Class Notes

1939 Judy Herman and Phyllis Munczek write that their father, Herbert (Herb) Brill, died last October. Herb was raised in Bangor, Maine, and started playing the violin at age four. As a violin student at Eastman, he met piano student Annette Solomon ’41E. They were married for 67 years, until Annette died in 2008. Over the course of their marriage, they performed together many times. Herb was a first violinist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1938 to 1983, where he played under conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Eric Leinsdorf, and David Zinman. When Herb retired to Florida, he continued to freelance with several orchestras. In addition to his daughters, Judy and Phyllis, Herb leaves behind four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

1968 Thomas McKenney (PhD), a composer of electronic music, has taught composition at the University of Missouri School of Music since 1967. In April, Thomas’s former students honored him with a concert featuring their own works.

1969 Russ Schultz writes that he’s retired after 16 years as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Last October, the International Council of Fine Arts Deans named him an emeritus member.

1976 Pamela Marshall has released Through the Mist (Ravello Records), a CD of chamber music for winds and strings. She writes that performers include chamber groups in the Boston area, and her compositions are inspired by “visits to the Costa Rican rainforest, a New Hampshire lake, and imaginary primordial landscapes.”

1988 Cory Hall (MM) writes: “I’m founder and owner of BachScholar, established in 2008, which publishes piano sheet music, and along with my wife, Marilyn, teach piano students around the world via Skype from our home in Missouri.”

1990 Tubist Jim Shearer (DMA) has released the CD Haunted America Suite (Summit Records) with his wife, Celeste, on French horn. Jim teaches tuba, euphonium, and music history at New Mexico State University. He’s the former principal tubist with the El Paso Symphony and continues to perform with El Paso Brass.

1993 The New Mexico State University music department bid farewell to choral director David Klement (MM) with a concert, “Darkness Declares the Glory of Light,” featuring the combined voices of the university’s choirs, a full orchestra, and multiple soloists. David is leaving his position to begin doctoral study at the University of Northern Colorado.

2005 Sarah Chan (DMA) writes that she performed her solo recital debut at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall’s Kammermusiksaal in April. She’ll spend the summer in residency in China at Beifang University for Nationalities. . . . Zachary Wadsworth writes that he’s accepted a tenure-track job as assistant professor of music composition at Williams College. He adds, “I have been keeping very busy as a composer. The coming 2015–16 season will include a performance by the Richmond Symphony, a premiere at the national conference of the American Guild of Organists, and the release of my music on albums by the Northwestern University Cello Ensemble, Luminous Voices, and tenor Dennis Tobenski.”