60 Years of the Society of the Friends of Music
Sixty years ago, there was some behind-the-scenes buzzing going on at the Indiana University School of Music (now the Jacobs School of Music). In 1964, IU Chancellor Herman B. Wells and Dean Wilfred C. Bain, together with some dedicated music lovers in the Bloomington community, were collaborating to create an organization that would benefit music students studying at IU.
That organization was named the Society of the Friends of Music and, for 60 years, has been dedicated solely to providing scholarships for students at the Jacobs School of Music to help them pursue their passion in the expressive arts, according to Perry Maull, president of the Friends of Music board. Since its inception in 1964, the Society of the Friends of Music has provided more than $10,000,000 in scholarship aid to thousands of IU music students.
Has that financial aid made a difference in the lives of IU music students? We asked two of the recipients of Friends of Music scholarships.
Bradley Bickhardt, a tenor who received his bachelor’s degree from IU in 2018 and his master’s degree in 2020, says that his scholarship from the Friends of Music allowed him to pursue his undergraduate degree at his dream school: the IU Jacobs School of Music.
“My time at IU was life-changing, not only from a professional standpoint, but also in discovering the kind of artist and person I wanted to be. Since graduating, I have had the good fortune to sing and perform around the country: Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Saratoga, the Glimmerglass Festival, Tri-Cities Opera, Opera Ithaca, Raylynmor Opera, and, most recently, Arizona Opera.
“The remainder of my 2024 season includes role debuts as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet as well as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, both with Arizona Opera. I will then head to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to reunite with many fellow IU alums for its summer season.
“The award from the Friends of Music all those years ago was crucial in the invaluable training and education I received at IU, and I thank you for your support of me as well as countless others who have also benefited from your generosity.”
Julia Vicic, viola, knew that the only place she wanted to study viola performance was the IU Jacobs School of Music. She says that she never would have been able to make her dream come true if she hadn’t received scholarships from the Friends of Music. After graduating from IU in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree, she went on to Rice University to complete a master’s degree in 2020.
Julia then took a different path from Bradley’s. In 2021, she won a two-year position with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Academy. She says she learned how to be a professional musician there and learned to trust her own decisions.
In January and February this year, she auditioned with the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, for a position as a violist with the opera orchestra. One other musician auditioned, and Julia is waiting to see if she will be returning to Stockholm soon. She is excited. While she waits to hear, she has returned to Luxembourg and is freelancing.
There are so many stories that could be shared after 60 years. Some 4,000 music students receiving scholarships since 1964. More than $10,000,000.
In honor of this milestone, the Sixtieth Anniversary Friends of Music Scholarship has been created to support even more IU Jacobs School of Music students. Together, we bring the most promising emerging musicians, dancers, scholars, and educators to the Jacobs School and sustain them as they forge new pathways for musical excellence. To make your impact during our sixtieth anniversary, click the link below.
by Ruth Albright
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