Gordon Almstead » “Mr. A”

Gordon Almstead joined the OWU faculty in September 1951 following four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and his graduation from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The Pittsfield, Massachusetts native studied at Curtis with Gian-Carlo Menotti, Marion Szeckely Freschl, and Richard Bonelli. Prior to his arrival at Ohio Wesleyan, he was on the voice faculty of the Philadelphia Musical Academy and was a member of the American Opera Company and the Strand Opera Company.

In 1952, Gordon Almstead worked with an eight-man Glee Club, adding the Glee-ettes and presenting the first public performances in 1953. Those concerts were the first of what became a tradition of OWU Men's Glee Club performances and tours throughout the United States and Latin America. For the undergraduate music majors and non-majors alike, membership in the Glee Club and Glee-ettes was a source of musical pride and joy throughout their university years and beyond.

In addition to teaching voice, harmony, music appreciation, and opera workshops, Gordon Almstead performed as a bass soloist and directed operas, operettas, and Broadway musicals in Ohio, including service for 30 years as a director in the OWU High School Music Festival. A member of the Inter-Collegiate Musical Council, the Ohio Music Educators Association, and the Music Educators National Conference, Professor Almstead was a leader in public school and collegiate music education for more than three decades.

Gordon Almstead retired from Ohio Wesleyan University in June 1984, and lived in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard with Harriet, his wife of 21 years. The October 1998 reunion concert marked the third time the Glee Club and Glee-ette alumni came together from across the county to sing and honor Gordon Almstead, their teacher, mentor, and friend. Although he will be missed by all, the memories are as fresh as the music he created in all of us.

Many Glee Club and Glee-ette Members have their own personal recollections about Mr. A, some of whom have submitted their thoughts for this Web site. Go to Memories of Mr. A.

Gordon M. Almstead Memorial Scholarship Fund

At the dinner following the 1998 reunion concert, Dr. Courtice announced to those assembled that the Gordon M. Almstead Memorial Scholarship Fund had been fully endowed in an amount exceeding $20,000 through a generous gift of $10,000 from the four Almstead children and by contributions from members of Gordon Almstead's many Glee Club and Glee-ette groups, his former music students, and his many friends.

The purpose of the Fund is to benefit students at Ohio Wesleyan University who choose to study music. It will assist students studying voice with their tuition expenses. These students may be both declared music majors or students who simply wish to study voice in addition to their declared majors. The recipient of the Scholarship for 2007-2008 is Marie Elyse Krulewitch from Indianapolis, Indiana. Click here to read her acceptance letter.