Northwestern University School of Music

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Northwestern University School of Music
Official Seal of Northwestern University
Established 1895
Type Unit of Northwestern University
Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery
Location Evanston, Illinois, USA
Campus Suburban
Website www.music.northwestern.edu

Established in 1895, the Northwestern University School of Music is an undergraduate and graduate institution devoted to musical performing arts and academia, located on Northwestern University's campus in Evanston, Illinois, about 12 miles north of downtown Chicago. It is considered one of the top music schools in the United States, especially among non-conservatory based schools. The school offers performance degrees in all orchestral instruments, keyboard, voice, and conducting, as well as academic degrees in musicology, music history, music education, music technology, and music theory and cognition. Because of its unique situation within an accredited university, it is one of the few music schools that offers a dual-degree undergraduate program in liberal arts or engineering, in conjunction with those respective university schools. The School of Music has 92 faculty members, 402 undergraduate students and 228 graduate students (Fall 2005)[1].

Contents

[edit] History

Initially, the Women's College of Northwestern University contained what was then called the Conservatory of Music, founded by Oren E. Locke in the 1880's. As of 1891, however, enrollment at the Conservatory was stagnating at only 40 students. Peter Christian Lutkin, a noted church organist who ran his own private music school in downtown Chicago, was appointed director in that year, and began widely expanding the curriculum to include not only keyboard and voice instruction but also theory and practice courses that he felt would appeal to amateurs and educators. The Conservatory was soon reorganized as a department within the College of Liberal Arts, and Peter Lutkin was made a professor and the chair of the department. Under his control, the curriculum was further expanded to include music history, counterpoint and harmony. In 1895, the department had a strong enrollment of 200 students and was formally reorganized as the School of Music. Lutkin continued to serve as dean until 1931.

[edit] Performing groups

The School of Music currently has one full orchestra, one chamber orchestra, two wind ensembles, a contemporary music ensemble, two jazz bands, three choirs, the University Chapel Choir, and a women's chorus. Students are also able to form chamber music groups on their own.

[edit] Facilities

[edit] School Buildings

The Northwestern University School of Music is comprised of two buildings:

  • The Music Administration Building. Built in 1873 as the Women's College of Northwestern University, it became part of the School of Music in 1940. Currently, vocal studies, piano, and composition departments are housed in this building, in additional to administrative offices and academic classrooms. The organ department, which formerly occupied a wing in this building, was controversially closed in 2003.
  • Regenstein Hall. Built in 1977, this building sits on the "Lakefill" and overlooks Lake Michigan. It houses studios for the instrumental and conducting programs, practice rooms, a rehearsal room and a recital hall.

[edit] Performance Venues

  • Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Dedicated in 1975, this 1,000 seat venue is the main performance venue for not only the Music School, but the university as a whole.
  • Lutkin Hall. Built in 1941 and named after the first dean of the Music School, Peter Lutkin, this 400-seat hall is used primarily as a recital venue.
  • Regenstein Recital Hall. Formerly the "Master Class Room", this 200-seat venue, located in Regenstein Hall, is commonly used for student recitals.
  • Cahn Auditorium. The only venue with a full orchestra pit, it is used primarily by the School of Music for operatic productions.
  • The Alice S. Millar Chapel. Built in 1962, this gothic stone structure houses a 100-rank Aeolian-Skinner organ and is used for some choral and mixed performances.

[edit] Music Library

The Music Library, founded in 1945, occupies the first floor of the Charles Deering Library in the main university library complex. It is known primarily for its holdings of modern music memorabilia, including an extensive collection of John Cage's manuscripts and letters. Also among its holdings are several original lyric sheets of songs by The Beatles written in the hand of the composers and used during recording sessions.

[edit] References

  • Pridmore, Jay. Northwestern University: Celebrating 150 Years. Northwestern University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-8101-1829-7
  • Rebstock, Heather. Advancing Music for a Century: The First Hundred Years of Northwestern's School of Music. Northwestern University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-9709021-0-7

[edit] External links


Northwestern University  

Academics

Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences • School of Communication • School of Music • J. L. Kellogg School of Management • Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science • Medill School of Journalism • School of Education and Social Policy • Feinberg School of Medicine • Northwestern University School of Law

Athletics

Big Ten • Go U Northwestern • Northwestern Wildcats • NUMB • Ryan Field • Welsh-Ryan Arena • Willie the Wildcat

Campus

Chicago • Evanston • The Lakefill • The Rock • Technological Institute

Culture

Alumni • The Daily Northwestern • Dance Marathon • Dillo Day • Dolphin Show • Mee-Ow • NNN • Waa-Mu • WNUR


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