USM School of Music

2004-2005 Profile

Faculty and Staff

Full-time faculty 14.5

Part-time faculty 8

Artist faculty 30

Staff + Director 6

Total number of faculty members and staff 59

Baccalaureate Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Music liberal arts degree with a major in music

Bachelor of Music in Music Education professional degree leading to teacher certification

in music K-12; three concentrations: vocal, instrumental, or combined

Bachelor of Music in Performance professional degree with intensive study in voice or

orchestral/band instrument or keyboard/fretted instrument performance

Bachelor of Music in Performance—Jazz Studies professional degree with intensive study

in jazz and classical performance

Bachelor of Music in Performance—Musical Theater Studies professional degree with

intensive study in music and musical theater performance; including training in acting and

dancing

Bachelor of Music in Performance—Piano Pedagogy Studies professional degree with

intensive study in piano teaching

Master’s Degrees advanced professional training; two-year programs, or one year plus two

summers; music education is a two summers plus two semesters program

Master of Music in Composition

Master of Music in Conducting

Master of Music in Jazz Studies

Master of Music in Music Education

Master of Music in Performance

Courses offered every semester or every year for the USM Core Curriculum. Enrollment

numbers for 04-05. Courses that are almost exclusively majors, such as MUS 130F Music

Theory 1, are not included. More than 1,000 students enroll each year.

Category F: performance-related arts courses such as—

MUP 101F Applied Music and MUP 102F Applied Music

MUS 110 F Fundamentals of Music

MUS 400-410F Major performance ensembles

Category G: history-related arts courses such as--

MUS 100G Music Appreciation and History

MUS 103G Introduction to Jazz

The mission statement of the School of Music:

The primary mission of the School of Music of the University of Southern Maine is to prepare

musicians for careers in teaching, performing, and related fields. In addition, the school provides

support for music education throughout the state of Maine and New England; it actively participates

in a mutually supportive relationship with the professional arts community; and it guides present

and future audiences toward greater understanding of and appreciation for many different styles of

music.

The objectives of the School of Music:

• To provide undergraduate instruction to students preparing to enter the teaching profession

as school music teachers, grades K through 12.

• To provide undergraduate instruction to students preparing to enter the music profession as

performers and/or studio teachers.

• To provide undergraduate instruction in music to students seeking a liberal education with a

major in music.

• To provide undergraduate instruction in music to students of the university who are not

music majors and who are seeking college level experiences in music.

• To provide undergraduate instruction to non-music students who are meeting the

requirements of the University core curriculum.

• To provide master’s-level graduate instruction in five areas of professional training:

composition, conducting, jazz studies, music education, and performance.

• To offer summer music courses for recertification credit for school teachers and for the

general enrichment of the community.

• To offer instructional programs, including performance ensembles, for pre-college music

students.

University of Southern Maine School of Music and the Community

The USM School of Music, now in its 49th year, is a major presence in the musical community of

the greater Portland area and beyond. Faculty and alumni teach in area schools and perform in area

concert halls as well as more informal venues. Working with the many musical organizations that

call northern New England home they contribute immeasurably to the cultural life we all value.

The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and the School of Music

• Many of the orchestra's principal players are faculty members of the School of Music.

• Maestro Shimada, who holds the rank of visiting professor, has taught several courses and

conducted University ensembles.

• USM choral groups, under the direction of Professor Robert Russell (also

director of the Choral Art Society), frequently perform with the orchestra in major choral/orchestral

collaborations.

• USM faculty members often appear as soloists with the orchestra.

• The PSO has commissioned and performed works by USM faculty composers.

PCA Great Performances and the School of Music

• Individual members of the faculty have served on the PCA Great Performances board and its

committees for more than 25 years.

• Past collaborations have included several week-long residencies with major conductors in both the

choral and instrumental fields, including visits by Frederic Fennell, Elmer Iseler, Eugene Corporon,

• Numerous shorter residencies, workshops, opera symposia, and master classes have been jointly

presented, featuring such artists as Isaac Stern and Emmanuel Ax.

PORTopera and the School of Music

• USM artist faculty members have appeared in leading roles with PORTopera.

• The Maine Emerging Artists Program and the PORTopera chorus are led by USM faculty

members. Students and recent graduates have participated in both.

• Many faculty members perform with the PORTopera orchestra.

Choral Art Society and the School of Music

• USM Professor of Music Robert Russell recently celebrated his 25th anniversary season as

conductor of the Choral Art Society. He follows in the footsteps of Professor Harold Brown, the

society's founding conductor and former chair of the School of Music.

• The Choral Art Society has commissioned and premiered works by USM

faculty composers.

• The University Chorale and the Choral Art Society sometimes join forces for performances of

major works, including appearances together with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and Portland

Ballet.

• USM provides soloists who perform with the Choral Art Society.

• The two organizations pool resources to maintain a choral library.

The School of Music and Bank of America sponsor the USM/Bank of America Youth Ensemble

program, which includes the:

• Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra

• Portland Youth Wind Ensemble

• Portland Youth Junior Orchestra

• Portland Young People's String Consort

• Southern Maine Children's Chorus

• Jazz Improvisation Weekend

The School of Music provides faculty and students who perform with the:

• Atlantic Chamber Orchestra

• Bangor Symphony Orchestra

• Boston Academy of Music

• Boston Camerata

• Casco Bay Concert Band

• Commonwealth Opera

• Greater Boston Youth Symphony

• Handel and Haydn Society

• Maine Music Society

• Maine State Ballet Orchestra

• Maine State Music Theatre

• North Shore Music Theatre

• North Shore Philharmonic

• Portland Ballet Orchestra

• Portland Community Chorus

Has representation on the Boards of Directors and officers in the:

• Boy Singers of Maine

• Casco Bay Concert Band

• Association of Concert Bands (Maine representative)

• Maine Chapter of the American

• Maine Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association

• Maine Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators

• Maine Music Teachers Association

• Maine Music Educators Association

• Maine Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing

Faculty serve as:

• guest conductors

• guest composers

• guest performers

• guest lecturers

• adjudicators throughout the state and region

The USM School of Music faculty and administration are dedicated to fostering the musical growth

of young musicians through private lessons, rehearsals, clinics, coaching sessions, summer music

camps, and consultations with teachers. The influence of the University of Southern Maine School

of Music extends far and wide and brings prestige and professionalism to the musical community of

Portland, the state of Maine, the Northeast, and beyond.

The following statements about Corthell Hall music facilities appear in

the NASM Visitors’ Report, March, 1990:

A lack of resources caused by the financial condition of the state of Maine at the present

time hampers the Department of Music from realizing its full potential. Facilities and

equipment are particularly in need of attention. However, the upper administration is aware

of these problems and has plans to remedy them as funds become available.

*****

The concert hall is hampered by the current incomplete state of the renovation in that sound

from the third-floor classroom/studio area passes directly through the floor with little loss of

intensity.

*****

The very attractive recital hall has excellent acoustics and is visually appealing, however,

the concert band rehearsal observed in this space was painful to the auditors when sitting

in even the furthest back rows. The band is very good and has the potential to represent

USM well in a suitable and appropriately sized hall.

*****

Acoustical problems in the building…are severe to the point of being detrimental to

instruction and practice. They are also a significant obstacle to the effective use of space.

The visitors…find the sound isolation to be far less effective than that in many buildings in

which no effort has been made to incorporate sound isolating construction.

*****

Classrooms…are marginal at best.

Faculty offices vary from adequate to quite cramped.

Much of the building has inadequate control of humidity and, to a lesser extent, heating and

cooling. The plans for the renovation of the facility include climate control.

*****

The department and USM should sustain the commitment to the completion of the

renovation. At present much has been done, but much more is necessary to make the

building truly functional as a music facility.