January 14, 1998 Contact: Elizabeth Latt 615-322-2706 elizabeth.p.latt@vanderbilt.edu

Million-dollar gift sparks effort

for Blair School addition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A $1 million lead gift from Nashvillians Steve and Judy Turner has provided a major boost to Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music's plans for a 60,000-square-foot addition.

The gift brings commitments made to the effort to a total of $6 million. "This gift will help the Blair School to become a premier cultural and artistic center in the South," said Dean Mark Wait, who said the expansion is in the preliminary planning stages.

The $10 million addition to the current 36,000-square-foot building will include classrooms, teaching studios and practice rooms - "the bread and butter of what we do every day," Wait said.

Steve Turner, a local businessman who with his wife chaired a needs-assessment committee for the Blair School last year, said, "Music is an important part of our family's life, so it's only natural that Vanderbilt and the Blair School have a special place in our hearts. We hope this will help bring the gift of music to people throughout the region.

"Music and the arts are so important for the souls of children. When someone learns to appreciate music, they've learned to appreciate life. Regardless of how rich or poor you are, music will always increase your net worth."

Several years ago a Turner family gift created "Informances," a series of lectures and performances by Blair musicians for poor rural high schools. In addition, Steve Turner, a 1969 graduate of Vanderbilt, and Judy Turner have supported other Vanderbilt University programs, including a $1 million donation to Children's Hospital for research.

Judy Turner said that during the review of the Blair School's long-range needs, increased space clearly emerged as the No. 1 priority. "We hope others will become as interested in the Blair School as we have and will want to support and promote it," she said.

When the existing structure was built in 1980 on the south side of campus between 24th and 25th avenues, the school had just merged with Vanderbilt University. At that time the school, which was founded in 1964, offered pre-collegiate classes to about 300 students, and the collegiate program did not yet exist. Currently, there are 560 students enrolled in the pre-collegiate program and 154 Vanderbilt students pursuing music majors. In addition, some 700 Vanderbilt non-music majors take Blair classes.

"As wonderful as this building is, we have had a severe space shortage for several years now," Wait said, noting that the school has had to rent additional classroom and practice space both on and off campus. "This will remove much of this need."

Wait said the instructional wing is the first of two anticipated phases. A 600-seat performance hall would be included in a second phase, which would require an additional $5 million.

-VU-

Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.

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