Music School of DE history

In 1925 three dormitories for women students were built on University Avenue, adjacent to the University’s College for Women.

Photographs and descriptions of the property appear in several early books about Montecito gardens, and it was regularly included in Pearl Chase’s annual benefit garden tours beginning in 1926.

In 1927 a ten-floor annex was built on Swan Street, providing additional practice rooms and classrooms, rehearsal space for the opera department, and a gymnasium.

In 1929, Madame de Horvath also established the University Symphony Orchestra, which included USC students and members of her existing city orchestra.

The Music Institute of Chicago was founded in 1931 (then known as the School of Musical Arts and Crafts) by David and Dorothy Dushkin.

In the midst of these troubled times, Matteson resigned just before the beginning of the 1936–37 academic year.

In 1937 the Sibley Music Library moved from its quarters on the first floor of the main building into its own new building on Swan Street, a two-level structure with adjoining four-level stacks area.

1941 Postgraduate department is formed.

1942 The School awards its first postgraduate diploma.

1943 Amendment to the charter authorizes the School to grant the bachelor of music degree.

The piano pedagogy program began in 1945.

1947 Amendment to the charter authorizes the School to confer the master of music degree.

On the same date that the property deed was granted to her, April 2, 1951, she sold it to Ms.

By the 1952 summer session the Miraflores campus was ready.

When he arrived in Winnetka in 1953, Zipper was poised to establish the Music Center of the North Shore as a modern communty music school that combined professional performances with high quality education and training for the younger generation.

1954 School is expanded; library wing is added.

The first DMA degree ever awarded in the United States was conferred on Eastman candidate Will Gay Bottje in 1955.

1956 Janet Schenck retires as director; she remains on the School’s board of trustees and becomes director emeritus and trustees’ representative to the administration.

The Eastman Philharmonia was founded by Doctor Hanson during the 1958-59 academic year to offer the orchestral department’s outstanding students performance opportunities.

The Philharmonia’s credits include a three-month European tour (1961-62) under the sponsorship of the United States State Department.

1962: The Interlochen Arts Academy, the first independent fine arts boarding school in the United States, opens in Interlochen, Michigan.

1963 May — The board of trustees announces an $8.5 million expansion program (later changed to $9.5 million) which includes the purchasing of the Juilliard building on Claremont Avenue.

1964: Manhattanville College establishes the first graduate degree program in music education.

By 1965, continued growth once again resulted in a shortage of practice rooms and rehearsal space for large ensembles.

Musica Nova was launched in 1966 as an ensemble dedicated to performing new music.

1968 Children’s opera theatre, under the guidance of Cynthia Auerbach, is established to present opera for children, sung by children.

He serves as director/president until 1969.

To help alleviate this problem, a new rehearsal-performance hall was built in 1970 to accommodate the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, University and Civic Orchestras and various music festivals.

Abravanel Hall, the antecedent to Hahn Hall, opened in 1972.

After a national search, William J. Moody became head of the USC Department of Music in 1973.

1974 Amendment to the charter authorizes the granting of the doctor of musical arts degree.

1975: The Education Act for Handicapped Students triggers growth in music therapy education and reforms music programs to address students of all abilities.

George Schick, noted opera conductor and music director of the Metropolitan Opera Studio, is appointed president and assumes office in the fall term, (president until 1976).

In 1979, the South Carolina Legislature’s approval of funds for planning a new fine arts complex came with the promise of a concert hall and a facility to house the entire music program.

Maurice Abravanel became Music Director, a post he held until 1980.

1982 Jazz studies courses are offered for the first time.

In 1985, the Kardon Institute formed its own independent 501(c)3 organization.

The project formed the core of the Garden Club of America’s 65,000-image “Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens,” donated to the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Horticulture in 1987.

Earmarked as one of the top three university projects, a new music building was recommended for state funding in 1990.

In 1991, the Legislature approved a bond bill that included funds for a new music building, and construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Koger Center on Feb.

Claeyssens Hall, the beautiful teaching and practice facility situated to the west of Anne’s Garden, opened in 1993.

In conjunction with the approaching completion of the new music building, the School of Music became an independent academic unit within the university in 1994, and Dorothy K. Payne was named its first dean.

1996 Videoconferencing begins at Manhattan School of Music on November 1 — esteemed French composer Henri Dutilleux is broadcast live from Paris into Borden Auditorium at a concert which features the New York premiere of his composition, Timbres, espace, mouvement.

In January 1997, Settlement began a collaborative relationship with the Camden School of Musical Arts in East Camden whereby Settlement provided the Camden School with management and technical assistance.

1999 July 5 — The Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Camp opens exclusively for public school students in grades 5 through 8 from the five boroughs.

In 2000, following the two-year interim deanship of Alvarez, Jamal J. Rossi was named dean.

2001 The G. Chris and SungEun Andersen Hall is completed and opened in the fall, housing over 350 students.

2002 Hubbard Recital Hall is given major renovations over the summer and renamed Gordon K. and Harriet Greenfield Recital Hall.

Meanwhile, also in 2003, the School purchased the building at 10 Gibbs Street, designated as the new home of the Community Education Division.

Eastman Place was renamed Miller Center in September 2004 in memory of the parents of renowned ESM alumnus Mitch Miller.

2005 The Preparatory Division is renamed the Precollege Division.

In June, 2007, the University of Rochester announced the appointment of Douglas Lowry, a composer and conductor then serving as the dean of the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, to the position of Dean of the Eastman School of Music, effective August 1, 2007.

Hahn Hall – named in honor of Academy benefactors Carla and Stephen Hahn – was completed just prior to the start of the 2008 Summer School and Festival.

Scott Reed took on the role of President & CEO in 2010.

In 2015, Settlement forged a partnership with Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy (CAMVA) and officially moved the Camden Branch to CAMVA’s building on Morgan Boulevard.

In 2016, the Main House was renovated and renamed the Marilyn Horne Main House.

And to commence the 2017 Summer Festival, the Hind Hall teaching studio building opened, adding eight state-of-the-art studios to the campus.

Alumni Enterprise Awards program established, with first recipients announced in 2018.

In 2019, Jerome Lowenthal celebrated his 50th year as a Music Academy faculty artist.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Settlement Music Online was launched and continues to rapidly grow its following across the country.