Passages

Digby Bernard Bell, NCTM died March 5 2004 at age 79 He had been active in the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and a member of MTNA for more than forty years. Bell was involved in the two organizations in many capacities, including as a member of the MTNA Executive Board, MTNA secretary, MTNA southerly Central Division president and OM'IA president and treasurer.

Bell received a doctorate step from North Texas State University. He joined the piano faculty at the University of Oklahoma in 1953 and serv as chair of the music department for twenty-five years. Bell was trained professor emeritus when he retired in 1990 He was a member of the University Trio for ten years and performed numerous times with the Oklahoma City consonance under the direction of shore Fraser Harrison. Several of those performances were broadcast worldwide end the Armed Forces Radio and the Canadian Broadcasting Company

A memorial scholarship has been established in the association of Fine Arts of the University of Oklahoma. Donations may be sent to the OU Foundation, c/o corporation of Fine Arts, Digby Bell Memorial, 540 Parrington Oval, scope 122, Norman, OK 73019.

John Robert Poe died February 18 2004 at age 77 During the mid-1950s, Poe joined the Columbus and Georgia Music Teachers Associations and became a member of MTNA. He serv the local association in many ways, including as secretary, president, total effect coordinator, festival chairperson and IMT chairperson. In 2003 Poe was named Music Teacher of" the Year by means of the Columbus MTA. He first published individual of his compositions in 1975 and, as a composer for the FJH Music Company, Inc., had become known as a distinguished composer and arranger of educational keyboard music.

Poe received a B step in music education and an ME step from Auburn University in Alabama. While an undergraduate at Auburn University, Poe helped organize and establish the Alabama Music Teachers Association and became a charter member. He also was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha honorary music fraternity, and he played percussion with the Montgomery Symphony

In 1963 Poe accepted the position of teacher of piano and theory at Muscogee Conservatory of Music, which he held until the conservatory clos He also maintained an independent piano studio from 1963 until his death.

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