Dean Melissa Rose creates harmony while advancing the Blair School of Music

Leadership often appears to be a solo act—one person composing bold ideas, with others in the wings. But at its finest, leadership is harmoniously guiding people, ideas and innovations to create powerful and transformative experiences. Melissa Rose has dedicated almost three decades to cultivating this rhythm of collaboration at the Vanderbilt Blair School of Music—through performance, teaching, mentoring students and faculty, and now leading the school as its dean.

“I think the skills that collaborative pianists have are very helpful for administration because working with people of different styles and personalities is at our core,” Rose said. “Blair is a music school that combines a supportive family atmosphere with an entrepreneurial approach to education, and I am excited to lead the school in this season.”

INSPIRED FUTURE

Rose has been investing in students for decades. She was a tenured associate professor of piano at Truman State University in Missouri before moving to Nashville with her husband in 1996. Her experience at Blair began as an adjunct associate professor teaching collaborative piano, and she was appointed full time to the faculty in 1999. Since then, she has been a professor, assistant dean of academic affairs and associate dean, shepherding the school as it has evolved and grown.

“We have a greater diversity and strength of students overall now, which is very exciting,” Rose said.

The dynamics of the student body go hand-in-hand with key pillars Rose sees as crucial for the future of the school.

“Our key aspects of growth for these students are cultivating a greater emphasis on musicians’ wellness; building business and entrepreneurship skills; incorporating technology in thoughtful ways; and engagement in the Nashville music community as well as nationally and internationally,” Rose said.

Rose also highlights the expansion of jazz and global music studies, alongside the traditional classical core, as powerhouse building blocks for the uniquely all-undergraduate school.

MUSICAL SPARK

Rose started playing piano at age 6 after peeking in on her older sister’s lessons. The piano came naturally to her and her sister, and both pursued professional music careers—Rose as a concert pianist and her sister as an organist.

“My mother was a little bit worried when I went into grad school at Yale with a focus on performance,” Rose said, laughing. “Also, collaborative piano was mostly male-dominated, so I feel like a little bit of a path breaker. My career has worked out quite well.”