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Professor Emeritus of Music
Anthony Taffs Dies Taffs Was a Familiar Figure on Campus Since 1949 Posted Monday, February 7, 2005  ALBION, Mich. –
Anthony J. Taffs,
professor emeritus of music and a familiar figure on Albion’s campus for
more than half a century, died Friday, Feb. 4, at Oaklawn Hospital in
Marshall. He was 89. Taffs had completed a piano lesson late in the afternoon when he suffered a stroke and was rushed to Oaklawn by Jean—his wife of more than 25 years—and his piano student. "We were the best of friends for 36 years and colleagues for 36 years," said Thomas Doran, professor of music, emeritus. "He was an impeccable, peerless lecturer and teacher who was marvelous at illustrating a particular composition or point. He never used a text when he lectured, and his talks were always perfect—cleverly structured, like a story or a great opera. “It's the end of an era,” Doran said, noting the death of former Albion music professors Jacqueline Maag late last year David Strickler in 2001. “They were the three pillars of the music department."  Taffs, who retired in 1981 after 32 years on the Albion faculty,
continued to teach piano at the College, setting what Doran and others
believe is the all-time Albion record for teaching after retirement.
Doran said Taffs “absolutely loved” teaching piano to beginners and
advanced students alike.An accomplished composer, over the decades Taffs wrote five operas, four oratorio, and hundreds of other works for piano, organ, choir and voice. Most of his works had their premiere at Albion College, and many parts were written specifically for Albion faculty and students. “His style was post-Romantic and very British,” Doran said. “He had a tremendous mastery for setting English words to music, and he made tremendous choices of poetry and text for his works.” In February 1963, Taffs’ opera “Noah” debuted at Goodrich Chapel, with choir director Strickler leading the soloists, Albion College Choral Society, and orchestra—175 musicians in all—through the two-hour performance. It was deemed a smash hit, and the Jackson Citizen Patriot called it “a powerful opera which ... should become one of the most important operatic works of this century." Maag, then associate professor of music, sang the role of Noah's wife and Robert Kuehn, a prominent New York baritone, portrayed Noah. Five other professional musicians sang principal roles, and nine Albion students had solo parts. A 1963 Io Triumphe alumni magazine article noted: “In addition to the conductor’s score, Professor Taffs prepared scores for the chorus, orchestra and piano. This task began in September, 1961, and was not completed until twelve months later. Into rehearsals for the introductory presentation went more than 8,300 man hours, according to estimates by Professor Strickler.” Taffs also played tennis and was a chess player who designed problems that won international chess competitions, according to James Cook, professor of English, emeritus, who named Taffs as a significant role model. ”He was extraordinary and I loved him dearly,” Cook said. “We used to play chess, and I beat him once. He was equally adept at tennis, but I never beat him. I once asked him if he remembered my having beat him at chess and he said no. “His recollection always was that I never beat him,” Cook laughed. Taffs was born January 15, 1916, in London, England, to Joseph Alan and Juliet Taffs. He attended public schools in Proctor, Vt., before receiving his bachelor’s degree from the College of the City of New York in 1939. He went on to earn a master’s degree in English from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College 1943, and taught college English before being hired by the Albion College English department in 1949. Motivated by a growing love for music education and composition, Taffs left the College to earn a master’s degree in music from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, returning to Albion in 1952—this time settling in the music department. Throughout his career, Taffs served as church organist and choir director for churches in New York and Albion, and was the supply pastor for five years for a rural Methodist church in Tennessee and the Universalist Church in Concord, Mich. In addition to performing as a visiting concert pianist in many major cities, Taffs frequently lectured around the country on opera and composition. He also served as an adjudicator for the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association. As he began composing more and more, he gave his last piano recital in the early 1960s, according to Doran. Taffs was a constant sight around Goodrich Chapel, home of the music department, mentoring hundreds of piano students across six decades. He received an honorary doctor of music degree from Albion at the Honors Convocation in 1992. On April 1, 2004, Taffs gave his final faculty lecture, discussing “The Preservation of Music,” which centered on the creation of his Web site (http://people.albion.edu/ataffs/), featuring a full catalogue of his works, with downloadable scores and audio. Ralph Houghton, instructional technologist at the College, assisted Taffs on the site. And, of course, he continued to teach. “It is fitting, of course, that he collapsed in his Goodrich studio after giving his last lesson,” Doran said. “It’s so appropriate, for a man who was as devoted to music and teaching others as Tony was.” Taffs was a Phi Betta Kappa and member of the Exchange Club, Lions Club, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Albion, and he volunteered at Albion Manor (Tendercare). He enjoyed walking, reading, telling stories, and attending plays. Taffs was preceded in death by his first wife, Virginia; his son; Robin Preston Taffs; and his brother, Olav Frithjof Taffs. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughters Juliet Spiller Taffs of Ann Arbor and Margaret Theresa Taffs Rukes of Decatur; daughters-in-law Cristine Taffs of Mt. Pleasant and Rebecca Webster of Alma; sister Juliet Kelleher of New York; brothers Wolfram Leonard Taffs of Arizona and Siegfried Ranulf Taffs of Mississippi; four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Marshall. Visitation will be Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at J. Kevin Tidd Funeral Home, 811 Finley Drive, Albion. The family has requested that donations be made to the Albion College Briton Scholarship Fund or Episcopal Relief and Development Fund. A memorial service will be held April 8 at the College. Directions to J. Kevin Tidd Funeral Home: From the East: From I-94, take Exit 124 toward Albion. At the top of the ramp, turn right onto MI-99/I-94 Business Route. Continue to follow I-94 Business Route/Michigan Avenue 2.9 miles past Albion College to the third traffic light at N. Superior Street. Turn left onto N. Superior Street, driving through downtown Albion. Turn right onto W. Erie Street and drive 1.1 miles to Finley. Turn left onto Finley to the funeral home. From the West: From I-94, take the I-94-Business Route Exit 121 toward Albion. At the top of the ramp, turn right onto I-94 Business Route/N. Eaton Street. Continue to follow N. Eaton Street 1.5 miles. Turn right onto W. Erie Street and drive 1 mile. Turn left onto Finley Drive to the funeral home. -30- .
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