Klarinet Archive - Posting 000175.txt from 1995/05

From: CLARK FOBES <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Death of Russel S. Howland
Date: Thu, 4 May 1995 20:43:28 -0400

I am very sad to make the announcement of the death of my former
teacher and friend, Russel S. Howland.

Mr. Howland died peacefully at San Joaquin Gardens, Fresno CA. on the
evening of May 3rd. He was 85.

Russel S. Howland was the Clarinet and Woodwinds professor at Cal Sate
University, Fresno from the late '40's until his retirement in 1975. In
the early part of his career I believe Mr. Howland had taught at the
University of Michigan, but for health reasons he moved to the very
warm and dry climate of Fresno.

As a teacher he was inexhaustible in his willingness to give to his
students. He and his wife ,Maxine, never had any children and I believe
they saw all of his students as their children and grand children.
Indeed, I have very fond memories as an undergraduate of having dinner
at the Howland's house and being trounced in "Scrabble".

As a musician Mr. Howland was easily the most veratile person I have
ever met. He was a virtuoso on the clarinet. Even at age 62 - 65, while
I was studying with him, he posessed a technique and fluency that was
beyond even the best of his students. He played all of the woodwinds
extremely well and at various times played principal oboe and principal
bassoon in the Fresno Philharmonic. By the time I was playing in the
Fresno Philharmonic Mr. Howland was playing principal string bass! He
was also adept at the harp and started harp classes at Fresno State.
His dedication to starting a harp program there was evidenced by his
studio of usually 10 students and his donation of a beautiful Lyon &
Healey harp to the school.

While I was studying with him he had no less than 55 clarinet and flute
students! But even the weakest among those students had a venue for
learning ensemble performance. Very early in his teaching career, Mr.
Howland used his abundant talents as an arranger to write for clarinet
choir. His arrangements eventually included flutes and, of course,
harp! Even though Mr. Howland will be widely remembered as a pedagogue
perhaps his greatest legacy remains in the wealth of music he arranged
for clarinet choir. (The majority of this music remains unpublished)

He has also written 10 original compositions for saxophone quartet and
hundreds of arrangements of Christmas tunes for the same ensemble.

Those of us who had the great pleasure of studying with him know that
there are many wonderful "Howland" stories. Stories about his pranks,
amazing musical feats and of course his inexhaustible supply of puns.
Maybe some of those stories will surface in the next few days as people
on this board remeber him. But, beyond the wondeful foundation he gave
to my basic musical skills I remember a man who was generous, energetic
supportive and exceedingly humble.

Farewell, dear friend. Like it or not, you will be remembered and
honored by many. Thank you for the wonderful talent you shared so
selflessly and for making a difference with your long and full life.

Clark W Fobes