Kaufman Collection enhances MSU music education

Contact : Lydia Palmer

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The instrument collection of the late Lois Kaufman is now installed and enriching courses in the music department at Mississippi State University, thanks to collaboration between Robert J. Damm, professor of music, and David Nolen, associate dean of Archives and Special Collections for MSU Libraries.  

The Kaufman Collection was housed in the Mitchell Memorial library when she donated the instruments for display in 1996 until they went into storage in the library’s Special Collection archives before the move to the new Music Building this year.  

Kaufman was the first music teacher at MSU, teaching music appreciation and music theory in the 1950s. Her loyalty to both this university and department can be seen even now through her donation, although Kaufman died in 2003. 

The Kaufman Collection includes both a large and small sitar, an Indian violin called a sarangi and a flute, two wooden and one gourd kalimbas, an African shaker, a Chinese mandolin, three triangles, three bamboo flutes, and gourd, brass and wooden drums.  

Since their move to the Music Building, the instruments have been useful in Damm’s courses as he takes them out of their glass case, also provided by Kaufman’s donated funds, and brings life to his world music classes with their sounds.  

“The Kaufman Collection is a valuable source for lessons about world music,” Damm said. “The students read about and watch videos to understand music in cultural context, but it is especially valuable to have them interact directly with cultural artifacts.  These instruments will provide hands-on experience during workshops by visiting culture-bearers, which will enhance knowledge and appreciation of diverse music genres of Africa and India.” 

Aside from the donation of instruments and funds for the glass case to store and display them in, Kaufman made a gift to the Department of Music in the amount of $15,000 in memory of her late husband Harold F. Kaufman.  

This gift endowed a fund to support scholarships, programs and activities associated with music of world cultures. The scholarship is given based on approval of application for the candidate who meets the qualifications: a full-time music education major at MSU, a rising senior with at least 90 credit hours toward a degree, minimum 3.0 GPA on all music and music education courses, and demonstration of their commitment to multi-cultural ideas by completing a special project.  

All these qualifications were met this year by senior music education major and music culture minor Courtney Cater of Florence, who believes in the importance of appreciating other cultures, and that it can allow someone to have more dynamic and interesting experiences in life.  

Cater shared her appreciation for the scholarship.  

“This donation is very much appreciated by my family and me. I thank Dr. Damm for awarding me the Kaufman scholarship and encouraging me to work harder in studying music cultures around us. I am excited to have received this wonderful scholarship and look forward to showcasing more cultures within the music department.” 

Damm has expressed immense gratitude for the donations from Kaufman and believes that both the instruments and scholarships will continue to enrich the experiences of students in music majors for years to come.  

For more on MSU’s Department of Music, visit https://www.music.msstate.edu/.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.