raising our two daughters in this vibrant city and on this gorgeous island,” says Luko.
A musicologist with an international reputation in both film music and renaissance music, Dr. Luko has published extensively on renaissance music as well as on music and sound in the films of Scandinavian film directors Ingmar Bergman and Jan Troell. Most recently, she has focused her research on monstrosity, music and film. She has presented at national and international conferences, meetings, concerts, and film screenings and has been awarded two residencies at the Ingmar Bergman Estate.
Dr. Luko teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on film music, opera, gender, and music of the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical eras. She loves to share her passion for music and has a strong record of teaching excellence in her courses. She is the recipient of the Carleton University New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, the Carleton Teaching Achievement Award, and the Carleton Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Teaching Award.
With a belief that music should be accessible to all, Dr. Luko has taken delight in giving pre-concert and pre-screening lectures, making podcasts, and engaging in collaborative endeavors with community partners. “I am a listener and collaborator and a strong believer in equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI),” says Luko. “It’s crucial that we take up the challenge and find ways to promote EDI in everything we do—from the classroom to the concert hall to the community. EDI can open up a richer music education experience for all.”
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Luko’s appointment as Director of the School of Music and to serving our school’s community under her vision.