Vol. IV Issue 1 Fall, 2007
A Message from the Chair
Greetings from the Department of Music at Wright State University!
Now starting my tenth year as Chair of the Department of Music at Wright State University I recently found myself reflecting on all that has happened here in the past 9 years.
- The Department continues to grow in size and quality
- Wright State Music alumni are making an impact in music and music education.
- Student ensembles are regularly being chosen to perform at state, national, and international conventions.
The number of full-time faculty have grown from 12 in 1998 to 20 in 2007. - These faculty are world-class performers and teachers, being recognized as such both on campus and in the community.
- In nine years, the Wind Symphony has toured to Japan 2 times. The Collegiate Chorale to Europe and the Chamber Orchestra to China. Future international performances are currently being planned.
- The opera program has grown from small casts and productions to last year’s fully staged performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute accompanied by full symphonic orchestra. A total student orchestra, I should add.
- The annual ARTSGALA is now “The Place to Be” in Dayton every Spring.
- We had one masters degree in 1998, now we have three, the most recently added “Master of Music Degree in Performance”, already attracting outstanding students from the prestigious Wright Patterson Air Force Band of Flight and from a number of outstanding undergraduate colleges in Ohio.
I could easily go on. Things are certainly going well.
And yet many opportunities still await us. The biggest news is that the much-needed renovation of the WSU Concert Hall, and new construction of soundproof studios are now on the University’s capital plan. This is exciting news and the impact of this work will be significant. Stay tuned for more about this in the future.
I sincerely invite you to look over the items in this newsletter. Read about the new faculty coming to our department and the enthusiasm they are bringing to help us achieve excellence. Take a look at the special performances coming up this year featuring faculty, students, and alumni.
Please stop in and visit or, better yet, come to a performance. I believe you will be truly impressed and come away with a great enthusiasm for Wright State Music.
Nine years ago I was told that Wright State was the best-kept secret in the state. Today the word is out. It’s a secret no longer!
Herbert E. Dregalla, Jr., Chair
