Tribute Concert for Robert Chesebro Nov. 11

Furman University music faculty and guests will present a concert honoring retired faculty member Dr. Robert Chesebro Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall on campus.

“A Tribute to Robert Chesebro” is free and open to the public.

Joining faculty member Dr. Cecilia Kang are guest clarinetists and alumni Dr. Elizabeth Crawford (Class of 1982) of Ball State University; U.S. Army Field Band members Sergeant First Class Jennifer Everhart (Class of 2002) and Staff Sergeant Erik Franklin (Class of 2011); and Dr. Tod Kerstetter (Class of 1985) of Kansas State University. Furman music faculty member Dewitt Tipton provides piano accompaniment.

Guest clarinetists are former students of Chesebro. Chesebro joined the Furman music faculty in 1965 and retired in 2015 after a 50-year career with the university.

The program includes works by Jean Françaix; Luigi Bassi; Felix Mendelssohn; Gustav Holst; and traditional and contemporary pieces arranged by Kerstetter.

Also paying tribute to Chesebro is a 20-plus member Paladin Clarinet Choir comprised of Chesebro’s current and former students, Furman Clarinet Studio members and other friends.

During his tenure at Furman, Chesebro was the Charles E. Daniel Professor of Music. He was instrumental in helping generations of student musicians earn top honors. More than 60 of his students won first chair in the South Carolina All-State Band and 33 more garnered first place awards in the state Music Teachers Association Woodwind Competition. In the community Chesebro served 25 years as music director and conductor of the Carolina Youth Symphony. He has also conducted the Furman University Symphonic Band, Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Hendersonville Symphony and several all-state bands.

As an artist and clinician for the Yamaha Corporation, Chesebro provides woodwind clinics for students with a special “how to practice” routine. Recently, he joined former student and guest Kerstetter in co-authoring The Everyday Virtuoso, a book featuring a structured approach to developing virtuoso technique for advanced high school and college students.

Chesebro holds doctorate and master’s degrees from Indiana University and a bachelor’s from Wisconsin State University.

For more information about the event, contact the Furman University Music Department at (864) 294-2086, or email the department at FurmanMusic@furman.edu.