2026 USM Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Creative Activity
Brian Kaufman
Associate Professor, Music
Conductor, tubist, educator, and publicly engaged scholar Brian Kaufman develops programs and learning experiences that bring people together through music to foster creativity, highlight injustices, engage multiple perspectives, and inspire action. A pioneer in developing innovative models for music teaching and learning, Kaufman’s recent work includes creating a new music education festival where students create with, rather than compete against, one another.
His forthcoming album, titled Brass for Uncommon Times, features 40 all-star brass and percussion musicians performing seven works that respond to the defining challenges of our time—from societal division, racial injustice, and global crisis. The album will be released in July 2026 on Naxos, the largest classical label in the world. Kaufman has presented his ideas and project outcomes on five continents at venues such as the United Nations, the Ford Foundation, Oxford University, and Yale University. He is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).