Highlights A ‘Transformative’ Gift Kenan Trust gives $8 million for music scholarships, new building By Del Helton
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f Joseph Haydn’s “Surprise Symphony” woke its audience, then the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust’s news of an $8 million gift to music at Carolina brought a deafening ovation to Hill Hall. On Dec. 15, music department faculty, staff, students and friends gathered in the rotunda of the 100-year-old building to hear that the Kenan Trust’s gift will create 16 full music scholarships for undergraduates, and will complete funding for a new music building in the College of Arts and Sciences. The new facility will be called the Kenan Music Building. The gift, the largest ever received by an academic department in the College, includes a $4 million endowment for Kenan Music Scholarships and $4 million for the building now under construction on Columbia Street between Hanes Art Center and Abernethy Hall. Chancellor James Moeser, a concert organist, described the trust’s gift as “transformative for music at Carolina.” “The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust has long been a leading patron of the arts, through its support of the arts faculty, the department of dramatic art, the Carolina Performing Arts Endowment and now the department of music,” Moeser said.“Through a premier merit scholarship in music and the naming gift for the new music building, the trust not only ensures the continuing vitality of musical performance at Carolina, but elevates and enhances the quality and reputation of the department of music and the University.” Carolina’s music department has seen substantial growth in recent years, though its facilities are more than 75 years old, lack adequate space and have poor acoustics. Herbert Hoover was U.S. president in 1930 when the music department moved to its 24 • Spring 2007 • Carolina Arts & Sciences
current home in Hill Hall, built first as the for graduate school programs. Kenan music University library in 1907.The number of scholars will also benefit from faculty music majors has tripled in the past decade mentoring and peer counseling. to 250 students, and hundreds more attend Within hours after learning of the class, practice and perform in the building gift, department chair Tim Carter began each year. planning for the first class of Kenan “This gift represents the intersection scholars, which included the appointment of two very important interests the Kenan of professor Brent Wissick as faculty family has nurtured for generations: first, is coordinator for the program. a dedication to excellence at the University “We immediately contacted North of North Carolina and; second, a love and Carolina high schools to announce this appreciation for the fine arts, especially music,” said Richard Krasno, executive director of the Kenan Trust. “It is our hope that the exceptional young women and men who will be recipients of the Kenan Music Scholarships will not only benefit from the extraordinary education they will receive at UNC, but that the UNC community atThe new Kenan Music Building and new scholarships large will benefit from their for students are being made possible with an $8 million gift talent in our midst.” from the Kenan Charitable Trust.
Not a traditional conservatory
While the trust has long supported faculty and facilities at Carolina, the scholarships represent its most generous gift directed to students.The first four scholarships will be awarded to students entering in fall 2007, with four scholars to be named to each subsequent undergraduate class. The Kenan Music Scholarships cover in-state tuition, student fees, room and board, and provide a $6,000 allowance for study abroad, work with a particular performer, internships with elite music groups, attendance at music festivals and other musical events, and travel to audition
incredible opportunity,” said Carter, David G. Frey Distinguished Professor of Music.“After auditioning 250 students through February, we’ll have a short list of candidates in early March.These students will participate in additional interviews with faculty before we name the first four Kenan scholars.” Next year, with time to mount a broader publicity campaign, Carter hopes to create a significantly larger applicant pool from the state and across the nation. “Carolina is not a traditional conservatory, and that’s a good thing,” he said. “We are looking for students who want the full experience of performance and academic study, of bringing together the benefits