Donald James Erb

Erb-Donald James, died at home in Cleveland Heights Ohio on August 12, 2008 at the age of 81. Dr. Erb was a respected composer and educator most recently with The Cleveland Institute of Music from which he retired as Distinguished Professor of Composition in 1996. Since 1980, Dr. Erb has spent many happy days at his property, just outside Spencer, WV. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lucille (nee Hyman) of Cleveland Heights; daughters Christine Hoell (John) of Columbus, OH, Stephanie Erb (Arthur Hanket) of Columbus OH, and Janet Carroll (Chris) of New Jersey; son Matthew Erb (Beth) of Columbus, OH; and nine grandchildren. Dr Erb. received his B.S. from Kent State University, his Masters of Music from The Cleveland Institute of Music and his Doctor of Music from Indiana University. He had major commissions from the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony and others. His compositions have been performed by major artists and orchestras around the world. Over the years he was in demand as a visiting lecturer and has given master classes and concerts at well over 150 colleges, universities and conservatories in the United States and abroad. He served the national music community as the Chairman of the Composer Librettist Panel of the National Endowment For the Arts from 1977 to 1979 and as President of the American Music Center from 1981 to 1984. A cardiac arrest suffered in 1996 severely curtailed his activities as both a composer and lecturer. Dr. Erb was born in Youngstown, Ohio on January 17, 1927 and grew up in Ohio. The loan of a World War I cornet by a great aunt in Oberlin, Kansas, set the course for Dr. Erb’s future. After serving his country in the US Navy in World War II, he continued to make arrangements for, and play in, local dance bands while studying trumpet and composition at Kent State University. Although Dr. Erb received an extensive introduction to serialism and neoclassicism as a student, he never considered himself a part of any “school” of composition and maintained an attitude of fierce independence as a composer. Of his music he said “a craftsman can create entertainment, but you need more than that to create art”. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Donald Erb Scholarship Fund at The Cleveland Institute of Music, 11021 East Blvd Cleveland, OH 44106 or Hospice of the Western Reserve, 300 E. 185th St, Cleveland, OH 44119. Funeral services will be held at Lakeview Cemetery, 12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106.

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