When a Chinese conservatory turned to McNally Smith to teach hip-hop

McNally Smith College of Music closing
McNally Smith College of Music is shutting down due to a lack of funds.
William Lager | MPR News file

This story originally aired in 2011.

The final day of classes at the McNally Smith College of Music is Wednesday. Students and staff found out last week that the school is closing because of financial problems.

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McNally Smith had a unique partnership with a Chinese music conservatory that wanted to educate its students about hip-hop. In 2011 Jess Mador reported on a visit by representatives of the conservatory that finalized arrangements for Chinese students to attend McNally Smith.

Since then, McNally Smith has continued to attract students from China interested in hip-hop. Professor Toki Wright visited China over the summer to discuss future partnerships. He plans to continue those discussions after McNally Smith closes.

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