By Todd Barin
Murphy News Service

The final process of selecting a new director for the University of Minnesota’s School of Music commenced Monday when Gary Mortenson made his case for the job.

Mortenson, director of the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at Kansas State University, gave an impassioned talk about what factors are most important when building a successful music program.

“We have never lived in an age where there is more distraction. We must get back to a higher level of civility,” Mortenson said. “I want to make sure that students all across the continuum know that I care about them.”

Mortenson has been director of KSU’s program for 26 years and editor of the International Trumpet Guild for 12 years.

Mortenson said he has collected quotes over the years that give him inspiration on a daily basis:

• “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

• “The great myth of our times is that technology is communication.” – Libby Larsen

• “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller.

• “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi

The importance of teaching and helping students was a recurring theme for Mortenson.

“I don’t know of anything that’s more complex than human interaction; which is why it’s very important to me that when a student comes into my office, there will be no distraction,” Mortenson said. “We are here to serve the needs of the students, universities would just be buildings without that.”

The U has narrowed its list of candidates to run the School of Music down to three. Other than Mortenson, those selected as finalists are:

• Daniel Melamed, professor and chair of the Department of Musicology at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Melamed is scheduled to visit on Monday, February 16th.
• Michael Kim, dean and professor of music, and acting associate vice-president, at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada. Kim is scheduled to speak on Wednesday, February 18th.

John Coleman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said in an e-mail to students and faculty: “Our first objective will be to learn more about each finalist’s background and qualifications, as well as to ascertain their vision for the future of the School of Music. The second will be to showcase the school’s excellence and originality.”

Anyone attending the candidate presentations is encouraged to fill out an evaluation form to help the search committee make its final decision.

Reporter Todd Barin is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.