Richard F. Dennis
Oct 10th 1931 - Nov 10th 2005
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Peter Terry
January 18th 2006
Hello there Mrs. Dennis. It's you're old pal Peter Terry. Yuh know, the trouble maker? I had heard about your husband not too long ago from my mom and can't tell you how sincerely saddened I was by his passing away. I never really had the honor to interact with him as much as the others on this page did, but I will say this. When I DID get a chance to play under him or speak with him, I knew within a few moments that he was one of few people who I felt had a purpose on this planet of ours. He was brought here to inspire and touch the lives of so many people over his career. I can't tell you how much you and your husband meant to me, to all of the students you encountered. I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but you and your husband were quite the influential couple. Especially for me. I looked at you two and thought to myself,"they're doing what they love, maybe I can too." I'm just sad there aren't more like you two. Your kind only comes around once in a lifetime in these parts. So...thank you. And please e-mail me. I'd love to catch up and complain about how much a Northwestern vocal performance/music theatre student has to endure over these four years they call college.
Sincerely,
Peter Terry
Bob and Susy Springer
January 14th 2006
Dear Carol, I just read through the beautiful memories of Dick throughout his fabulous life. What a remarkable man and we feel so blessed to have known him and his humor. We loved listening to both of you playiing, when I brought my daughter Macy's family to your house and other times as we could hear the music floating across the lake from your house. I regret that I didn't get to hear a concert, but having both of you as our neighbor has always been a pleasure. My last memory was the day that you were out of town and he came to my house to ask if I could fix his sleep mask. At least my nursing career helped me know how to fix it and, in a very small way, bring him some comfort.
Please call me if you would ever like to get together. I know we travel a lot, but it would be fun to "do lunch" sometime. If I don't hear from you, I'll call you and set a date!
Mariann Scott (N.C.H.S. 1980)
January 6th 2006
A former NC student just recently told me about Mr. Dennis' passing. I had been thinking quite a bit about him prior to hearing the news. He was (as many former students have said)a major influence in my life. Even though I stopped playing the violin after graduating, his expectation of perfection and his humor still remain with me after 25 years. You always wanted to do your best at each performance. Thank you Mr. "D" for the tough love and for showing me that I could get through (without mistakes)the State Finals Competition. We won that year with a perfect score. My condolences to his family. Please know that he left a mark on so many that will continue his legacy for many years to come. God's speed Mr. Dennis.
Nancy (Kohrs) LaRoche
December 23rd 2005
I spent several summers learning from Mr. Dennis at I.U. summer music camp. He had such enthusiasm for kids and music! I remember his laugh and his crazy counting (1, 2, 27, GO!) I was honored to have him recommend me to play at Footlight once.
Thank you, Mr. Dennis, for all the fine memories and fun! You're one cool cat.
Carrie Luft NCHS '85
December 2nd 2005
Oh, Mr. Dennis. His high expectations and infectious, unconventional passion helped form me as a musician, and I hope to have carried those lessons into all areas of life. He presented us with repertoire that challenged many, yet inevitably we were induced to rise to the occasion. And who could ever forget his omnipresent "Scubby-dubby-doo" vocal accompaniment to nearly every composition?
I am honored to have had the right of "A" (yes, a bad oboe pun) under Mr. Dennis' direction. He never suffered fools, but he certainly knew how to make music. Even at the tender age of, oh, fourteen, I knew that his growling at me to "Take [my] oboe, throw it out the window, and run it over with a truck" during a lousy West Side Story run-through was merely "tough love." I wept upon learning of his passing and will treasure all my memories of him. I hope he's tossing his baton when that great orchestra in the sky misses the final rest in "The Messiah." Peace and all good wishes to Mr. Dennis' family and friends.
John Charles Melcher (NCHS '69
November 30th 2005
Richard Dennis changed my life. I was a budding "classical" composer in 1969 (who'd ever heard of such a thing then!), and nobody really knew what to make of it. Mr. Dennis did; he told me to write something for the NCHS orchestra and they would rehearse it in class (and I wasn't even an orchestra member).
A month or so later, armed with the score and set of parts for an absolutely forgettable piece music and a pass excusing me from whatever boring class I was supposed to be attending, I showed up in the rehearsal room. I handed out the parts and waited nervously for him to lead the orchestra through my first ever public "performance." But Mr. Dennis had other ideas. He naded me his baton and told ME to rehearse it! I spent - who knows how long, it seemed like an hour but might have been 10 minutes - learning on the spot how to conduct and rehearse.
The encouragement and the very real musical experience he provided gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of being a composer. Ironically, I found his e-mail address about a month before he passed away, and I wrote to thank him for his guidance and support, but his mailbox was full, and it bounced.
Abby Langhorst
November 21st 2005
I first met Mr. Dennis when I played for the Ohio Southwest Regional Orchestra in November 2003. I was pretty scared because I was only an eighth grader who had been invited to fill in as the fifth percussionist. My dad went in with me, and Mr. Dennis remembered him because my dad is a bass trombone player and a graduate of IU School of Music and who had worked with Mr. Dennis on some Mancini jobs many years before. That didn't matter, because Mr. Dennis remembered him anyway. He made the rehearsals seem more like fun and enjoyable instead of work, but we learned a lot from his expertise and experience. He also told great stories and I especially remember how he would count off saying "1, 2, 27, GO!" He always called us "gang" and it made us feel like we had known him forever, even though we only had worked with him over a 2 week period. I was really glad that he came back in 2004 so I got to see him again. He was a great conductor and teacher and will be greatly missed. In the words of Mr. Dennis, "Always hold your nose when speaking French."
Nathaniel Beversluis
November 21st 2005
Mr. Dennis was a man from whose very presence you could learn. "A teacher's job," he would say, "is to provoke thought," and this he did through his entire way of being. He would enter a room seeming to carry music in his walk. The first time I met him, he was playing his violin in a classroom prior to a middle school orchestra rehearsal. "Who are you?!", he exclaimed, wide-eyed, in an innocent and childlike voice. "I'm Nathaniel," I answered, a nervous seventh grader. To my utter bewilderment, he began to dance to and fro, twirling around with his violin and bow, singing, "Oh! Well I'm Dickie-Boy!" A familiar scene during high school passing periods was Mr. Dennis in the hallway, grabbing a favorite student by the shoulder, shouting that person's last name melodiously, improvising a boisterous song about him or her while playing air ukulele, and then erupting in laughter. "Hey derelict," he would say as he passed me -- slowly I realized that meant I was liked. Students outside the music department often didn't know what to make of him. Nor did some students in the music department -- he was a teacher to be experienced, not figured out. Rehearsals became laughing riots, as he invented outrageous analogies, made up rhyming words to the repertoire, and danced ballets on the podium.
Underneath all that clowning was the greatest musician most students would ever encounter. Mr. Dennis viewed music as asking from us a depth and sincerity of feeling that he saw missing from other parts of life. "I feel things, and I'm not ashamed to admit it," he would say, sometimes on the verge of tears, in rehearsal or to an audience. Admitting was hardly necessary. His whole personality was music and heart, radiating every moment I ever saw him playing the violin, rehearsing or conducting an orchestra, or teaching students.
I would skip classes and stay after school to spend time around him, helping him keep track of the contents of his desk or organize papers. (Together we usually got nowhere at that.) I would listen to trains of thought playing themselves out loud while he shuffled around his papers, usually beginning with something that had happened in school that day, but connecting soon to something of broad interest having nothing to do with school or that day. I would later reconstruct the train of thought and turn it over in my head for a week. He would come to a stopping point, sit back, and say, "So, what's on your mind?", as if he thought I might have come for something specific. I would ask him questions about music, knowing the conversation would never come around to a clear answer. What I really wanted was to hear what the question meant to him, and to listen to him talk. A particular look in his eyes, as he reclined in his office chair with his hands folded across his front, would tell me he was reaching back into decades of experience, remembering people he knew, places he played, jobs he had, and who knows what else. Then he would draw up some kind of response that he thought a teenager could understand, but that I could see was not a fraction of what had just crossed his mind. Sometimes it would be a story, or a description of a person he had worked with, or an example from the repertoire, other times a chuckle and a headshake and a wry comment. He told me how he'd once stayed up all night trying to play "West Side Story" at the piano, with his mother shouting down the stairs to knock it off. "The harmonies," he said, "I couldn't get over the harmonies."
"Keep your eyes and ears open."
"Don't get distracted."
"Music is an art and a discipline."
"Learn something every day, even if it's only something small."
"You don't have to take my word for it. Try it and you'll see."
Phrases like these stayed in my memory throughout college and graduate school.
Mr. Dennis's mentorship is a kind that does not end with his passing. Throughout the time I knew him, I sensed his presence and his lively spirit vividly whenever and wherever there was music. I will continue to look for him in all those places for the rest of my life.
Michelle (Staton) Groves
November 21st 2005
I never liked highschool, but the one thing I did love was Mr. D !!! He was the kind of person that could get you to believe in yourself and what you could do. My prayers go out to all who have felt this loss. He will be missed.
Ward Drennan
November 20th 2005
We were blessed to have Dick Dennis at NCHS. What a great talent! The musicals, Battle Hymn, New World and who could forget the '85 state title. Waltz of the Flowers was fantastic. I perform often and always remember the lessons of the legend, Mr. Dennis.
Alison Brown
November 18th 2005
I remember Dick Dennis first and foremost from Footlight Musicals, where he and Jenny were pillars of the organisation. I was quite relieved to find a familiar face when I was cast into the vast sea of people attending NCHS after years in cosy Orchard School. As a singer, I did not work directly with Dick very much, but did have the opportunity to be his first period assistant in my Junior year - a job which was light on actual work, but definitly a godsend for me in the rather chilly atmosphere I, as not one of the "in" group, experienced in the choral department. My condolences to all the family.
Ben Schafer (NCHS '90)
November 16th 2005
Mr. D. was truly one of a kind, a force of nature, and over the years I've internalized his lessons on how music (and anything one wants to do well) must be approached as a "mental and physical discipline." How he was able to get a bunch of kids to make that all-important connection between their minds and hands, year after year, is a mystery I'll never unravel.
Thanks, Mr. D., and best wishes to Ric and Carol, and the rest of your family.
Here's to an auspicious passage,
Ben (aka "Bob Dylan," aka "Coat")
Renee Dolphin
November 16th 2005
I had the most fortunate opportunity to work with Dick and Carol Dennis during my junior and senior year at Butler University. I first met "Mr. D" when he was my strings ed. instructor. I loved his class. He was always doing something out of the ordinary and until that point in my life, I had never had a teacher that referred to you as a "cat". His unconventional teaching style really inspired me as a young music ed. student. That year, I was to start making choices about who I would like to student teach with. I knew from the minute I met his wife Carol that I wanted to learn from her. I still got to see Mr. D too- Carol would invite me over to their place to debrief on the boat and he'd also come in to Carol's classes to conduct her orchestras. He'd count them off by saying stuff like (1,2,29,64...) What a team! It was such a blast and such an inspiration. I am so thankful for so many wonderful memories that I carry with me into my daily life and work. Bravo maestro! Grazie!
Suzanne (Powell) Callahan 1987
November 15th 2005
How powerful and uplifting to read over so many stories of the ways Mr Dennis has touched our lives. I now have three young children (8,6,4) who regularly attend local symphony performances. Had it not been for the amazing music dept at North Central and Mr Dennis' passion for kids and music, my children might never have heard any part of Dvorak's New World Symphony. I think I still have my part memorized...I hope my kids can experience those goosebumps from a great performance.
Jeff Woloshin
November 15th 2005
Mr Dennis, as i will always know him. when i was in 7th grade at Northview what a respected soul that will always be remembered. He was the god of music at that school. He would always stop by the stage office and shoot the bull with us. He was such a down to earth human. We will all miss him. GOD SPEED MR DENNIS
Sister Mary
November 15th 2005
God bless you, Carol, and all Dick's loved ones - and all who will miss him so much.
My memories of Dick are few but so VERY special. I met him when he and the Columbians came to St. Paul Hermitage to share their music which they did for over 25 years. Those hours of music, singing and violin pieces were so enjoyable. Often Dick called me and invited me to attend the performances he conducted at Univ. of Indpls. I will definitely miss his music, our phone visits and his "hugs".
Now I picture him serenading in heaven. May God reward him for all the joy he spread here among us in his lifetime. Pray for us, Dick. In gratitude.
Lisa Dovey
November 14th 2005
My sincerest sympathy to the Dennis family. Dick was such a gift and we thank you for sharing him with all of us. I have been a cantor at St. Pius X for the past 12-13 years. One of my biggest thrills was cantoring for an Easter Mass with Dick. He made me feel like I was someone special, which is even more tremendous when I learned from reading his story of all the truly great singers he had worked with. His musical gifts were not the only ones he possessed and generously shared. He made me feel better about who I was and that I was valuable. Dick was truly a person who was filled with God's grace and shared that with everyone. I didn't know him well but I knew he was special. His humility was evident and now even more apparent as his life story lists accomplishments that he never alluded to. He always was just coming by to fiddle around. Such joy his music brought to all of us. Bless you Dick-heaven is now resounding with the sweet sound of your music. May your family find comfort in knowing how much joy and love you brought to the world.
Gil Hoffer--alias: Snotty-Nose
November 14th 2005
Like many of you, Dick Dennis was a major influence on my development. I always took for granted the way he was able to explain what he wanted by picking up a fiddle and playing it, usually followed by some fantastic display of virtuosity at the end. I took for granted that my orchestra teacher was so active as an instrumental performer, with people like Henry Mancini, Julie Andrews, etc. When I chose music as a career, I just assumed that I would just do the same sorts of things, not really understanding how special all of that really was. He was fond of saying that we had no idea what a great example he was, but we would someday. He was right. I had no idea at the time how just by being himself he was providing me with the mindset necessary to succeed in music. What is even more cool is that now, twenty years into a musical career, I look at the list of folks who were touched by his character and expertise, and I see names of people that I have worked with at different times in different parts of the country and had no idea that they knew him. His contributions were indeed far-reaching, and will be sorely missed. His tireless efforts in the fields of music performance and education set a standard that many of us will try and fail to live up to. So long, Skag. --Love, Snotty-Nose
Michael Berkowitz
November 14th 2005
A truly remarkable man. He was an inspiration as a Musician and as a friend. He had me playing in the pit of Footlight Musicals when I was 15 years old and we traveled on the bus with Cobine's Merry Men on too many tours to remember.
He was the first person and possibly the only person in Indianapolis who "got me" and I am forever grateful.
David Leigh
November 14th 2005
I played percussion in the NC orchestra in '78-79 and was in Counterpoints with Ric. Before that I was also in Band. The NC music program was very influencial in my life and Dick Dennis was probably THE cornerstone of the program for those 32 years he was there (much respect for the other teachers as well!). The qualities that stood out? Caring, Demanding, Celebrating Excellence, Fun, Crazy, Challenging, Personal. Dick embodied all those qualities and set a high standard, that I'm not surprised has influenced, literally GENERATIONS of lives! He was the exact personality needed to help searching teenagers begin to get a handle on who they are. Dick, yours was a life of contribution and impact to be emulated. Thank you.
Ellen Wu
November 14th 2005
Mr. Dennis is the only teacher whom I’ve ever had that gave me head-butts on a consistent basis. How can anyone top that? When I think back about my time at North Central, my fondest memories are of orchestra—making new friends, selling M & M’s to get to Carnegie Hall, sporting the 70’s-style orange-red polyester, and later the late ‘80s/early ‘90s shiny red satin prom dresses, playing melodies that I still hum, and of course learning about music and life from the crazy Hungarian himself. Thank you, Mr. Dennis, for everything, and blessings to all the Dennis family.
Beverly (Settle) Johnson
November 14th 2005
I was a student of NC under Mr. Dennis' direction (oboe - class of 79). I see where people say Mr. Dennis makes them feel special and I suddenly realize that I'm not the only one! I loved his big hugs. I truly believe he was the most influential person in my life. I was able to have so many wonderful experiences because of him, Indpls Youth Symphony - traveling to Milwaukee, playing with the former Indiana Central Orchestra.
I just saw you play at Franklin College and when you became tearful on stage, it brought back so many memories of your passion for music and I know those students there that night, like I, will be touched forever. I will never forget you, Mr. Dennis. My sincerest condolences to the family.
Darrell E. Morris
November 14th 2005
To the Dennis Family,
I consider it a privilege to have known Dick for several years. I first met him in the 1970's when my first wife and I joined his Chorale. My most recent experience has been as one of the directors of the Triad Chorus. His direction during these rehearsals, gave me tremendous knowledge that I had never had as a chorale director. He treated all of his associates as an equal. He was a man of unparalleled talent, education and life experience.
I will always cherish my friendship with Dick.
Rosemary (Cox) Mayes
November 14th 2005
Dear Ric:
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, from my mom, who is the staff organist at Leppert. Your dad was well-known even to us band rats at North Central. No one is ever "old" enough to lose a parent.
Jim Crismore
November 14th 2005
The first time I met Mr. Dennis, I was scared to death! He had come over to Westlane Jr. High to listen to the 9th graders. I walked into the room and there he was. All he said to me was, "Play!" I had no idea then that he would have such a large effect on my life/career.
The last time I saw him, he and Carol were both judges at the ISSMA Organization contest at Belzer (last spring). One of the pieces that my 8th grade orchestra performed was, "A Quiet Music" by Doug Wagner, a piece that Doug dedicated to Mr. Dennis. My kids really played well knowing that he was one of the judges.
There are many other experiences in the 30+ years between those two events that have had a big influence on the way I teach.
Thank you Mr. Dennis! Anytime I am teaching strings, there's always a little bit of you there too!
Carolyn Gephart
November 14th 2005
I am so sad that we will not be able to have Dick play with us up here in Lafayette. Jay and I were really looking forward to that.
My memory of Dick are his bear hugs and smiles, and how he would always ask to see pictures of my kids. Then he would get out his wallet and say "here's a picture of my mommy!" and he would show me a picture of Carol.
Betty Nester
November 14th 2005
Dick played in the church services for each of our 3 daughters' weddings @ St.Pius. "What wonderful violin music.." people would say. You made those occasions most special. We thought we would never lose you. Peace and God's Blessings be with you and your family. You'll be missed beyond what words can express.
Soo Han
November 14th 2005
I first met Mr. Dennis at a restaurant. When I walked in, he approached me, gave me a punch in the stomach followed by a huge bear hug and held me in silence for about a minute in the middle of a busy restaurant, introduced me to the belly dancer who was supposedly his girlfriend, then concluded by introducing me to Mrs. Dennis, who was sitting there as if nothing out of ordinary had just occurred. There are so many memories like these that I will treasure forever. Mr. Dennis would often invite me to his house and we would talk about everything as we drowned ourselves with wine. We once went out on his boat and listened to Prokofiev and Bach while the boat drifted along by itself on the lake.
He would always grab my arm, put it under his chin and use it as a violin as he fingered and bowed a certain composition we were discussing. Maestro Dennis was a master of making the music “sing”. I will never forget his lyrical interpretation of Bach’s Air on G. I will always think of him when I hear this piece. I miss you already Mr. Dennis. I miss your friendship, your punches, your bear hugs, and of course your mentorship. I promise to you Mr. Dennis that I will work harder than ever while I’m at North Central to continue what you have created and continue to honor you through the music we make in orchestra. You will be with me at every North Central Orchestra Performance. Thanks for everything, Maestro.
Licia Jaskunas
November 14th 2005
Mr.Dennis and his great orchestra program gave me my best memories of my one year at NCHS ('85). He was a wonderful, warm, funny, quirky, and demanding teacher. I was priveleged to perform with him on one of his recitals, and his love of performing was contagious.
Dessie Arnold
November 13th 2005
Dear Dennis Family,
You have been in my thoughts these past couple of weeks. Mr. Dennis was my orchestra director (1968-70), violin teacher, and friend. He was probably the single most influential person of my teenage years. How I wish I had met him (and studied with him!) a few years earlier than I did. As it was, I am grateful to have known him. I heard of his passing at intermission of a rehearsal of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Thursday night. Three of us in the orchestra are former students of his at NCHS (from three different decades), and we all share good memories, great respect and fondness for him. Reading Mr. Dennis’s life story and the beautiful memorials here have brought back so many memories (and even a few smiles). It’s hard to imagine this world without him in it, but I’m sure that he is continuing on where he is, still expressing those same wonderful qualities that we all have so loved and appreciated.
Kristin Griffin
November 13th 2005
I never had the opportunity to play under Mr. Dennis’ direction for more than a few minutes, but I’ve known him through Mrs. D. for five years. My favorite memories of him are of his random impulses. He was never afraid to grab an unsuspecting student and dance with him or her if the music moved him to do so. But on a more serious note, Mr. Dennis was really an inspiration to me. He didn’t just teach his students to be good people and great musicians; he showed us that we could.
-On behalf of myself and many other students who, thanks to Mr. Dennis, are always striving to be gooder.
kathy schmeelk
November 13th 2005
I was in Mr. Dennis' Orchestra at North Central HS for one year in 1969. He was the most inspirational teacher of my life. I remember him, the things he said, and the passion he shared with us like it was yesterday. Because of his influence I entered the music profession myself, perform regularly, and have enjoyed teaching music in the public schools of Indiana and in the Atlanta, GA area for over 34 years. Both of my sons are presently in college studying music performance and education. The legacy of Mr. Dennis goes on and on.....thank you for sharing your passion and making the world so beautiful for so many. I know that you're in heaven directing the heavenly hosts in song!
Bob Paquin
November 13th 2005
I will always remember Dick telling me to either join the Columbians or he would burn my house down. So naturally I joined and it was very rewarding to have such a great maestro.
Bruce Boling
November 13th 2005
I will always remember the first day of the school year when Dick would bound onto the stage at NC playing "Fiddler on the Roof" on his violin. That will always be my memory of Dick Dennis.
Suzanne and Terry Caldwell
November 13th 2005
My children would come home from North Central and Northview so excited about the new world of music that both of you were sharing with them.
Many Thanks!
Amanda Holmes
November 13th 2005
I think my favorite memory of Mr. Dennis would be the tuft of hair that hung on his head after he was finished conducting. He was one of my favorite teachers at N.C. and he will truly be missed. Amanda Holmes Class of 1994
Susan Culp-Morris
November 13th 2005
Mr. Dennis was truly one of a kind and I feel blessed to have been one of his students for 4 years at NCHS. His standard of excellence and love of music made a lasting impression on me and helped to shape the person I have become in my adult life. Although I am sad to learn of his passing, Mr. Dennis’ passion and spark will continue to live on through the many lives of those he touched, including me.
Barbara Parker-Davis
November 13th 2005
I taught among giants at North Central. Mr. Wonderful was one of the tallest. I will miss him.
John Kendrick
November 13th 2005
Dear Carol and family, We have lost a most wonderful musician and human being. I remember when Dick was a guest conductor of the Indianapolis Philharmonic and we were performing the Brahms 1st Symphony. He came onstage, mounted the podium and then, thumped his chest and whispered, "Remember, this is BRAHMS!" He was so passionate about making beautiful music together with others. It was a special joy to hear his beautiful playing as a soloist as well.
Carol, I will always remember the good times we had together in the woodwind quintet when you were our flutist.
Dominic Spera
November 13th 2005
Thank you for the greatest memories both musical, professional and personal. Bless you.
Joyce Buchholz
November 13th 2005
I have harpist with the Philharmonic Orchestra for only a few years, but I have a great memory of Dick from a summer concert telling me a harp joke & helping me with my instrument. What a great guy!!
Marty Frank
November 13th 2005
I enjoyed playing with Dick in the string quartet at Franklin College in December 2004. Dick liked it that I took from Fritz Maag at I.U. He was a terrific person with a great sense of humor! I'll never forget Dick.
Steve and Gini Coomer
November 13th 2005
We have enjoyed playing with Dick over the years. Back stage at Butler will never be the same. We're sure Dick is now Concertmaster in Heaven.
Best Wishes. we'll miss you!
Chris Holmes
November 13th 2005
I met Dick 10 years ago when I became North Central's orchestra director. He was an amazing and inspirational person. I am thankful for having him as a friend and colleague. Tammy and I will miss you, Dick.
Tammie Walls-Peoples
November 13th 2005
I had the pleasure of being a student of Mr.Dennis at North Central High School. I was the class treasurer in 1986 and president in 1987. He was an amazing teacher,musician, and friend. I remember when he married Carol before the tour to Japan. He will be missed greatly. Tammie
Beverly Mills-Novoa
November 13th 2005
Mr. Dennis was my orchestra teacher throughout my junior high and high school career nearly thirty years ago. He was a remarkable man and inspiring teacher. I remember his compassion when, two weeks before my high school graduation, I was in a serious car accident and in the hospital. He wrote me a wonderful letter telling me how much having me in his orchestra so many years had meant and expressing his great concern for my recovery. It brought tears to my eyes then and tears to my eyes now as I remember his letter. No matter where you were in the orchestra, his eyes were upon you and he was listening for your contribution to the music.
He will be missed by so many. . .
Sara Kim Herrman
November 13th 2005
Dear Dennis family: I am so thankful for time spent with Mr.Dennis as a conductor while at NCHS. He was a great man who brought out the best in every member of his orchestra, and for that, he was the best teacher ever. For his spirit, his enthusiasm, his energy, and his passion, he will be remembered as a special person. Thank you for allowing him the time to influence so MANY people; both students and adults, both in and outside of the orchestra, and both in and outside of the music world. With love, respect, and blessings, Sara (Kim) Herrman.
Tom & Marty Rugh
November 13th 2005
Dick has joined the music of the spheres.
Tom Doney
November 13th 2005
The world was a better place because there was a Dick Dennis.
His life is a testament to his love of people: his students, his collagues,his friends,and the thousands who heard him perform. He was the genuine article: warm, caring, humorous, gifted, and above all,
a marvelous human being. He touched many lives, especially mine, and I'm truly glad there was a Dick Dennis.Teachers at NC dubbed him "Mr. Wonderful" because he was! He lived his life in such a way, that he will be truly missed, but not forgotten. Play on Maestro!
Michael "Mook" Wilson
November 13th 2005
It was always a pleasure through the years to have Dick and Carol stop by the shop at Paige's Music. Dick was a guy who really knew how to light up a room! You could always count on a good dose of laughter when Dick was around. Thanks for being a bright spot in my life.
Doris Woo
November 13th 2005
To one of the few teachers who incorporated wild, demanding, humourous, and inspirational to his style:
Something I remember was when the NCHS Symphony Orchestra was preparing for a Henry Mancini tribute concert at school, and a story was told of how Mr. Dennis suffered some sort of hand/arm injury that threatened his violin-playing days and Mancini took him to the best doctor he knew to save him. Before the Mancini rehearsals I thought Mr. Dennis mostly as an eccentric hack (only kidding!!), but was amazed what he had accomplished in his life at that point.
It was a privilege to have been yelled at by him in class on several occasions; you'll be greatly missed.
"May the bird of paradise fly up your nose!"
Anna-Lise Pasch
November 13th 2005
I came to NCHS in my junior year of high school, when my family moved from the east coast. I was feeling very uprooted but Mr. Dennis took me under his wing and became my violin teacher as well as my orchestra conductor (I was concertmaster in 1984-85). He held us to high standards but always made sure we had fun as well (although he never DID listen to our complaints about those horrible red dresses!). I am still playing the violin he helped me pick out before I went to college. I'm now about to finish my Ph.D. in musicology and I'm sure I wouldn't have gone this far if it weren't for him. Mr. D., the next song's for you.
Janet Shirley
November 13th 2005
I feel very fortunate to have played under Mr. Dennis at North Central. He made every rehearsal special,even at 7:30am! In his own special way, he brought out the very best in all of his musicians. We accomplished many great things during those years(1982-1986).
He taught me how to be an effective concermaster myself, and as always, how to have fun. I loved and respected him much.
Adriane (Below) DuQuenne
November 13th 2005
As another former student, I agree with all in saying that having had Mr. Dennis in my life was surely a blessing. The way he taught, the way he joked, everything about him was an impression on me. You don't meet many people like Mr. Dennis. He was a truely wonderful and unique person and will be greatly missed.
"Ska-be Doo" in peace.
Carol Morris
November 13th 2005
I have known Mr. Dennis since 1963 when I was in my first year of Jr. high at Eastwood-fell madly in love with him as only a 12 yy old can do and guess what after all these years and the 12 yr old now being 53 years old still adores him! I have seem and spoken to him at many different times over the years, the last being at Dean Evans funeral where he greeted me with a big hug and that twinkle in his beautiful eyes. I was always so happy that even though so many years had passed since I was at Eastwood/North Central he never forgot my name and always had silly stories to remind me of those days with a huge smile in my heart.
I shall always remember him with love and laughter and now sadness at his passing.
Emily Clevenger
November 13th 2005
As another former student wrote.. my memories of high school may be fading but my memories of Orchestra will never fade. I had the privilege of being taught by both Dick and Carol; and my life and love of music has been enriched because of them. I had walked away from trhe violin for several years but when I picked it up just over a year ago, my technique may have been rusty but the passion was still the same. I feel blessed to have been his student and I hope that I can pass along my love of music to my children.
Michael Akers
November 12th 2005
When I first met Dick his words to me were, "Hi, I'm Dick Dennis, I'm glad you could meet me." Dick had a knack for bringing humor and laughter to every situation. Gumba will be greatly missed...
Jay
November 12th 2005
Carol, i always enjoyed so much when you called and said Jay we're on our way, have our taable ready I knew there would be lots of smiles and laughs with you and Dick upon arrival. He will be missed by all of us at Hellas. I'll miss my hugs Dick. Love, Jay
Lu Culp
November 12th 2005
As an orchestra Mom at North Central, I loved the way Mr. Dennis loved his students and made them work toward excellence. Concerts were always top-of-the-line, making me proud to have our children be a part of that excellence. Thanks Mr. Dennis, you were the best!
Terry and Lew Mumford
November 12th 2005
We will always be grateful for the "gift of achievement" that Mr. Dennis gave his students. His students could appreciate success, because he made them earn it.
Liz (Carr) Mallov
November 12th 2005
My memories of high school are mostly forgotten, with the exception of orchestra. Mr. Dennis took me under his wing and really kept me going when times got rough. He was always there to listen and to keep runaway egos in check. Even though I hadn't seen him in years, I feel the loss as if it was just yesterday. He will always have a place in my memory and my heart.
Jack L. Eaton
November 12th 2005
Dick and I were classmates, fraternity brothers, and roommates during our undergraduate days at Ithaca College and then for our Master's degrees from The Jordan College of Fine Arts (Music, back then). I also had the honor of accompanying him in many recitals both at Ithaca and Butler. A fantastic music it was a joy to have known him and performed with him. He will be missed by many whose lives he touched through his musical talents.
Linda Hoff Tromanhauser
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis was my orchestra conductor for 3 years in high school, and I missed him (and the NC Orchestra) for years after I graduated. He was a wonderful friend and role model and we loved him. My husband and I are going to hear New Trinity Baroque play Vivaldi's Four Seasons tonight, and as I listen, I will think of the man who introduced me to Vivaldi.
P. Boschmann
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis was ssuch a wonderful person. Our children enjoyed being in his classes at NC, and later he provided very special lmusic for all three of their wddings! He had the unique ability of making each one feel important! A great guy!!!
Cathy Muterspaugh
November 12th 2005
Dick Dennis had the unique ability to make everyone around him feel special. Upon walking into a room, should you catch Dick’s eye, you immediately felt that you were the most important person in the world at that moment. Even though, intellectually, you knew that was not true, Dick had a wonderful way of making a person feel that you were the one person he was hoping to see and you had made his day by being there. Everyone needs to feel special and Dick had the gift of making everyone in his life feel very special. We all feel the great loss of a person with so many gifts: teacher, encourager, giver, leader. I am very grateful to have had two of my children influenced by a teacher like Dick and am honored to be able to call him colleague and friend.
Gary and Dawn Cerasale
November 12th 2005
The most beautiful Christmas service of our lives was in 1984. That was the first time we heard him play the violin. We were moved beyond words.
Sharron Jaskunas
November 12th 2005
Two of our children, Licia (harp) and Paul (Fr. horn) were fortunate to play in the North Central HS orchestra under Mr. Dennis. They shared in state championships under his tutelage. Mr. Dennis became a valued family friend.
Mark Goff
November 12th 2005
Every time Dick visited Paige's Music he brought smiles & laughs to our staff. He was respected as an educator & musician, and he was loved & appreciated as a person. All of our lives are richer because of our friendship with Dick Dennis.
Lori Zimmermann
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis always cared about his students. He wanted everyone to achieve their best. He was a passionate musician and a wonderful person. I will miss him greatly.
Marty Sullivan
November 12th 2005
My life has been richer by knowing Mr. Dennis. So long, my friend, take care.
Marianne Schafer Ries
November 12th 2005
On several occasions, as the accompanist for the Ambassadors (Southside K of C Choir), I had memorable opportunities to accompany Dick on the piano. His rendition of Ave Maria silenced a crowd of over 200 people--you could hear a pin drop. He was an outstanding and extremely gifted musician, but more noteworthy, he was a memorable human being.
Mark Edison
November 12th 2005
Dick never failed to bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face. He will be greatly missed.
Ruth Dunne
November 12th 2005
I have many fond memories of that "crazy Hunky"....as his student, his boys' babysitter, his neighbor and his friend. I'll never forget the way he made a face at me as I was about to play a solo part with the orchestra to make me less nervous. The world is a better place for having had Dick Dennis in it.
Susan Ullom Hungerford
November 12th 2005
There are too many memories to type in this small space, however, the one that probably stands out amongst the strongst is the day Marna picked me up shortly after my first knee surgery, and we decided to head to NCHS to visit "Mr. Dennis and Mr. Rhinesmith." Of course, I really wasn't walking well, even on the crutches yet, and I saw "Mr. Dennis" and was very happy. I was going up towards him, and started to fall over...he RAN down the music wing hall way, and caught me just before I hit the floor. As he caught me, he said, "Gimpy!" The name "Gimpy Sue" stayed with me for many years!
On 12 November, The South Coast Handbell Ensemble will be dedicating "Mancini Magic" to Dick, during their performance ...I just know that Dick is once again playing in "Hank's" orchestra!!
Jay Gephart
November 11th 2005
Dick was the greatest colleague. He was encouraging, inspiring, caring and thoughtful.I so enjoyed watching Dick work with his orchestra at North Central-he loved those kids so much and they loved him. My life was made richer by knowing him. When I think of Dick, I can't help but smile-the day of the golf cart incident mentioned by D. Shaul, Dick made me laugh so hard, I could hardly stand up. Dick Dennis on the golf course was a sight to behold. I raise my glass tonight in your honor, dear friend. You were one of a kind.
Denny Shaul
November 11th 2005
I will always remember the time that Dick, Jay Gephart, Steve Purcell and I played golf at Riverside Golf Course. On the hole with the big hill, Dick and I had our cart roll down the hill backwards with clubs flying everywhere, and Jay and Stever running for shelter and bending over double laughing. Dick tried to warn me about it, but I insisted on trying to make a birdie putt. We were fortunate that it didn't hit a tree or another golfer.
Pam (Ajango) French
November 11th 2005
Dear Carol & Family,
Mr. D - what a wonderful man. A true inspiration to me in my musical life, as well as to countless other students who called him their mentor, the "Crazy Hungarian," and most importantly their friend. He will be missed and always remembered with great joy. I will especially miss being surprised by a big bear hug from behind and knowing it was Mr. D behind that squeeze. If that happens in the future, I'll have to call the authorities!
With all our love,
Pam & Zack French, and new baby Ian (who should be so lucky to have a teacher like Mr. D sometime in his life!)
Peter Terry
January 18th 2006
Hello there Mrs. Dennis. It's you're old pal Peter Terry. Yuh know, the trouble maker? I had heard about your husband not too long ago from my mom and can't tell you how sincerely saddened I was by his passing away. I never really had the honor to interact with him as much as the others on this page did, but I will say this. When I DID get a chance to play under him or speak with him, I knew within a few moments that he was one of few people who I felt had a purpose on this planet of ours. He was brought here to inspire and touch the lives of so many people over his career. I can't tell you how much you and your husband meant to me, to all of the students you encountered. I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but you and your husband were quite the influential couple. Especially for me. I looked at you two and thought to myself,"they're doing what they love, maybe I can too." I'm just sad there aren't more like you two. Your kind only comes around once in a lifetime in these parts. So...thank you. And please e-mail me. I'd love to catch up and complain about how much a Northwestern vocal performance/music theatre student has to endure over these four years they call college.
Sincerely,
Peter Terry
Bob and Susy Springer
January 14th 2006
Dear Carol, I just read through the beautiful memories of Dick throughout his fabulous life. What a remarkable man and we feel so blessed to have known him and his humor. We loved listening to both of you playiing, when I brought my daughter Macy's family to your house and other times as we could hear the music floating across the lake from your house. I regret that I didn't get to hear a concert, but having both of you as our neighbor has always been a pleasure. My last memory was the day that you were out of town and he came to my house to ask if I could fix his sleep mask. At least my nursing career helped me know how to fix it and, in a very small way, bring him some comfort.
Please call me if you would ever like to get together. I know we travel a lot, but it would be fun to "do lunch" sometime. If I don't hear from you, I'll call you and set a date!
Mariann Scott (N.C.H.S. 1980)
January 6th 2006
A former NC student just recently told me about Mr. Dennis' passing. I had been thinking quite a bit about him prior to hearing the news. He was (as many former students have said)a major influence in my life. Even though I stopped playing the violin after graduating, his expectation of perfection and his humor still remain with me after 25 years. You always wanted to do your best at each performance. Thank you Mr. "D" for the tough love and for showing me that I could get through (without mistakes)the State Finals Competition. We won that year with a perfect score. My condolences to his family. Please know that he left a mark on so many that will continue his legacy for many years to come. God's speed Mr. Dennis.
Nancy (Kohrs) LaRoche
December 23rd 2005
I spent several summers learning from Mr. Dennis at I.U. summer music camp. He had such enthusiasm for kids and music! I remember his laugh and his crazy counting (1, 2, 27, GO!) I was honored to have him recommend me to play at Footlight once.
Thank you, Mr. Dennis, for all the fine memories and fun! You're one cool cat.
Carrie Luft NCHS '85
December 2nd 2005
Oh, Mr. Dennis. His high expectations and infectious, unconventional passion helped form me as a musician, and I hope to have carried those lessons into all areas of life. He presented us with repertoire that challenged many, yet inevitably we were induced to rise to the occasion. And who could ever forget his omnipresent "Scubby-dubby-doo" vocal accompaniment to nearly every composition?
I am honored to have had the right of "A" (yes, a bad oboe pun) under Mr. Dennis' direction. He never suffered fools, but he certainly knew how to make music. Even at the tender age of, oh, fourteen, I knew that his growling at me to "Take [my] oboe, throw it out the window, and run it over with a truck" during a lousy West Side Story run-through was merely "tough love." I wept upon learning of his passing and will treasure all my memories of him. I hope he's tossing his baton when that great orchestra in the sky misses the final rest in "The Messiah." Peace and all good wishes to Mr. Dennis' family and friends.
John Charles Melcher (NCHS '69
November 30th 2005
Richard Dennis changed my life. I was a budding "classical" composer in 1969 (who'd ever heard of such a thing then!), and nobody really knew what to make of it. Mr. Dennis did; he told me to write something for the NCHS orchestra and they would rehearse it in class (and I wasn't even an orchestra member).
A month or so later, armed with the score and set of parts for an absolutely forgettable piece music and a pass excusing me from whatever boring class I was supposed to be attending, I showed up in the rehearsal room. I handed out the parts and waited nervously for him to lead the orchestra through my first ever public "performance." But Mr. Dennis had other ideas. He naded me his baton and told ME to rehearse it! I spent - who knows how long, it seemed like an hour but might have been 10 minutes - learning on the spot how to conduct and rehearse.
The encouragement and the very real musical experience he provided gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of being a composer. Ironically, I found his e-mail address about a month before he passed away, and I wrote to thank him for his guidance and support, but his mailbox was full, and it bounced.
Abby Langhorst
November 21st 2005
I first met Mr. Dennis when I played for the Ohio Southwest Regional Orchestra in November 2003. I was pretty scared because I was only an eighth grader who had been invited to fill in as the fifth percussionist. My dad went in with me, and Mr. Dennis remembered him because my dad is a bass trombone player and a graduate of IU School of Music and who had worked with Mr. Dennis on some Mancini jobs many years before. That didn't matter, because Mr. Dennis remembered him anyway. He made the rehearsals seem more like fun and enjoyable instead of work, but we learned a lot from his expertise and experience. He also told great stories and I especially remember how he would count off saying "1, 2, 27, GO!" He always called us "gang" and it made us feel like we had known him forever, even though we only had worked with him over a 2 week period. I was really glad that he came back in 2004 so I got to see him again. He was a great conductor and teacher and will be greatly missed. In the words of Mr. Dennis, "Always hold your nose when speaking French."
Nathaniel Beversluis
November 21st 2005
Mr. Dennis was a man from whose very presence you could learn. "A teacher's job," he would say, "is to provoke thought," and this he did through his entire way of being. He would enter a room seeming to carry music in his walk. The first time I met him, he was playing his violin in a classroom prior to a middle school orchestra rehearsal. "Who are you?!", he exclaimed, wide-eyed, in an innocent and childlike voice. "I'm Nathaniel," I answered, a nervous seventh grader. To my utter bewilderment, he began to dance to and fro, twirling around with his violin and bow, singing, "Oh! Well I'm Dickie-Boy!" A familiar scene during high school passing periods was Mr. Dennis in the hallway, grabbing a favorite student by the shoulder, shouting that person's last name melodiously, improvising a boisterous song about him or her while playing air ukulele, and then erupting in laughter. "Hey derelict," he would say as he passed me -- slowly I realized that meant I was liked. Students outside the music department often didn't know what to make of him. Nor did some students in the music department -- he was a teacher to be experienced, not figured out. Rehearsals became laughing riots, as he invented outrageous analogies, made up rhyming words to the repertoire, and danced ballets on the podium.
Underneath all that clowning was the greatest musician most students would ever encounter. Mr. Dennis viewed music as asking from us a depth and sincerity of feeling that he saw missing from other parts of life. "I feel things, and I'm not ashamed to admit it," he would say, sometimes on the verge of tears, in rehearsal or to an audience. Admitting was hardly necessary. His whole personality was music and heart, radiating every moment I ever saw him playing the violin, rehearsing or conducting an orchestra, or teaching students.
I would skip classes and stay after school to spend time around him, helping him keep track of the contents of his desk or organize papers. (Together we usually got nowhere at that.) I would listen to trains of thought playing themselves out loud while he shuffled around his papers, usually beginning with something that had happened in school that day, but connecting soon to something of broad interest having nothing to do with school or that day. I would later reconstruct the train of thought and turn it over in my head for a week. He would come to a stopping point, sit back, and say, "So, what's on your mind?", as if he thought I might have come for something specific. I would ask him questions about music, knowing the conversation would never come around to a clear answer. What I really wanted was to hear what the question meant to him, and to listen to him talk. A particular look in his eyes, as he reclined in his office chair with his hands folded across his front, would tell me he was reaching back into decades of experience, remembering people he knew, places he played, jobs he had, and who knows what else. Then he would draw up some kind of response that he thought a teenager could understand, but that I could see was not a fraction of what had just crossed his mind. Sometimes it would be a story, or a description of a person he had worked with, or an example from the repertoire, other times a chuckle and a headshake and a wry comment. He told me how he'd once stayed up all night trying to play "West Side Story" at the piano, with his mother shouting down the stairs to knock it off. "The harmonies," he said, "I couldn't get over the harmonies."
"Keep your eyes and ears open."
"Don't get distracted."
"Music is an art and a discipline."
"Learn something every day, even if it's only something small."
"You don't have to take my word for it. Try it and you'll see."
Phrases like these stayed in my memory throughout college and graduate school.
Mr. Dennis's mentorship is a kind that does not end with his passing. Throughout the time I knew him, I sensed his presence and his lively spirit vividly whenever and wherever there was music. I will continue to look for him in all those places for the rest of my life.
Michelle (Staton) Groves
November 21st 2005
I never liked highschool, but the one thing I did love was Mr. D !!! He was the kind of person that could get you to believe in yourself and what you could do. My prayers go out to all who have felt this loss. He will be missed.
Ward Drennan
November 20th 2005
We were blessed to have Dick Dennis at NCHS. What a great talent! The musicals, Battle Hymn, New World and who could forget the '85 state title. Waltz of the Flowers was fantastic. I perform often and always remember the lessons of the legend, Mr. Dennis.
Alison Brown
November 18th 2005
I remember Dick Dennis first and foremost from Footlight Musicals, where he and Jenny were pillars of the organisation. I was quite relieved to find a familiar face when I was cast into the vast sea of people attending NCHS after years in cosy Orchard School. As a singer, I did not work directly with Dick very much, but did have the opportunity to be his first period assistant in my Junior year - a job which was light on actual work, but definitly a godsend for me in the rather chilly atmosphere I, as not one of the "in" group, experienced in the choral department. My condolences to all the family.
Ben Schafer (NCHS '90)
November 16th 2005
Mr. D. was truly one of a kind, a force of nature, and over the years I've internalized his lessons on how music (and anything one wants to do well) must be approached as a "mental and physical discipline." How he was able to get a bunch of kids to make that all-important connection between their minds and hands, year after year, is a mystery I'll never unravel.
Thanks, Mr. D., and best wishes to Ric and Carol, and the rest of your family.
Here's to an auspicious passage,
Ben (aka "Bob Dylan," aka "Coat")
Renee Dolphin
November 16th 2005
I had the most fortunate opportunity to work with Dick and Carol Dennis during my junior and senior year at Butler University. I first met "Mr. D" when he was my strings ed. instructor. I loved his class. He was always doing something out of the ordinary and until that point in my life, I had never had a teacher that referred to you as a "cat". His unconventional teaching style really inspired me as a young music ed. student. That year, I was to start making choices about who I would like to student teach with. I knew from the minute I met his wife Carol that I wanted to learn from her. I still got to see Mr. D too- Carol would invite me over to their place to debrief on the boat and he'd also come in to Carol's classes to conduct her orchestras. He'd count them off by saying stuff like (1,2,29,64...) What a team! It was such a blast and such an inspiration. I am so thankful for so many wonderful memories that I carry with me into my daily life and work. Bravo maestro! Grazie!
Suzanne (Powell) Callahan 1987
November 15th 2005
How powerful and uplifting to read over so many stories of the ways Mr Dennis has touched our lives. I now have three young children (8,6,4) who regularly attend local symphony performances. Had it not been for the amazing music dept at North Central and Mr Dennis' passion for kids and music, my children might never have heard any part of Dvorak's New World Symphony. I think I still have my part memorized...I hope my kids can experience those goosebumps from a great performance.
Jeff Woloshin
November 15th 2005
Mr Dennis, as i will always know him. when i was in 7th grade at Northview what a respected soul that will always be remembered. He was the god of music at that school. He would always stop by the stage office and shoot the bull with us. He was such a down to earth human. We will all miss him. GOD SPEED MR DENNIS
Sister Mary
November 15th 2005
God bless you, Carol, and all Dick's loved ones - and all who will miss him so much.
My memories of Dick are few but so VERY special. I met him when he and the Columbians came to St. Paul Hermitage to share their music which they did for over 25 years. Those hours of music, singing and violin pieces were so enjoyable. Often Dick called me and invited me to attend the performances he conducted at Univ. of Indpls. I will definitely miss his music, our phone visits and his "hugs".
Now I picture him serenading in heaven. May God reward him for all the joy he spread here among us in his lifetime. Pray for us, Dick. In gratitude.
Lisa Dovey
November 14th 2005
My sincerest sympathy to the Dennis family. Dick was such a gift and we thank you for sharing him with all of us. I have been a cantor at St. Pius X for the past 12-13 years. One of my biggest thrills was cantoring for an Easter Mass with Dick. He made me feel like I was someone special, which is even more tremendous when I learned from reading his story of all the truly great singers he had worked with. His musical gifts were not the only ones he possessed and generously shared. He made me feel better about who I was and that I was valuable. Dick was truly a person who was filled with God's grace and shared that with everyone. I didn't know him well but I knew he was special. His humility was evident and now even more apparent as his life story lists accomplishments that he never alluded to. He always was just coming by to fiddle around. Such joy his music brought to all of us. Bless you Dick-heaven is now resounding with the sweet sound of your music. May your family find comfort in knowing how much joy and love you brought to the world.
Gil Hoffer--alias: Snotty-Nose
November 14th 2005
Like many of you, Dick Dennis was a major influence on my development. I always took for granted the way he was able to explain what he wanted by picking up a fiddle and playing it, usually followed by some fantastic display of virtuosity at the end. I took for granted that my orchestra teacher was so active as an instrumental performer, with people like Henry Mancini, Julie Andrews, etc. When I chose music as a career, I just assumed that I would just do the same sorts of things, not really understanding how special all of that really was. He was fond of saying that we had no idea what a great example he was, but we would someday. He was right. I had no idea at the time how just by being himself he was providing me with the mindset necessary to succeed in music. What is even more cool is that now, twenty years into a musical career, I look at the list of folks who were touched by his character and expertise, and I see names of people that I have worked with at different times in different parts of the country and had no idea that they knew him. His contributions were indeed far-reaching, and will be sorely missed. His tireless efforts in the fields of music performance and education set a standard that many of us will try and fail to live up to. So long, Skag. --Love, Snotty-Nose
Michael Berkowitz
November 14th 2005
A truly remarkable man. He was an inspiration as a Musician and as a friend. He had me playing in the pit of Footlight Musicals when I was 15 years old and we traveled on the bus with Cobine's Merry Men on too many tours to remember.
He was the first person and possibly the only person in Indianapolis who "got me" and I am forever grateful.
David Leigh
November 14th 2005
I played percussion in the NC orchestra in '78-79 and was in Counterpoints with Ric. Before that I was also in Band. The NC music program was very influencial in my life and Dick Dennis was probably THE cornerstone of the program for those 32 years he was there (much respect for the other teachers as well!). The qualities that stood out? Caring, Demanding, Celebrating Excellence, Fun, Crazy, Challenging, Personal. Dick embodied all those qualities and set a high standard, that I'm not surprised has influenced, literally GENERATIONS of lives! He was the exact personality needed to help searching teenagers begin to get a handle on who they are. Dick, yours was a life of contribution and impact to be emulated. Thank you.
Ellen Wu
November 14th 2005
Mr. Dennis is the only teacher whom I’ve ever had that gave me head-butts on a consistent basis. How can anyone top that? When I think back about my time at North Central, my fondest memories are of orchestra—making new friends, selling M & M’s to get to Carnegie Hall, sporting the 70’s-style orange-red polyester, and later the late ‘80s/early ‘90s shiny red satin prom dresses, playing melodies that I still hum, and of course learning about music and life from the crazy Hungarian himself. Thank you, Mr. Dennis, for everything, and blessings to all the Dennis family.
Beverly (Settle) Johnson
November 14th 2005
I was a student of NC under Mr. Dennis' direction (oboe - class of 79). I see where people say Mr. Dennis makes them feel special and I suddenly realize that I'm not the only one! I loved his big hugs. I truly believe he was the most influential person in my life. I was able to have so many wonderful experiences because of him, Indpls Youth Symphony - traveling to Milwaukee, playing with the former Indiana Central Orchestra.
I just saw you play at Franklin College and when you became tearful on stage, it brought back so many memories of your passion for music and I know those students there that night, like I, will be touched forever. I will never forget you, Mr. Dennis. My sincerest condolences to the family.
Darrell E. Morris
November 14th 2005
To the Dennis Family,
I consider it a privilege to have known Dick for several years. I first met him in the 1970's when my first wife and I joined his Chorale. My most recent experience has been as one of the directors of the Triad Chorus. His direction during these rehearsals, gave me tremendous knowledge that I had never had as a chorale director. He treated all of his associates as an equal. He was a man of unparalleled talent, education and life experience.
I will always cherish my friendship with Dick.
Rosemary (Cox) Mayes
November 14th 2005
Dear Ric:
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, from my mom, who is the staff organist at Leppert. Your dad was well-known even to us band rats at North Central. No one is ever "old" enough to lose a parent.
Jim Crismore
November 14th 2005
The first time I met Mr. Dennis, I was scared to death! He had come over to Westlane Jr. High to listen to the 9th graders. I walked into the room and there he was. All he said to me was, "Play!" I had no idea then that he would have such a large effect on my life/career.
The last time I saw him, he and Carol were both judges at the ISSMA Organization contest at Belzer (last spring). One of the pieces that my 8th grade orchestra performed was, "A Quiet Music" by Doug Wagner, a piece that Doug dedicated to Mr. Dennis. My kids really played well knowing that he was one of the judges.
There are many other experiences in the 30+ years between those two events that have had a big influence on the way I teach.
Thank you Mr. Dennis! Anytime I am teaching strings, there's always a little bit of you there too!
Carolyn Gephart
November 14th 2005
I am so sad that we will not be able to have Dick play with us up here in Lafayette. Jay and I were really looking forward to that.
My memory of Dick are his bear hugs and smiles, and how he would always ask to see pictures of my kids. Then he would get out his wallet and say "here's a picture of my mommy!" and he would show me a picture of Carol.
Betty Nester
November 14th 2005
Dick played in the church services for each of our 3 daughters' weddings @ St.Pius. "What wonderful violin music.." people would say. You made those occasions most special. We thought we would never lose you. Peace and God's Blessings be with you and your family. You'll be missed beyond what words can express.
Soo Han
November 14th 2005
I first met Mr. Dennis at a restaurant. When I walked in, he approached me, gave me a punch in the stomach followed by a huge bear hug and held me in silence for about a minute in the middle of a busy restaurant, introduced me to the belly dancer who was supposedly his girlfriend, then concluded by introducing me to Mrs. Dennis, who was sitting there as if nothing out of ordinary had just occurred. There are so many memories like these that I will treasure forever. Mr. Dennis would often invite me to his house and we would talk about everything as we drowned ourselves with wine. We once went out on his boat and listened to Prokofiev and Bach while the boat drifted along by itself on the lake.
He would always grab my arm, put it under his chin and use it as a violin as he fingered and bowed a certain composition we were discussing. Maestro Dennis was a master of making the music “sing”. I will never forget his lyrical interpretation of Bach’s Air on G. I will always think of him when I hear this piece. I miss you already Mr. Dennis. I miss your friendship, your punches, your bear hugs, and of course your mentorship. I promise to you Mr. Dennis that I will work harder than ever while I’m at North Central to continue what you have created and continue to honor you through the music we make in orchestra. You will be with me at every North Central Orchestra Performance. Thanks for everything, Maestro.
Licia Jaskunas
November 14th 2005
Mr.Dennis and his great orchestra program gave me my best memories of my one year at NCHS ('85). He was a wonderful, warm, funny, quirky, and demanding teacher. I was priveleged to perform with him on one of his recitals, and his love of performing was contagious.
Dessie Arnold
November 13th 2005
Dear Dennis Family,
You have been in my thoughts these past couple of weeks. Mr. Dennis was my orchestra director (1968-70), violin teacher, and friend. He was probably the single most influential person of my teenage years. How I wish I had met him (and studied with him!) a few years earlier than I did. As it was, I am grateful to have known him. I heard of his passing at intermission of a rehearsal of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Thursday night. Three of us in the orchestra are former students of his at NCHS (from three different decades), and we all share good memories, great respect and fondness for him. Reading Mr. Dennis’s life story and the beautiful memorials here have brought back so many memories (and even a few smiles). It’s hard to imagine this world without him in it, but I’m sure that he is continuing on where he is, still expressing those same wonderful qualities that we all have so loved and appreciated.
Kristin Griffin
November 13th 2005
I never had the opportunity to play under Mr. Dennis’ direction for more than a few minutes, but I’ve known him through Mrs. D. for five years. My favorite memories of him are of his random impulses. He was never afraid to grab an unsuspecting student and dance with him or her if the music moved him to do so. But on a more serious note, Mr. Dennis was really an inspiration to me. He didn’t just teach his students to be good people and great musicians; he showed us that we could.
-On behalf of myself and many other students who, thanks to Mr. Dennis, are always striving to be gooder.
kathy schmeelk
November 13th 2005
I was in Mr. Dennis' Orchestra at North Central HS for one year in 1969. He was the most inspirational teacher of my life. I remember him, the things he said, and the passion he shared with us like it was yesterday. Because of his influence I entered the music profession myself, perform regularly, and have enjoyed teaching music in the public schools of Indiana and in the Atlanta, GA area for over 34 years. Both of my sons are presently in college studying music performance and education. The legacy of Mr. Dennis goes on and on.....thank you for sharing your passion and making the world so beautiful for so many. I know that you're in heaven directing the heavenly hosts in song!
Bob Paquin
November 13th 2005
I will always remember Dick telling me to either join the Columbians or he would burn my house down. So naturally I joined and it was very rewarding to have such a great maestro.
Bruce Boling
November 13th 2005
I will always remember the first day of the school year when Dick would bound onto the stage at NC playing "Fiddler on the Roof" on his violin. That will always be my memory of Dick Dennis.
Suzanne and Terry Caldwell
November 13th 2005
My children would come home from North Central and Northview so excited about the new world of music that both of you were sharing with them.
Many Thanks!
Amanda Holmes
November 13th 2005
I think my favorite memory of Mr. Dennis would be the tuft of hair that hung on his head after he was finished conducting. He was one of my favorite teachers at N.C. and he will truly be missed. Amanda Holmes Class of 1994
Susan Culp-Morris
November 13th 2005
Mr. Dennis was truly one of a kind and I feel blessed to have been one of his students for 4 years at NCHS. His standard of excellence and love of music made a lasting impression on me and helped to shape the person I have become in my adult life. Although I am sad to learn of his passing, Mr. Dennis’ passion and spark will continue to live on through the many lives of those he touched, including me.
Barbara Parker-Davis
November 13th 2005
I taught among giants at North Central. Mr. Wonderful was one of the tallest. I will miss him.
John Kendrick
November 13th 2005
Dear Carol and family, We have lost a most wonderful musician and human being. I remember when Dick was a guest conductor of the Indianapolis Philharmonic and we were performing the Brahms 1st Symphony. He came onstage, mounted the podium and then, thumped his chest and whispered, "Remember, this is BRAHMS!" He was so passionate about making beautiful music together with others. It was a special joy to hear his beautiful playing as a soloist as well.
Carol, I will always remember the good times we had together in the woodwind quintet when you were our flutist.
Dominic Spera
November 13th 2005
Thank you for the greatest memories both musical, professional and personal. Bless you.
Joyce Buchholz
November 13th 2005
I have harpist with the Philharmonic Orchestra for only a few years, but I have a great memory of Dick from a summer concert telling me a harp joke & helping me with my instrument. What a great guy!!
Marty Frank
November 13th 2005
I enjoyed playing with Dick in the string quartet at Franklin College in December 2004. Dick liked it that I took from Fritz Maag at I.U. He was a terrific person with a great sense of humor! I'll never forget Dick.
Steve and Gini Coomer
November 13th 2005
We have enjoyed playing with Dick over the years. Back stage at Butler will never be the same. We're sure Dick is now Concertmaster in Heaven.
Best Wishes. we'll miss you!
Chris Holmes
November 13th 2005
I met Dick 10 years ago when I became North Central's orchestra director. He was an amazing and inspirational person. I am thankful for having him as a friend and colleague. Tammy and I will miss you, Dick.
Tammie Walls-Peoples
November 13th 2005
I had the pleasure of being a student of Mr.Dennis at North Central High School. I was the class treasurer in 1986 and president in 1987. He was an amazing teacher,musician, and friend. I remember when he married Carol before the tour to Japan. He will be missed greatly. Tammie
Beverly Mills-Novoa
November 13th 2005
Mr. Dennis was my orchestra teacher throughout my junior high and high school career nearly thirty years ago. He was a remarkable man and inspiring teacher. I remember his compassion when, two weeks before my high school graduation, I was in a serious car accident and in the hospital. He wrote me a wonderful letter telling me how much having me in his orchestra so many years had meant and expressing his great concern for my recovery. It brought tears to my eyes then and tears to my eyes now as I remember his letter. No matter where you were in the orchestra, his eyes were upon you and he was listening for your contribution to the music.
He will be missed by so many. . .
Sara Kim Herrman
November 13th 2005
Dear Dennis family: I am so thankful for time spent with Mr.Dennis as a conductor while at NCHS. He was a great man who brought out the best in every member of his orchestra, and for that, he was the best teacher ever. For his spirit, his enthusiasm, his energy, and his passion, he will be remembered as a special person. Thank you for allowing him the time to influence so MANY people; both students and adults, both in and outside of the orchestra, and both in and outside of the music world. With love, respect, and blessings, Sara (Kim) Herrman.
Tom & Marty Rugh
November 13th 2005
Dick has joined the music of the spheres.
Tom Doney
November 13th 2005
The world was a better place because there was a Dick Dennis.
His life is a testament to his love of people: his students, his collagues,his friends,and the thousands who heard him perform. He was the genuine article: warm, caring, humorous, gifted, and above all,
a marvelous human being. He touched many lives, especially mine, and I'm truly glad there was a Dick Dennis.Teachers at NC dubbed him "Mr. Wonderful" because he was! He lived his life in such a way, that he will be truly missed, but not forgotten. Play on Maestro!
Michael "Mook" Wilson
November 13th 2005
It was always a pleasure through the years to have Dick and Carol stop by the shop at Paige's Music. Dick was a guy who really knew how to light up a room! You could always count on a good dose of laughter when Dick was around. Thanks for being a bright spot in my life.
Doris Woo
November 13th 2005
To one of the few teachers who incorporated wild, demanding, humourous, and inspirational to his style:
Something I remember was when the NCHS Symphony Orchestra was preparing for a Henry Mancini tribute concert at school, and a story was told of how Mr. Dennis suffered some sort of hand/arm injury that threatened his violin-playing days and Mancini took him to the best doctor he knew to save him. Before the Mancini rehearsals I thought Mr. Dennis mostly as an eccentric hack (only kidding!!), but was amazed what he had accomplished in his life at that point.
It was a privilege to have been yelled at by him in class on several occasions; you'll be greatly missed.
"May the bird of paradise fly up your nose!"
Anna-Lise Pasch
November 13th 2005
I came to NCHS in my junior year of high school, when my family moved from the east coast. I was feeling very uprooted but Mr. Dennis took me under his wing and became my violin teacher as well as my orchestra conductor (I was concertmaster in 1984-85). He held us to high standards but always made sure we had fun as well (although he never DID listen to our complaints about those horrible red dresses!). I am still playing the violin he helped me pick out before I went to college. I'm now about to finish my Ph.D. in musicology and I'm sure I wouldn't have gone this far if it weren't for him. Mr. D., the next song's for you.
Janet Shirley
November 13th 2005
I feel very fortunate to have played under Mr. Dennis at North Central. He made every rehearsal special,even at 7:30am! In his own special way, he brought out the very best in all of his musicians. We accomplished many great things during those years(1982-1986).
He taught me how to be an effective concermaster myself, and as always, how to have fun. I loved and respected him much.
Adriane (Below) DuQuenne
November 13th 2005
As another former student, I agree with all in saying that having had Mr. Dennis in my life was surely a blessing. The way he taught, the way he joked, everything about him was an impression on me. You don't meet many people like Mr. Dennis. He was a truely wonderful and unique person and will be greatly missed.
"Ska-be Doo" in peace.
Carol Morris
November 13th 2005
I have known Mr. Dennis since 1963 when I was in my first year of Jr. high at Eastwood-fell madly in love with him as only a 12 yy old can do and guess what after all these years and the 12 yr old now being 53 years old still adores him! I have seem and spoken to him at many different times over the years, the last being at Dean Evans funeral where he greeted me with a big hug and that twinkle in his beautiful eyes. I was always so happy that even though so many years had passed since I was at Eastwood/North Central he never forgot my name and always had silly stories to remind me of those days with a huge smile in my heart.
I shall always remember him with love and laughter and now sadness at his passing.
Emily Clevenger
November 13th 2005
As another former student wrote.. my memories of high school may be fading but my memories of Orchestra will never fade. I had the privilege of being taught by both Dick and Carol; and my life and love of music has been enriched because of them. I had walked away from trhe violin for several years but when I picked it up just over a year ago, my technique may have been rusty but the passion was still the same. I feel blessed to have been his student and I hope that I can pass along my love of music to my children.
Michael Akers
November 12th 2005
When I first met Dick his words to me were, "Hi, I'm Dick Dennis, I'm glad you could meet me." Dick had a knack for bringing humor and laughter to every situation. Gumba will be greatly missed...
Jay
November 12th 2005
Carol, i always enjoyed so much when you called and said Jay we're on our way, have our taable ready I knew there would be lots of smiles and laughs with you and Dick upon arrival. He will be missed by all of us at Hellas. I'll miss my hugs Dick. Love, Jay
Lu Culp
November 12th 2005
As an orchestra Mom at North Central, I loved the way Mr. Dennis loved his students and made them work toward excellence. Concerts were always top-of-the-line, making me proud to have our children be a part of that excellence. Thanks Mr. Dennis, you were the best!
Terry and Lew Mumford
November 12th 2005
We will always be grateful for the "gift of achievement" that Mr. Dennis gave his students. His students could appreciate success, because he made them earn it.
Liz (Carr) Mallov
November 12th 2005
My memories of high school are mostly forgotten, with the exception of orchestra. Mr. Dennis took me under his wing and really kept me going when times got rough. He was always there to listen and to keep runaway egos in check. Even though I hadn't seen him in years, I feel the loss as if it was just yesterday. He will always have a place in my memory and my heart.
Jack L. Eaton
November 12th 2005
Dick and I were classmates, fraternity brothers, and roommates during our undergraduate days at Ithaca College and then for our Master's degrees from The Jordan College of Fine Arts (Music, back then). I also had the honor of accompanying him in many recitals both at Ithaca and Butler. A fantastic music it was a joy to have known him and performed with him. He will be missed by many whose lives he touched through his musical talents.
Linda Hoff Tromanhauser
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis was my orchestra conductor for 3 years in high school, and I missed him (and the NC Orchestra) for years after I graduated. He was a wonderful friend and role model and we loved him. My husband and I are going to hear New Trinity Baroque play Vivaldi's Four Seasons tonight, and as I listen, I will think of the man who introduced me to Vivaldi.
P. Boschmann
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis was ssuch a wonderful person. Our children enjoyed being in his classes at NC, and later he provided very special lmusic for all three of their wddings! He had the unique ability of making each one feel important! A great guy!!!
Cathy Muterspaugh
November 12th 2005
Dick Dennis had the unique ability to make everyone around him feel special. Upon walking into a room, should you catch Dick’s eye, you immediately felt that you were the most important person in the world at that moment. Even though, intellectually, you knew that was not true, Dick had a wonderful way of making a person feel that you were the one person he was hoping to see and you had made his day by being there. Everyone needs to feel special and Dick had the gift of making everyone in his life feel very special. We all feel the great loss of a person with so many gifts: teacher, encourager, giver, leader. I am very grateful to have had two of my children influenced by a teacher like Dick and am honored to be able to call him colleague and friend.
Gary and Dawn Cerasale
November 12th 2005
The most beautiful Christmas service of our lives was in 1984. That was the first time we heard him play the violin. We were moved beyond words.
Sharron Jaskunas
November 12th 2005
Two of our children, Licia (harp) and Paul (Fr. horn) were fortunate to play in the North Central HS orchestra under Mr. Dennis. They shared in state championships under his tutelage. Mr. Dennis became a valued family friend.
Mark Goff
November 12th 2005
Every time Dick visited Paige's Music he brought smiles & laughs to our staff. He was respected as an educator & musician, and he was loved & appreciated as a person. All of our lives are richer because of our friendship with Dick Dennis.
Lori Zimmermann
November 12th 2005
Mr. Dennis always cared about his students. He wanted everyone to achieve their best. He was a passionate musician and a wonderful person. I will miss him greatly.
Marty Sullivan
November 12th 2005
My life has been richer by knowing Mr. Dennis. So long, my friend, take care.
Marianne Schafer Ries
November 12th 2005
On several occasions, as the accompanist for the Ambassadors (Southside K of C Choir), I had memorable opportunities to accompany Dick on the piano. His rendition of Ave Maria silenced a crowd of over 200 people--you could hear a pin drop. He was an outstanding and extremely gifted musician, but more noteworthy, he was a memorable human being.
Mark Edison
November 12th 2005
Dick never failed to bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face. He will be greatly missed.
Ruth Dunne
November 12th 2005
I have many fond memories of that "crazy Hunky"....as his student, his boys' babysitter, his neighbor and his friend. I'll never forget the way he made a face at me as I was about to play a solo part with the orchestra to make me less nervous. The world is a better place for having had Dick Dennis in it.
Susan Ullom Hungerford
November 12th 2005
There are too many memories to type in this small space, however, the one that probably stands out amongst the strongst is the day Marna picked me up shortly after my first knee surgery, and we decided to head to NCHS to visit "Mr. Dennis and Mr. Rhinesmith." Of course, I really wasn't walking well, even on the crutches yet, and I saw "Mr. Dennis" and was very happy. I was going up towards him, and started to fall over...he RAN down the music wing hall way, and caught me just before I hit the floor. As he caught me, he said, "Gimpy!" The name "Gimpy Sue" stayed with me for many years!
On 12 November, The South Coast Handbell Ensemble will be dedicating "Mancini Magic" to Dick, during their performance ...I just know that Dick is once again playing in "Hank's" orchestra!!
Jay Gephart
November 11th 2005
Dick was the greatest colleague. He was encouraging, inspiring, caring and thoughtful.I so enjoyed watching Dick work with his orchestra at North Central-he loved those kids so much and they loved him. My life was made richer by knowing him. When I think of Dick, I can't help but smile-the day of the golf cart incident mentioned by D. Shaul, Dick made me laugh so hard, I could hardly stand up. Dick Dennis on the golf course was a sight to behold. I raise my glass tonight in your honor, dear friend. You were one of a kind.
Denny Shaul
November 11th 2005
I will always remember the time that Dick, Jay Gephart, Steve Purcell and I played golf at Riverside Golf Course. On the hole with the big hill, Dick and I had our cart roll down the hill backwards with clubs flying everywhere, and Jay and Stever running for shelter and bending over double laughing. Dick tried to warn me about it, but I insisted on trying to make a birdie putt. We were fortunate that it didn't hit a tree or another golfer.
Pam (Ajango) French
November 11th 2005
Dear Carol & Family,
Mr. D - what a wonderful man. A true inspiration to me in my musical life, as well as to countless other students who called him their mentor, the "Crazy Hungarian," and most importantly their friend. He will be missed and always remembered with great joy. I will especially miss being surprised by a big bear hug from behind and knowing it was Mr. D behind that squeeze. If that happens in the future, I'll have to call the authorities!
With all our love,
Pam & Zack French, and new baby Ian (who should be so lucky to have a teacher like Mr. D sometime in his life!)
