MSU President's Column for Traill County Tribune
April 7, 2018
The halls and corridors at MSU are alive with the sound of music!
Bringing music opportunities to campus for Mayville State students has been a long-time thrust. We are thrilled that we are now offering band and choir participation activities for all students, as well as a music minor. The Mayville State music department had been greatly curtailed due to budget cuts in the early 1990s, so having it back on campus is extra-special.
Music participation is seen as an important component in Mayville State’s strategic enrollment management plans. Providing opportunities for involvement is not only an important aspect of recruiting students for Mayville State, but also for retaining them. Music is a great way to get students involved, and music students are generally good students who greatly enhance campus life.
All students who participate in music at Mayville State receive scholarships. To help ensure that we may continue to offer these scholarships and grow the number of students who attend Mayville State and participate in band and/or choir, the MSU Foundation has established a booster club of music supporters called Music Makers. Businesses and individuals may become Music Makers with their annual gifts of $100 or more. In addition, a handful of music endowments have been established by generous private donors. Music makers help make the gift of music available to students who are in pursuit of their dreams and goals. For more information, contact MSU Foundation Executive Director John Klocke at 701-788-4787 or john.j.klocke@mayvillestate.edu.
We were very fortunate to have had Dr. Cody Hunter join the faculty at Mayville State last year, as Assistant Professor of Music. In his position, he directs the university’s flagship music ensembles of concert band and concert choir. He’s also instructing other music courses in theory and appreciation. Dr. Hunter’s background has been centered in both music education and orchestral performance, and he has had professional experience with both, and he’s doing a great job leading our Mayville State groups.
The MSU music department has already had a busy year, and there is more to come. The traditional homecoming concert was held last fall, and there was a spring pop concert a few weeks ago. The music department spring concert is scheduled for Sunday, May 6 in the Classroom Building Auditorium beginning at 2 p.m. Please mark your calendar and plan to enjoy the wonderful musical talents of our students. All are welcome to attend, and there is no admission fee.
We were honored to have hosted the high school large group music contest at Mayville State last month. We look forward to having the regional high school solos and small ensembles music contest on our campus on Friday, April 13. The campus will be filled with hustle and bustle on that day and we are delighted that we are able to accommodate the many students, accompanists, music directors, judges, and others who will be spending the day at Mayville State. Those who star in this competition will advance to the state contest in May.
Music speaks a universal language, and provides a legacy that all can enjoy. The benefits of having music at Mayville State are multi-faceted. Thank you to Dr. Cody Hunter and to Greta Paschke for the time and energy they have dedicated to make music a success story at Mayville State. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the many people who have supported and continue to support the music department through their monetary gifts, as well as their time and talents.