The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Phyllis Camesano

The Music Department has received full accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), an honor bestowed on less than 2 percent of the institutions that apply. The distinction elevates Buffalo State College as a destination for music students and marks 100 percent accreditation of eligible programs in the School of Arts and Humanities, headed by Dean Benjamin C. Christy.

To sustain the distinction, students and faculty can look forward to continued positive improvement in the department, including a new recital hall in the former space of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, on the third floor of Rockwell Hall.

“The department has worked diligently to achieve this recognition,” said Bradley J. Fuster, chair of the Music Department. “We are enthusiastic about the roadmap the accreditation process has provided in reshaping the department now and going forward, and what this distinction means for Buffalo State College.”

While the final NASM report was overwhelmingly positive, it did recommend improvement in several areas:

The biggest issue cited was the need for an appropriate recital hall for faculty and student solo and chamber performances. Recommendations for renovating the old Burchfield Penney space are now before the State University Construction Fund. In 2013, NASM members will return to see that this requirement is being fulfilled.

The report also recommended that the department formalize and increase its ongoing commitment to inclusion. A standing diversity committee to identify opportunities and talent has been instituted. In the spring, respected Portuguese composer Tomás Henriques will join the faculty. Henriques is one of the world’s foremost experts in electric and digital music.

With regard to continued expansion of the department’s size and scope, steps are being taken toward accepting string majors, including the formation of a chamber orchestra and the Clara String Quartet, with four Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra members serving as faculty in residence.

In several areas, the report indicated the need to address workload and communication challenges that have arisen as the department continues to evolve and grow. To that end, members of the Music Department and the School of Education are outlining plans for working together in a clearer fashion, and facilitating and enhancing regular communication between faculty and students.

Fuster was hired in 2005 with the primary objective of leading the department through the accreditation process, including changes necessary to fulfill arduous NASM requirements. The stage had been set in 2004, when the department, at the recommendation of NASM, separated from Performing Arts, which also included theater and dance. Fuster took up the charge, revamping degrees, deactivating outdated courses, and changing credit requirements. When Christy became dean of the School of Arts and Humanities in 2007, the move toward accreditation gained further momentum.