Give to the School of Music
Give to the School of Music
Dean’s Discretionary Fund
The Dean’s Discretionary Fund enables the Dean to provide financial support for many of the students and faculty of the School of Music throughout the year. Opportunities for our students to engage with guest artists, both on our campus and in the home arenas of the guests, are realized through this fund. Support for student engagement in outreach performances, competitions, summer programs, festivals, and workshops is provided with discretionary monies.
Because it is crucial for our individual faculty members to maintain a national and international presence in their field, fund to support faculty travel and professional engagement is a vital part of the School of Music. Reputation and visibility of our faculty is one of the major reasons that students come to UNCSA to study music, and our ability to recruit top-level students is dependent on continued financial support for the creative activity of our faculty.
If you are able to contribute to the Dean’s Discretionary Fund, please know that every dollar makes a difference. Even $20 a month can make the overall School of Music experience a better one, while allowing us to continue building our standing as a premiere music school. If you wish to learn more about the Dean’s Discretionary Fund, please contact Interim Chief Advancement Officer, Richard Whittington, at whittingtonr@uncsa.edu.
Dean’s Council
Becoming a member of the Dean’s Council is a great way to be more deeply engaged with the School of Music. Dean’s Council members meet with the Dean and our students throughout the year. The Dean’s Council is also invited to take part in exclusive events at the school, such as special dinners, meet and greets with our students, and personal interactions with our guest artists. Membership on the Dean’s Council is a $5,000 gift per year to the Dean’s Discretionary Fund. If you wish to learn more about the Dean’s Council, please contact Richard Whittington, at whittingtonr@uncsa.edu.
Chrysalis Chamber Music Institute
The 2015-2016 academic year marks the inauguration of the Chrysalis Chamber Music Institute, a unique program designed to prepare graduate students to reach their full potential as outstanding professional chamber musicians. In October 2015, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center joined us on campus to lead master classes in chamber music, as well as individual classes for winds, brass, and piano. They also presented a stunning evening concert of chamber music in our world-class Watson Chamber Music Hall. A second visit, focused on string and piano chamber music, is planned for January 2016. Two of our top Chrysalis chamber groups will travel to New York City this spring to engage in coaching with Lincoln Center artists, and several of our students will attend the Chamber Music America Conference in New York City in early January.
Our chamber ensembles have already met with success in competitions around the world. Student and alumni ensemble Dasch Quartet recently won first prize in ENKOR’s international chamber music competition, while Trio Dionysus won second prize and Gianinni String Quartet received an honorable mention. Our Chrysalis ensembles swept the North Carolina Music Teachers Association (NCMTA) Chamber Music Competition this fall with performances by the Atchara Saxophone Quartet (first place), Liminal Phase Woodwind Quintet (alternate winners) and the Breezy Winds (honorable mention). As we continue to encourage the flexibility and mobility in performance that chamber music offers, we look to build support for this signature program through scholarships, travel support, and guest artist funding.
If you are interested in contributing to the Chrysalis Institute, or wish to learn more, please e-mail Saxton Rose, Interim Dean of the School of Music, at roses@uncsa.edu, or our Interim Chief Advancement Officer, Richard Whittington, at whittingtonr@uncsa.edu.