KSO establishes fund in honor of Haenicke

By Tim Croft
Western Herald

The late Diether Haenicke, former president of Western Michigan University, will once again be honored for his strong commitment to and love of the arts.

Haenicke passed away last year, and a new fund is being put into place by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra to help remember and pay tribute to him.

Diether Haenicke was a strong and important figure both on and off campus. Always keeping busy, Haenicke served as president of the board of directors for the KSO during the 1999-2000 season.
He held the post when current conductor and musical director Maestro Raymond Harvey was hired.

“Diether Haenicke loved the KSO,” said WMU Professor Emeritus of Theatre D. Terry Williams, who has helped organize the effort. “He loved its many partnerships with WMU.
He was most proud of the symphony when he was president of its board when they hired Maestro Raymond Harvey, who became a dear friend of both Diether and Carol [Haenicke.] They rarely missed a concert.”

This new fund will work in conjunction with Diether Haenicke Student Discount Tickets and the Diether Haenicke Principal Cello Chair.

“It seems fitting and proper to remember Diether’s love of music and the KSO by naming the cello chair in his honor,” Williams said.

The student discounts that the fund makes available are one way Haenicke’s legacy lives on.

Discounted tickets allow for students who may not typically be able to afford a symphony event, to be able to experience this well-respected orchestra for only $5 per concert.

The principal cello chair is the most important cellist in the symphony.
It is he or she who decides on the bowings to be used by the cello section.

The principal cellist is also featured to play any solo cello section that may have been written by the composer.

Diether Haenicke’s commitment to the arts helped shape the arts scene in Kalamazoo, and his legacy lives to continue the work he began. The Diether Haenicke Fund for Artistic Excellence will continue to honor Haenicke for generations to come.

This fund will officially be launched in February 2010, with major donors being recognized then.

Contributions of any size are happily accepted anytime and can be made by contacting the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra by phone at (269) 349-7759 or via their Web site at www.kalamazoosymphony.com.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Oct 28 2009. Filed under A & E. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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