An active pianist, composer, and musicologist, Dr. Ross Mitchell brings all three of these perspectives together in his exploration of music and its historical-cultural contexts. He completed his doctoral studies in musicology at UCLA in June 2024; his dissertation on Alexander Skryabin seeks to understand the influences that the composer’s esoteric mysticism had on his music – and vice-versa – by using the experience of playing these ritualistic works as an avenue for analysis. As a teacher, Ross has lectured on a variety of musical topics, including the complex politics of Russian musical nationalism in the 19th century, the idiosyncratic musical and social characteristics of French Impressionism, and the history of video game music. His lectures draw on his tripartite perspective in order to understand both the music itself and its place within a social and historical context. Ross is currently teaching piano and music theory in his own private studio, composing the soundtrack for an educational video game, and writing a book that expands upon his dissertation research.