From the Dean

February 2024
Volume 9, No. 3
Music.baylor.edu

As we move further into the spring 2024 semester, many high-profile activities are happening in the School of Music. Of special note, the Baylor Wind Ensemble presented a concert at the 2024 Texas Music Educators Association Conference in San Antonio. If you attended the 2024 TMEA conference, I hope you were able to stop by the Baylor booth to update your School of Music swag or attend the School of Music Alumni Reception in The Briscoe Western Art Museum’s River View Room (a new location this year!).

As the semester continues, we will be flinging our Green and Gold at the Kimbell Art Museum (with Semper Pro Musica Kimbell winners) and Bass Hall in Fort Worth (with the Baylor Symphony Orchestra), Weill Recital Hall in New York City (with Semper Pro Musica Carnegie winners) and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City (with the Semper Pro Musica organ winner presented in a joint recital with Dr. Jens Korndörfer). Check out the School of Music calendar for more information on our spring ’24 semester noteworthy events!

A major event in the life of the School of Music is coming to fruition in March as we finalize the process of applying for re-accreditation of the School through the National Association of Schools of Music. To that end, we will host three external evaluators on campus in mid-March who will compare the narrative and statistical information in our self-study documents with what they hear, see, and observe on our campus. The process of compiling the study and having it reviewed and critiqued by seasoned music administrators will serve as a guide to the further refinement and development of the School of Music in years to come.

My time as dean of the School of Music is winding down. This is a time of reflection for me personally, but also a time of eager anticipation to hand off the leadership of this outstanding School of Music to Dean Kevin Sanders, who will start his tenure as dean on July 1. I am particularly looking forward to meeting Dean Sanders later this semester at Baylor music events in Fort Worth and New York City. I am confident that he will guide the School of Music in new and exciting directions in the years to come. 

Enjoy this release of the Semper Pro Musica eNewsletter!

Musically yours,

Gary Mortenson, Dean