| Crane School of Music | |
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| Motto: | "To learn -- to search -- to serve" |
| Established | 1886 |
| Type: | Public |
| Dean: | Alan Solomon |
| Faculty: | 70 |
| Undergraduates: | 630 |
| Postgraduates: | 30 |
| Location | Potsdam, New York, USA |
| Campus: | Rural |
| University: | State University of New York at Potsdam |
| Mascot: | Bear |
| Website: | www.potsdam.edu/CRANE |
The Crane School of Music is located in Potsdam, New York, and is one of three schools which make up the State University of New York (SUNY) at Potsdam. Crane consists of approximately 630 undergraduate and 30 graduate students and a faculty of 70 teachers and professional staff in a college of 4300 students and 250 faculty. Crane is housed in the Julia E. Crane Music Center on the north side of the campus. The complex consists of four buildings: two classroom buildings (Bishop and Schuette Halls), three concert areas (the newly renovated Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall, 1290 seats, the Sara M. Snell Music Theater, 452 seats and the Ralph Wakefield Lecture and Recital Hall located within Bishop Hall, 130 seats) as well as extensive supporting areas. Located within Schuette Hall is the Crane Music Library, which includes an extensive collection of literature, scores, and recordings. Located within the music library is a MIDI Computer Lab. There are also extensive rehearsal rooms and a large number of practice rooms. All four of Crane's buildings are connected underground. Crane is an All-Steinway School following the acquisition of 141 Steinway pianos beginning January 24, 2007. This $3.8 million dollar purchase includes 3 new concert grand pianos and coincidentially makes this the largest purchase order that Steinway has ever received in the history of the company. [1]
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History
The Crane School was founded in 1886 by Julia Etta Crane (1855-1923) as the Crane Normal Institute of Music and was one of the first institutions in the country to have programs dedicated training public school music teachers. The school suffered from financial difficulties and in the 1920s Julie Crane petitioned the Juilliard Foundation to purchase her school. In 1922 she appeared before the Board of the Normal School to get the State Legislature to purchase the Crane Institute. She asked a price of $20,000 to incorporate the Crane Institute with the Normal School under the Department of Education. The bill was brought before the State Legislature and defeated. In 1923 she was granted a leave of absence due to ill health. She died unexpectedly June 11, 1923 in her sister's home at 8 Lawrence Avenue, Potsdam. She is buried in Bayside Cemetery at Potsdam, NY. Her death had local and national impact. Her will offered the State of New York first choice to purchase her school. In case of the State's rejection, the school would be offered to any private buyer who would carry on her work. After two attempts the legislature passed a bill to purchase the school in 1926. Her curriculum for music teacher education had been approved in 1924 by the State Education Department. The class of 1927 was the first to graduate from the Crane Department of Music of Potsdam State Normal School.
Notable faculty & alumni
- Renee Fleming (1981)
- Stephanie Blythe (1992)
- Lisa Vroman (1979)
- Margaret Lattimore (1991)
- Daniel Decker
- Brock McElheran - Professor Emeritus
- Arthur Frackenpohl - Professor Emeritus
- Robert Washburn - Dean Emeritus
Community Performance Series
Crane has played home to the Community Performance Series (CPS) since 1989. CPS brings outside artists in to perform at Crane. Often a visiting artist will also conduct a master class during their time at the school. A pre-concert lecture is also given by a member of the faculty on the evening of the concert.
