AUSTIN, Texas—Nelson G. Patrick, associate professor emeritus of music in the School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, died Saturday, July 31, here. He was 92 years old.
Although retired from the university in 1995, Patrick continued to teach classes at the School of Music until 2002. He taught in various capacities and at various educational levels for 70 years in Texas, and was widely known and respected for his influence on several generations of young musicians.
Patrick was hired in 1960 by E. William Doty, then dean of the College of Fine Arts, to “sell the Music Department to the State of Texas.” During his 42-year career Patrick was an assistant dean (1968-1976), associate dean (1976-1977) and acting dean (1977-1978) of the college. From 1964 to 1971, Dr. Patrick organized and directed the School of Music’s first Longhorn music camps. His teaching specialties ranged from the physics of acoustics, orchestration and band arranging, and designs for instruction, to the history of the American Concert Band.
While touching the lives of the thousands of music students, Patrick was the state director of music for the University Interscholastic League (UIL) from 1961 to 1984. As director he created and organized the Texas State Solo Ensemble Contest, the Texas State Marching Band Contest, the Texas State Wind Ensemble Contest and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He continued his involvement in the UIL as a consultant to the State director of music from 1984 to 2004.
Patrick was also closely involved with the Texas Music Educators Association for decades and served as band chairman, as vice president (1956-1957), as president (1957-1958), and on the Board of Directors (1961-1984). In 1994 he was honored by the university’s Student Music Educator chapter with an endowed scholarship in his name, one of the few scholarships established by a student organization at The University of Texas at Austin.
Friends and colleagues have many fond memories of his years of teaching and recruiting music students, visits to hundreds of high schools across the state and the resulting phenomenal growth in music enrollment.
“It was certainly a privilege to work with Dr. Patrick—a person who epitomizes music education,” said Dr. Glenn Chandler, director of the School of Music.
“Dr. Pat touched the lives of countless music educators in Texas and beyond,” recalled Dr. Hunter March, professor of music and human learning and long-time colleague of Patrick. “His students and his teaching were the center of his life. His home and office were always open to current and former students, many of whom became his best friends. The men of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia will long remember the famous cheesecakes he baked for every fraternity party he hosted.”
Patrick is survived by his sister, Lola Mae Campbell, who lives in San Antonio, and 15 nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Home on 200 E. Franklin St. in Hillsboro, Texas. The funeral home can be reached at 888-261-2384, 254-582-2581 or through the Marshall and Marshall Funeral Home Web site. Visitation and viewing hours, a chapel service and graveside military service were held on Saturday, Aug. 7. Donations may be sent to either of two scholarship funds established in Patrick’s name:
The Nelson G. Patrick Scholarship Fund
B. Glenn Chandler, Director
University of Texas School of Music
1 University Station, E3100
Austin TX 78712-0435
512-471-3157
bgchandler@mail.utexas.edu
Richard Floyd
UIL State Director
P. O. Box 8028
Austin, TX 78713
512-471-5883
uilmusic@uts.cc.utexas.edu
For more information contact: Bruno Longarini, College of Fine Arts, 512-475-7021.
