When Peg Rowe was a child, she already had a built-in appreciation for the arts. As a child living in the Washington, D.C. area, she says she fell in love with Degas and Renoir at the National Gallery of Art when she was 5. She would stand there, just staring at the French masters鈥� work, with no context of who the artists were. She just loved it.
At the time, she thought that was a normal thing for a kid to do. But now, she knows she wouldn鈥檛 have had that appreciation if it weren鈥檛 for her parents.
鈥淭hey exposed us to art in so many ways,鈥� Rowe says. 鈥淚 never thought about it not being there.鈥�
Now Rowe and her husband, Chuck鈥攑arents themselves to CU Boulder alumna and former College of Music Assistant Dean for Advancement Courtney Rowe (BA International Affairs '08)鈥攁re honoring that legacy of art appreciation with a gift to name the Rowe Practice Room in the expanded Imig Music Building in memory of Rowe鈥檚 mother, Margaret M. Steed. It鈥檚 the second gift by the family in honor of its musical matriarch; in 2016, the Rowes established the Margaret Steed Memorial Graduate String Quartet Endowment to support the college鈥檚 graduate string quartet in-residence.
Peg Rowe says they chose to name a practice room because of her mother鈥檚 insistence on practice when Peg was a child.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a physical way of honoring my mother,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 can remember when I was learning to play piano, the piano was in the hallway of our house, and I practiced every afternoon. My mother always encouraged practice, and was a believer that that was how you got better.鈥�
But there is more to this family鈥檚 musical story than 88 keys in a hallway.
Through the generations
As a child growing up in the Los Angeles area, Margaret Steed was surrounded by the performing arts from a young age. Her father and grandfather designed sets for Hollywood films.
鈥淟ong after he retired, my grandfather still had friendships with stagehands in the major LA theatres,鈥� Rowe says. 鈥淎s a child, he took me to see 鈥楾he Sound of Music鈥� touring company rehearsing. My mom had that exposure as a child, too.鈥�
Steed鈥檚 own passion, though, was for music. She played violin in the prestigious LA Junior Symphony. While she enjoyed music, she never pursued it as a professional path, instead allowing it to underscore everything she did as a mother to Peg and her three siblings.
鈥淢y father, Robert, was in the Navy, so we moved every two years until I was in junior high,鈥� Rowe says. 鈥淭he whole time, my mom raised us to be very appreciative of classical music.鈥�
Rowe grew up under the influence of jazz and Beethoven while the family lived in different port cities in California, Virginia and up the East Coast.
鈥淚 played piano as a kid. My sister played piano and guitar, and while everyone in the family loved to sing, she was the one who had a pleasing voice. She studied opera and could have gone on professionally, but chose not to.
鈥淢y mom鈥檚 influence was strong. She was really intent on ensuring that we had music in our house and had the opportunity for music and dance lessons.鈥�
When Robert retired from the Navy, the family settled in San Diego. In that picturesque landscape, the visual arts also became a part of Rowe鈥檚 life.
鈥淚 took watercolor classes, and we would go paint by the ocean or the desert. We were always encouraged to participate and would go to concerts and art museums as a family. I鈥檓 forever grateful that my parents raised us that way, and Chuck and I made it a priority to provide that for Courtney as well.鈥�
A common thread
After working for many years in the healthcare industry, Rowe is now a consultant and executive coach. Though, like her mother, her musical pursuits never led to a career, she says her appreciation for the arts has made her who she is.听
鈥淚 always tell my clients to make music one of their ways to cope or take a break. I think when you have appreciation for the arts鈥攅ven if you don鈥檛 always necessarily like a piece of art鈥攖hat translates to better cooperation in your career. You鈥檙e able to build teams that have different strengths and tap into those.鈥�
And that, she says, is perhaps the most powerful impact her mother had on her life.
鈥淢y mom went back to violin after we were grown, joining an adult community orchestra and playing in a string quartet. So music was always a part of her life, and it was important to her as a parent. That was her unique legacy in our family.鈥�
Rowe says her parents would have appreciated the support that CU Boulder and the community have provided to the College of Music鈥檚 mission, especially as the Imig Music Building expansion nears completion.
鈥淭he idea that funds are being allocated and the building is being improved for the superior education of the students, creating a better learning environment for them to perfect their craft and talent, would have made them happy.鈥�
And she hopes that, in a world of social distancing and live streaming, the beautiful new Imig facade can serve as a welcoming reminder that we will be back together soon.听
鈥淎s we鈥檙e adapting to the challenges of the pandemic and the need to social distance, music is a universal connection,鈥� Rowe muses. 鈥淪ome of the most moving and inspiring moments have been communities gathering on balconies and singing. Music lifts our spirits and provides comfort.鈥�
To read more about the gifts given as part of the College of Music鈥檚 2018 capital campaign, visit the music+ impact story archive.
