Haskell Behrend "Hal" Small

1948 - 2024

Haskell "Hal" Behrend Small, 75, passed away on June 1, 2024 in Washington, DC.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betsy (Elizabeth Howard) Small, their daughters Sarah and Rachel, and his sister, Sherry Sundick.

Haskell was born in Washington, DC, on June 3, 1948, the son of Ruth Behrend Small (a classical and jazz pianist) and Colonel Charles Haskell Small (a chemical engineer and real estate developer).

He attended John Eaton Elementary School, Georgetown Day School, and Congressional High School, followed by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) where he double-majored in Electrical Engineering and Physics.

During his freshman year at CMU, he formed a band called The Plant, for which he played the organ. This experience shaped his decision to leave his university studies and move to San Francisco's Haight Ashbury to pursue his goal of becoming a rock star. While there, his musical focus shifted. He began studying classical piano and composition with Robert Sheldon at the San Francisco Conservatory, inspiring him to return to CMU to major in piano and composition.

He met his future wife Betsy in harmony class at CMU, and they married in 1971 at the home of Betsy's parents in Massachusetts.

In 1972, Haskell and Betsy moved to Washington, DC. Haskell joined the faculty of the Washington Conservatory of Music where he served as Piano Department Chair and taught piano and composition to children and adults for more than four decades. He was known for his patient and personalized approach to teaching and his dedication to mentoring students with diverse learning styles, having been sensitized to these issues by his own dyslexia. He extended his love of sharing piano by volunteering at Sitar Arts Center and performing at senior residences. He continued his own musical education, studying with renowned pianists Leon Fleisher and William Masselos.

Haskell's repertoire was vast and he amassed an extensive discography, including works by J.S. Bach, Gershwin, Hovhaness, Brahms, and Mompou, as well as his own compositions, which range from energetic, tense, and dynamic to quiet, spacious, and mystical, incorporating elements of contemporary, atonal, classical, and jazz.

He performed around the globe, both at quaint, quiet monasteries, as well as at prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Kennedy Center. He was heralded by Musical Times for his "dazzlingly prodigious technique," and The Washington Post wrote, "Small wove a spell...sheer musicality...each note a liquid jewel."

Haskell's love of varied forms of artistic expression resulted in collaborations with and compositions for a wide range of multidisciplinary projects, including co-creations with dance companies, orchestras, art museums, and children's classrooms.

Haskell was an avid player of the ancient Chinese strategy game called Go. He organized the first US Go Congress in 1985, and in 2016 he was instrumental in founding the National Go Center in Washington, DC. He composed A Game of Go, a multimedia piece for two pianos and animated film. This piece interprets a famous Go match in which each piano represents one of the players; the music is synchronized to the game's progress as stones are played across the board.

Haskell's love of peace and quiet, as expressed in his music, was also reflected in his activism. Finding it difficult to work in his home studio with the noise of gas-powered leaf blowers, he organized a committee of Wesley Heights residents, who eventually succeeded in banning gas-powered leaf blowers in DC, a movement that is gaining momentum nationwide.

In February 2021, Haskell suffered a stroke which rendered the left side of his body paralyzed. He used his longtime dream of learning and playing Beethoven's monumental Diabelli Variations as a creative muse for his rehabilitation. During this time, as he practiced this exceptionally challenging piece with unwavering commitment, he also wrote arrangements of masterworks and new compositions for right-hand only. He eventually returned to playing with both hands, culminating in a performance of The Diabelli Variations at Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Hall, and a "Celebration of Healing" tour.

Haskell received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in January, 2024. After a series of complex surgeries, he ultimately lost his battle with hospital-acquired pneumonia and passed away on June 1, 2024. He was buried in Columbia Gardens, an arboretum cemetery, on June 5, 2024, the day he had been scheduled to perform The Diabelli Variations at Carnegie Hall. He was laid to rest with a copy of the score, adorned with flowers and surrounded by loved ones.

A Celebration of Life ceremony for Haskell will take place on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 1 p.m. Please contact his family at haskell@haskellsmall.com">haskell@haskellsmall.com">haskell@haskellsmall.com">haskell@haskellsmall.com for additional information.

Donations on Haskell's behalf can be made to:
Washington Conservatory of Music
Sitar Arts Center
Arts Club of Washington
American Go Foundation