The recent death of a revered North Carolina musical figure reminds us of the significance of teachers in our lives.
Of course, Dr. Lara Hoggard was a multi-faceted choral conductor and arranger who did more than teach. From humble beginnings learning Beethoven’s piano Minuet in G by ear, he went on to replace the legendary Robert Shaw as associate conductor of Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, and to serve as music director for an NBC radio program, the Ford Sunday Evening Hour.

But music lovers in the Carolinas remember him best and revere him for his work as a music professor at UNC Chapel Hill, where he arrived in 1967 as the first William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Music. Apart from establishing the renowned Carolina Choir and the countless performances he conducted, the teacher lovingly referred to as “Doc” influenced the lives of countless students and musicians. Among them are J. Don Coleman, the acclaimed founder of the Hickory Choral Society. http://http://www.hickorychoralsociety.com/mainpage.html
I confess to learning about Dr. Hoggard’s significance only after his death was brought to my attention. But there are a couple of sites that will tell you more about this remarkable man and musician at the North Carolina Summer Institute for Choral Art http://www.ncsica.com/dr__hoggard.htm and the Music Department at UNC Chapel Hill. http://music.unc.edu/Hoggard%20obit
And as always, you are encouraged to post any thoughts or reminisences you may have about Dr. Hoggard here at WDAV’s blog.