When the State of Minds campaign wrapped up on Dec. 31, 2017, more than $1 billion had been raised thanks to the incredibly giving and dedicated West Virginia University family.

The College of Creative Arts raised approximately $23 million during the 10-year campaign which created more than 50 new scholarships, built and opened the Art Museum of WVU, launched four new programs and many new majors in the college and started an extensive study abroad program in the School of Art & Design.

In March, Juwan Johnson won the Hall Johnson category at the eastern regional round of the competition. His top placement secured him one of 14 spots in the semi-finals, held during NATS Annual Conference in Las Vegas June 22 – 26. 

Johnson first came to WVU as a music education major focusing in viola, but knew he wanted to focus on voice performance at the end of his first semester. Johnson approached Assistant Professor Rob Chafin with his interest.

A piano festival hosted by West Virginia University June 1-3 will bring with it four free, open to the public concerts.

The Intersection of Jazz and Classical Music Piano Festival is in its eighth year at WVU, and is the only festival of its kind to explore jazz and classical music that offers artist performances, masterclasses, workshops, and panel discussions.

Margaret “Peggy” Bair’s life legacy is certainly about mentorship. As principal flutist and woodwind section leader in the United States Navy Band, she nurtured every wind player who joined the band, from their audition to the day she retired. Outside the band, Bair taught flute lessons and workshops to young adults hoping to become professional musicians. Now, Bair’s guiding nature will live on in the Margaret “Peggy” Bair Endowed Music Scholarship at West Virginia University. 

Bair came to WVU in the late 1970s to study under flute professor Joyce Catalfano. While at WVU, Bair accompanied a friend to an audition for the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C. She brought her flute on the trip, not wanting to miss practice time. Speaking with administrators in the band while waiting for her friend to finish auditioning, she found out they had an opening for a flute player. They asked her to audition on the spot and was offered the position soon after.

On April 13, West Virginia University faculty member David Taddie released a new album entitled FANCY COLORS. 

Taddie, director of the Electronic Music Studio and professor of music theory and composition, wrote and recorded the album over two decades.

You could feel the legacy of James Benner in the Metropolitan Theatre on April 5.

That night, the West Virginia University School of Music put together a memorial concert for Benner, who died in November 2017 at the age of 92.