David Johnson Dalton

I was a music major at BYU while Dr. Dalton taught and I remember that he put together "The 7 Deadly Sins of Performers" as a Thursday lecture for the music department. It was hilarious. He had students come tripping onto the stage and stopping in the middle of solo performances and it was just so funny. I also remember they did an April Fools concert, I think with Dr. Barrus, and I remember them playing a violin with two people holding strings between them as if they were sawing a log. When someone came to teach the different dances that people of Mozart's day knew, Dr. Dalton was the best dancer of the group. He was always in the middle of everything fun and funny that happened in the music department. He had such a great sense of humor.

I was a student of Dr. Dalton´s in the early 80´s. Even though I was not a music major he instilled in me a great love for the viola that continues to be with me still. He helped me gain greater confidence in my playing abilities which has allowed me to have many wonderful experiences playing the viola through the years. I also remember him eating lemon drops and his dry sense of humor. I will always be grateful for the love of music and encouragement he shared with me. Dr. Dalton was a wonderful teacher and kind man. May you feel much comfort and love as you mourn the loss of your husband, father and grandfather.
With Much Love,
Mary Cannon Clark

I first met Dr. Dalton when I was in the All State Orchestra and he was our wonderful conductor. I was so grateful I got study viola with him for the next 5 years while a student at BYU. I also was also fortunate to go on Study Abroad to Vienna where he was the director. I really got to know him at a less formal level and he genuinely cared about me and everyone else. When my husband and I had young kids, he and Donna came to our home and had breakfast and that was so special. I am so grateful that we saw him and Donna many times through the years and this past August. He gave me great advice, love of the viola, appreciation for Bach, and a love of travelling in Europe. I will miss him so much. I send my love to the entire Dalton family.

David and Donna have always been the kindest neighbors to us. We will miss wonderful conversations with our friend! Sending love to the Dalton family and especially to Donna during this time.

I was in the Salt Lake Symphony for many years under the baton of Dr. Dalton. He was wonderful. May the Lord's choicest blessings be with his family at this time of mourning.

I have Dr. David Dalton to thank for my career as a musician. He was my high school violin teacher and took an interest in me. A turning point happened when one day he challenged me to practice 3 hours a day during the next week. I took him up on the challenge and, needless to say, the results surprised me. He assured me that I could do anything on the violin I wanted to. My focus on music formed from that point on, and all through these last 50 years, making and teaching music as a violinist has been my lifetime pursuit. Thank you Dr. Dalton for believing in me!

Dear Melissa
We mourn with you at the death of your father. We are grateful for the knowledge that he has returned to his heavenly home and one day you will be together again. May you look back at the time spent with him as beautiful and precious. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family at this time of mourning.

I first met David Dalton in the Fall of 1972 when I came to BYU as a junior member of the faculty in the Department of Music. His office was right next to mine, he and Donna regularly invited my wife and me to their home for dinner and memorable after-dinner slide shows, and we quickly became friends. As the department´s library representative, I had the privilege of working with him and A. Dean Larsen in the developmental stages of the Primrose International Viola Archive, where I came to know and admire David´s vision, characteristic wit, and indefatigable devotion to the viola as well as the legacy of William Primrose, which he helped preserve by editing and arranging for the publication of Primrose´s memoir (Walk on the Northside) and pedagogical reminiscences (On Playing the Viola). I also had the pleasure of hearing David as a performing musician on various occasions and will never forget his performance of Schoenberg´s Pierrot Lunaire so that BYU students could hear this important work live for the first time. Over the course of my sixteen years at BYU, David and Donna became some of our best friends, and we always looked forward to seeing them when they periodically visited the School of Music at Indiana University, their beloved alma mater. With David´s passing, we mourn the loss of the viola´s greatest champion and our dear friend, and we send heartfelt condolence to Donna and his family. Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herrn sterben, von nun an. Ja, der Geist spricht, daß sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit; denn ihre Werke folgen ihnen nach.
Tom and Penny Mathiesen

Dear Hilary and family,
We are so terribly sorry for the loss of your beloved father. Our hearts and thoughts are with you all.
Much love.
Lori and Mike

Bishop Dalton helped me during a very difficult time of my life. At some really hard moments, he was my lifeline. I'd be falling to pieces in his office and he was always the perfect gentleman--so calm, patient, understanding, and rational. His support and care were constant.
I can't begin to count the number of times he was inspired to call me out of the blue when I was really struggling. My heart overflows with gratitude for him. He gave and served and cared so very much! Words cannot express how deeply he touched my life. I am forever grateful.

Dear Donna and Family,
I send my condolences to each of you on the passing of David. What a life he had and what a difference he made in so many lives. I was eager to attend the funeral, but my last living aunt passed away this week and her funeral in Idaho is the same day. Sadly I won't be able to attend but I wanted you to know I am thinking of you and wishing the Lord's blessings for you all.
Kory Katseanes

Profound condolences to Brother Dalton's family. There is no one quite like him. He was calm in a storm, yet engaging and grateful on a daily basis. Once I approached him with a heartfelt question on a topic of faith. I was seventeen years old, some 45 years ago. I have not the slightest recollection of exactly what we said, but I walked away satisfied that not only was I heard, but he was, too. He was teady as a rock, substantial like the Bread of Life. My husband and I anticipate a joyful reunion with him. Congratulations on his mortal graduation, if you will. And profound condolences for his loss.

After studying with Dr. Dalton at BYU he was the first person backstage at the close of my senoir recital to give me a giant hug. That made my entire schooling worth it!! I'll never forget the feeling that I had finally made it.