This story originally appeared in Fanfare Fall 2024.

Dean Holland reflects on his first year in office and charts a path forward for the Bienen School

In his busy first year as dean, Jonathan Bailey Holland met with countless alumni, students, faculty, and friends of the Bienen School of Music. He attended performances representing all areas of the school, engaged in meetings and discussions with people across the University to learn about current and potential partnerships, and hosted alumni events in New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Chicago. Composing and teaching occupied his spare time, and his works were performed by a host of major ensembles, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cincinnati, Detroit, Harrisburg, Salisbury, and Tucson Symphony Orchestras.

What have you discovered about the Bienen School in your first year as dean?

Bienen is full of extremely talented students who consistently perform and create at a high level. Our students are committed and eager to absorb all they can from the opportunities available to them. They display an impressive level of professionalism and poise, and they show great respect for their work and for their colleagues. I believe this is what creates an environment in which students can excel, take risks, and ultimately reap the full bene-fits of being at Northwestern. I have also discovered that Bienen has perhaps the best view in the greater Chicago area.

Describe a few of the standout student performances you attended last year.

There were so many great performances. Donald Schleicher invited me to the very first Symphony Orchestra rehearsal, and hearing how far that ensemble had progressed at their first concert was a great example of their capacity for growth. The Contemporary Music Ensemble performed a remarkably broad range of repertoire, including freshly written works from our own students as well as music from established composers like Nemmers Prize winner Tania León, demonstrating our students’ breadth and adaptability with often challenging and exposed music. The Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble’s unique concert of works for solo voice and for chorus allowed opportunities for the entire ensemble as well as individual singers to shine. The final concert of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble was a hallmark commanding performance. And I was glad to see our student conductors integrated into so many performances.

What are some of your goals for the school in the coming year?

My primary aim is ensuring that consistently high levels of artistry and academic rigor are maintained throughout all our pro-grams. Beyond this, I want to find ways to better support our students and take everyone’s well-being into account. While practicing and studying are important, I think it’s equally important for students to take time away from music and academics to experience life outside of campus and allow time to reset and refocus. This is both an immediate priority within the school but also an increasing area of focus within higher education—namely, the intersection of music and the arts in general with science and medicine. There is great research being done across Northwestern in these intersecting fields, and Bienen aims to be a leading partner in these efforts.

Financial aid remains another critical priority. To attract the most qualified, talented students from around the world, we must prioritize supporting financial aid to ensure that the cost of a musical education at Northwestern is not a barrier to any admitted student. Technology is yet another area on which we must focus so that we are providing the necessary resources for our faculty and students to pursue academic and musical excellence.

I’m also eager to create more opportunities to expose the broader community to the abundance of great music happening at the school and also to connect students with the world outside Bienen. This means bringing interesting guests to campus as well as getting our students on other stages. It means ensuring our students have the tools and skills necessary for success upon graduation, and alumni will be an important part of this effort. Our alumni are demonstrating success across all sectors of the arts, academia, and business, and their insights and knowledge are invaluable to our students as they prepare for life after graduation.

Read more about Dean Holland's Strategic Priorities