A front-row seat to the future: Why Studio 300 at Transy is more than a festival

If you wander into Haggin Auditorium on a crisp October evening, you won't just hear music. You'll feel it ripple through you, wrap around you and light up the room in unexpected ways. That's what happens when students, faculty and world-class artists come together at Studio 300, Transylvania University's festival of digital art and music.

On Oct. 8-9, the festival returns to Lexington - and it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet.

When students become innovators

A favorite moment of the upcoming program is "TITE Rope Jam No. 2," performed by the Transylvania Interactive Technology Ensemble. The piece is written entirely for iPads - yes, iPads - and performed live on stage.

It's called "No. 2" because "No. 1" already made its national debut this spring at the SEAMUS Festival at Purdue University, one of the biggest gatherings for electronic music in the country. Think about that: Transy students presenting their own work alongside top artists on a national stage. That's not a someday dream - it's happening right now.

Alumni on the cutting edge

Then there's Riley Ham, a recent Transy graduate who is back this year not only as the festival's technical director, but also as a featured performer. Ham will premiere "Perlin Paradise," an interactive work she built with facial tracking software. As she plays guitar, her expressions will literally shape the music.

For families and prospective students, Ham's story is a powerful glimpse of what a Transy education makes possible. She started here, discovered how to merge her passions for music and technology, and now she's creating art that feels like it belongs to the future.

Faculty who lead by example

Studio 300 also highlights the way Transy professors don't just teach - they perform, research and create at the highest levels. Jazz ensemble director Matthew Polashek and festival co-director Timothy Polashek will present the Kentucky premiere of "Intercessions," a work for synthesizers and soprano saxophone.

This summer, they performed the world premiere at the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, the largest showcase of its kind in the world. Sharing a stage in Greenwich Village is no small feat, and bringing that work back to Lexington means our students - and community - are part of something global.

Why Studio 300 feels different

You could call Studio 300 a concert series, an art show or a technology demo. But none of those labels capture what it really is: a space where creativity, curiosity and community come together.

It's not just about watching art happen - it's about seeing what a liberal arts education at Transy looks like in action. In the Digital Liberal Arts program (learn more), students don't have to choose between being artists, coders or storytellers. They get to be all of it at once.

An invitation

So if you've ever wondered what the future of art and music looks like - or what a Transy student can do with the right mix of mentorship, opportunity and imagination - come see for yourself.

Studio 300 Digital Art and Music Festival
Oct. 8-9
Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky
Free and open to the public

Full schedule: studio300.transy.edu

Come curious. Leave inspired.