Mark Clague, associate dean for academic and student affairs in the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, will serve as interim dean in the school for the month of September.
His appointment, effective Sept. 1, was announced Friday by Martin Philbert, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Clague will serve as interim dean until David A. Gier begins Oct. 1 as the school’s new dean. Gier’s appointment was announced July 19.
“I’m pleased that Professor Clague will serve as interim dean of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance,” says Philbert. “He is an accomplished musicologist and an experienced administrator with a deep commitment to the school. Professor Clague’s extensive knowledge of the school and the university and his record of sound judgment will benefit the school in this interim period.”
Clague joined the faculty at SMTD in 2003 as an assistant professor of music (musicology). He was promoted to associate professor of music, with tenure, in 2009. He is credited with playing a key role in the creation and development of SMTD’s EXCEL career services and entrepreneurship program, as well as U-M’s Gershwin Initiative and its George and Ira Gershwin Critical Edition, for which he serves as editor-in-chief.
His edition of George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” was recently premiered in Paris by the Cincinnati Symphony and has been performed by orchestras including the Detroit Symphony, National Symphony and San Francisco Symphony.
“Like all my colleagues at SMTD, I am truly excited to welcome Dean David Gier to campus this October,” says Clague. “It’s an honor for me to assist with the transition, and I look forward to greeting the class of 2022 and feeling the pulsing energy of our campus in just a few days.”
In 2017, Clague served as the interim dean for academic and student affairs in SMTD and was appointed to the role of associate dean for 2018-19. He will continue to serve as associate dean during his brief interim dean appointment.
Clague earned a Bachelor of Music degree in bassoon performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history of art, while completing the Artists and Scholars Program, summa cum laude, at U-M. He also earned a Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.
