The information contained in the following overview draws on the research, recollections, and/or writings of Charles Horner, Lyle Kennedy, LeRoy Pogemiller, Clifton Matthews, Ruth Anne Rich and unsigned materials in the Western Missouri Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. - Russell Wilson, Ed.

John A. Cowan, a non-musical visionary, established the Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Art in 1906, and Charles Horner, a non-musical entrepreneur, established the Horner Institute of Fine Arts in 1914. In 1926, the two organizations merged with Charles Horner as President and Earl Rosenberg as Director. The school subsequently merged with the University of Kansas City which, in turn, merged with the University of Missouri System. The history of these gathering streams reveals the abundant strengths, talents, and leadership skills of the institution's outstanding directors and deans.

Click on a name to view a short biography.

1906 - 1926 John A. Cowan, Director
Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Art

1914 - 1933 Charles Horner, President
Horner Institute of Fine Arts

1926 - 1929 Earl Rosenberg, Director
Horner Institute of Fine Arts

1930 - 1939 John S. Thompson, Acting Director and later, Director
Conservatory of Music of Kansas City

1939 - 1941 Lillian Seller, Harold Van Duzee, Frank Laird Waller
Faculty members acting as an interim management committee

1941 - 1958 Wiktor Labunski, Director
Conservatory of Music of Kansas City

1958 - 1959 Lyle Kennedy, Acting Director

1959 - 1969 Archie Jones, Dean,
Conservatory of Music of Kansas City, University of Kansas City (to 1963),
and Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

1969 - 1975 Joseph Blankenship, Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

1975 - 1983 Lindsey Merrill, Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

1983 - 1984 Alexander Hamilton, Interim Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

1984 - 1993 David Kuehn, Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

1993 - 1994 Leroy Pogemiller, Interim Dean

1994 - 2001 Terry Applebaum, Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City

2001 - Randall Pembrook, Dean
Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas City