Kent Wheeler Kennan

University of Texas Music Professor Emeritus Kent Wheeler Kennan, 90 died in Austin on Nov. 1, 2003. Mr. Kennan, a prominent composer, teacher and author, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 18, 1913, to Kossuth Kent Kennan and Sara Louise (Wheeler) Kennan. Prior to becoming one of only six music faculty members in the newly- created University of Texas College of Fine Arts in 1940, Mr. Kennan attended the University of Michigan and the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester, New York) from which he received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in composition and music theory. In 1936, Mr. Kennan won the coveted Prix de Rome in music. This allowed him to spend the subsequent three years in Europe, primarily at the American Academy in Rome. Before coming to UT, Mr. Kennan had taught for a year at Kent State University in Ohio. During World War II, Mr. Kennan served for four years in the U.S. Army. Except for two years at Ohio State University, Mr. Kennan spent the balance of his career at The University of Texas at Austin. He continued to teach composition and music theory at UT and during two summer terms at Eastman until his retirement in 1983, at which time he was named Professor Emeritus. Mr. Kennan was a nationally known composer whose works were performed by some 25 orchestras in this country under such conductors as Toscanini, Stokowski, Ormandy and Ozawa. His compositions also included piano pieces, chamber music, songs and choral works, many of them published, as were several of his transcriptions. His works persist on numerous CD and vinyl recordings. Mr. Kennan's two books on orchestration and musical counterpoint, written in the 1950s, have remained the leading texts in their fields. More recent editions of his works have been co-authored with UT Music Professor Donald Grantham. Mr. Kennan's professional affiliations included ASCAP, the National Association of Composers, USA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Society for Music Theory and Pi Kappa Lambda (honorary). He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome. In recognition of his accomplishments and contributions in his field, Mr. Kennan was the 2001 recipient of the William F. Doty medal of The University of Texas College of Fine Arts. He was among the first inductees into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame which was inaugurated in 2002. He was a charter member, longtime musician for and benefactor of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. Mr. Kennan was preceded in death by his parents and three half-sisters. Survivors include his half-brother, noted author, historian, diplomat and Russian expert George F. Kennan and several nephews and nieces and their children. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Kent Kennan will be held at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover in the near future at a date to be announced. Memorial contributions may be made to the Scholarship Fund of the School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, Hospice Austin, or First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin.