Photo by Nancy Nolan Creative Convergence: A Conversation with a Conductor and Curator February 28, 2026 2PM–4PM CADVC Join absolute alternatives curator Maleke Glee for an intimate conversation with renowned conductor and professor Philip Mann. Together, they will explore the shared and divergent philosophies that shape conducting and curating as creative practices. This interdisciplinary discussion invites artists across all mediums to engage in a collective dialogue on leadership, interpretation, collaboration, and creative process. This event is offered as part of absolute alternatives, the 2026 Arts+ UMBC Faculty Exhibition, curated by Maleke Glee, on view through February 28. The program is supported by the UMBC Arts+ Initiative. About Maleke Glee Maleke Glee is a cultural worker, curator, writer, and professor whose practice explores the intersections of popular culture, vernacular expression, and fine art. His writing has appeared in books, exhibition catalogues, and arts journalism, and his curatorial and leadership work includes posts with the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, STABLE Arts, and The Studio Museum in Harlem. He also consults with small and mid-sized cultural institutions on strategic planning and community-based projects. This exhibition is sponsored by the UMBC Arts+ initiative. Maleke Glee, Photo: Tyra Mitchell About Philip Mann Hailed by the BBC as a “talent to watch out for, who conveys a mature command of his forces,” American conductor Philip Mann is internationally recognized as an expressively graceful yet passionate artist whose work spans symphonic repertoire, opera, contemporary music, and innovative collaborations. A Rhodes Scholar, he was awarded the Vienna Philharmonic’s Karajan Fellowship at the Salzburg Festival and named an American Conducting Fellow with the League of American Orchestras. As Music Director of the Arkansas Symphony, Mann led one of the most transformative tenures in recent American orchestral history, overseeing unprecedented artistic growth, audience expansion, new performance venues, innovative programming, a return of fully staged opera, and nine consecutive years of financial surplus. He currently serves as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra.Mann has appeared with major orchestras and festivals across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, collaborated with leading soloists and composers, and recorded for Decca, SONY Classical, and other major labels. He is also widely respected for community-focused artistic leadership and as a mentor whose students have achieved international success. Photo by Nancy Nolan
