(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Dr. John Sichel of Mountainside, a composer and Professor of Music at Raritan Valley Community College, has been named Artist-in-Residence at Capulin Volcano National Monument in New Mexico.

Dr. Sichel will be in residence at the park for three weeks in late fall. His residency will include collecting creative material and sketching ideas for a composition that will be premiered at RVCC in February 2023 and recorded by the College’s Music faculty. The resulting recording will be made available to Capulin Volcano National Monument for use in its educational outreach and publicity material.  

A part of RVCC’s full-time faculty since 2008, Dr. Sichel currently serves as co-chair of the College’s Arts & Design department. He previously served as a member of the adjunct faculty for 10 years. 

Dr. Sichel received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University’s School of Music, where he studied with Martin Bresnick, Nicholas Maw and Jacob Druckman. He has been the recipient of grants, awards and fellowships from The Composers Guild of New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and his music has been performed in several countries on four continents. He is a composer participant in this year’s Source Song Festival in Minneapolis, MN.

Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, New Jersey.  Ranked by WalletHub.com and Niche.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey, RVCC has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to  a Planetarium, Science Education Institute and 3M Observatory; a Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students. The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training and professional development courses.