Greetings!\u00a0 Welcome to the Dean\u2019s page and my quarterly update on key initiatives at the Peabody Institute.<\/p>\n
This fiscal year (FY19) is the second year in our 5-year financial plan supporting the academic vision laid out in Peabody\u2019s Breakthrough Plan.\u00a0 The first three years of the financial plan call for significant investments in new programs in New Media and Dance, a reenergized jazz program, and the new Breakthrough Curriculum, as well as piloting initiatives online and standing up projects in the emerging Center for Music and Medicine.\u00a0 Final results from FY18 included a $1.2M improvement to budget, making the planned deficit smaller \u2014 largely the result of exceeding enrollment and fundraising goals, and realizing expense savings.\u00a0 Now having just completed the first quarter of FY19, we can say with some certainty that we expect to meet and likely improve upon this year\u2019s budgetary assumptions, which include a planned deficit for a year in which we continue to make investments.\u00a0 Enrollment is on target at 600 students for FY19, as is fundraising.\u00a0 We will have more to report about the FY19 outlook once we are at the halfway mark, but at this juncture I expect that we\u2019ll be on or better than plan again this year.<\/p>\n
Peabody has a goal of raising $6.5M cash during the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2019.\u00a0 We are currently at $1.56M, or 24 percent of goal.\u00a0 While we are slightly behind our objectives in endowment cash and capital contributions, we are running significantly ahead in current use funding, which is central to funding operations and new programmatic initiatives.\u00a0 One of the reasons for success here is a wonderful gift received from a member of Peabody Institute Advisory Board<\/a> (PIAB).\u00a0 The George Peabody Society<\/a> recognizes donors whose lifetime giving reaches $1.4 million and above, which was the amount of George Peabody\u2019s gift over 161 years ago to found the Peabody Institute.\u00a0 \u00a0Members of the PIAB who are also members of the George Peabody Society include Chung and Ted Kotcheff, Allan and Claire Jensen, Taylor Hanex, and Rheda Becker and Bob Meyerhoff.\u00a0 Now joining the ranks of the George Peabody Society is Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, who has made a multi-year commitment of one million dollars to support Peabody\u2019s Breakthrough Curriculum.\u00a0 This commitment, from a leading educational expert and former State Superintendent of Maryland Schools for more than twenty years, takes on even greater meaning as it demonstrates a firm belief in the direction of Peabody\u2019s new Breakthrough Curriculum and a recognition of the importance of this work.\u00a0 \u00a0We could not be more grateful to Nancy for her wonderful support.<\/p>\n A critical aspect of planning for next year is the recruitment of the next Peabody Conservatory class.\u00a0 Although still several weeks away from our application deadline, we are seeing positive trends with applications up 17 percent over last year at this time, and up 58 percent over two years ago.\u00a0 There are several components driving this including new programs in New Media and Dance, and reenergized Jazz at Peabody; the Breakthrough Curriculum; and continued development of admissions recruitment strategies including programs like the Blue Ribbon Scholarship program, which has now grown in scale to include partnerships with 25 magnet schools, orchestras, and their educational affiliates, having begun just two years ago with four partner institutions.\u00a0 While we don\u2019t expect that we\u2019ll continue to see the trajectory of application growth enjoyed over the last two years, it\u2019s a good base on which to build.<\/p>\n A few weeks ago, Peabody presented Leonard Bernstein\u2019s MASS<\/em><\/a> in celebration of the Bernstein Centennial.\u00a0 Two years in planning, this was an enormous undertaking resulting in an important and thrilling moment for Peabody, a compelling performance attended by 3,000 at the New Psalmist Baptist Church.\u00a0 I am so proud of our students, who rose beautifully to the challenge that this work entails, putting in countless hours of rehearsal and preparation.\u00a0 But one need only have seen the response of the audience and the numerous comments to follow from so many in attendance to realize the impact made.\u00a0 Peabody has been intentionally working to increase and strengthen our connections with our neighbors and communities throughout Baltimore, and this production of MASS<\/em>, under the direction of Marin Alsop, offered the perfect opportunity to do so.\u00a0 Among more than 500 performers were members of the Baltimore City College High School Choir, the Baltimore School for the Arts Chamber Chorus, the Morgan State University Choir, and the New Psalmist Baptist Church Choir. \u00a0We are grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with such diverse and talented groups in bringing this work to life.<\/p>\n It’s an overused phrase, but MASS<\/em> really is a production that \u201ctakes a village.\u201d\u00a0 I cannot help but think about the village we created, this production, and the impact of the performance on the community, in the context of what we experienced in our nation during that week of turmoil that included bomb threats, the shootings in a grocery store in Louisville, and the terrible events in a Pittsburgh synagogue.\u00a0 What artists can do is provide a respite, a way for people to cope, and an outlet for emotional expression.\u00a0 With its focus on the crisis of faith and questioning of institutions, our MASS<\/em>\u2019s arrival seemed perfectly timed.\u00a0 If nothing else, we know that this performance provided at least two hours where people could inhabit a different place, to experience something good and positive and to have a chance to renew and reflect.\u00a0 That is, after all, what art can and must do.<\/p>\n While we are on the subject of performances, I would be remiss if I did not mention the performance by Peabody instrumentalists led by Joseph Young and singers from the Peabody Opera Theatre Program to kick off the Johns Hopkins University gala<\/a> celebrating the conclusion of the Rising to the Challenge Campaign.\u00a0 Due to space constraints, the orchestra videotaped its accompaniment to the Champagne Song from Die Fledermaus<\/em> and Nessun Dorma from Turandot<\/em> in Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall; the recording was played on the giant circular screen at the gala as Peabody singers performed live.\u00a0 It was a proud moment for Peabody.<\/p>\n MASS<\/em> is a perfect segue to report on Peabody\u2019s ongoing initiatives around diversity and inclusion, which are beginning to yield promising results.\u00a0 One of Peabody\u2019s Five Pillars, fostering diversity in our business is a key strategic objective.\u00a0 It is also the reason that we established the Peabody Diversity Pathway Task Force two years ago, comprised of more than twenty faculty, staff, students, and alumni.<\/p>\n Through greater intentionality in recruitment, supported by specific initiatives like the Blue Ribbon Scholarship program, relationship building with mentorship programs around the country, and partnerships with organizations focused on diversity such as Sphinx and El Sistema, underrepresented minority students now comprise 13 percent of the total Peabody student body, up from 10 percent in 2015.\u00a0 This will continue to be an area of critical focus.\u00a0 Similarly, through the Faculty Diversity Initiative<\/a>, Peabody has worked diligently to develop a more diverse set of candidates in all faculty search processes.\u00a0 Here too, this work is paying dividends.\u00a0 In the 2018-19 academic year, 11 percent of our faculty identify as underrepresented minorities, up from 7 percent one year ago.\u00a0 It is also worth noting that, nationally, schools and programs of music report underrepresented minority faculty in the 4 to 5 percent range.\u00a0\u00a0 Finally, an important aspect of diversity and inclusion is the work that we are doing on cultural climate.\u00a0 In September, Peabody piloted for the Johns Hopkins University Office of Diversity a Micro Triggers workshop with faculty chairs, executive team members, and selected director-level staff.\u00a0 Building on this successful and well received workshop, Peabody is expanding this training to a wider range of faculty and staff.<\/p>\n Peabody recognizes diversity to be a critical long-term effort, with the understanding that this is not just about the evolution of our school, but about changing the field.<\/p>\n This year marks inaugural classes of Conservatory programs in Music for New Media<\/a> and Dance<\/a>.\u00a0 New Media, under the leadership of Thomas Dolby, represents the cutting intersection between composition and technology with its reach into video game music, augmented and virtual reality applications.\u00a0 The inaugural class of 15 is the start of a potentially burgeoning program unique in its existence and differentiation from other more conventional music technology or composition programs.\u00a0 Similarly, Peabody\u2019s new BFA in Dance, under the leadership of danah bella, builds on a great history of dance in the Peabody Preparatory.\u00a0 The potential for this program was on display with the dance students\u2019 debut as part of the recent production of MASS<\/em>, demonstrating how much the program is already bringing to Peabody.<\/p>\n The Breakthrough Curriculum<\/a>, now in the second year of its full three-year rollout, continues to build Peabody\u2019s competitive advantage in its commitment to surrounding Peabody\u2019s traditionally high level of artistic and musical training with critical skills in communication, audience development, community engagement, and technology, along with other practical applications for both managing one\u2019s own career and developing a unique artistic brand.\u00a0 The curriculum, which now touches every corner of the Peabody experience \u2013 both undergraduate and graduate – will change not just the experience for Peabody students, but also the way schools think about training artists for the future.\u00a0 As is the case with New Media, Peabody has positioned itself on the leading edge with the Breakthrough Curriculum.<\/p>\n Peabody pilots its online initiative this fall with courses for music professionals and students called Playing Well<\/a>.\u00a0 An outgrowth of Peabody\u2019s Music and Medicine initiative (which includes the new Johns Hopkins Rehabilitative Network Clinic for Performing Artists<\/a> at Peabody and a focus on injury prevention as part of Peabody\u2019s orientation programs for students), Playing Well makes available valuable information around peak performance, injury prevention, and healthy playing and practice habits.\u00a0 A three-month pilot launching this month includes four course offerings, with the expectation that course offerings will more than triple over the next year.\u00a0 The online curriculum fills an important need in a market that has little to offer in this critical area, while continuing to build awareness and brand recognition of Peabody.\u00a0 A true \u201cstart-up,\u201d Peabody Online adds to other efforts to build innovation on a long and grand tradition of training musicians at Peabody.<\/p>\n As you can see, there is much that his happening at Peabody.\u00a0 I look forward to future updates and progress in all these key areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" November 15, 2018: Quarterly Update Greetings!\u00a0 Welcome to the Dean\u2019s page and my quarterly update on key initiatives at the Peabody Institute. Financial This fiscal year (FY19) is the second […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"parent":1389,"menu_order":45,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23947","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23947"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":92230,"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23947\/revisions\/92230"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peabody.jhu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Admissions<\/h3>\n
Performance Highlights<\/h3>\n
Diversity and Inclusion<\/h3>\n
New Program Update<\/h3>\n
Peabody Online<\/h3>\n
Summing Up<\/h3>\n