Dear Friend of the Performing Arts Division: 

As I bring this semester and my time as Performing Arts Division (PAD) faculty to a close, I'd like 
to review, for my firends and students, my activities while with PAD. 

I understand that since I started working at PAD enrollment has gone up in spite of 
three changes in staff and offices.  I'd like to think that I have contributed to some of the program's 
success: 

1) For example, when I started, PAD flyers were fourth generation copies made on an old 
desktop copier.  I worked with our directors to develop quality printing and helped better 
organize material that is still being used. 

2) I helped build student enrollment and develop marketing.  The table on the Campus Center 
Concourse at the start of each semester has been run largely through my initiative and efforts.  I 
set it up at 7:30 AM and closed it every day for three weeks at the start of each semester for the 
last three years, scheduled other faculty to help at the table, designed flyers and displays, and 
printed banners and flyers.  The table appears to have been pivotal to PAD’s growth in 
enrollment. 

3) My guitar class enrollment grew steadily every semester to the point where it was one-fifth 
of the total PAD enrollment last Fall.  For the last two years, I've averaged 50 students a 
semester.

1) I taught a popular series of music classes including:  Guitar For Fun I & II, Beginning 
Classical Guitar, Guitar Ensemble, Blues Jam Workshop, and Music Theory for Guitarists 
reaching about 350 students since 1995. 

2) I started the UMass Guitar Orchestra this year.  Recently, we gave our first performance of 
my arrangement of Beethoven's Ode to Joy for Guitar Quartet with Guitar Chorus. 

3) I created and maintained the "Guitar at UMass" web page, http://www.umass.edu/guitar as a 
resource for students, faculty and the public which is found on the "Life at UMass" page on the 
UMass home page. 

4) I set up a unique guitar rental program for PAD students through Gerry's Music Shop.  This 
is the only school guitar rental program in the area and they rent only to my students. 

5) I organized numerous student performances, including a "Blues Brothers Review" concert 
for PAD students for next November 6, 2000 in the Student Union Ballroom.  In Spring of 
'97, I organized the first "Blues Jam" with student performers in Coolidge Dormitory Lobby. 
In Spring of '98, I produced a the "Blues Jam Concert" with top professional players backing 
student performers.

1) I gave free classical guitar Faculty Recitals every year since 1995 which were well attended 
and critically acclaimed, giving PAD and the University nice reviews in the Collegian and the 
Springfield Sunday Republican. 

2) I organized "Guitar Day at UMass", attracting 45 guitarists from throughout southern New 
England and 200 listeners on Easter weekend, 1998.  For that event, I set up cooperative 
agreements with area colleges and stores and regional and national sponsors.

Best wishes, 
 
 

Kevin Collins