Congratulations to Dr. David Kaplan
The Saskatoon Youth Orchestra would like to congratulate Dr. David Kaplan on being honoured by former University of Saskatchewan music students Xiaoping Xu and Ling Chen. The couple returned to Saskatoon from their home in China recently to announce a $1 million donation to the U of S music department in honour of Dr. Kaplan. The money will enable the department to provide more scholarships and help keep local music students at the U of S.
Dr. Kaplan is a former music director of the SYO, as well as the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and was head of the music department at the U of S for many years. He was invested as a Member of The Order of Canada for his musical contributions, and he continues to share his vast musical knowledge with the community during his pre-concert chats for the SSO. He also continues to share his musical gift as a performer and recently performed with the Saskatoon Klezmer Band at the Bassment for fellow legend Bob Klassen’s 80th Birthday Bash.
Music prof attracts $1M donation
By Jeremy Warren of The StarPhoenix (jjwarren@thestarphoenix.com)
David Kaplan must have hit all the right notes as a professor in the University of Saskatchewan’s music department.
A Chinese couple who studied as graduate students under Kaplan 20 years ago stopped in Saskatoon last week and donated $1 million in his name to the U of S music department.
Xiaoping “Bob” Xu and Ling Chen, a wealthy couple from China, announced the donation at a closed ceremony on Thursday. The $1 million is the largest donation in the department’s history, the U of S says.
The couple emailed Kaplan, a man they described as a mentor, about two months ago and told him their idea for a donation in his honour.
“I was thrilled and proud,” Kaplan said Tuesday. “Here are these two people that felt so good about their experience and they enjoyed the people at the university so much that they wanted to say thanks.”
Undergraduate and graduate students in the music department are eligible for the David L. Kaplan Music Scholarship, which will be awarded based on academic standing and an audition.
Kaplan, 86, was head of the music department for almost two decades and conductor of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the Order of Canada.
The donation will ensure scholarship funding for music students for decades to come, Kaplan said.
“We all know there are lots of students out there who can’t afford to get here,” Kaplan said.
The first scholarship will be awarded for the 2011-12 school year.
Ling Chen studied as a violinist at the U of S while her husband studied the academic side of music, Kaplan said. Xu eventually wrote a book about music appreciation for a Chinese audience.
Xu went on to co-found New Oriental Education and Technology Group, now the largest provider of private education in China, according to information provided by the U of S.
Kaplan, who was the graduate supervisor for Xu and Chen, was singled out by the two former international students for his effort to help them navigate a new university, a new city and a new culture.
Kaplan was quick to mention many other professors and staff helped create a satisfying college experience for the couple.
“David Kaplan took them under his wing and gave them all kinds of encouragement and made sure they succeeded,” said current music department head Gerald Langner.
Now that kindness shown to two new international students is being paid back.
Financial restrictions meant the U of S lost music students to other programs in Canada with better scholarships, Langner said.
“We couldn’t match the scholarships offered elsewhere, so we would lose out on bright students,” he said.
“This (donation) sets us up so we can establish a number of scholarships to attract and retain the best students out there.”
About $35,000 to $40,000 in scholarships that pay for a year’s tuition will be offered annually, Langner added.
Also a former student of Kaplan’s, Langner knows why Xu and Chen remembered their professor 20 years after they left the U of S.
“Kaplan has inspired so many students,” Langner said. “He’s one of the best instructors I’ve ever had, period. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in music right now.”