HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter of Support_GronsethSchool of Music
University of Iowa
93 E. Burlington St.
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-0000
319-335-1603
uiowa.edu
March 14, 2025
To whom it may concern:
I am happy to offer enthusiastic support for Adrian Gronseth’s project, “Down at the Mill:
Music, Memories, and Mortality.” I’m a music history professor at Iowa, and I’ve known Adrian
since the summer of 2023. At that time, he had just moved to Iowa City to begin graduate studies
in History and was looking to connect with faculty at the School of Music. Since then, I’ve
observed and worked with Adrian in a variety of different contexts. I’ve learned that he’s a
diligent historian, an insightful writer, a fantastic singer-songwriter, and a devoted community
member. I can’t think of a more qualified or committed individual for documenting and sharing
the legacy of the Mill through oral history, audio narrative, and a public installation.
This project began in a graduate seminar that I co-taught with ethnomusicologist Trevor Harvey.
The students partnered with community members to create podcasts that documented past and
present musical communities within Iowa. Adrian’s background made him an ideal contributor.
In addition to his regular participation in musicology courses, he had begun networking with
local musicians and performing at community events. Adrian also had previous experience
producing an audio narrative for Iowa’s BlueGAP project, which is dedicated to community
building around waterways and nitrogen management. As an active musician himself, Adrian
was enthusiastic about the chance to connect with more Iowa City musicians and learn about the
Mill’s storied history.
The podcast episode that Adrian produced with his classmates is impressive. Through its
engaging blend of music, interviews, and local history, the episode is easily on par with
professional podcasts that possess a larger staff. It also represents a timely intervention: we are
lucky to have these oral histories preserved when memories of the Mill are still vivid among
those who played, listened, and worked there. The episode is a compelling proof of concept for
the series that Adrian has proposed, and it shows that he has the requisite skills as a historian,
interviewer, musician, and media production manager to create work that will benefit the Iowa
City community and inspire future artists.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Nathan Platte
Associate Professor of Musicology
nathan-platte@uiowa.edu