01/Apr/2010
Remodeled
Can the LSU Tiger Band Get Even Better?
By Sean Griffin
Just down the
hall from his office a wind instrument whistles through the same phrase again and
again as the instrumentalist fine tunes a piece of melody to perfect his or her
craft.
These days Dean
Laurence Kaptain of the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts (CMDA) is doing pretty
much the same thing.
College of Music and Dramatic Arts Dean Laurence Kaptain in newly renovated Music and Dramatic Arts Building Theatre.
Kaptain
started the 2009-2010 school year as the new dean for the LSU – CMDA.
It is his job to perfect an already
outstanding and highly valued program at the state’s flagship university. Helping
him to achieve his goals is a beautiful new rendition of the old Music and
New Job
Kaptain came
to LSU after serving as the head of the Shenandoah Conservatory at
“I wasn’t
even looking,” Kaptain said. “And I never pictured living in
But he
eventually did submit his resume for consideration. In September of 2008 they
began flying candidates in to meet the committee and the rest is history.
Eventually the city and LSU won him over.
“I kind of feel
like
Since
starting to work at LSU, Kaptain has been asked to be a faculty coach for an
LSU football game and he witnessed one of LSU’s recent graduates perform a
staring role at the Metropolitan Opera – an honor relatively unheard of for any
young graduate in their twenties to achieve.
New Building
But it was
the rededication of the Music and
“The building
is symbolic,” Kaptain said. “When we were experiencing the Great Depression,
LSU built this big building here for music and dramatic arts. This program was
important even then.”
The old
building was gutted, except for the theater which was salvaged and remodeled,
and then the entire thing was rebuilt. After four and a half years and $22
million, the Music and Dramatic Arts building was rededicated on Sept. 20,
2009. The new building is larger and it includes state-of-the-art classrooms,
studios and production shops.
New Band Director is Next
Since the
current Director of Bands, Frank B. Wickes, will officially retire at the end
of this semester, the CMDA has been in the process of interviewing candidates
to pick up the reins for LSU bands.
“We
called the top three directors in the country and the top three composers and
asked them who they would recommend for this position,” Kaptain said. “We were
told by the best people who to look at.”
A committee
has been formed and they are planning to name a new band director in April. The
three candidates for the post include Dr. Kevin Geraldi, director of Bands at
the University of North Carolina-Greensboro; Stuart Sims, director of
Instrumental Studies at California State University-Stanislaus; Dr. Gary Sousa,
director of Bands at the
But Kaptain
said he wants to ensure everyone that there won’t be any difference in the way the
Tiger Band operates. Associate Band Director Dr. Linda Moorhouse oversees the
marching band and is aided by Assistant Band Director Roy King. Kaptain said
Wickes didn’t work with the Tiger Band nearly as directly as Moorhouse and King.
He said he anticipates the new director won’t
even be out there as much as Wickes was.
“One
difference you will notice is that the person directing the National Anthem at
the football games will be shorter,” Kaptain said. “All of the candidates are
shorter than Mr. Wickes.”
At the end of
this semester, Wickes will host his final concert with LSU and then a
celebration will be held to signify Wickes’ departure as well as the start of
the new band hall construction. The Tiger Band drum major’s baton will be stuck
into the ground where the new building will stand.
Kaptain said
the new band hall project is progressing very well.
Budget Cuts
Kaptain said
people have been anticipating that recent budget cuts will lead to a reduction
in the size of the marching band. According to him there is no plan to cut the Tiger
Band right now.
“The
Provost’s office asked us to send a list of the cuts that would have the
biggest impact for us,” he said. In this list he mentioned cutting personnel
from programs. Kaptain said he expects this was misunderstood to mean the Tiger
Band’s size would be reduced, but he said what was meant is if there are big
cuts throughout the university then it is inevitable that programs and
eventually people will be reduced everywhere.
Scholarships
and funding would be cut and this could mean fewer students who are able to
receive scholarships. And Kaptain said for those students who cannot attend LSU
without the scholarship, it may mean they are no longer able to attend the
university.
“Tiger Band
is something that is sacred to LSU,” Kaptain said. “We really don’t want to do
anything to that.”
Kaptain said
so far everything has been cut at LSU but people. At the same time, he said,
the college will be initiating new projects that will profit CMDA and make it
less reliant on other forms of funding.
“We’re
looking at sources other than from the state and donations,” Kaptain said.
New Programs
Among these
new projects is a proposed Performing Arts Academy held at the school which
would provide various classes for any age. Classes would range from digital
programs to music lessons. Kaptain said projects like this are meant to
introduce new profit opportunities for CMDA as well as learning opportunities
for everyone.
“I’m
optimistic about the future,” Kaptain said.
The new dean
said he wants to put an emphasis on developing well-rounded graduates whose
abilities can “transcend” their skills and concentration.
“On a baseball team if you hit 300 you’re a
hero, but if you’re a theater major you have to bat 1000,” he said. “I want our
graduates to have more thorough skills so they are more likely to be
successful.”
