In celebration of its approaching centennial in 2020, the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder is embarking on a $50 million fundraising campaign.
The music+ campaign supports a bold new vision for music at CU Boulder called “The College of Music Advantage.” The wide reaching, 10-year strategic plan was set in motion by the priorities of students, faculty, and staff of the college community. It emphasizes cross-campus partnerships, an expansion of alumni resources and services, and more professional performance opportunities like the college’s November 2016 Carnegie Hall Showcase Concert.
At the time of the public launch, the college is nearly halfway to its $50 million goal, including major gifts totaling $4 million that led to the naming of the Eklund Opera Program and the Ritter Family Classical Guitar Program.
“It’s encouraging to see the college take its national and international reputation to the next level,” said Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “Music will play a big role as the campus takes its place as a leading innovation university with a positive impact on our world.”
DiStefano said the College of Music’s campaign sets an example for future collaborative fundraising efforts in other colleges, schools and programs on campus.
Dean Robert Shay said the music+ campaign both reflects CU Boulder College Of Music Launches $50 Million Fundraising Campaign the aspirations of the college to strengthen its position as a leader among higher education music institutions and celebrates 100 years of musical excellence and innovation at CU Boulder.
“It’s this idea that we will take our core activities, which are already terrific, and add amazing new layers of professional experiences, interdisciplinary partnerships and leadership opportunities,” Shay said. The tagline of the campaign is, “The future of music, a century in the making.”
“It’s impressive when you look back at the history of the college and you realize that this place, even from the early days, has always attracted great faculty and leaders in the field from all over the world to join this community of performers, composers and scholars,” Shay said.
For example, Shay said, the Grammy Award-winning Takács Quartet joined the CU Boulder faculty 30 years ago. In addition, CU Boulder was among the first institutions nationwide to weave an entrepreneurship focus into the music curriculum.
Becky Roser, a longtime supporter of the College of Music and namesake, along with her late husband Jim, of the Roser Visiting Artists Program and Roser ATLAS Building on the CU Boulder campus, is chairing the music+ campaign. She said the college’s bold plans for the future call for an equally bold effort to make them a reality.
“What makes this effort different is that it’s an opportunity to build on an already successful foundation and do things in new, creative ways,” Roser said. “It’s the right timing. Things have coalesced nicely to allow for this breakthrough moment. It’s time for the college to strut its stuff.”
For more information on how to support and get involved in music+, visit the College of Music website.