Concert celebrates former music professor
Musicians and former colleagues gathered to honor
John McManus' passion for music and teaching
BY THOMAS MUNRO
FREELANCE REPORTER
Professor Emeritus John Mc
Manus, considered by many the
greatest music educator in Oregon
history, was honored at Friday’s
Homecoming Concert at Beall Con
cert Hall.
At McMinnville High School in
the 1950s and ‘60s, McManus set
and met standards far beyond those
of other high school bands. Yet his
concern for the music never over
shadowed his concern for his stu
dents. In 1965 he was named Ore
gon Teacher of the Year and was one
of five finalists for the National
Teacher of the Year.
When he found that his students
were becoming better players than
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they were musicians, he turned his
band into a teaching lab to help fur
ther their musical education.
“John’s greatest legacy is his un
selfish desire to open musical vistas
to students,” said Professor Emeri
tus Steve Stone, a long-time
colleague.
This teaching lab led to the Man
hattanville Music Curriculum Pro
gram and McManus’ return to aca
demia. During his 15 years at the
University, which ended in 1983, he
taught band, education and wood
After the intermission, the Ore
gon Wind Ensemble offered two
contrasting works. Eric Whitacre’s
“October,” conducted by Tim Paul,
was a warm pastoral piece that
highlighted the ensemble’s pure in
tonation and horn section.
Paul, who is new to the Universi
ty faculty, said the skills and atti
tude of his players made his transi
tion easy.
“It’s a great bunch of young musi
cians that really bond together to
make music their priority,” he said.
winds; served as under
graduate coordinator;
and played clarinet in
the faculty quintet.
Opening comments
by Stone and Associate
Professor Emeritus
Dave Doerksen were
MAN OF THE HOUR
John McManus
Professor of music at the
University, 1967-1983
1965 Oregon Teacher of the
Year
Aaron Copland’s an
gular, often-aggressive
"Emblems,” conducted
by Robert Ponto, was a
surprising choice to end
the concert.
The theme of the
evenine was music edu
followed by a concert tribute to the
principles that have driven Mc
Manus’ career.
The Oregon Jazz Ensemble began
the concert with a wall-shaking per
formance of the show tune “I Hear
a Rhapsody,” arranged by Bob
Mintzer.
“We try to have a lighter program
for this concert,” conductor Steve
Owen said. “We’re just getting the
year started.”
Yet, just four weeks into the year,
the group’s ensemble playing is al
ready crisp.
“It’s great to have a concert this
early,” said tenor saxophonist
Hashem Assadullahi, who soloed in
the opening number. “It forces you
to listen to each other and get to
gether as a band.”
cation. Linda Wilson’s son Collin,
first chair in the saxophone section
of the Wind Ensemble, has been a
music student since fifth grade.
“It began as the niche he found in
school,” said Wilson. “Now he’s
very well-rounded. The experience
of many different people and places
has broadened his horizons.”
As McManus pulled the ribbons
from a book of photographs and
memories collected from friends
and colleagues, the dignified yet
jovial man described the evening
with modesty.
“I am very surprised and very
honored. I owe them all a great
deal,” he said.
Thomas Munro is a freelance
reporter for the Daily Emerald
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