Wilbur Franklin Russell,
professor emeritus of Sacred Music at San Francisco Theological Seminary and a
member of the faculty since 1953, died unexpectedly on November 13 at his home
in San Anselmo, CA. He was 77. Well known as a clinician and teacher, he gave
workshops and classes throughout most of the western United States. He had
published numerous choir arrangements, particularly as a result of his research
in early American hymnology. He had served as organist of First Presbyterian
Church, San Anselmo, since 1953 and had been director of music for 24 years.
The seminary community had honored Dr. Russell with a retrospective of his life
last during the 1997 SFTS Alumni Grand Reunion last October, and First
Presbyterian Church had featured Russell in early November during a service
emphasizing the significance of music in worship. He had been actively
preparing for the seminary's 22nd annual Service of Lessons and Carols.
The service was held December 5 and 6, dedicated to Russell's memory. A
memorial service was held at First Presbyterian Church on November 24. Born and
raised in Barnegat, NJ, he was student accompanist for his high school glee
club and organist at his church. From 1942-46 he served in the U.S. Army
Air Force and became chaplain's assistant as choir director and organist
at Scott Field, IL. He subsequently received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Westminster Choir College, and in 1990 received the Westminster Alumni Merit Award. He received a doctor of arts degree from Lewis and Clark College in 1977. Russell had studied with Carl Weinrich, E. Power Biggs, Arthur Poister, Alexander McCurdy, and Ludwig Altman. In 1948 he became director of music and organist of L'Église Evangelique in New York City, and from 1950-52 was director of music at the Hun School of Princeton. In addition to his work at the seminary and at First Presbyterian, he taught organ at College of Marin, was assistant director of music and organist at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco from 1962-87, and assistant municipal organist for the City of San Francisco from 1982-87. At SFTS Russell became chair of the Department of Sacred Music in 1962. He was elected emeritus professor of Sacred Music in 1991 and since then has been the seminary's visiting professor of Sacred Music.
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