Artistic training prepared dean for KU job

By Mitchell J. Near     Apr 17, 2000

Allegro.
“If it says allegro, you think just go fast,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of fine arts at Kansas University. “There are so many gradations of fast.”
Montgomery, trained as a pianist, is talking about the differences of interpretation spectators may encounter at a classical music concert.
But, finishing up her second week as head of the School of Fine Arts, Montgomery is keeping up an allegro tempo herself.
She’s attended seven recitals in 10 days.
Montgomery hasn’t gone there just to let people see the new dean. She’s gone as part of her job. Faculty in the school are evaluated on their artistic work.
“It’s imperative I get to know these faculty members,” she said.
“Getting to know everyone is important. I need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the school to be a better advocate for the programs here,” Montgomery said.
She wants to maintain the strong traditions of research, teaching and service for which the school and the university are known.
Research funds raised for fine arts are not counted among those used to rank KU as a research university, so Montgomery wants to avoid arts being forgotten.
“I want to make sure we are equal partners,” she said.

Getting out of Kansas
But, she also wants to make sure faculty and students think about opportunities in new forms of expression and research. And she wants students to travel to art centers beyond Kansas City and Lawrence.
“They need to leave this campus,” Montgomery said. “They need to leave the Kansas City area. How great it would be to see what’s going on with the controversy at the Brooklyn Museum.”
She’s referring to the recent dispute between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum over a portrait of the Virgin Mary made using dried animal dung.
No, she doesn’t want to create a program where students flock to the latest art controversy. She wants them to travel more than they do, though.
“The proposal we are talking about would use contacts with our alumni, artists our faculty know,” Montgomery said.
In 10 allegro days she’s laid out the concept and has a department head working on it.
And she hopes the alumni contact will pay off in financial ways for the school.
“It’s fund-raising and friend-raising,” Montgomery said.
She hopes the school will raise about $20 million in the capital campaign KU is planning.
That would probably generate about $1 million annually in income for the school.
“Think what we could do with a million dollars,” she said.
As an object of philanthropy, Montgomery calls the arts an “easy sell.”
“It’s not just a feel-good thing,” she said. “It’s essential to life. Think if we didn’t have art. The world would be a visually unattractive place.”

Live arts vs. digital arts
But, the arts faces a challenge posed by technology. The ease of listening to music on compact disc means a generation has not learned the value of attending arts performances or going to a museum.
“It’s going to be a challenge for today’s generation,” she said. “Audiences tend to be white-haired people.”
Yes, she says, she understands why a person would stay at home and listen to a CD or watch Sister Wendy describe great works of art on public television.
“But Sister Wendy won’t replace going to a museum,” she said.
Pulling together the resources of a school with 118 faculty and 1,300 students comes easily to Montgomery, she said, because of her training as a pianist.
Her master’s and doctorate from University of Michigan are in piano chamber music and accompanying.
“It’s completely different than sitting and playing alone,” Montgomery said. “There’s a give and take, you have to listen to those around you. It’s helped me in administration.”

Quick tempo for change
The 43-year-old dean is pleased with all the attention paid to the school by her appointment, she’s also tired of what caused it.
“All the hoopla regarding my being the first African-American dean surprised me,” she said.
She appreciates the importance of the university demonstrating it’s commitment to diversity, she just hopes the attention to her race will die down soon.
“I don’t want to see my title as the first African-American dean of the School of Fine Arts every time I read the paper,” Montgomery said.
“I’m proud of all the people who have gone before me and paved the road,” she said. “I’m proud to be a role model for women and African Americans.”
“I want to move on,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been an African American all my life and it’s not news to me. I will make changes, not because I’m a woman who is five foot one with short hair and brown eyes.”

Erwin Seba’s phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.

Artistic training prepared dean for KU job

By Mitchell J. Near     Apr 17, 2000

Allegro.
“If it says allegro, you think just go fast,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of fine arts at Kansas University. “There are so many gradations of fast.”
Montgomery, trained as a pianist, is talking about the differences of interpretation spectators may encounter at a classical music concert.
But, finishing up her second week as head of the School of Fine Arts, Montgomery is keeping up an allegro tempo herself.
She’s attended seven recitals in 10 days.
Montgomery hasn’t gone there just to let people see the new dean. She’s gone as part of her job. Faculty in the school are evaluated on their artistic work.
“It’s imperative I get to know these faculty members,” she said.
“Getting to know everyone is important. I need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the school to be a better advocate for the programs here,” Montgomery said.
She wants to maintain the strong traditions of research, teaching and service for which the school and the university are known.
Research funds raised for fine arts are not counted among those used to rank KU as a research university, so Montgomery wants to avoid arts being forgotten.
“I want to make sure we are equal partners,” she said.

Getting out of Kansas
But, she also wants to make sure faculty and students think about opportunities in new forms of expression and research. And she wants students to travel to art centers beyond Kansas City and Lawrence.
“They need to leave this campus,” Montgomery said. “They need to leave the Kansas City area. How great it would be to see what’s going on with the controversy at the Brooklyn Museum.”
She’s referring to the recent dispute between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum over a portrait of the Virgin Mary made using dried animal dung.
No, she doesn’t want to create a program where students flock to the latest art controversy. She wants them to travel more than they do, though.
“The proposal we are talking about would use contacts with our alumni, artists our faculty know,” Montgomery said.
In 10 allegro days she’s laid out the concept and has a department head working on it.
And she hopes the alumni contact will pay off in financial ways for the school.
“It’s fund-raising and friend-raising,” Montgomery said.
She hopes the school will raise about $20 million in the capital campaign KU is planning.
That would probably generate about $1 million annually in income for the school.
“Think what we could do with a million dollars,” she said.
As an object of philanthropy, Montgomery calls the arts an “easy sell.”
“It’s not just a feel-good thing,” she said. “It’s essential to life. Think if we didn’t have art. The world would be a visually unattractive place.”

Live arts vs. digital arts
But, the arts faces a challenge posed by technology. The ease of listening to music on compact disc means a generation has not learned the value of attending arts performances or going to a museum.
“It’s going to be a challenge for today’s generation,” she said. “Audiences tend to be white-haired people.”
Yes, she says, she understands why a person would stay at home and listen to a CD or watch Sister Wendy describe great works of art on public television.
“But Sister Wendy won’t replace going to a museum,” she said.
Pulling together the resources of a school with 118 faculty and 1,300 students comes easily to Montgomery, she said, because of her training as a pianist.
Her master’s and doctorate from University of Michigan are in piano chamber music and accompanying.
“It’s completely different than sitting and playing alone,” Montgomery said. “There’s a give and take, you have to listen to those around you. It’s helped me in administration.”

Quick tempo for change
The 43-year-old dean is pleased with all the attention paid to the school by her appointment, she’s also tired of what caused it.
“All the hoopla regarding my being the first African-American dean surprised me,” she said.
She appreciates the importance of the university demonstrating it’s commitment to diversity, she just hopes the attention to her race will die down soon.
“I don’t want to see my title as the first African-American dean of the School of Fine Arts every time I read the paper,” Montgomery said.
“I’m proud of all the people who have gone before me and paved the road,” she said. “I’m proud to be a role model for women and African Americans.”
“I want to move on,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been an African American all my life and it’s not news to me. I will make changes, not because I’m a woman who is five foot one with short hair and brown eyes.”

Erwin Seba’s phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.

Artistic training prepared dean for KU job

By Mitchell J. Near     Apr 17, 2000

Allegro.
“If it says allegro, you think just go fast,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of fine arts at Kansas University. “There are so many gradations of fast.”
Montgomery, trained as a pianist, is talking about the differences of interpretation spectators may encounter at a classical music concert.
But, finishing up her second week as head of the School of Fine Arts, Montgomery is keeping up an allegro tempo herself.
She’s attended seven recitals in 10 days.
Montgomery hasn’t gone there just to let people see the new dean. She’s gone as part of her job. Faculty in the school are evaluated on their artistic work.
“It’s imperative I get to know these faculty members,” she said.
“Getting to know everyone is important. I need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the school to be a better advocate for the programs here,” Montgomery said.
She wants to maintain the strong traditions of research, teaching and service for which the school and the university are known.
Research funds raised for fine arts are not counted among those used to rank KU as a research university, so Montgomery wants to avoid arts being forgotten.
“I want to make sure we are equal partners,” she said.

Getting out of Kansas
But, she also wants to make sure faculty and students think about opportunities in new forms of expression and research. And she wants students to travel to art centers beyond Kansas City and Lawrence.
“They need to leave this campus,” Montgomery said. “They need to leave the Kansas City area. How great it would be to see what’s going on with the controversy at the Brooklyn Museum.”
She’s referring to the recent dispute between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum over a portrait of the Virgin Mary made using dried animal dung.
No, she doesn’t want to create a program where students flock to the latest art controversy. She wants them to travel more than they do, though.
“The proposal we are talking about would use contacts with our alumni, artists our faculty know,” Montgomery said.
In 10 allegro days she’s laid out the concept and has a department head working on it.
And she hopes the alumni contact will pay off in financial ways for the school.
“It’s fund-raising and friend-raising,” Montgomery said.
She hopes the school will raise about $20 million in the capital campaign KU is planning.
That would probably generate about $1 million annually in income for the school.
“Think what we could do with a million dollars,” she said.
As an object of philanthropy, Montgomery calls the arts an “easy sell.”
“It’s not just a feel-good thing,” she said. “It’s essential to life. Think if we didn’t have art. The world would be a visually unattractive place.”

Live arts vs. digital arts
But, the arts faces a challenge posed by technology. The ease of listening to music on compact disc means a generation has not learned the value of attending arts performances or going to a museum.
“It’s going to be a challenge for today’s generation,” she said. “Audiences tend to be white-haired people.”
Yes, she says, she understands why a person would stay at home and listen to a CD or watch Sister Wendy describe great works of art on public television.
“But Sister Wendy won’t replace going to a museum,” she said.
Pulling together the resources of a school with 118 faculty and 1,300 students comes easily to Montgomery, she said, because of her training as a pianist.
Her master’s and doctorate from University of Michigan are in piano chamber music and accompanying.
“It’s completely different than sitting and playing alone,” Montgomery said. “There’s a give and take, you have to listen to those around you. It’s helped me in administration.”

Quick tempo for change
The 43-year-old dean is pleased with all the attention paid to the school by her appointment, she’s also tired of what caused it.
“All the hoopla regarding my being the first African-American dean surprised me,” she said.
She appreciates the importance of the university demonstrating it’s commitment to diversity, she just hopes the attention to her race will die down soon.
“I don’t want to see my title as the first African-American dean of the School of Fine Arts every time I read the paper,” Montgomery said.
“I’m proud of all the people who have gone before me and paved the road,” she said. “I’m proud to be a role model for women and African Americans.”
“I want to move on,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been an African American all my life and it’s not news to me. I will make changes, not because I’m a woman who is five foot one with short hair and brown eyes.”

Erwin Seba’s phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.

Artistic training prepared dean for KU job

By Mitchell J. Near     Apr 17, 2000

Allegro.
“If it says allegro, you think just go fast,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of fine arts at Kansas University. “There are so many gradations of fast.”
Montgomery, trained as a pianist, is talking about the differences of interpretation spectators may encounter at a classical music concert.
But, finishing up her second week as head of the School of Fine Arts, Montgomery is keeping up an allegro tempo herself.
She’s attended seven recitals in 10 days.
Montgomery hasn’t gone there just to let people see the new dean. She’s gone as part of her job. Faculty in the school are evaluated on their artistic work.
“It’s imperative I get to know these faculty members,” she said.
“Getting to know everyone is important. I need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the school to be a better advocate for the programs here,” Montgomery said.
She wants to maintain the strong traditions of research, teaching and service for which the school and the university are known.
Research funds raised for fine arts are not counted among those used to rank KU as a research university, so Montgomery wants to avoid arts being forgotten.
“I want to make sure we are equal partners,” she said.

Getting out of Kansas
But, she also wants to make sure faculty and students think about opportunities in new forms of expression and research. And she wants students to travel to art centers beyond Kansas City and Lawrence.
“They need to leave this campus,” Montgomery said. “They need to leave the Kansas City area. How great it would be to see what’s going on with the controversy at the Brooklyn Museum.”
She’s referring to the recent dispute between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum over a portrait of the Virgin Mary made using dried animal dung.
No, she doesn’t want to create a program where students flock to the latest art controversy. She wants them to travel more than they do, though.
“The proposal we are talking about would use contacts with our alumni, artists our faculty know,” Montgomery said.
In 10 allegro days she’s laid out the concept and has a department head working on it.
And she hopes the alumni contact will pay off in financial ways for the school.
“It’s fund-raising and friend-raising,” Montgomery said.
She hopes the school will raise about $20 million in the capital campaign KU is planning.
That would probably generate about $1 million annually in income for the school.
“Think what we could do with a million dollars,” she said.
As an object of philanthropy, Montgomery calls the arts an “easy sell.”
“It’s not just a feel-good thing,” she said. “It’s essential to life. Think if we didn’t have art. The world would be a visually unattractive place.”

Live arts vs. digital arts
But, the arts faces a challenge posed by technology. The ease of listening to music on compact disc means a generation has not learned the value of attending arts performances or going to a museum.
“It’s going to be a challenge for today’s generation,” she said. “Audiences tend to be white-haired people.”
Yes, she says, she understands why a person would stay at home and listen to a CD or watch Sister Wendy describe great works of art on public television.
“But Sister Wendy won’t replace going to a museum,” she said.
Pulling together the resources of a school with 118 faculty and 1,300 students comes easily to Montgomery, she said, because of her training as a pianist.
Her master’s and doctorate from University of Michigan are in piano chamber music and accompanying.
“It’s completely different than sitting and playing alone,” Montgomery said. “There’s a give and take, you have to listen to those around you. It’s helped me in administration.”

Quick tempo for change
The 43-year-old dean is pleased with all the attention paid to the school by her appointment, she’s also tired of what caused it.
“All the hoopla regarding my being the first African-American dean surprised me,” she said.
She appreciates the importance of the university demonstrating it’s commitment to diversity, she just hopes the attention to her race will die down soon.
“I don’t want to see my title as the first African-American dean of the School of Fine Arts every time I read the paper,” Montgomery said.
“I’m proud of all the people who have gone before me and paved the road,” she said. “I’m proud to be a role model for women and African Americans.”
“I want to move on,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been an African American all my life and it’s not news to me. I will make changes, not because I’m a woman who is five foot one with short hair and brown eyes.”

Erwin Seba’s phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.

Artistic training prepared dean for KU job

By Mitchell J. Near     Apr 17, 2000

Allegro.
“If it says allegro, you think just go fast,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of fine arts at Kansas University. “There are so many gradations of fast.”
Montgomery, trained as a pianist, is talking about the differences of interpretation spectators may encounter at a classical music concert.
But, finishing up her second week as head of the School of Fine Arts, Montgomery is keeping up an allegro tempo herself.
She’s attended seven recitals in 10 days.
Montgomery hasn’t gone there just to let people see the new dean. She’s gone as part of her job. Faculty in the school are evaluated on their artistic work.
“It’s imperative I get to know these faculty members,” she said.
“Getting to know everyone is important. I need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the school to be a better advocate for the programs here,” Montgomery said.
She wants to maintain the strong traditions of research, teaching and service for which the school and the university are known.
Research funds raised for fine arts are not counted among those used to rank KU as a research university, so Montgomery wants to avoid arts being forgotten.
“I want to make sure we are equal partners,” she said.

Getting out of Kansas
But, she also wants to make sure faculty and students think about opportunities in new forms of expression and research. And she wants students to travel to art centers beyond Kansas City and Lawrence.
“They need to leave this campus,” Montgomery said. “They need to leave the Kansas City area. How great it would be to see what’s going on with the controversy at the Brooklyn Museum.”
She’s referring to the recent dispute between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum over a portrait of the Virgin Mary made using dried animal dung.
No, she doesn’t want to create a program where students flock to the latest art controversy. She wants them to travel more than they do, though.
“The proposal we are talking about would use contacts with our alumni, artists our faculty know,” Montgomery said.
In 10 allegro days she’s laid out the concept and has a department head working on it.
And she hopes the alumni contact will pay off in financial ways for the school.
“It’s fund-raising and friend-raising,” Montgomery said.
She hopes the school will raise about $20 million in the capital campaign KU is planning.
That would probably generate about $1 million annually in income for the school.
“Think what we could do with a million dollars,” she said.
As an object of philanthropy, Montgomery calls the arts an “easy sell.”
“It’s not just a feel-good thing,” she said. “It’s essential to life. Think if we didn’t have art. The world would be a visually unattractive place.”

Live arts vs. digital arts
But, the arts faces a challenge posed by technology. The ease of listening to music on compact disc means a generation has not learned the value of attending arts performances or going to a museum.
“It’s going to be a challenge for today’s generation,” she said. “Audiences tend to be white-haired people.”
Yes, she says, she understands why a person would stay at home and listen to a CD or watch Sister Wendy describe great works of art on public television.
“But Sister Wendy won’t replace going to a museum,” she said.
Pulling together the resources of a school with 118 faculty and 1,300 students comes easily to Montgomery, she said, because of her training as a pianist.
Her master’s and doctorate from University of Michigan are in piano chamber music and accompanying.
“It’s completely different than sitting and playing alone,” Montgomery said. “There’s a give and take, you have to listen to those around you. It’s helped me in administration.”

Quick tempo for change
The 43-year-old dean is pleased with all the attention paid to the school by her appointment, she’s also tired of what caused it.
“All the hoopla regarding my being the first African-American dean surprised me,” she said.
She appreciates the importance of the university demonstrating it’s commitment to diversity, she just hopes the attention to her race will die down soon.
“I don’t want to see my title as the first African-American dean of the School of Fine Arts every time I read the paper,” Montgomery said.
“I’m proud of all the people who have gone before me and paved the road,” she said. “I’m proud to be a role model for women and African Americans.”
“I want to move on,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been an African American all my life and it’s not news to me. I will make changes, not because I’m a woman who is five foot one with short hair and brown eyes.”

Erwin Seba’s phone message number is 832-7145. His e-mail address is eseba@ljworld.com.

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