July 30, 2015—The University of Oregon School of Music and Dance is pleased to announce the receipt of a significant gift of in excess of $374,000 from the estate of emeritus faculty member John Hamilton. 

 

The gift will support two separate funds, both related to organ studies at the UO.

 

The John Duncan Hamilton Organ Endowment will support the present and future maintenance, repair, and upkeep of Beall Concert Hall’s magnificent, Baroque-style Jürgen Ahrend pipe organ. 

 

During the 1972-73 academic year, John Hamilton supervised the installation of the organ, an instrument that has become a defining feature of the School of Music and Dance. 

 

The John Duncan Hamilton Organ and Harpsichord Visiting Artist Fund will bring esteemed visiting artists to campus to give an annual recital on the organ or on harpsichord. Guest artists will also interact with the UO and Eugene communities through presentations, lectures, or master classes.

 

“The School of Music and Dance is enormously grateful for this gift, which will serve as a lasting legacy to Professor Hamilton’s life and career,” said SOMD Dean Brad Foley. 

 

“Thanks to this support, the school is well-positioned to ensure the longevity of organ studies at the University of Oregon, as well as the care of our largest and most complex instrument,” Foley continued.

 

Professor Hamilton passed away on July 15, 2014. An accomplished musician and scholar, he taught organ, harpsichord, and music theory at the UO from 1959-1985. During his decades at the university, Hamilton divided his time between teaching and his researches and concerts in Europe and the United States.