Michigan Muse Fall 2025 > Giving Update
Giving Update
Making an Impact: Generous Donors Step Forward to Keep the Gershwin Initiative Funded
The U-M Gershwin Initiative is a historically significant scholarly reexamination of the treasure trove of works featuring music by George Gershwin (1898–1937) and lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1896–1983) – including the opera Porgy and Bess, dozens of musicals such as Of Thee I Sing, and instrumental works including Concerto in F and Cuban Overture. A focus of the Gershwin Initiative is to produce an all-new and complete critical edition, a multi-volume series of notated musical scores of the Gershwin brothers’ works that will serve as definitive versions for research and performance.
The Michigan Theater marquee announcing the Gershwin Of Thee I Sing performance, November 3, 2024.
The initiative also supports courses and public performances designed to bring the Gershwins’ art to students at SMTD and U-M and to audiences in the Ann Arbor community. The edition is published by Schott Music, and scores for Rhapsody in Blue (jazz) and An American in Paris are in print, along with Ira Gershwin’s 1928 European tour diary, chronicling the brothers’ encounters with musicians in London, Paris, and Berlin.
In addition to support from U-M, the Gershwin Initiative has received funding in the form of a substantial grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as well as generous support from donors, including the Gershwin families and federal judge and U-M alumnus Alfred “Al” Wolin (BA ’54) and his late wife Jane Wolin. The Wolins’ support has included funding to support the role of managing editor of the critical edition, naming the position the Alfred M. and Jane Z. Wolin Managing Editor.
When the project’s NEH grant was canceled in early 2025, the ongoing work of the Gershwin Initiative was in jeopardy, until the Gershwin families and Judge Wolin graciously ensured that the initiative’s important work could continue. Mark Clague, editor-in-chief of the Gershwin Critical Edition, musicology professor, and executive director of the U-M Arts Initiative, noted the vital importance of their contributions: “That Judge Wolin and the Gershwin family have stepped forward with critical support in this moment of need is an incredible affirmation of SMTD’s arts research mission. Their generosity affirms the quality and impact of the George and Ira Gershwin Critical Edition, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to continue our work.”
Investing in Student Success
Building scholarship resources to support SMTD students remains our top priority, and we extend our sincere gratitude to the following individuals who have recently established new scholarships or made significant gifts to existing funds.
John Albright made a gift to the William Albright Scholarship for composition students.
Richard Alonzo made a gift in memory of Professor Emeritus Erik Fredriksen to the Annette Masson Scholarship for students in the Department of Theatre & Drama.
Anonymous donors pledged support and made a gift to the Shearwater Fund for early music scholarships.
Mary (BA ’80) and David Baumgarten made a gift to the Law-Baumgarten Scholarship for musical theatre students.
Lawrence Bell (BSE ’68, MSE ’69, MBA ’72) made gifts to the Merton J. and Gladys C. Bell Marching Band Scholarship.
Alan Cline (BS ’67, MA ’68, PhD ’70) and Elaine Rich made a gift to the Alan Kaylor Cline, Elaine Alice Rich, and Byerly Wiser Cline Family Scholarship for Michigan Marching Band students.
Clifford (MD ’70) and Kathryn Cox (BA ’68, MA ’69) made a gift to the Bill Evans Jazz Piano Scholarship.
The Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation made gifts to the SMTD Alumni String Scholarship and the Center Stage Strings Scholarship.
Donna Farrell made a gift to establish the Robert Edward Farrell Memorial Marching Band Scholarship.
Lynn Fireside (BA ’64) and James Anderson made a gift to the Fireside Scholarship for musical theatre students.
Perry Kasper Granoff (BA ’63) and Marty Granoff made a gift to the Perry Kasper Granoff Scholarship for dance students.
Robert (BA ’57, DDS ’61, MS ’66) and Renee Greenberger made gifts to the Robert and Renee (Durbin) Greenberger Endowed Scholarship in Musical Theatre and Robert and Renee Greenberger Scholarship.
Tyrone (DMA ’77) and Janet Greive pledged support for the Tyrone and Janet Greive Scholarship for violin students.
Judith (BA ’62) and Verne Istock (BA ’62, MBA ’63) made a gift to establish the Judith Istock Piano Scholarship.
James Kershner made a gift to the James Kershner and Mark Pfleger Scholarship in Musical Theatre.
Steven (BS ’75, M.Arch ’76, MBA ’82) and Shira Klein (BSN ’76) pledged support and made a gift to the Barbara and Victor Klein Scholarship for dance and musical theatre students.
Anita Kupriss and Richard Douglas (BS ’74) made a gift to the Anita Kupriss and Richard Douglas Scholarship for graduate sopranos and mezzo-sopranos.
Jeffrey Lutz (BA ’77) and Cathy Nowosielski (MD ’80, BS ’77) made a gift to the Jeffrey N. Lutz – Deloitte Consulting Scholarship.
Laura McTaggart (BA ’92) and Thomas Nolan (BSE ’90, MBA ’95) pledged support to establish the McTaggart Nolan Family Michigan Marching Band Scholarship and made a gift to the Marching Band Scholarship.
Santosh (MBA ’70) and Anita Mehra made a gift to the Mehra Expendable Dance Scholarship.
Fredrick (BS ’73, MS ’76) and Laurelie Metzger (AMLS ’78) made a gift to the Fred and Laurie Metzger Family Scholarship benefiting Michigan Marching Band students.
Robert and Linda Monitello made a gift to the Monitello Family Scholarship in Horn.
Barbara Penpraze made a gift to the Cheryl Penpraze and Gordon A. White Scholarship, which supports members of the Michigan Marching Band.
Jeffrey Platt and Marilia Cascalho made a gift to the Shearwater Fund for early music scholarships.
The Presser Foundation made a gift to the Presser Graduate Music Award.
Matthew (BFA ’92) and Joanna Rego made a gift to the Tim Millett Musical Theatre Scholarship.
Donald Shepherd (BBA ’58) made gifts to the Donald R. Shepherd Michigan Marching Band Fellowship Award Fund and the Donald R. Shepherd Scholarship in Musical Theatre.
The Sigurd I. and Jarmila H. Rislov Foundation made a gift to the Sigurd I. and Jarmila H. Rislov Foundation Music Education Scholarship.
Marianne Swenson (BA ’82) and John D’Alessandro (BA ’82) contributed to the Marianne and Jon Swenson Marching Band Scholarship.
Paul Ward and Laura Lamps made a gift to establish the Chotard-Ward-Lamps Family Michigan Marching Band Scholarship.
Gregory Weidler (BSE ’73) and Merle Jaffe made a gift to the Weidler Family Scholarship for International Tours by the Men’s Glee Club.
Katherine and Peter Woo pledged support and made a gift to establish the Katherine and Peter W.K. Woo Scholarship for musical theatre students.
David (BA ’86, MD ’90) and Bernadine Wu (BS ’89, MD ’92) made a gift to the David and Bernadine Wu Scholarship for violin and musical theatre students.
Programmatic Support and Capital Needs
We are grateful to the following individuals for their support of various programs and capital needs throughout the school.
Anonymous donors made gifts to support the Early Music Ensemble and Professor Nancy Ambrose King’s oboe studio.
An anonymous donor made a gift to the Chamber Music Artist-in-Residency Fund.
Anonymous donors made a gift to the William P. Malm Stearns Collection Concert Series and Instrument Preservation Fund.
Lawrence Bell (BSE ’68, MSE ’69, MBA ’72) made a gift to support the Michigan Marching Band tuba section.
Carrie Brown and David Kiley pledged support for the George Shirley Vocal Competition Fund.
The Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation made a gift to the Strings Enrichment Fund.
Kristi (BA ’88) and Joseph Foster (BA ’89) made a gift to support the Michigan Marching Band.
Adam and Amy Gershwin made a gift to the Gershwin Operating Fund.
Marc and Andrea Gershwin made a gift to the Gershwin Operating Fund.
Jeffrey and Susan Goldenberg made a gift to the Carole Caplan Lonner Endowed Program Fund for musical theatre writing.
Perry Kasper Granoff (BA ’63) and Marty Granoff made a gift supporting the SMTD Dance Building.
The Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation made a gift supporting the SMTD Dance Building.
Caryn Mamrack Hsu (BA ’95) and Matthew Hsu made a gift to support the Friends of Theatre & Drama.
The Ira and Leonore Gershwin Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Federation made a gift to the Gershwin Operating Fund.
The Joseph and Karen Krantz Family Charitable Foundation made a gift to support the Michigan Marching Band.
Alan Kalter (attended ’64, College of Engineering) and Christine Lezotte made gifts supporting the Friends of Musical Theatre and Friends of Theatre & Drama.
Sally Kennedy made a gift supporting the Friends of Musical Theatre.
Kum Mo Kim (BM ’69) made a gift to the Music, Theatre & Dance Fund.
Kathleen Kress (BSE ’82, MBA ’88) and Simone Pisciotta made a gift to support the Michigan Marching Band’s tour to Europe.
Mark Legnini (MPH ’74) and Kathleen Hughes made a gift to the EXCEL Fund, which supports performing arts entrepreneurship, leadership, and career services.
Allan (BA ’60, JD ’63) and Joy Nachman (BA ’68) pledged support to establish the Allan and Joy Nachman Musical Theatre Senior Showcase Fund.
Regent Emerita Andrea Fischer Newman (BA ’79) and Frank Newman made a gift supporting the Newman Studio in the Walgreen Drama Center.
Jane Parsons made a gift establishing the Daniel Bernard Parsons and Thomas Samuel Parsons Fund for the Men’s Glee Club.
Michael (BSE ’93) and Jennifer Pisarczyk (BS ’93) made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Robert and Catherine Poulin made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Sandra Reisman made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Richard (BSEd ’67) and Linda Ridley (BS ’77) made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Judith (attended ’57) and Donald Rumelhart (MA ’70, MS ’73) made gifts supporting the Friends of Musical Theatre, Friends of Dance, and Friends of Theatre & Drama.
Gail (BA ’78) and James Straith made a gift to the Gail Straith Commissioning Fund for Saxophone.
William and Janelle Sykes made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Joanne and Bill Vuylsteke made a gift to the SMTD Student Wellness Fund.
Jeff (BBA ’88) and Kristin Walters (BA ’87) made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Paul (BBA ’87) and Sherrie Weller made a gift supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Marylou Witz (BM ’61) made a gift to the Dr. Marylou Witz Charitable Violin Fund.
Alfred Wolin (BA ’54) made a gift to the Gershwin Operating Fund to support the Alfred M. and Jane Z. Wolin Gershwin Initiative Managing Editor.
Susan Wooley made gifts supporting the Friends of Musical Theatre and Friends of University Orchestras.
Planned Gifts
The following individuals have very generously included the School of Music, Theatre & Dance in their estate plans.
James Forman (BSE ’67) made a bequest intention to establish the Michigan Marching Band Forman Family Student Enrichment Fund.
Professor Emeritus James Froseth (BM ’59) made a bequest intention to establish the James Froseth Music Education Award for music education students in the Michigan Marching Band.
The estate of Jackson Hammitt (MM ’61, PhD ’71) made gifts to the Jackson and Margaret Hammitt Graduate Fellowship, the Jackson and Margaret Hammitt Opportunity Fund, and the Jackson and Margaret Hammitt Musicology Innovation Fund.
The estate of Margaret Hammitt (AMLS ’70) made gifts to the Hammitt Musicology Fund.
The estate of Diane Kirkpatrick (MA ’65, PhD ’69) made a gift to the SMTD Dean’s Discretionary Fund.
James Labes (BA ’54) established a charitable gift annuity benefiting the Ellen Sherman Labes Endowed Scholarship for music students.
Cindy and Ronald MacQuarrie made a bequest intention benefiting the Kerianne Tupac Scholarship in Theatre.
The estate of Susan Meyer (MAcc ’89, BBA ’89) made a gift to the Susan Meyer Michigan Marching Band Enrichment Fund.
Rachelle Michelon (BA ’07) made a bequest intention supporting the Michigan Marching Band.
Michael Stickel-Reed (BA ’08) made a bequest intention supporting the Michigan Marching Band and the Friends of Musical Theatre.
Please consider supporting the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Your support will have a very real impact on our students’ ability to forge ahead on their educational paths and share their many gifts with the world. Thank you!