Robert S. Freeman *67

Born Aug. 26, 1935, in Rochester, N.Y., Bob died Oct. 18, 2022, in Austin, Texas.

Bob earned a B.A. in music from Harvard and a diploma in piano performance from the Longy School of Music while performing as a professional oboist. He earned a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1967 and was a Fulbright scholar in Vienna.

After serving on the music faculties of Princeton and MIT, Bob was director of the Eastman School of Music from 1972 to 1996. He preserved and expanded the Eastman School campus, which became a bulwark against the urban decline threatening Rochester’s city center.

After leaving the Eastman School, Bob served as president of the New England Conservatory, then became dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin.

Bob’s books include The Crisis of Classical Music in America: Lessons from a Life in the Education of Musicians; Gilbert Kalish: American Pianist; and Woof!: A Love Story of Dogs, Music, and Life.

Bob was predeceased by his wife of 42 years, Carol; and Katharine McNally, his first wife and the mother of his children. He is survived by his children, John and Elizabeth; his stepson, Scott; and four grandchildren.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.