 | Robert Blocker |
President Richard C. Levin has announced that distinguished concert pianist Robert Blocker will return to Yale as dean of the School of Music in July.
During his tenure as dean from 1995 to 2005, Blocker was credited with re-establishing Yale's School of Music as one of the world's premier institutions for the professional training of performers and composers. Among his many notable accomplishments was the quadrupling of the school's endowment, an extensive plan for revitalizing facilities and significant increases in applications to the school. Under Blocker, the percentage of students accepting offers of admission reached a historic high.
Blocker has spent the last year as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. He also served on the music and management faculties of SMU.
"Robert was an extraordinary dean who had brought the School of Music to the highest level of prestige," Levin said. "As we searched for a new dean, we were seeking someone of Robert's vision, talent, energy and accomplishment. We have surpassed that goal by welcoming Robert back to the school he led so ably."
Last November, Yale announced that it had received a $100 million gift to the School of Music that would allow the school, among other advances, to subsidize fully the tuition of all of its students. Blocker had worked closely with Levin to attract the gift from a donor who chose to remain anonymous.
Blocker made "outstanding" appointments to the School of Music faculty as dean, renewing the artistic programs in percussion, horn and composition, said Levin. Blocker also created an international advisory board to serve the school.
At the end of Blocker's first tenure as dean, Levin noted that Blocker had been the conceptual architect for the comprehensive renovation of the facilities, including the renovation of Sprague Memorial Hall, the transformation of Abby and Mitch Leigh Hall, and the planning for Hendrie Hall.
"Robert has built community as effectively as he has renovated buildings," Levin said. "The fall convocation, the annual dinner, town meetings and the student tailgate are emblematic of the attention Robert gave to creating a stronger community for those at the School of Music."
Blocker, one of the nation's leading spokespersons on the arts and their relation to the business community, has contributed to New Haven by serving on the boards of the New Haven Symphony, the New Haven Business/Arts Alliance and the Neighborhood Music School.
Blocker, who maintains an active international concert schedule, holds a bachelor's degree from Furman University and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of North Texas. Prior to coming to Yale in 1995, Blocker was at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he served as the first dean and professor of the School of the Arts and Architecture and as adjunct professor of management.
Blocker will renew his tenure as dean July 1. Levin thanked Thomas C. Duffy, the director of University Bands and an adjunct professor at the school, for his "outstanding" service as acting dean for the past year.
T H I S
Blocker returning to Yale
to lead School of Music
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