Eastman Wind Ensemble founder dies

Fennell makes a guest appearance at the Eastman School to celebrate the Wind Ensemble's 50th anniversary in 2002.

rederick Fennell, founder of the Eastman Wind Ensemble and former faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, died December 7 at his home in Florida after a brief illness. He was 90.

"An amazing era has come to an end,"says Eastman School Dean James Undercofler. "The entire Eastman community is deeply saddened by the death of this remarkable man."

Widely regarded as the leader of the wind ensemble movement in the United States, Fennell '37E, '39E (Mas), '88E (HNR) began his legendary career at Eastman, first as a percussion major. He then joined the school's conducting faculty after receiving his master's degree. Fennell periodically conducted the Eastman Opera Theatre and the Eastman Chamber Orchestra, but will always be remembered as the creator of the Eastman Wind Ensemble.

In 1952, encouraged by Director Howard Hanson, Fennell developed a model for wind band performance with one player to each part, a "chamber music" approach that many say proved there was much more to band music than Sousa marches.

"Since the early 1950s, there can hardly be a wind performer or conductor who has not been introduced to or affected by--in some major way--the innovations of Frederick Fennell and his Eastman Wind Ensemble approach to musicality in the wind band world," says Eastman Professor Emeritus Donald Hunsberger, who led the acclaimed ensemble for 37 years (1965 to 2002).

After Fennell left Eastman in 1962, he was associate music director of the Minneapolis Symphony, then conductor-in-residence at the University of Miami and principal guest conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy and Dallas Wind Symphony. He was appointed conductor of the Kosei Wind Orchestra in 1984.

Fennell visited Eastman frequently, most recently in October, conducting the Eastman Wind Ensemble one final time on the newly renovated Eastman Theatre stage during Alumni Weekend 2004.

During his lifetime, the conductor received innumerable academic and professional honors, including induction into the National Hall of Fame for Distinguished Band Directors and into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. In 1992, Frederick Fennell Hall was opened in Kofu, Japan. Fennell also received an Eastman Alumni Citation in 1977, the University's "Distinguished Alumnus" Award in 1981, and an honorary doctorate in music in 1988.

"Fred Fennell changed music," says Mark Scatterday, current director of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. "He was the consummate professional and entertainer--and a class act in every way. He will be deeply missed, but never, ever forgotten."

Fennell is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Ludwig-Fennell, and his daughter, Catherine Fennell Martensen.

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