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Kathleen McGowan (doctoral candidate in Musicology) has won the William and Mary Burgan Prize for the most Outstanding Presentation by a Graduate Student at the annual Midwest Victorian Studies Association (MVSA) conference, held this month in Cincinnati. The MVSA was founded in 1977 to foster cross-disciplinary exchange and collaboration among scholars of Victorian history, literature, art history, musicology, philosophy, and religion in the greater Midwest and beyond.
Kathleen’s paper, “Exploring a Concealed Rossetti Song Setting in the Music of Jane Joseph,” was part of a panel entitled “Secret Songs.” Her presentation examined the manuscript of a largely unknown work for voice and string quartet (a setting of poems by Christina Rossetti) by British composer Jane Joseph, highlighting its importance as a transition between Joseph’s earlier student pieces and later writing for choirs and orchestras.
The Burgan prize recognizes “a graduate student who exemplifies the qualities of an excellent teacher as well as a capable scholar,” and this is the first time in the award’s history that a musicology student has been the winner. Many congratulations to Kathleen!
Pictured: 2026 William and Mary Burgan Prize recipient Kathleen McGowan, with MVSA President Laura Fiss.