Southwestern University
2006-2007 Catalog
Southwestern University: A Statement
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Sarofim School of Fine Arts
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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts
Paul J. Gaffney, PhD, Dean
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts has its roots in the University’s original School of Music, which was established in 1888. In 1941, the Art Department was merged with the School of Music, and the School of Fine Arts offered its first courses with Dr. Henry Edwin Meyer as the first dean. In 1956, the Drama and Speech Department was incorporated into the school. In 1999, it became the Theatre Department, and The Sarofim School of Fine Arts evolved into its present configuration.
The purposes of The Sarofim School of Fine Arts are to prepare students for professions in the fields of studio art, art history, music and theatre, including the teaching of those subjects; to provide them with a base of liberal arts subjects to afford them breadth and intellectual solidity; to provide opportunities for all University students to participate in studio, class and ensemble activities; and to function as an aesthetic and cultural force for the University and the community.
Housed in the Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center, the Rufus Franklin Edwards Studio Arts Building and Joe S. Mundy Hall, The Sarofim School of Fine Arts makes available courses leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre, the Bachelor of Music degree, and the Bachelor of Arts in art, art history, music and theatre.
The Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center contains the 769-seat Alma Thomas Theater, the 322-seat Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater, the Caldwell-Carvey Foyer performance space, a choral rehearsal room, a band and orchestra rehearsal hall, two art laboratories with individual carrels for art majors, an art gallery, individual practice rooms with pianos, classrooms, offices and teaching studios.
The Studio Arts Building, a separate facility for ceramics and sculpture, is located on the north side of campus. During the current renovation of the Alma Thomas Theater, some Fine Arts faculty and operations are located in Mundy Hall.
The grand Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ in the Lois Perkins Chapel is a gift of Mrs. J.J. Perkins. It is used for Chapel services and for recitals, as well as student lessons.
Scholarships
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts grants a number of scholarships to majors in music, theatre and studio art. Performance awards are also available to non-music majors who perform in one of the School’s musical ensembles. These scholarships and awards are awarded after an audition or portfolio review by the prospective students with members of the School of Fine Arts faculty; these auditions can be scheduled through the secretary of the School of Fine Arts.
For students who are Work Study eligible as part of their financial aid package, there are numerous jobs in all areas of the arts, such as faculty assistants, music librarians, box office staff, slide library staff, studio assistants and backstage crew. Students interested in these positions should inquire through the secretary of the School of Fine Arts.
Performing Groups
The following performing groups are open to all students by audition: the Southwestern University Wind Ensemble, the Southwestern University Jazz Band, the Southwestern University Orchestra, the Southwestern University Chorale, the Southwestern University Singers and the Southwestern University Opera Theatre. All auditions for major theatrical productions also are open to all students.
