CHAMBER
MUSIC
Students
whose names are submitted by their private instructors will be placed
in chamber music groups if they demonstrate the necessary skills and if there are other compatible students of the same appropriate age and ability. These groups rehearse once a week on Saturday and are
coached by one of the Shepherd School graduate students who has been
designated as a Brown Foundation Fellow.
Chamber music participation carries no additional charge unless the
student has not been enrolled in the Preparatory Studies program.
In that case, a nominal fee will be charged.
Rice
University's Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program at the Shepherd
School of Music has received a $5 million grant from the Brown Foundation,
Inc. The grant will be used to teach music performance and theory
to Houston area students ages three to 18.
The preparatory program, which was founded seven years ago, recently
has been renamed to honor Michael Hammond, a composer and visionary
leader who took Rice's Shepherd School of Music to new levels of
professionalism during his 16 years as dean. He died Jan. 29 in
Washington, D.C., seven days after beginning his new position as
chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Hammond designed and launched the preparatory program, which offers
curricula and experiences for children ages 6-18..
The endowment will be used to support up to 10 Brown Scholars, graduate
students who receive full tuition fellowships and stipends while
they teach in the program. "This is a tremendous step forward
for the Shepherd School preparatory program," said Virginia
Nance, preparatory administrator. "This will allow us to plan
for the future with confidence."
The program emphasizes training for young musicians in music theory
and chamber music. More than 200 students are enrolled in the program's
various classes that are designed to build and enhance their connection
to music. Students can also receive individual instruction on many
instruments and in voice.
In addition to the music program, the Brown Foundation also provided a grant
of $500,000 to Rice's Center for Education to support the center's research on
teaching, learning, school reform and educational policy, as well as its numerous
professional development programs for teachers of students in grades 1-12. |
