MIT Office of the Arts 
by Lynn Heinemann, Office of the Arts
(Published in Tech Talk 4/10/1996)
When Atlanta resident Cherry Emerson (SM 1941) visited MIT to tour campus arts facilities, he thought that Killian Hall looked very nice, but remarked that he couldn't really judge a hall without hearing some music in it. MIT Lecturer David Deveau complied, sitting at the piano and playing a Chopin Impromptu on the spur of the moment.
Mr. Emerson's delight-at both the hall and the music-resulted in his establishment of an exchange program between the MIT music and theater arts section and Emory University in Atlanta, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Mr. Deveau visited the Emory campus last October for the program's inaugural residency, presenting a concert, lecture/demonstration and master class.
The other half of the exchange takes place this month, when the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta visits MIT. Artistic Director William Ransom will conduct a master class in music and theater arts, and the Society will perform a program of New Music from Emory, on Monday, April 22, 1996 at 8pm in Kresge Auditorium. The concert will feature music by John A. Lennon, Dwight Andrews, Steven Everett and Stephen Paulus.
The Emory group has a core membership of eight performers, which allows the group to present a diverse repertoire ranging from duos to large ensemble works with a variety of instruments. The Society performs a concert series, coaches music students at Emory and participates in recording projects, the commissioning of new works and community outreach activities.
Mr. Emerson has contributed funding for this program, as have the Emory Friends of Music and the MIT music and theater arts section. Mr. Emerson is also the principal donor for the MIT Music Library redesign project, now underway.