Summer 2013 - The American Viola Society

syllabus was generally in line with my own
experience and judgment, and its recommended
literature and editions were usually current and
available.
Recently, there has been occasion to count
Chapman music alumni who have earned
doctorates. I was astonished to discover seven
individuals whom I consider “my students” by
virtue of extended work with me: one MD (he
married another of my violist students), one
musicologist, one psychologist (he actually gave
a formal viola recital), three DMAs in viola
(two with William Majors (1934–2011)—the
great teacher at Arizona State University—and
one with Donald McInnes, who teaches at
USC).
TT: A measure of pride is not only natural
but also healthy! Let’s move on to some
details that readers may not know: you
served as Chair for the Chapman Department
of Music from 1974–83 and 1990–91.
During your tenure, Chapman became a
“first choice” college for youthful California
musicians who were looking for a school of
music. The music school’s student enrollment
quadrupled, with an appropriate increase in
faculty. Chapman attained membership in
NASM (quite a feat and important for national
recognition and reputation), and you
were instrumental in the design and
completion of two major music facilities.
Many would run, perhaps flee, from that
responsibility, but you took it on. Tell us a
little about your background that prepared
you to even consider such a challenge.
TH: At the USC School of Music, long ago,
doctoral candidates needed to select a field of
concentration for examination that was not
musical. As it seemed I might work in that field,
I chose “higher education.” An obscure
catalogue entry was “Administration of College
Music (offered as needed)”; inquiries yielded
that the class had not been offered for some
time, and I would be the only student. Professor
Brandon Mehrle, Associate Dean of Students,
was the instructor; a busy, busy man. He was
pleased to offer the class, and he said it would
be fun but it would take a tremendous amount of
my time, seeing that it was to be essentially selftaught.
Further, we would need to meet only a
few times during the school year. My
assignment was to build a music school on
paper covering every possible facet, large or
small, of a functioning, prospering music
school. I would choose everything: affiliation,
size, students, budget, faculty, location,
recruiting, facilities, accreditation, programs,
etc., etc. He handed me a National Association
of Schools of Music Handbook, suggested I
acquire bulletins of some successful music
schools, and said, “I’ll see you in two weeks,
with a good, healthy start.” I enjoyed access to
the complete office and personnel files or
records of the USC School of Music. I learned a
great deal from reviewing those files, not the
least that academic correspondence can be
gracious, elegant, efficient, and often funny.
I had just begun teaching at Chapman when I
took this class at the end of my doctoral studies,
and I came away from the class with a model of
the Chapman College Music Department with
the many problems and possibilities examined
but guided by an experienced hand! Of course,
the model didn’t work exactly as planned, but it
sure helped, especially in accreditation and state
teacher requirements. Over the years at
Chapman, decisions were made and directions
taken that perhaps were more goal-directed than
arbitrary or outer-directed; perhaps less buffeted
by outsiders, especially concerning curriculum
and budget priorities that were aided and
nurtured by my positive experience with
Professor Brandon Mehrle.
Readers can look for part two of this interview
in the Fall 2013 issue of JAVS.
VOLUME 29 SUMMER 2013 ONLINE ISSUE
72