November Program
Duane Davis: Lessons for a Lifetime
Topic Description
The presentation will include topics such as; inspiring a students lifelong passion for music; functional piano, aural and theoretical skills; helping the student to keep the joy for music; and other topics related the power of private lessons for the casual learner to the professional.
Speaker Biography
During the past 50 years, Duane has lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife Kaye. He has taught music at every level from middle through graduate school. Duane retired from Grand Rapids Community College in 2009, after which he taught at Western Michigan University and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. His career in music has been quite diverse. He served as Chorus Master Opera Grand Rapids for 31 years, conducted numerous All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles, conducted choral ensembles in major works at Avery Fischer, Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center and most recently Carnegie Hall. Duane has been a guest lecturer and clinician in Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan for the World Symposium on Choral Music, the Rigas Ritmi Music Festival in Riga, Latvia. He served as director of the Disney-Grammy All American College Singers for Walt Disney World and conducted the opening ceremonies for the WDW Animal Kingdom. In 2016 Duane served as Chorus Master for the Spoletto Festival USA production of Porgy and Bess, and premiered a rediscovered opera, Afram ou la bella Swite. Duane’s honors include the Grand Rapids Symphony Legacy Award, ACDA Maynard Klein Award for Choral Excellence, Grand Rapids Community College Giants Award and Emeritus Faculty, the Lifetime Achievement Grand Award in theater and the Distinguished Service in the Arts Award presented by the Arts Council of Grand Rapids. Most recently Duane received the Distinguished Alumni in the Arts award from Kent State University. His compositions have been premiered by the Grand Rapids Symphony and numerous choral ensembles. Duane and Kaye have three children (two sons are university professors in music) and a daughter (an elementary principal in New York City).
