Don Michael Randel
Encyclopedia
Don Michael Randel is a prominent American musicologist
, the fifth president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and a member of the editorial board of Encyclopaedia Britannica. He has previously served as the twelfth president of the University of Chicago
, as Provost
of Cornell University
, and as Dean
of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences
.
In his academic work, Randel specializes in the music
of the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance
. Among musicologists, he is particularly known for his publications on Mozarabic chant, Arabic music theory, and Panamanian folk music. He has served as editor of the third and fourth editions of the Harvard Dictionary of Music
, the Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, and the Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He is a triple alumnus
of Princeton University
, having earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in musicology there.
On July 1, 2000, Randel succeeded Hugo F. Sonnenschein
as President of the University of Chicago. As President, Randel led the Chicago Initiative, a $2 billion capital campaign to solidify the University's financial footing. He also worked to strengthen the academic work of the University in many areas, from humanities
and arts
to physical
and biological sciences, and he drove efforts to build stronger ties with community and regional organizations. In 2005, Randel received a $500,000 award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York
in recognition of these efforts.
On July 26, 2005, Randel announced that he would leave the University of Chicago to assume the presidency of the Mellon Foundation. He was succeeded by President Robert Zimmer on July 1, 2006.
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
, the fifth president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and a member of the editorial board of Encyclopaedia Britannica. He has previously served as the twelfth president of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, as Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, and as Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences
Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is a division of Cornell University. It has been part of the university since its founding, although its name has changed over time. It grants bachelors degrees, and masters and doctorates through affiliation with the Cornell University Graduate School...
.
In his academic work, Randel specializes in the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. Among musicologists, he is particularly known for his publications on Mozarabic chant, Arabic music theory, and Panamanian folk music. He has served as editor of the third and fourth editions of the Harvard Dictionary of Music
Harvard Dictionary of Music
The Harvard Dictionary of Music is a standard music reference book published by the Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.The first edition was published in 1944, and was edited by Willi Apel. The second edition, also edited by Apel, was published in 1969. A new editor, Don Michael Randel,...
, the Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, and the Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He is a triple alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, having earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in musicology there.
On July 1, 2000, Randel succeeded Hugo F. Sonnenschein
Hugo F. Sonnenschein
Hugo Freund Sonnenschein is a prominent American economist and educational administrator. Currently the Adam Smith Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago, his specialty is microeconomic theory; with a particular interest in game theory...
as President of the University of Chicago. As President, Randel led the Chicago Initiative, a $2 billion capital campaign to solidify the University's financial footing. He also worked to strengthen the academic work of the University in many areas, from humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
and arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
to physical
Physical science
Physical science is an encompassing term for the branches of natural science and science that study non-living systems, in contrast to the life sciences...
and biological sciences, and he drove efforts to build stronger ties with community and regional organizations. In 2005, Randel received a $500,000 award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
in recognition of these efforts.
On July 26, 2005, Randel announced that he would leave the University of Chicago to assume the presidency of the Mellon Foundation. He was succeeded by President Robert Zimmer on July 1, 2006.