Dorothea Cromley Piano Endowed Scholarship

Dorothea Cromley, chairperson of the Department of Music and a much-beloved professor of piano, music appreciation, piano pedagogy, music history and piano literature, has been a member of the MSU Billings faculty for 25 years. Professor Cromley earned her Bachelor of Music degree at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After winning a national competition which awarded two years of study abroad, she studied at the Cherubini Conservatory in Florence, Italy, and received her Master of Music degree from the Cherubini Conservatory through Rosary University. She studied under Luigi Dallapiccola, Roberto Lupi, and Nadia Boulanger. While studying in Italy she also appeared as a soloist and guest performer with a number of orchestras. Besides appearing frequently as a performer, clinician and adjudicator, she has enjoyed a great deal of success with her teaching. Her students have won local, regional and national competitions, honors and awards. In addition to her teaching, performing and related activities, Cromley has published articles about the role of women in music, and she has presented workshops and clinics on women performers and composers. In April 2011, Dr. Marilyn Grams, who studies piano with Professor Cromley, created the Dorothea Cromley Endowed Scholarship for piano students to honor Professor Cromley. The first scholarship will be awarded in academic year 2012-2013.