Page 6 COMMENT June 1979 Jur Alumni Board Dr. Johnson receives Dixon Award nominations open A surprised Dr. Clair W. Johnson accepted the baton from Weber State College band director Dr. Herbert Cecil and led the band in his own composition, “The Bicentennial March. Dr. Johnson was honored at the May 4 Founders’ Day luncheon with the H. Aldous Dixon Award presented by the WSC Alumni Association for his many years of service as the music department chairman. He was a member of the faculty from 1937 to 1970. field playing trombone, tuba and horn. Turning to music education, he served as a band director in several Utah high schools. He developed top-ranking organizations during his early years of teaching. His Provo High School band was judged Utah’s outstanding band just before he joined the Weber State staff at the invitation of Dr. H. Aldous Dixon. His textbooks on band music are used widely by many high school and college students and his works are in every band music library in the nation. The WSC band played two of his arrangements at the luncheon and concluded with his march commissioned by the Utah Bicentennial Commission in 1976, led by Dr. Johnson as guest conductor. Dr. Johnson’s main musical activities began in the professional WSC Lecture and Artists Series, and was a member of the board of He served as chairman of the directors of both the Community Concert Association and the Utah State Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Johnson received a master’s degree from Brigham Young University, and then continued graduate work at Northwestern University and the Juilliard School of Music. He earned a Ph.D. degree at the University of Southern California. Nominations are now open for members of the WSC Alumni Board of Directors. Names and resumes of nominees should be submitted to the Alumni Office This award, presented annually, is given to an individual who has distinguished himself in outstanding service to Weber State and the community. Maestro ‘ Abravanel brought symphonic music not only to Ogden and Utah but the entire region. Maurice Abravanel was born of Spanish-Portuguese ancestry, in ‘1903 in Salonika, Greece, then moved to Lusanne, Switzerland where he first conducted at age 16. He studied in Berlin with Kurt Weill and received his first professional experience in Neustrelitz, Altenburg and Kassel, guest conducting from time to time at the Berlin Opera. He was later assistant to Bruno Walter of the Paris National Opera. _ In 1934 he went to Australia as director of the British National Opera Company. When the seasons in Melborne and Sydney were over, he was retained by the Australian Broadcasting Company for an entire year, during which he con- ducted ‘and a both symphony concerts series of 26.radio _per- formances English. of complete operas in Immediately after the war, he was recalled to Australia to conduct the concerts of the Sydney -mphony Society. He found such 1. New board Class notes Dr. Clair W. band. Johnson applauds WSC As a conductor and teacher it was n atural that he should turn to writing and he produced many solos, ensembles and larger works for school bands which were published. His music seems to express his reaction to the environment of the west. Dr. Johnson is married to the former Ruth Olsen and is the father of six children. Distinguished Service- Abravanel The Weber State College Alumni Association presented its prestigious accolade, the Distinguished Service Award, to Maestro Maurice Abravanel, musical director and conductor of the Utah Symphony. by August members will be elected by the current board from te f= nominations submitted by Alumni. year contract at a fabulous salary with the Radio City Music Hall to accept his present post. In 1947 Maestro Abravanel was engaged as musical director and Conductor of the Utah Symphony bringing a profound change to both the new orchestra and its new con- Quickly and Indiana University at Terre Haute, — Indiana. American Graduate School is devoted exclusively to training men and women for careers in international © management. satisfaction in developing his own orchestra there, that a year later, back in New York, he refused a five ductor. JIM HAWKES received the Idaho Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal at the organization’s Creative Awards banquet recently. He is president of Hawkes Advertising and past president of the Idaho Advertising Federation. He is a former broadcaster and publisher and has been active in volunteer work. He attended WSC 1962-64 and is a native of Ogden. DANIEL BRUCE TAGGART was awarded the degree of Master of International Management from Americat Graduate School of International Management recently at the Glendale, Arizona campus. He is a graduate of WSC adopted by his fellow Utahns, he set about to Shape the talented, enthusiastic local musicians into the kind of symphony orchestra that would one day command the respect of ‘music lovers and critics throughout the U.S. and ultimately the world. The Maestro set about to extend his orchestras influence into every corner of the state. He insisted on, and received, total dedication from his players with a result that they always deliver their best. In 1957 when only a handful of American orchestras were making commercial recordings, Abravanel WAYNE G. BROSTROM has received the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) — designation of the Realtors National Marketing Institute. Mr. Brostrom is a sales man for Real Estate Exchange and has been — in business for seven years. He is a member of the Ogden Board of Realtors. He attended© Weber State and has studied with the — Lumbleau School of Real Estate and the — Graduate Real Estate Institute. The CRS is — a certification of skill, experience and — documented activity in the field of real — estate. ELIZABETH MOORMAN has been © chosen as the Bonneville Business and © Professional Women’s Club Women of the 7 Year and will be honored at the Utah Federation of BPW Clubs’ annual convention in June. Mrs. Moorman is a teacher © at Club Heights Elementary School and has — taught ten years. She has been a Wehbe Education Association representative and 7 assisted the school’s Bicentennial Singers ~ tour of Washington D. C. She graduated © from WSC and received a master of science degree from the University of Utah. Sheisa 7 member of the Weber County League of 7 Women Voters. DR. PETER R. CHRISTENSEN has opened a dental practice in the Hereford. shire Professional Building, Roy. His practice will include all phases of dental treatment. Dr. Christensen received his BS, 7 degree from WSC and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry ) in June, 1974. He completed a General (> Practice Residency at the U.S. Public 7” Health Service Hospital in San Francisco, © initiated a recording program for Calif., where he had training in endodontics, the oral surgery, pedodontics, periodontics, prosthohontics, and restorative dentistry, He served with the U.S. Public Yel Service for the past 4% years, both in Wyoming and as chief dental officer at the outpatient clinic in San Diego, Calif. He is married to the former Dianne Edward and they are the parents of two children. DR. JEFFREY P. WHEELER, chiropractor, has opened his practice in Ogden. He studied at WSC and the Lis Angeles College of Chiropractic, where he received his Doctor of Chiropractor degree and a B.S. in biology. He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. H.G. Wheeler, Ogden and is marriedto the former Lael Dunn. Utah Symphony that later became the envy of orchestras in cities five and ten times the size of Salt Lake City. The 1978-79 season marks Abravanel’s 32nd year with the Utah Symphony. His is the longest tenure of any conductor with a major U.S. orchestra, except for Eugene Ormandy in Philadelphia. Mr. Tim Morris, president of the WSC Alumni Association, presented Mr. Abravanel with the award. 4 sho divi fing rece the a pe ness neg, thra pers denc prid app it i will dwri mo! or i the Ber son pro] not <6 pl ¢