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Donald Oglesby

(1947-2025)

Dr. Donald Oglesby, a professor emeritus of the from the University of Illinois, and a doctor of mu-
Frost School of Music and a pillar of its choral pro- sic degree with distinction from Indiana University,
gram for almost forty years, passed away on April 19 where he concentrated on choral conducting. Ogles-
at the age of 77. Oglesby was deeply devoted to mu- by served as president of the Florida chapter of the
sic education and music in the community. He joined American Choral Directors Association. He was on
the Frost School’s choral faculty in 1977. That same ACDA’s Research and Publications Committee and
year, Donald formed the Miami Collegium Musicum, the Editorial Board of the Choral Journal.
a hybrid collegiate and community choir, leading it Although he retired from the Frost School in 2016,
in performances at popular Madrigal Dinners (later he never stopped learning and being involved in
Holiday Dinners) during the Christmas season. In music. He frequently attended concerts at the Frost
1984 it became the choir for the Miami Bach Soci- School. He took cello lessons. He championed the
ety, where Oglesby, a passionate expert in Baroque importance of music in education, advocating for
and early music, was artistic director and conductor funding the arts in public schools. “He would argue
for many years, leading it in popular performances that you need music to have the most complete and
around South Florida and on tour internationally. He successful education,” his son Thomas said.
was also director of choral music at the historic Plym- Oglesby wrote several books on the Bach cantatas,
outh Congregational Church in Coconut Grove and including a guide to the scores for conducting stu-
taught for many years at a choral summer camp run dents. He took part in the annual choral workshops
by the Frost School. led by Robert Shaw at Carnegie Hall and the chorus
Donald held a bachelor’s of music from Birming- at the Oregon Bach Festival under Helmuth Rilling.
ham-Southern College, a master’s in musicology

44 CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1