A Boston college abolishes music
mainFrom the composer Tom Schnauber of Emmanuel College, Boston:
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Dear Friends, and especially Emmanuel College Alums:
Earlier this month, my colleague Scott and I were informed by our VPAA that Emmanuel College’s Academic Administration has decided to eliminate all the music offerings in the course catalog. In order to accomplish this, they will dismantle the Performing Arts Department, terminate the contract of their tenured music instructor (me), then reconstitute some of what they believe to be more desirable theater-related courses under some other department (e.g., English).
If their plan is accomplished, Emmanuel students will no longer be able to minor in music or major in any other field related to music, such as Music-Theater, Music-Cognition, or Music-Therapy. Furthermore, students will no longer be offered courses like: Musics of the World; ABCs of Music Notation; Creating and Production Music-Theater, Song: From the Monks to the Monkees; Music-Theater Through the Ages, Harmony Through Creative Composition, or Read and Sing.
The details are still being worked out, though the administration wants to make this happen by the next academic year. It is also, frankly, questionable whether they will be able to retain what they say they will. We and many other faculty, on the other hand, do not believe that the action is in the best interests of the students or the college.
If it comes to pass, however, I would no longer have the pleasure of working with, mentoring, and sharing my passion for music with Emmanuel students as I have in the past 12 years at this institution. I would miss it very much.
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