Ithaca College

The School of Music bids farewell to Thomas Kline, director of music admissions and preparatory programs since 2008. Announcing his resignation last week to music staff and faculty, Kline has accepted a position as associate vice president for strategic initiatives at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI.

Following his last day on Wednesday, August 7, Kline will be working with Carthage College President Gregory Woodward, Ithaca College’s former provost and School of Music dean.

An alumnus who completed both his undergraduate and graduate work at IC, Kline joined our staff in 2007, after five years of touring as a professional musician. At that time, he was hired as project coordinator for the Enduring Masters program, where he administered a grant aimed at highlighting the important careers of prominent musicians over age 65.

In 2008, Kline began his current position within the School of Music as the director of music admission programs. He was promoted in 2010 to director of music admission and preparatory programs, taking on the task of starting and administering the Summer Music Academy, a pre-college summer music program that in a short time has grown to serve over 400 young musicians from 20 states and seven countries.

Kline has worked to help the School of Music develop many international relationships and initiatives during his tenure. Since 2010, Kline has participated annually in the USA Schools of Music Asia Audition Tour, for which he visited seven major cities and auditioned over 400 students. As a result of this tour, international music applications and enrollment have increased significantly over the past three years. Kline also conceived and organized the Summer Transition Program for International Music Students, which helps students adjust to studying in the U.S. through language classes and cultural immersion activities.

Additionally, as a member of the College Marketing Advisory Committee, he has guided the School of Music through two re-branding initiatives and related collateral material.

“His contributions to our program are numerous and significant,” School of Music Dean Karl Paulnack said in an announcement to music faculty and staff.  “On behalf of all of us, I want to express my gratitude to Tom for his dedication over these past years. His story is that of yet another successful IC graduate, an ambitious, enterprising young man who has a career of significant size and scope ahead of him.”

A farewell reception in his honor will be scheduled for sometime in early August within the Whalen Center for Music. Details on the gathering will be announced in the coming weeks.