The Indiana University School of Music: A History (Indiana)

Rating:
Summary: An Improbable Story - but True
Review: This book describes and analyzes one of the most improbable stories in American education - how did it come to pass that the preeminent music school in the United States, probably in the world, came to be situated in southern Indiana - Bloomington to be exact, at Indiana University. George M. Logan, Head of the English Department at Queen's University, Canada became intrigued by this question and wrote a brilliant book to answer it. As an American living in Europe I am often surprised that musically aware people here not only have heard of Bloomington and Indiana, but react so favorably to it. Its performing faculty (like Janos Starker or Menahem Pressler, or students from Indiana like Joshua Bell) are well known here and heard in concerts or on the radio. Here is one American success story well and interestingly told. Not only is the cast of musical charaters in this history fascinating, but Logan has weaved into the narrative the issues and analyses that confronted the Indiana administration and faculty and the outcomes of their decisions. This a colorful book describing high culture, but it is also a kind of ongoing management manual on successful cultural organization, although Logan is well balanced, recording not only successes but failures as well. I loved reading this book, learned a great deal about cultural management and just plain management, and warmly recommend it.