The Decline of Berkeley's Music Department

Berkeley? THE Berkeley? Most would automatically assume that such a famous, esteemed university would have its act together --- especially regarding CREATIVE studies. Californians should be shocked.

I have a music degree.
You can't judge a university music program merely by the quality of a few vocalists.

The sources for the many assertions in this article also seem weak.
The assertions made here require more substantial support. I see no statistics -
the report seems entirely subjective. It might be that the author simply didn't like one of the soloists, or the director, or that it was a matter of taste.

I'm usually not this critical of Independent Media, but given that this article is written with a "tone of authority" it needs a reality check.

This should be a reminder to those of us who write political and social commentary to reference substantiated facts when we make our grand assertions if we wish to remain credible.

David Roknich
Galesburg, Illinois

The beauty of Berkeley is that you do not have to major in music to have an excellent music experience. The Men's and Women's Chorales are very professional.

I think the problem with Kuzma is one of personalities. She has a reputation of being a bit of an elitist and may feel threatened by top musicians. I agree that the University Chorus has gone downhill in recent years.

Because this blog may be read by students looking for college programs, I am going to respond.
The concert that the UC Chamber Chorus offered last Fall did not include soloists.
Mr. Stokes is likely referring to the University Chorus concert, which did include student soloists. I am not sure of his musical tastes, but he is likely someone who might not have much experience listening to "classical" choral or solo music.

Last December, the large university chorus performed the Bach Magnificat with a Baroque orchestra. Generally, soloists appropriate for this kind of baroque repertoire do not have voices that would "wow" the listener with sheer volume of sound or dramatic presentation. The soloists for this piece were appropriate to this piece and sang with a good sense of style and clarity that balanced that chamber orchestra well. The audience, perhaps aside from a few present, seemed very enthusiastic and gave a standing ovation. We have also had chorus concerts with student soloists with "larger" voices. I am happy to say that in the twenty years that I have directed choirs here, none of our students has been damaged vocally. They sing music that is appropriate for their voices, and none of them is pushed beyond what is healthy for them.

It is true that our solo vocal program is not large and, unlike conservatories or other large music performance departments, is not hugely funded. I wish we had more funding. But we take good care of our music majors who want to study voice. Among our alums is a baritone who received a full scholarship to Peabody for grad school and now sings professionally in the Washington DC area. Two of our recent alums are in a prestigious vocal program in New York that accepts only about 10 singers a year from around the world. Our chamber chorus is often invited to perform with professional orchestras and has been enthusiastically reviews in the SF Chronicle and New York Times.

It is also true that Mark Sumner is an excellent director. His choirs and Bill Ganz's choirs on campus are wonderful and tend to perform more popular or jazz repertoire. I'm sure that the soloists they choose for their concerts are appropriate for the concerts they perform.

There is also a gospel chorus in the music department for singers who enjoy gospel singing.
There are also many a cappella groups on campus that cater to singers who prefer pop repertoire.

And as one of your respondents mentioned, the orchestra here is top notch.

I had a diametrically opposed experience in the Music Department. It was life changing and life affirming. I was both challenged and supported. There were and are world class professors there.

I learned so much there and have put it to use. i am teaching at a university, Holy Names in Oakland and also have taught dozens of students privately. And at the same time I haven't inured to play in bands. Everything I needed was achieved through the Cal Music Department.

Last, I spent 3 years in Marika Kuzma chorus. It was stupendous. And, her Chamber Chorus just performed at Carnegie Hall this spring.

I had the fortune to hear the U.C. Berkeley Chamber Chorus perform under Marika Kuzma's direction on March 23, 2014 at Harvard's Memorial Church. In my opinion, the chorus was better than ever (I sang in the chorus under Prof. Kuzma, as well as other choruses in Berkeley, from 1990 to 2008, first as a student and later as a professor - I have also sung with the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum under Jameson Marvin, with the Princeton University Chamber Choir under Richard Tang Yuk, at Cambridge University under Stephen Cleobury, and I currently sing with Musica Sacra in Cambridge, MA under Mary Beekman). In my experience, the U.C. Berkeley Chamber Chorus is one of the great American choruses, better than most professional choruses.

Prof. Kuzma is retiring, which is a major loss for Berkeley, but I am sure that the U.C. Berkeley Music Department will continue its tradition of excellence.

Anyway, there is no need to rely on hearsay. Instead, listen and decide for yourself!

http://chamberchorus.berkeley.edu/audio-1/

Bjorn Poonen (Claude Shannon Professor of Mathematics at MIT, and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences)

You are judging the university based on soloists you listened to in one concert. That should be enough to debunk your whole argument as you don't have enough examples to sustain your claim.

Just because people deserve to know facts and not opinions -- which yes, you are entitled to your opinion but that doesn't mean is relevant -- I'm going to elaborate.

The ensembles at Berkeley are designed to provide students FROM ALL backgrounds the opportunity to have a musical experience. In other words, it is not exclusive. However, students majoring in music, DO HAVE other activities and opportunities that are not available to non-majors.

Also, note that it is a department, not a school of music. That means it is a liberal arts school, not a performance conservatory. What Berkeley has that other schools don't is amazing musicologists who will guide and teach you how to think and write about music, which is of great value as a performer. That kind of education allows students to have OPTIONS in their future, whether is music or not.

I suggest you get informed before posting things on-line.

Mr Stokes is way off base with this critique of Dr Kuzma, a brilliant conductor and scholar. She took the UC chamber singers to unbelievable heights. They sang difficult, varied repertoire with sensitivity and great technique comparable to any professional group of singers. They gave a thrilling concert and I treasure the cd recordings of their performances. Marika is an articulate, enthusiastic and really interesting music scholar who speaks with knowledge and deep feeling about music. I have been the delighted recipient of her teaching as a guest conductor for the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra where she is a great favorite. Marika embodies the ideal music professor, performer and director. She herself is a wonderful singer who understands how to bring a large choral group to a new level. Her skill and experience are phenomenal. Her retirement is a great loss for UC Berkeley. She is much beloved in the music community.

Since this essay referred to me and the singers in the UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus directly, I am adding an update about some of the alumni of the UC Chamber Chorus. One of them is now performing at the Metropolitan Opera. Another is a major studio singer in LA, singing on many soundtracks for major films. Another recent graduate just sang the principal role in a Jake Heggie Opera in Florida. Another is singing avant garde music in venues like Carnegie Hall and Julliard. Another is making a name for herself in early music. I write this in defense of these singers. I have no idea who you are Mr. Stokes, but you might not realize that training singers, like studying singing, is very challenging. Every voice needs to be nurtured in different ways. Not all voices are big or low. All voices and all styles have a place. During the years I directed it, the Chamber Chorus singers received glowing reviews in the New York Times, Opera News, SF Chronicle, Washington Post. They also received a Grammy Award under one of my predecessors and were nominated for another during my years at UC. I have recently retired and hope the Chamber Chorus will enjoy a tradition of excellence for years to come.