Cal Poly Pomona Music Sets Sights on the World Stage
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With a full complement of 29 legendary Steinway & Sons pianos, Cal Poly Pomona University is staking its claim as a global destination for music.
The university was officially designated an All-Steinway School on April 2, and became one of only 170 schools, universities and music conservatories worldwide to earn the rare distinction. Students at Cal Poly Pomona play exclusively on Steinway & Sons pianos, the gold standard in the music industry.
“The new pianos are just the beginning,” says Dr. Iris Levine, Chair of the Music Department. “Our goal is to recruit exceptional students in pursuit of musical excellence. We also plan to find new ways to further engage the community through piano competitions for youths and young adults.”
Piano competitions would help promote ties to surrounding communities and enhance the university’s profile in the performing arts. In addition to pursuing the competitions, another immediate priority for Cal Poly Pomona music is to make sure that students and the community have state-of-the-art facilities to nurture their musical ambitions.
“We’re committed to providing the best performance and learning environments for all students, says Sharon Hilles, Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. “We need the help of our community and alumni to upgrade the performance venues for the next generation of artists.”
Earlier this year, the recital hall box office was named after optometrist Dr. Andrew G. Chong in La Puente. The university is offering naming opportunities for supporters who want to be part of an elite music program. The department’s centerpiece stage, the 172-seat Music Recital Hall, is among the spaces that have been made available for naming opportunities. A naming gift will help the university become a premier destination for music performance and education.
“Cal Poly Pomona is an ideal location for music education,” says Dr. Ta Siu, CEO of ElectroMed, whose 16-year-old son, Jeffrey, performed at Cal Poly Pomona’s All-Steinway designation ceremony. “To see the university make this level of commitment to excellence in music is very encouraging.”