Melissa “Missy” Kyzer is an aspiring musicologist & librarian/archivist hailing from Southern California. She holds a master's degree in musicology from Northwestern University, where she had worked on a master's project examining the ways in which 1920s-1930s Chicago-style jazz interacted with urban noise. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music & Culture from University of California Riverside, where she completed an undergraduate senior thesis that examined the history of early jazz in four distinct regions of Southern California.As a musicologist, her main area of study is early jazz history (from its origins to the 1960s) with a particular focus on jazz in Chicago during the 1920s-early 1930s & early jazz in Southern California. Aside from jazz, her other areas of study include popular music styles & folk music traditions in America and abroad, theme park music, musical accompaniment for silent films, and art music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Missy is also well-versed in topics regarding early Hollywood history, 20th century U.S. history & culture, and California history, especially the local history of various cities in California.Throughout Missy’s professional & volunteer endeavors, she has demonstrated excellence in academic, administrative, & public service duties. Missy has extensive experience using digital archives & online research databases, as well as working with library & archival systems in both the public & academic spheres.As a vocalist of jazz, classical, and popular music, Missy has experience performing in both choral and solo settings. She has been involved in various choirs throughout her school career, including holding a year-long position as the alto section leader for Mt. San Jacinto College's Menifee Campus Singers. She studied voice as an undergraduate student and has performed as a soloist at numerous choral concerts and student showcases, as well as for elderly residents in senior homes.
Listed skills include Musical Theatre, Historical Research, Social Media, Research, and 38 others.
