Passages.

Willis Francis Ducrest, MTNA president from 1965-1969, died April 29, 2004, at the age of 93. Ducrest served MTNA in many ways throughout his life including as national vice president for four years prior to his term as president. He also was elected national treasurer and served from 1979-1987. Prior to being elected treasurer, Ducrest was presented with MTNA's Distinguished Service Citation in 1976. As a charter-founding member of the MTNA Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors from 1972-1987, he was granted honorary life membership to MTNA.

Ducrest also served as state president of the Louisiana Music Teachers Association (LMTA) from 1955-1959, and in 1971 he was granted honorary life membership in LMTA. As a member of the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) and Music Educators National Conference, he served as festival chair for more than twenty years. Ducrest was admitted to the LMEA Hall of Fame in 1984. From 1965-1969, he was a member of the National Music Council, which was established by Congress. In 1969-1970, he was granted honorary life membership in Phi Mu Alpha (music-men), and a citation as one of thirteen leading music educators in America. Sigma Alpha Iota (music-women) recognized his achievements in 1983 with a national arts associate membership.

Ducrest had a national reputation as a music educator, singer, choral arranger and conductor, with many of his choral arrangements being published by G. Schirmer. During his career in education, he joined the faculty of the Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), in 1940, and became director of the school of music in 1946. Prior to serving on the ULL faculty, he had served on the faculties of Louisiana State University and the Oklahoma College of Fine Arts. In 1962, Ducrest founded the Opera Guild at ULL, and during his tenure he managed sixty-three successful operas. In 1977, he retired from ULL.

Donations on behalf of Ducrest may be sent to the ULL School of Music Scholarship Fund for the Willis F. Ducrest Endowed Scholarship or the Willard and Alice Clark Simons Endowed Scholarship, c/o The ULL Foundation, P.O. Box 44290, Lafayette, LA 70504. Donations also may be sent to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston St., Ste. 200, Lafayette, LA 70503.

Danielle J. Martin, professor of piano and keyboard division head at The University of Texas at Austin (UT), died April 29, 2004, at the age of 56. Martin, an MTNA member for more than twenty-five years, had been critically acclaimed for her artistry and versatility as a solo recitalist, chamber musician, instrumental and vocal collaborator and orchestral soloist.

Originally from New York, Martin joined the UT faculty in 1972. Prior to joining the UT faculty, she attended the Dalcroze School of Music, and earned a B.M. degree from Oberlin Conservatory in 1969 and an M.M. degree from the Peabody Conservatory in 1971. Her principal teachers included Olga Stroumillo, Jack Radunsky and Leon Fleisher. She pursued additional study with John Perry and Menahem Pressler.

Martin was invited to perform and teach at Leon Fleisher's seventieth birthday celebration, which was held at the University of Kansas, and was one of ten teachers selected nationwide to serve as Mobil Ambassador of the Ninth Van Cliburn Competition. As the recipient of distinguished teaching and arts leadership awards, she also appeared at prestigious music schools and music teachers' conferences, as well as at the Music Academy of the West and the Tanglewood and International Round Top Festivals.

During her career, Martin performed and taught throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Korea and Jamaica. She also had been heard throughout Europe in radio broadcast. In January of 2002, Martin was invited by The Music Society of Korea for Music and Musicians to participate in a two-week residency in Seoul, Korea. She also had premiered many works, as well as served as an adjudicator and outside evaluator for professors at institutions throughout the United States.

The co-founder and director of a musical AIDS fundraiser, which has served as a model for similar fundraisers across the country, Martin also initiated and administrated the Sidney M. Wright Endowed Presidential Scholarship Competition in Piano Accompanying. The competition, held at the University of Texas, encourages and rewards collaborative artistry. In October of 2002, she was featured in a panel presentation about the future of piano pedagogy at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference.

The Danielle Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established in the School of Music. Anyone wishing to make a donation may send it to The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station E3100, Austin, TX 78712-0435. For more information contact the School of Music at [phone].