Donald Wayne BETTS

Died peacefully after a brief illness May 31, 2021, in Simsbury, Connecticut. He was Professor of Music at Macalester College in St. Paul, from 1959 until his retirement at age 77. He spent his life as a concert pianist, a composer of approximately 150 works, and a teacher of piano, music history and literature and composition. He also co-founded the Macalester Trio, which was active in concertizing and recording. Born in Absecon, NJ, in February, 1929, Don graduated from Pleasantville High School and studied piano with Hedwig Rosenthal and Clarence Adler in New York City. He later attended Mitchell College in New London, CT, and received his Master's degree in Music Performance from Indiana University in Bloomington. While in his 20s, he gave several New York solo piano recitals, including in Times Hall, Town Hall and Carnegie Hall. He served in the Army in Japan during the Korean War, playing clarinet in an army band and soloing with the Yokohama Symphony Orchestra. Don married Jane Colville in 1954 and they had one daughter. The couple divorced in 1973. Don married Colleen Sathrum, now Hayne, in 1975 and they had one son. The marriage ended in divorced in 2002, after which Don reconciled with Jane, and they "took care of each other" until her death in 2016. From 1977-2015, he lived in Afton, MN, on a property he loved, after which he moved closer to family, first to California, and finally to the Hartford area in Connecticut. As a pianist, Don performed a wide repertoire, but was particularly eloquent with the Romantics: late Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin and Liszt. As a contemporary composer, he also saw his works as "Romantic" although the melodies and harmonies often used the twelve-tone scale, favoring variations in texture, rhythm, and dynamics, rather than traditional melodies and harmonies. In 2016, Don self-published a book of essays on music, culture, and his personal philosophy, "Interiors" available from Amazon. Until age 90, he posted videos on YouTube in which he played shorter piano works that he enjoyed; these may be accessed by searching YouTube for Donald Betts, Pianist. In his last years in Connecticut, Don enjoyed a loving relationship with Sylvia Slattery, who sadly predeceased him earlier this year, and was thankful for the renewed long-distance friendship with his former wife, Colleen, and the good care from McLean Health Center. He is survived by his daughter, Kathryn (Katy) Adams (Mark) of West Hartford, CT; his son, Tim Betts, of Cle Elum, WA; grandchildren Harrison Adams (Phuong) and Jocelyn Adams; nephew, Steve Hodsdon; cousins and great-nieces and nephews. In addition to all the obvious accomplishments, we will especially remember his sense of humor and keen interest in politics and social causes. I know many former students and friends will miss him. Donations in Don's memory can be made to the Carter Center, which funds health and peace missions, at the link below: https://secure3.convio.net/carter/site/Donation2?1560.donation=form1&df_id=1560 Memorial will be held on Zoom, Sunday, June 27 at 1:00 PM Central time. Please email Katy (kbaphd@gmail.com) to request the link to attend.