Behind every Charlotte Symphony performance is a dedicated team working behind the scenes to bring the music to life. Some of the most important players in that process are the team in the music library. Managing thousands of pages of sheet music each season, they ensure our musicians have everything they need to deliver exceptional performances. Managing much of this effort is Bart Dunn, our new Principal Librarian. We sat down with Bart to learn more about his journey and the essential role of a music librarian.
Tell us a bit about yourself -- where are you from, and how did you find your way to Charlotte?
I'm originally from Southern Maryland and studied at Towson University, just outside Baltimore. After graduate school, I joined the profession and worked at Temple University, the Jacksonville Symphony, and most recently, Houston Grand Opera. My wife and I are East Coast people at heart, so being closer to family made Charlotte the perfect fit. And as much as I love opera, being back in a symphonic environment where there's such a wide variety of programming is exciting and keeps the job interesting. Last weekend it was Beethoven X Beyoncé, this week it's Brahms's Requiem!
What led you to become a music librarian? Was this always your plan?
Not exactly! I started as a cellist but realized in college that I didn't want to spend five hours a day practicing to keep my technique sharp. I wanted to stay connected to performance without the intense practice schedule. A chance summer position at Interlochen introduced me to ensemble librarianship, and everything clicked. It's funny -- many of us in this field stumble upon it. It's a lot of "busy work," but it can be incredibly rewarding.So, what does a music librarian do?
A phrase that music librarians often throw around is, "We provide the right music to the right people at the right time." Day to day, this means marking parts -- things like bowings or cuts -- researching repertoire, coordinating editions, and even reporting on performances to copyright holders. It's a mix of detailed, varied tasks, which keeps things interesting. I find writing in the bowings (markings in the music that indicate which direction to use the bow for string instruments) cathartic, in a sense.
