Overview
History
Music instruction at Indiana University dates from 1893, but it was not until 1910 that a Department of Music offering music for credit was officially organized, with Charles D. Campbell as head. In 1919 Barzille Winfred Merrill was appointed head of the department and, in 1921, dean of the newly established School of Music. He was succeeded in 1938 by Dean Robert L. Sanders. In 1947 the appointment of Wilfred C. Bain as dean marked the beginning of a period of rapid growth and expansion. Under the 24-year leadership of Dean Charles H. Webb beginning in 1973, the School of Music continued its development and commitment to excellence. In 1997 David G. Woods succeeded Charles Webb as dean. Gwyn Richards was appointed dean in 2001 and began a lengthy tenure featuring expansion of facilities and strengthening of programs. In the fall of 2005, the School of Music was named the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in recognition of a major gift received in honor of Barbara and David H. Jacobs of Cleveland, Ohio. Beginning in 2015, deans of the School of Music bear the title David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean, following the endowment of this position as part of the Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign. Jeremy Allen served as interim dean between 2020 and 2022, shepherding the school through its centennial year, and through the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, until the appointment of Abra K. Bush as dean in 2022.
Today the Jacobs School of Music is one of the most comprehensive and acclaimed institutions for the study of music and dance. It has educated and shaped the careers of countless performers, scholars, and music educators, who are leaders around the globe. Jacobs students come from all 50 states and more than 50 countries. They benefit from the intensity and focus of a world-class conservatory combined with the broad academic offerings of a major university.