May 26, 1997

UCSC orchestrating $1 million fund-raising campaign for music

By Barbara McKenna

In conjunction with the dedication of UCSC's new Music Center, Chancellor Greenwood announced the launching of the UCSC Music Campaign--a fund-raising program to broaden the scope and outreach of the campus's Music Department. The campaign will support efforts to recruit top high school seniors through four-year merit-based scholarships as well as fund instrument and equipment purchases and other program needs.

The campaign has raised $545,000--just over half its goal of $1 million, which is expected to be reached by June 30, 1998. The campaign will support three aspects of the music program--student scholarships, equipment and instrument funds, and general funds.

"The excellence of UCSC's music program, which integrates scholarship and performance, is recognized nationally," noted Chancellor Greenwood. "In the brief time since the completion of our new state-of-the-art facility, this program has already experienced an increase in interest in music at UCSC by potential students and their parents, performers, and audience members. The fact that the UCSC Music Campaign is off to such a strong start is a real testament to how highly our community values the arts."

"State funding made it possible for us to take the first step and build this exceptional facility," says David Evan Jones, chair of the Music Department and a professor of music. "We are fortunate to have this campaign in place to secure private funding for the next steps--equipping the building and providing student scholarships. The campaign will make it possible to establish scholarship endowments to attract the state's top students. The equipment fund will ensure that when those students get here they have the equipment and performance opportunities they need to develop their skills and succeed."

Music Campaign cochair Ernest T. "Bud" Kretschmer and his wife Jean Kretschmer were the lead donors in the campaign, establishing the Ernest and Jean Kretschmer Music Scholarship Endowment. "Helping talented young performers to grow is so important," says Bud Kretschmer. "Without scholarship support, many talented young students might never get the opportunity to study music. It is a great pleasure to listen to these budding artists and know that one day we may see them become top performers."

Harold "Hal" Hyde, emeritus vice chancellor of UCSC and cochair of the Music Campaign, added that, "This facility complements other performing arts spaces on the campus and in the region. It will makes it possible to attract the best students as well as renowned performers to Santa Cruz."

The UCSC Music Campaign supports the following three areas:

• Student Resident Ensemble Program
  This program aims to attract California's top high school music students to UCSC. Students will be identified and recruited through statewide music auditions. Top competitors will be offered substantial four-year merit-based scholarships and a seat in a resident student chamber ensemble. The program will start by recruiting the players for a new string quartet and then a woodwind quintet. These outstanding performers will anchor the larger ensembles such as the University Orchestra. The ensemble seats provide excellent performance experience for students and, at the same time, enhance the campus's musical offerings.

• Musical Equipment Fund
  Along with recruiting top music scholars, UCSC's music program provides a foundation for performance excellence through professional-quality facilities, instruments, and equipment. The new Musical Equipment Fund supports the purchase of instruments and equipment needed for students and faculty to take full advantage of the center's excellent performance facilities.

• Musical Excellence Endowment
  With the flexible funds generated by this endowment, UCSC's Music Department will respond to the changing needs of students, faculty, and the department. This endowment also makes it possible to expand performance and equipment-purchasing opportunities.

• Ernest T. "Bud" Kretschmer and Jean Kretschmer
  The Kretschmers initiated the Music Campaign with their gift, which established the Ernest and Jean Kretschmer Music Scholarship Endowment. The campaign would not exist without their generous contributions of both financial support and volunteer time. Bud Kretschmer, who is a trustee of the UC Santa Cruz Foundation, is cochairing the Music Campaign. The Music Center's main plaza has been named in honor of the Kretschmers, who have been generous patrons of arts organizations throughout the region.

• Harold "Hal" Hyde and Persis "Perky" Hyde
  Hal and Perky Hyde are also generous donors to the UCSC Music Campaign, and Hal Hyde also plays a key role as cochair of the campaign. Hal Hyde was UCSC's first vice chancellor for business and finance, a position he held from 1964 through 1975, and has long been active in arts and charitable fund-raising throughout Santa Cruz County. He was the founding treasurer of the UC Santa Cruz Foundation and continues to serve as an active Foundation trustee. The Hydes, residents of Corralitos, were involved in the development of the Mello Center in Watsonville.

• Siegfried Puknat
  UCSC Professor Emeritus Siegfried Puknat passed away at the age of 83 in March 1997, leaving a substantial legacy of both academic excellence and financial support. Through a charitable remainder trust and his will, Professor Puknat established the Siegfried B. and Elisabeth Mignon Puknat Music Endowment to support music performances. As one of UCSC's founding faculty, Puknat played a leading role in shaping campus policy; he also played a leading role in establishing UCSC's Music Department. Along with the music endowment, Puknat also created an endowment for UCSC's Humanities Division.

• Lisa Eltinge
  Eltinge is a UCSC alumna now living in New York City. She graduated from Cowell College in 1978 with a degree in Latin American and Latino studies.

• E-mu Systems
  E-mu Systems has provided a gift of equipment for UCSC's renowned electronic music program, of which it has been a longtime supporter. E-mu Systems., Inc., located in Scotts Valley, is the leading developer of innovative digital audio products based on digital sampling technology for the musical-instrument and computer-controlled-sound markets.

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