BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN
Just over a year ago, Huntington University music students attending a recital were told their program was being suspended because it was no longer financially viable.
 |
Doug Joblin, president of Huntington University (left) and LU president Judith Woodsworth make the transfer of Huntington's music program official. |
Memories of that evening were distant Monday as Laurentian University president Judith Woodsworth officially signed papers to take over the federated university's music program.
She had announced back in January that Laurentian would save the program.
"Of course, we've known about the transition for awhile, but the crossing of 't's and dotting of 'i's is great," said Charlotte Leonard, chair of the music program.
"It's a really nice, sunny outcome. It's a sense of relief that it's finally signed. Now we can go forward and make music."
All of Huntington's full-time and part-time music professors were hired by Laurentian as of Nov. 1.
Students will continue to attend classes at Huntington until the 2007-2008 school year, at which time they'll move into a space in the yet-to-be-constructed education building on the east side of the campus.
Huntington will also continue to provide space for the music program's library resources and equipment until the end of the 2006-2007 academic year.
Scholarship funds for music students will also be transferred to Laurentian.
Woodsworth said she made the decision to save the program earlier this year because music is extremely important to the cultural and economic life of Sudbury.
"A lot of them will go into the schools and be teachers. They have their concert series, and a couple of them play in the Sudbury Symphony," she said.
"They just add to the cultural life, which in turn attracts people to come and work in the city. Some of the highly qualified personnel who are coming to the mining companies and the medical school, they want to know if they've got a cultural life to enjoy outside of work."
Things are looking good for the music program, said Leonard. Overall enrolment has increased 27 percent over last year, bringing the complement of music students up to 56.
"We've also enjoyed increases in our elective courses. Pop music is up 36 percent, and music appreciation has, in fact, increased five times since three years ago," she said.
"I think we should keep doing what we're doing. We seem to be producing fine music educators, many of whom teach in northeastern Ontario, as well as performers, many of whom go on to grad school."
Leonard can't wait to move into the new building. She has been collaborating with the architect to make sure her students' needs are met.
"One of the main things is to get better practice facilities for the students. At our initial meeting, I had said 'Wouldn't it be nice if they could look outside instead of being in little cells?' They've been able to do that," she said.
"We'll also have better soundproofing in the studios so that when you do work, you can really concentrate. Right now, the building we're in doesn't have the necessary soundproofing."
