By all reports, he was a most remarkable individual.
Sad News from the Conservatory - HWH
The Conservatory of Music deeply regrets to announce that
Distinguished Professor emeritus H. Wiley Hitchcock, 84,
passed away early this morning, December 5, 2007, after a
lengthy illness. He was born September 28, 1923, in Detroit,
MI. After attending Dartmouth (A.B., 1944) and University of
Michigan (M.M. 1948, Ph.D. 1954) - studying in 1949 at the
Conservatoire Americain (under Nadia Boulanger) - and after
teaching at the University of Michigan, N.Y.U., and Hunter
College, Professor Hitchcock came to Brooklyn College in 1971
where he was the founding director of the college's Institute
for Studies in American Music (ISAM). Wiley was brilliant, a
true man of letters, a model musicologist with multifaceted
interests, impeccable standards, and path-breaking publications.
His highly esteemed work in American music studies (New Grove
Dictionary of American Music; his Prentice-Hall textbook
series that included his Music in the United States; studies
on Charles Ives, etc. etc.) was built upon his excellent
contributions to the fields of French and Italian Baroque
music (M.-A. Charpentier, G. Caccini, et al.). He was a staunch
advocate for American music of all kinds. In 1990-92 he served
as elected president of the American Musicological Society,
and the number of distinguished projects and boards on which
he served seems endless. Wiley was a respected colleague at
the Conservatory as well as at the CUNY Graduate Center's
Doctoral Program in Music, where he became a helpful and
encouraging mentor and friend to many newly minted Ph.D.'s
in music. Those of us who knew Wiley personally always relished
the notes or letters he sent us or the newsy gossip he might
share.
For an interview that Wiley gave Frank J. Oteri in November
2002 and recalls for us his special style and wit, see:
http://newmusicbox.org/44/interview_hitchcock.pdf
The Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College will be renaming
ISAM as the Hitchcock Institute for Studies in American Music,
in Professor Hitchcock's memory.
Wiley is survived by his wife Janet and a daughter, Susan,
from his first marriage. There will be a memorial service at
a later date to be announced by the family. (We will let you
know.) Condolences may be sent to Janet Hitchcock at 1192
Park Avenue #10E, New York NY 10128.
Dr. Bruce C. MacIntyre, Director
Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Ave,, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210-2889 USA
Tel. 718 951-5286 or 5000 x2897; Fax 718 951-4502
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Karl
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