Dr. Nelita True Laires

1936 - 2021

Dr. Nelita True Laires passed away Sunday, January 17, 2021.
She was, according to Clavier Companion magazine, "One of the world's most sought-after and beloved pianist-teachers."
Preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband Fernando Laires, she is survived by her perfect brother, Wesley (Marilyn), step-daughters Jennifer Laires Hilterbrick (Scott), Barbara Cambell (Ken), and Suzanne Borbon, nieces Carolyn True (Brian Petkovich) and Amy Nelita Belden (David), and seven grandchildren.
Dr. True was born in Bozeman, Montana, in 1936. A lover of walking, while those much younger flocked to the elevator, Dr. True always took the stairs. She hiked as often as her schedule allowed, traveling the mountains and trails of her beloved Montana. A favorite spot was Pallisades Falls outside of Bozeman. She was intrigued by numbers and their qualities, remembering important dates (family, friends, colleagues, and student birthdays) at the drop of a hat. A regular correspondent, she rarely let a card, letter, or email remain unanswered. Her memory was impressive, be it musical scores, or every outfit she wore in high school.
Since Dr. True made her debut at age 17 with the Chicago Symphony in Orchestra Hall and her New York debut with the Juilliard Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall, her career took her to the major cities of Western and Eastern Europe, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Iceland, New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Canada, India, and to Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as to all 50 United States. She was a visiting professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, performing and conducting master classes and had been in the People's Republic of China more than 20 times for recitals and master classes.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan as a student of Helen Titus, Dr. True went on to Juilliard to study with Sascha Gorodnitzki, and then earned the DMA with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory. In Paris, she studied with Nadia Boulanger on a Fulbright grant. Dr. True was the epitome of artist/teacher, teaching at Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp, was a Distinguished Professor the University of Maryland, College Park, The Eastman School of Music (1989-2018, Professor Emerita 2018-2021), and in hundreds of workshops and master classes across the globe.
Professor Emerita Nelita True was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching at Eastman, the 2002 Achievement Award from the Music Teachers' National Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Graduate Education from the University of Rochester, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference (USA).
Dr. True has been a jury member for the China International Piano Competition (Beijing), the Queen Sonja International Piano Competition (Oslo), the National Piano Competition in Brazil, the Horowitz Competition (Kiev), the Concours de Musique in Canada, the PTNA (Tokyo), the Lev Vlassenko Competition in Australia, and the Gina Bachauer, New Orleans, Hilton Head, and William Kapell International Piano Competitions in the United States.
Above all, Nelita was an incredible human being, always listening, caring, and interacting with everyone she met. The family asks you to remember her musicianship, her teaching, her grace, her infectious laugh, and her charm. The world is lessened by her physical absence, but her legacy will continue through her family and her students far and wide. There will be a celebration of life at the Eastman School of Music at a later date.