Michael Zenge

Michael William Zenge



Michael Zenge died Saturday, January 14, 2023, at the age of 83. He was born and raised in Canton, MO. After graduating from Oberlin College, he received a master's degree in Piano Performance from the University of Illinois. In addition, he studied at the Mozarteum Hochschule für Musik in Salzburg, Austria. He taught piano at Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS for two years before moving to Chapel Hill, NC where he was Professor of Piano and Piano Literature at the University of North Carolina. While there he earned several teaching awards. He received a Fulbright grant to study piano at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Germany and later was named Fulbright Professor of Piano, teaching at the state conservatory in Taipei, Taiwan. He also taught Interpretation of German Art Song for many years at the Franz Shubert Institute in Baden, Austria. Upon retirement from UNC, he and his wife moved to Albuquerque where he gave recitals and masterclasses in piano performance and was often called upon to judge competitions throughout the state and beyond.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jeanine; son, Peter Zenge and wife, Jeanne, of Denver, CO; grandsons, Colin Zenge of New York, NY, and Cameron Zenge of Denver; brother, Denney Zenge and wife, Jayne of Oconomowoc, WI; sister-in-law, Sherry Hayes of San Diego, CA; and several nieces and nephews and their families.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 10:30 am at the Cathedral of St. John in downtown Albuquerque. Memorial gifts in his honor may be sent to Friends of Cathedral Music, c/o The Cathedral of St. John, Box 1246, Albuquerque, NM, 87103 or the Department of Music, University of North Carolina, Hill Hall, 145 E. Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3320.

Interment will be later in the spring in NC. Please visit our online guestbook for Michael at

www.FrenchFunerals.com.