“Hardin-Simmons University faculty and students are reassessing their options after it was announced that the university orchestra is being eliminated,” reports Isaac Ramirez Tuesday (5/17) on ktab.tv (Abilene, Tex.) “Thousands of supporters are rallying to convince university officials to keep the orchestra playing. The Board of Trustees made their decision after evaluating the university’s finances.” Alex Reiff, a graduate of the Abilene-based university, “was shocked when she heard the news from her alma mater…’Hardin-Simmons has one of the oldest accredited schools of music in Texas…to start cutting the arts at a liberal arts program just seems outlandish.’ Reiff “believes that the closure of the orchestra program will also affect other departments. ‘You can’t have a full orchestra with band,’ Reiff says. ‘Without orchestra you can’t do musicals with the theater department.’ According to a letter sent out by University President Dr. Lanny Hall, the university is personally contacting students to discuss options so they can complete their degrees. A Facebook page set up in support of the program now has over two thousand followers…University officials say the music program’s accreditation will remain unaffected by the loss of the orchestra.”
Posted May 19, 2016
