 |
 |
|
RELEASE ON RECEIPT
September 24, 1998
Oberlin
College Conservatory Welcomes Laura Kuennen-Poper
Media
Contact: Linda
Shockley
Director of Conservatory Career Development
Laura Kuennen-Poper has been appointed to the dual position of Associate Dean and Director of Conservatory Career Development of the Oberlin College Conservatory. Karen Wolff, Dean of the Conservatory, hailed Kuennen-Poper as the ideal candidate because of her rich background in music and her business expertise in the classical music industry.
As Associate Dean of the Conservatory, Kuennen-Poper will chair the Educational Policies Committee that legislates curriculum matters. She will oversee the curriculum evaluation of one division of the Conservatory each year, serve on various campus-wide committees, and assist the dean with her responsibilities in the office.
Kuennen-Poper's expertise in the "business" of classical music was a major factor in her appointment as Director of Conservatory Career Development. The business side of the music industry is an area that Dean Wolff feels is often neglected in the curricula of music schools and conservatories of this country.
"Laura is perfect for these positions because she is a musician's musician: an insider who has lived and experienced everything she will be teaching her students, from a musician's point of view," explained Dean Wolff. "Laura has shown how diverse a professional musician's career can and must be. She has played for institutions as diverse as the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, a professional contemporary music ensemble, and major motion picture soundtrack recording studios in Los Angeles. That kind of adaptability and talent is absolutely necessary for today's musician. Laura brings a wealth of experience and fresh ideas to Oberlin, all of which will assist students in making the successful transition from student to professional."
Kuennen-Poper earned bachelors and masters degrees from the Eastman School of music. She is a professional violist who has performed and recorded with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, the Royal and Joffrey Ballets, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and all of the L.A.-based major film studios, including MGM/Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney, and Paramount.
She has taught viola and served in administrative positions at the California Institute of the Arts, the University of California&endash;Irvine, the Colburn School of the Performing Arts, Idyllwild Arts summer program, Festival Internacional de Musica de Camara (Segovia, Spain), and the Eastman School of Music summer school program.
Kuennen-Poper is also co-author of a forthcoming how-to book for professional classical musicians seeking success in the current market.
"The book was inspired during a conversation with a friend who became co-author," said Kuennen-Poper. "In discussing other musicians with whom we had studied and performed, we realized that the most successful of this enormously talented group were the ones with the most diverse careers. What set these gifted musicians apart from less successful yet equally gifted musicians was their ability to envision and plan practical careers.
She added, "That's when we created the idea for a class in professional career development for classical and jazz musicians. Following a year of research, we realized we also had a book. For too long there has been a serious disconnect between the types of preparation we provide for the most gifted students and the actual job market."
To better prepare Oberlin students for their professional careers, Kuennen-Poper will teach a course titled, "Professional Development of Musicians," offered as a one-semester course, with plans for expansion. This course will address the practical issues of pursuing a professional career, such as how to prepare for auditions, deal with contracts and unions, manage finances, interview for jobs, and develop the people skills necessary for successful interaction in the business world.
