Dodson appointed provost of New England Conservatory

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2004

Robert Kemble Dodson, former dean of the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College, has been named provost of the New England Conservatory (NEC).

Dodson has more than thirty years of experience as both a teacher and administrator in institutions that educate and train musicians. Prior to his appointment at Oberlin in 1999, he was dean of the Lawrence University Conservatory in Appleton, Wisconsin (1989-1999), vice principal and then principal of the Royal Conservatory of Music at the University of Toronto (1981-1988) and artist-in-residence and member of the faculty at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Dodson attended NEC and Columbia University and holds B.M. and M.M. degrees from Indiana University. A cellist, he studied with Janos Starker and was a member of the Vaghy String Quartet from 1969-1981. While in Canada, Dodson also was founder and managing director of the Chamber Music Institute, Friends of Chamber Music, Inc. The third generation in a family of professional musicians, Dodson remains active as a cellist.

As chief academic officer, Dodson's responsibilities at NEC will include recruitment of college faculty and staff; oversight of studio and classroom programs; college outreach activities, admissions and financial aid; and development of associations with other institutions.