Chapter One. Introduction: A Career Built on Two Educations
Chapter One tells the story of Robert Martin’s own double-degree pathway to his multi-faceted career, and the origin of his commitment to making this opportunity available to others. The Introduction also explains the origin of the book and previews its contents.
"I spoke often with musically and intellectually talented young people who faced pressure to decide between conservatory and college, while they wanted both."
Chapter Two. On the Education of Musicians: A Manifesto
Chapter Two presents the arguments for the synergy of music and the liberal arts and responds to a number of possible objections. History tells us that lingering class prejudice and misplaced Romanticism are major barriers to progress.
“Musicians, actors, jugglers, comics, and other entertainers have been treated throughout history essentially as servants, not as fellow citizens. Joseph Haydn is a prime example…”
Chapter Three. A Brief History of the Bard College Conservatory of Music
Chapter Three tells the story of the founding of a new conservatory of music within a 160 year old liberal arts college. The challenges and solutions are described. The ground-breaking decision to include Chinese instruments in the curriculum, through the US-China Music Institute and collaboration with the Central Conservatory in Beijing, is chronicled.
"The mission of The Bard College Conservatory of Music is to provide the best possible preparation for a person dedicated to a life immersed in the creation and performance of music."
Chapter Four: Reflections of Bard Conservatory Graduates
Graduates of the Bard Conservatory, now spread around the world and pursuing many different paths, provide fascinating reflections on their experiences with the double degree program.
Yi-wen Shen, Assistant Dean of Performance Activities at the Tianjin Juilliard School in Tianjin, China, writes that the double-degree program “not only taught me how to be a better musician, but, more importantly, it taught me how to think critically and become a well-rounded person.”
