Former University of Oregon School of Music dean Bernard J. Dobroski died on February 19 in Highland Park, Illinois. He was 76 years old.
Dobroski served as dean from 1986 to 1990. In an article celebrating the start of Dobroski’s deanship, he is described as a man “who is brimming with energy and has a dry sense of humor.” It said he was enthusiastic about Eugene, the school, and the job. “I didn’t come here with pet projects, but with a desire to help the faculty define a collective vision and help them reach that by whatever means necessary,” Dobroski said in the article.
“We are saddened to hear about the passing of Dr. Dobroski,” says current School of Music and Dance dean, Sabrina Madison-Cannon. “He is remembered by faculty as someone who brought the highest level of musicianship and collegiality to the School of Music. He was a passionate advocate for music and its place in the world.” His passion was exemplified by years of support as a donor to the School of Music and Dance, as well as Oregon Bach Festival, long after leaving Oregon, through 2022.
During his tenure, he also served as charter president of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the College Music Society and president of the Oregon Music Administrator’s Association. In 1986, he was invited to judge the Miss American Pageant, alongside such celebrities as Donald Trump and Arnold Schwarzenegger, before the former president and former governor took office.
“Every year, on Thanksgiving morning, he held a radio broadcast party at his own home as dinner was being prepared,” retired UO professor of musicology, Marian Smith, recalls fondly. “Faculty members were at the party, and they would perform. It was a lot of fun…and very festive. I also remember his great abilities as an accordionist…I enjoyed his performances at the annual Faculty Follies. Sometimes he would play while wearing an outrageous costume!”
"Bernie was the dean when I joined the faculty in 1987," adds associate dean of graduate studies and professor of viola, Leslie Straka. "He was very welcoming and supportive of junior faculty. He loved to have fun."
In an editorial commenting on his departure from the School of Music, a statewide Oregon newspaper wrote, “In his four years at the University, Dobroski has had an enormous impact on music education, and his influence on the cultural life of Oregon has been exceptional. Whether as cheerleader, participant, educator, or patron, he has indefatigably championed the arts. He can leave knowing his made a difference—a real difference—and that he will be missed.”
More than 30 years after his UO deanship concluded, the Dobroski family cherishes their fond memories of their time in Oregon. “Bernie’s first opportunity to serve as Dean came from the University of Oregon,” Sally Dobroski, Bernard’s wife, said. “We value the tremendous support we got from the university and community when we moved there with our two-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. Our years there greatly influenced our lives. To this day, we hold dear the friendships we made in Eugene.”
Dobroski began his musical career as an accordionist and later performed as a tubist and keyboardist. He received a bachelor’s in fine arts music performance from Carnegie Mellon University, a master’s in music performance and music history from Catholic University of America, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. from Northwestern University.
From 1968 to 1972, Dobroski was a member of the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. He was the founding editor of Accent, a national music magazine, and was a contributing editor to the Instrumentalist magazine.
He held several faculty positions at Northwestern University from 1974 to 1985, including assistant dean, director of undergraduate studies, and associate dean for administration, according to his obituary in Northwestern Now.
After serving as the UO School of Music’s dean for four years, he accepted a position as dean of Northwestern University’s Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music. In an article written to celebrate his move to NU in 1990, Dobroski said, “Any institution can teach students to play louder or faster than anyone else. It is the truly educated person who is able to really reach out and fill his potential as a human being. Music is a thread in the fabric of a comprehensive education. We can’t just be an ivory tower on University Place. We need to touch the lives of all our students.”
When he concluded his Northwestern deanship in 2003, he taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Bienen and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Upon retiring in 2020, he was named professor emeritus.
Dobroski is survived by his wife, Sally, and children, Andrea and Paul. Condolences for the family may be directed to Donnellan Family Funeral Services. The funeral service will be held at Kenilworth Union Church in Illinois on April 1 at 10:30 a.m.