NPM-GR
National Association of Pastoral Musicians
Grand Rapids Chapter

Supporting all music ministers as they seek to utilize their art to enhance worship and prayer throughout the Diocese of Grand Rapids

Dolores Hruby

Remembering Dolores Hruby

1924-2008

Dolores Marie (Smith) Hruby, 84, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, friend, and celebrated musician/composer/teacher, First Lady of Aquinas College, and volunteer charity worker, died on Saturday, March 29 after a heroic 16-year bout with cancer. Surviving her are Norbert, her husband of 65 years; Michael, her son, of San Francisco; and her daughters, Monica of Incline Village, NV, Patricia of Champaign, IL; her husband, Morgan Powell; and grandchildren, Rachel Robbins of Fort Collins, CA, and Benjamin and Michaela Rice of Incline Village.

A child prodigy on piano, Dolores grew up always knowing that music would be the driving force of her life. She began her collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin but left after her sophomore year to marry. It took ten years after her marriage -- and three children -- to complete a bachelor's degree in music at the American Conservatory of Music, where she studied under Leo Sowerby, and a master's degree from Michigan State University. Her often interrupted education, however, was the inspiration for innovative degree-completion programs for mature women at Mundelein and Aquinas colleges so that other mature women need not go through what she did.

She was a lifelong student of piano technique, widely recognized as an expert clinician as well as a composer of music for her church choirs and her piano students. Countless choral and piano compositions of hers have been published and performed across the nation.

Recognition of her talent and achievements, despite all the obstacles, were finally recognized in recent years: the Alleluia Award from the Grand Rapids Diocese, MSU's "Spotlight on a Michigan Composer" award, and, climactically, the American Guild of Organists' Composer of the Year award in 2007, presented at a concert of her compositions in her honor by children's and adult choirs at St. Jude Church this past October. Awards aside, Dolores was a guide and inspiration, not only to her own children, but to countless children and adults, teaching them to sing and inspiring them with a devotion to music. Her last days were made easier by the selfless ministrations of her husband, children and her niece, Elizabeth Gilson Aaron, who were at her side to the very end.

from Eileen (Rogalla) Allen Hoogterp

April 23, 2008

I believe that I first met Dolores Hruby through my sister, Susan Tindall, as she and Susan were working on Sing an Old/New Song to the Lord, a hymn of the month study program for anyone working with young children. The book was published through Pastoral Press.

Dolores directed one of the many collaborative Music Fests presented by the Muskegon Deanery Churches in the 1980's and early 1990's. For that program we used many of her works, but I especially remember "Lord, Let Your Hands" as part of that program. Just this past winter (2008), the Sanctuary Choir of St. Francis de Sales, Muskegon, used that anthem as part of our repertoire for the Lenten season as it is so appropriate for catechumens and candidates preparing for the Easter sacraments.

In the year 2000, American Guild of Organists (AGO) chapters around the world were asked to celebrate the organ with a concert in October of that year with all chapters utilizing the title: Pipes Spectacular. For that concert, we chose "Celebrate this Happy, Holy Day" as one of the anthems for the Youth Choir to sing because of its reference to the pipe organ. Not only did the youth choirs sing this piece, but it was choreographed and the dancers wore costumes that imitated organ pipes! It was a huge success!

Dolores was also a clinician for our Muskegon-Lakeshore AGO chapter and directed a youth choir workshop culminating in a concert at Bethany Reformed Church, Muskegon (circa 2001/2002). As part of that workshop/concert we programmed many of Dolores' youth choir pieces, but in particular some of her Christmas music for youth choirs. It was great fun for the choristers to work with a living composer. I also remember a youth choir event sponsored by NPM and hosted at St. Adalbert's, and how much fun it was for Dolores and the choristers to sing in such a beautiful and acoustically-alive sanctuary!

Just this year, our Youth Choir here at St. Francis de Sales performed several of Dolores' works, including: "Help Us Accept Each Other" (January 2008) and "Magnificat" (May 2008).

I was honored to be present with my husband, Richard Hoogterp, for the concert presented in Dolores’ honor this past fall (2007). It was very evident that she was loved by many!

I will always remember Dolores as full of energy and wanting to share her joy of music with all who came into contact with her. May Dolores' works continue to be a part of the sacred music we share with our communities for years to come!

Sincerely,
Eileen (Rogalla) Allen Hoogterp, Director of Music, St. Francis de Sales, Muskegon; and Dean, Muskegon-Lakeshore Chapter of the AGO

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