Dean’s Message

A MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM DEAN

Friends,

Welcome to the 2020 edition of the Alumni Magazine from the Florida State University College of Music! We always look forward to reconnecting with all of you each year.

This current year has turned out to be unlike any season that we have seen before. The coronavirus health crisis has created great disruptions to the ways that music schools operate, and we are no exception. Our art form relies on people coming together to collaborate in real time, which does not align well with requirements for social and physical distancing. Most of our musical colleagues around the nation and world are experiencing similar difficulties. Some organizations have implemented creative approaches to continue their work, while others have chosen to suspend operations until the health situation improves.

As we reflect on these difficult times, I am reminded that when society has faced great peril and adversity, it is in these times that we need music more than ever. Whether during periods of war, economic crisis, or hazardous health conditions, people need music. Music is essential to the human condition – as necessary to the heart and soul as food and water are to the body. Consequently, the College of Music remains as devoted as ever to the advancement of music as an artform, a profession, and a human pursuit.

Over the last few months, faculty and staff in the College have carefully studied the most recent research related to the health situation, and its impact on making music. They have incorporated innovative solutions to help mitigate health risks, while allowing students and faculty to continue their creative work. These efforts, combined with the beauty of great technology, have allowed us to move forward with our educational and artistic work.

Music instruction at FSU dates back to the year 1900, when the institution appointed its first music teacher. Over the last 120 years, the College of Music has grown to become an international leader in music performance, teaching, and scholarship. We will continue to be at the forefront of our profession, working to serve our students, faculty, and the broader community. During 2020, we were happy to celebrate the career of our dear friend and colleague Dr. Patricia Flowers, who has stepped back after serving as Dean of the College for the past seven years. Her accomplishments are far too numerous to list them all. For a few examples, Dr. Flowers helped to raise some $22 million for the College and hired 27 new music faculty members. She led initiatives to procure new instruments for the Marching Chiefs, to provide new Steinway pianos for concert halls and faculty studios, and to expand and improve the Callaway Courtyard. We are most happy that she will continue to serve the College as Professor of Music Education, so that we can continue to benefit from her wisdom and insights.

As you look through this year’s magazine, I invite you to explore the beautiful feature interview with Dr. Flowers, including her reflections about our first Dean, Ella Scoble Opperman. Like Dean Flowers, Dean Opperman was an innovator, trendsetter, and an outstanding musician. Although they lived in different eras, these great leaders made profound impacts on the College, advancing its mission and laying a solid foundation for the future.

Wherever your paths take you this year, we wish you much success, happiness, and good health. We look forward to seeing our many friends and colleagues as conditions allow. Until then, keep making and experiencing great music. And Go Seminoles!

Sincerely, Michael Thrasher, D.M.A. Interim Dean, College of Music