The Society for American Music honored Department of Music Chair Deane Root with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his scholarship in American music and overall academic leadership. During its most recent national meeting, SAM issued a citation outlining the scope of Root's impressive career.

“Deane’s accomplishments encompass musical cultures that span multiple eras, both stylistic and historical, and he has been an innovator in print and online. Since publishing his American Popular Stage Music, 1860-1880 in 1981 – nearly forty years ago – Deane has exercised consistent leadership, with deep and wide-ranging contributions to the study of music in the United States, and he has been at the forefront of musical discovery in a broad range of areas, from local inquiry and research to the meticulous details of bibliography and editing.”

During his rich and varied scholarly life, Root helped found the Society for American Music, directs and curates the Center for American Music at Pitt’s Stephen Foster Memorial, and serves as Editor in Chief of Grove Music. For those who know Deane Root in his capacity as Chair of the Department of Music and a member of the musicology faculty, this description from the SAM citation rings particularly true:

“Like the eye of a hurricane, which exudes calm while generating the force to propel tempestuous activity, Deane L. Root spins out sparks of scholarly activity while retaining a calm essence.”

Please join us in congratulating Deane Root on this much deserved Lifetime Achievement Award! Please take a few moments to read the full citation.

Update: We've added a photo gallery from the SAM conference featuring our faculty, students, and alumni. All photos were taken by Michael Broyles.