Tribute to Robert MacDonald

Festival of Fine Arts › Tribute to Robert MacDonald

Robert MacDonald, the Wilhelmina MacDonald Professor of Music Emeritus (seated), is seen here with his last senior piano recital student at Florida Southern, Andrew Boss ’11 (left), and his first, Elizabeth McRae Peterson ’65. Boss performed two works in the FSC Department of Music’s Opening Gala on Oct. 22, a tribute concert to MacDonald, who was Artist-in-Residence and Director of Piano Studies at FSC from 1964 until his retirement earlier this year. MacDonald also was responsible for building the Festival of Fine Arts into a successful community arts program.

A highlight of the Gala was the screening of a recently discovered film clip from the Art Linkletter TV show in the 1960s, in which Dr. MacDonald, introduced by his friend Andy Griffith, performed two piano pieces for the national TV audience. The film had been stored in Dr. MacDonald’s office and the sound and picture quality had degraded, but it gives a stunning glimpse of Dr. MacDonald as a brilliant young artist.

See photos from the event »