The Establishment of the Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University
Abstract
The Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri has a long history with unique beginnings. After the Civil War, Central College (Central Methodist's original name) grew alongside a "Female Seminary," Howard-Payne Female College. Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the two schools developed their own distinct musical cultures with Howard-Payne faculty developing a music curriculum, and Central students forming their own musical ensembles. When the schools merged in 1923 these two cultures united to create a conservatory of music at a time when many other American conservatories were being established. Just before the merger, Kansas City banker Edward Fletcher Swinney, who had strong family ties to the Fayette area and a history of philanthropy towards causes in Missouri education, donated $35,000 to Howard-Payne College for the construction of the conservatory building that would eventually bear his name. This article focuses on the early history of both Central College and Howard-Payne Female College, the role that music played at both schools (as a curricular and non-curricular activity) and the events leading to the formation of Central College's music curriculum and construction of the Swinney Conservatory.
Recommended Citation
Samson, D. (2022). The Establishment of the Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education SAGE Publications.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1177/15366006221085672
Department(s)
Arts, Languages, and Philosophy
Keywords and Phrases
19th Century; 20th Century; College Music History; Higher Education; Missouri Music Education; Music Education History
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2328-2525; 1536-6006
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2022 SAGE Publications, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2022
