First bluegrass major in the world may be offered at ETSU (East Tennesee State University)
Marion Stiles
Many students already in the bluegrass program minor hope to turn the subject into a four-year degree Although ETSU is already famous for bluegrass music, the school is taking it to the next level by creating the first ever bachelor of arts in bluegrass, old time and country music. By Spring 2010, the program is hoping to make the idea of a bluegrass major into a reality.
The directors of the bluegrass, old time and country music program want to provide an extensive education for their students beyond what the minor in bluegrass can offer. "There is a lot of demand for the major among students," said Raymond McClain, the director of the program. "I think our industry is also ready for a pool of academically trained professionals."
Jack Tottle started ETSU's bluegrass education in 1982 with little support from the community at the time. Read more.
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2 comments:
Somehow the words "industry" and "academically trained professionals" don't strike me as what bluegrass music is about.
There is certainly room to debate what bluegrass music is "about" (though the discussion is about the program as much as the focus), but if I'm reading this right, as a part of the Division of Appalachian Studies, this major would give students a full education about more than just the rudiments of bluegrass. I suspect that in addition to a solid music education, an academic study of the area would well-serve aspiring archivists (a la the Lomax family or, more recently, Ron Williams and the Students of the Pine Breeze Center), as well as forming an incredible foundation for the next Kenny Chesney or Barry Bales, or more likely, music educators. I'm betting that the director is referring to *music education* as much as performance when he says "industry."
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