From the brilliant mind of 艾伯特Riemenschneider, whose foresight to create an esteemed music school became the cornerstone of today's internationally acclaimed 音乐学院, the legacy of Baldwin Wallace lives on as the vibrant synergist of the arts.
的 antecedents of what would become the Baldwin Wallace 音乐学院 回到1848年 鲍德温学院, 这是它成立的第四年, began offering instruction in vocal music for one dollar extra per term. 建国后 German-Wallace大学, the two institutions operated in parallel, with German Wallace having the stronger music program.
的 future course of the Conservatory was set in 1898, when 艾伯特Riemenschneider, then a junior at German-Wallace, was hired to teach piano. Upon graduating, he became chair of the music department. Under his leadership, the department became a school of music and eventually a Conservatory.
的 merger of Baldwin University and German-Wallace大学 in 1913 propelled the music program forward. 的 college's commitment to the school of music was manifested that year when the Music Building and Auditorium on Front Street was dedicated. By 1919, the college was offering a bachelor of music degree with majors in piano, 器官, 小提琴, 大提琴和声乐. As demand for trained music instructors for public schools grew, the Conservatory formally began offering a bachelor of school music in the 1920s.
As the scope and depth of the Conservatory's programs grew, so did its reputation. In 1933, Albert and Selma Riemenschneider founded the 鲍德温华莱士巴赫音乐节, beginning an esteemed and treasured tradition that continues today. 庆祝活动是 最古老的大学巴赫音乐节 in the United States and brings world-class artists to BW each year to work with students and perform the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries.
六年后, the Music Building and Auditorium was renovated to include the addition of a new wing and a third story. 它被重新命名了 库拉斯音乐艺术大楼 为了向捐助者表示敬意. 和夫人. E. J. 库拉.
After leading the Conservatory for almost 50 years, Riemenschneider于1947年退休, leaving a legacy of artistic and scholarly excellence.
他于1950年去世, Selma Riemenschneider gave their large collection of books and music to the college as the Karl and Emilie Riemenschneider Memorial Bach Library. 1969年，图书馆成为 Riemenschneider Bach研究所. 今天, the Institute preserves priceless collections, including Brahms' own conducting marks and Bach's handwritten annotations on their personal scores, and serves as a locus for scholarship by BW students and faculty as well as visiting scholars from around the world.
的 vibrancy of the Conservatory increased with each decade as new programs, community partnerships and faculty infused the flourishing arts center with new ideas, 追求和学术努力.
As the student body grew and the Conservatory's vision for expansion both physically and academically became a more prominent need, BW responded through a series of expansions. In 1975, Merner-Pfeiffer大厅, a former women's dorm, was renovated to accommodate offices, studios, 琼斯音乐图书馆 and the Riemenschneider Bach研究所, which had been housed in Ritter Library.
In 2011, the Boesel Musical Arts Center opened. 的 $15-million project transformed the Conservatory by more than doubling its original size. 的 multi-building complex united Merner-Pfeiffer大厅 and 库拉斯音乐艺术大楼 with stunning new space that included the renovation of a centennial church.
恒星艺术中心, named after late BW trustee Stephen Boesel '68 and his wife, 杰奎琳·, infused the esteemed Conservatory with new energy that lives on today through a myriad of programs, people and partnerships that reimagine the arts and what it means to be a visionary artist-citizen.
的 Conservatory will have a yearlong celebration for this milestone, 包括特别活动, 档案的特性, "Con This Day" social series and more. Join in the celebration as BW honors its history and all those who have made the current Conservatory life possible.
的 BW Symphony Orchestra will perform on Friday, Oct. 下午7点.m. in the 库拉斯音乐艺术大楼's Gamble Auditorium as part of the 125th anniversary celebration.
