CAMBRIDGE, MASS. --- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Humanities and Social Science has been renamed the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS). The change, made to recognize the breadth and contribution of the arts at the Institute, will be officially announced during the School's 50th anniversary celebration on October 6 and 7, 2000.
"From its beginning, MIT has been a place where creativity flourishes, no matter what the field, and the last several years have seen an even fuller blossoming of the arts within both the School and the wider MIT community," said MIT President Charles M. Vest. "This change in the name of the School signals formally that the arts are essential to a complete educational environment and experience and are a vital part of the Institute."
The School contains the Institute's undergraduate curricular offerings in music, theater and creative writing. The School is also home to some of MIT's most distinguished artists in these fields, including Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Harbison, pianist David Deveau, violist Marcus Thompson, playwright Alan Brody, and novelists Alan Lightman and Anita Desai.
CONCERT TO FEATURE MIT ENSEMBLES, ACCLAIMED FACULTY, COMPOSITION BY MIT ALUM
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the School and its renaming, the MIT Symphony Orchestra, members of the MIT faculty and other MIT performance ensembles will present a special "showcase" concert on Friday, October 6 at 8pm in MIT's Kresge Auditorium. Admission is free and the public is invited.
The evening begins with an outdoor performance of Balinese music by MIT's Gamelan Galak Tika at 7:15pm on MIT's Kresge Oval. The main concert at 8pm features the MIT Symphony Orchestra, the MIT Concert Choir and Chamber Chorus, and acclaimed pianist David Deveau in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, under the direction of Dante Anzolini. Also featured on the program will be the MIT Wind Ensemble (Fred Harris, conductor) in a performance of Time Into Gold by 1994 MIT graduate Adrian Childs; the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble (Fred Harris, conductor) performing La Porta's Remember Mingus; and members of the MIT Chamber Music Society (Dawn Perlner '01, violin; Eran Egozy '95, clarinet; Jean Rife, horn; Marcus Thompson, viola) in Dohnanyi's Sextet.
A reception will follow on the Kresge Oval. MIT's Kresge Auditorium and the Kresge Oval are located at 48 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge. Information: 617-253-2826.
