Nelson Walker
Nelson Walker

As the only undergraduate accepted into the College of Music’s prestigious summer program at the Accademia Chigiana (Siena, Italy), Nelson Walker was conspicuous but quickly gained the respect of the seasoned musicians working in the overwhelming twelfth-century building.

Walker was awarded a student grant from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to participate in the Siena program this summer and compose a piece for the Carpe Diem String Quartet.

The chilling meditation on the prospect of nuclear winter stunned the audience in Italy,will receive an encore performance in the US and gained Walker a scholarship to return to Siena next summer.

Watch a video of the award-winning “Shadows of Clouds” premiere at .