Message from Bill Pelto
As we begin a new year for The CMS Fund, I want to thank and congratulate Jim Scott, who served as the Fund’s president for these past years. His leadership was vital in shoring up the Fund’s finances and in setting a course for its next chapter. Several experienced Board members have agreed to continue their service—including Secretary Betty Anne Younker, Treasurer John Miller, and Director Matt Shevitz. One of our first tasks has been to consider likely new Board members who will help us champion our mission and provide stewardship for the Fund’s resources. We hope to empanel a new Board that will accelerate our philanthropic trajectory.
In the meanwhile, the CMS Fund has continued its mission to support colleagues and our student members in their scholarly pursuits as researchers, performers, and engaged practitioners. Each CMS student member who presented their work at last week’s conference in Long Beach was provided a $200 travel stipend, totaling $4,000 committed by the Fund. Additionally, with the assistance of colleagues from ATMI and the CMS Committee for Community Engagement, we recently identified recipients of this year’s CMS Seed Grants, Education in Music Award, and Instructional Technology Initiative Award. Award amounts totaling $2,300 will support projects related to pedagogies that leverage open-source software, recruitment and retention of minority-identifying music educators, new opera that combines classical Chinese traditions with US-based street dance, and electronic music in a high school curriculum. And finally, The CMS Fund was honored to sponsor the Long Beach conference’s reception to “celebrate CMS authors.”
Such financial support, while valuable for those individuals directly affected and vital for our mission, pales when put in the perspective of the larger research realm of music. Just imagine if the CMS Fund could provide not $7,000 annually in support of change-oriented scholarship and engagement, but, perhaps, ten times that amount. Consider how many students’ pursuits we could support if The Fund had resources to provide support dollars totaling $70,000, or $100,000 annually! Such finances could really lead change in the areas of research, pedagogy, and community engagement. Of course, such philanthropy depends on individual donations from CMS members and others, so please consider being a part of the next chapter of The CMS Fund, as it strives to make an even more profound impact within our music disciplines. As this year goes by, you’ll hear more from us about our philanthropic goals, and I hope all of you reading this will be quick to provide your financial support of The CMS Fund’s efforts.
With best wishes from your friends at The CMS Fund,
Bill Pelto, CMS Fund President