Dear friends,
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season! As I reflect on the fall semester and look forward to the new year, I am most grateful for the support of our Blair School of Music alumni and friends in Nashville and throughout the world. This academic year, Blair will host more than 315 concerts and student recitals, celebrating musical excellence across all areas of study within the school.
In November, the VU Orchestra and Choirs were joined by the Nolensville High School Choir to perform the second U.S. performance of Fire in my mouth (c. 2019) by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Julia Wolfe. We also were treated to a surprise visit by the incredible composer and musician, Jon Batiste, while he was in town for a show at the Grand Ole Opry. After a question/answer session with students, he listened to the Big Band perform and, to their delight, he joined them at the piano.
Looking ahead to spring, we are hosting Brazillian guitarists Duo Assad in partnership with the Nashville Guitar Society and the Blair Jazz Choir and Big Band will open a concert by New York Voices. For all spring semester events please join us in person or visit via livestream.
We continue our work with community partners throughout Nashville. Each year the Blair Student Council hosts the Blair Witch Auction to support the W.O. Smith Music School, where many of our students and faculty teach. This year they raised $2,581 and presented an exceptionally large check to the school’s director, Valerie Cordero! Our partnership with Antioch High School is in its second year, with Blair faculty providing lessons to students on site in southeast Nashville, through our Blair Academy outreach initiative. We are also excited to have a new Metro Nashville Public School partner, Harris-Hillman, just across Blakemore Avenue from the Blair building. This spring, several Blair groups will visit Harris-Hillman to perform and connect with students, exemplifying the power of music to build community.
Our Blair Advisory Council is comprised of distinguished alumni and friends who bring their expertise and eagerness to assist the Blair School. During our November meeting over Reunion Weekend, we focused on ways to support Blair faculty in preparing students for a real-world experience. In an evolving entrepreneurial music scene, students need essential skills in music technology, musicians’ wellness, entrepreneurship, and career preparation courses in addition to ensembles and music core classes. Connecting our students with alumni is essential and we encourage you to let us know if you are interested in supporting this initiative.
We invite you to support the Blair School as we prepare our students in a challenging landscape, while making a world of difference in extraordinary ways through the arts. The Blair School community is making an impact, and as always, we appreciate your investment in our journey.
With gratitude,
