Dr Bruce C. Benward's Obituary
Dr. Bruce C. Benward, 86 of Butterfield Trail Village in Fayetteville, died September 15, 2007. He was born June 29, 1921 in Churubusco, Indiana to the late Charles and Maude Benward.
He received his undergraduate and masters degrees from Indiana University and his Ph D from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. Dr. Benward, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, is the author of numerous music theory textbooks including, Ear Training: A Technique for Listening, Sightsinging Complete, Practical Beginning Theory, and the Music in Theory and Practice series. His distinguished teaching career, spanning nearly 50 years, included appointments as Professor of Music Theory and Chairman of the Music Department at the University of Arkansas and at the University of Wisconsin as well as having received an honorary doctorate from Bowling Green State University. He served on the editorial boards for the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, College Music Symposium and Computers in Music Research and was an onsite examiner for the National Association of Schools for Music for 40 years. He also served as a distinguished visiting Professor of Music Theory at Florida State University. His career-long research in perception and analysis resulted in the development of the macro analysis system and the founding of the Macro Analysis Creative Research Organization. Dr. Benward was widely regarded as one of the most gifted music theory pedagogues since his textbooks first appeared in the 1960?s and was recognized for having exerted a wide influence on the teaching of music theory both through his writings and through the generations of teachers whom he taught.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Mary Gene of the home, and a brother, Bill of New Mexico.
Survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Cindy and Dewitt Smith III of Bella Vista, Arkansas, Tammy and Don Mikolasy of Atlanta, Georgia, and Nadia and Bob Webster of Delafield, Wisconsin; a sister Betty Hunter of Cedar City, Utah; seven grandchildren, Brandon Smith, Whitney Smith, Andrew Mikolasy, Taylor Mikolasy, Kara Sarbacker, Alex Webster, and Mackenzie Webster; and two great grand-children.
A memorial service will be held in Madison,Wisconsin in November.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Visitation Date Time None Visitation Location Service Date Time Service Location A memorial service will be held at a later date in Madison, Wisconsin
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