Looking Ahead: Building Music into Our Future: Hillviews Magazine: Texas State University

The School of Music has a lot to sing about: Grammy-winning faculty and alumni, award-winning opera productions and musical performances, an impressive number of Bobcats working on national stages, a stellar placement record for faculty in music and the headquarters of the International Piano Festival for 12 years. As a reminder of those bragging rights, bands across the state of Texas begin their second century of providing the soundtrack of college life.

The only thing missing from the successful composition is a facility worthy of shaping the school’s teaching quality, talent and inspiration in the future. This deficit, which could hamper the recruitment of top students and future growth, is behind a new music building planned for the San Marcos campus. When complete, the masterpiece will serve nearly 600 music students and more than 80 faculty currently housed in five buildings.

Since 1983, the Music Department has been housed in a converted facility that was formerly the Strahan Gym. Situated on the corner of North LBJ and Sessom Drives, the school was originally intended for 200 music students. Enrollments have flourished, far exceeding that expectation. Within the School of Music, there are now 30 musical ensembles: the 350-member Bobcat Marching Band, the symphony orchestra, six choral ensembles, the opera, four jazz ensembles, one rock ensemble, two salsa, two mariachi groups and 12 small instrumental groups. sets.

For Dr. John Fleming, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, the new music building will propel the achievements of the students and faculty it will house. “We need a central location that can house and meet the demands of students and faculty at the School of Music,” says Fleming. “The arts are like athletics; When recruiting top talent, facilities matter. This is an investment in our future to provide an even higher level of excellence in our teaching and performance preparation.