Chapman University Names Conservatory of Music for Longtime Choral Director/Performing Arts Dean and Philanthropist Couple

Chapman University has named its Conservatory of Music in honor of Dr. William Hall, the longtime choral director and performing-arts dean at the university, who is celebrating his 50th year at Chapman this year, and Newport Beach couple Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco, whose support of performing arts at Chapman has included their leadership of the fundraising drive for the $64 million, 1,100-seat Musco Center for the Arts, set to open on campus in 2015.

The naming of the William D. Hall and Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Conservatory of Music was announced by Chapman President Jim Doti at a gala dinner on campus honoring Hall's 50th Anniversary, which drew arts luminaries from throughout Southern California and more than 500 of Hall's former students.

"How appropriate it is that I am able, on the occasion of the Golden 50th Anniversary celebration of William Hall's exemplary service to Chapman, and on the brink of construction of our Musco Center for the Arts, to announce that our Conservatory of Music, now and evermore, will be known as the William D. Hall and Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Conservatory of Music," said President Doti. "The story of Chapman University cannot be told without telling the story of Bill Hall, the transformational effect his musical genius has had on thousands of our students, and the fame he has brought to Chapman University through his ensembles' many world tours and his superb leadership on our campus. Now, as dean of our Musco Center for the Arts, his story is intertwined with that of Marybelle and Paul Musco, whose incredible generosity and love for Chapman have made possible our dream of a world-class performance facility for our students and our community. My thanks and congratulations to Bill, Marybelle and Paul."

"This is an extraordinary honor and completely unexpected," said Dr. Hall when he was told of the naming. "To share the naming of the Conservatory with Marybelle and Paul is perhaps the greatest honor of all. It has been my pleasure and joy to have served Chapman University as a music director and dean these five decades, and I can tell you that I don't intend to slow down yet - there is far too much to do as the opening of the new Musco Center for the Arts approaches, and I look forward to continuing my work with the Muscos to bring their vision for a world-class performance venue onto the campus of Chapman University."

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