Alan EHNES

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EHNES: Alan Charles Ehnes. Holding the hand of his wife of 49 years, Alan Ehnes passed away on October 5th at his Long Lake home near Bottineau, North Dakota. Alan Ehnes was born in Valparaiso, Indiana on September 26, 1946, the third of four children of Dorothynell and Carl Ehnes. He grew up in a home filled with music, books and lively discussions. He graduated from Valparaiso High School in 1964. While there he pursued serious music studies and lettered all four years in wrestling. At 15, he toured with the International Music Camp Good-Will European Tour Band. Alan Ehnes received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the Ruth Page International Ballet Company Orchestra. While touring with the ballet orchestra he met his future wife Barbara Withey. He taught music briefly in Chicago and for two years in Montreal. In 1973 he joined the faculty of Brandon University School of Music where he taught until his retirement in 2010. In addition to being the professor of trumpet, he also taught brass techniques, percussion and conducting. He conducted the BU Concert Band and brass ensembles. He was Chairman of the Music Education Committee and Chairman of the Department of Applied Studies. During this time he also performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra, in CBC and faculty recitals, in numerous other concerts, and recorded Canadian trumpet works with pianist Eduard Laurel. He was actively involved with the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, serving as a board member and as chairman of the board. He adjudicated both within Canada and internationally, including many years serving as a judge at the National Trumpet Competition in Washington D.C. For over 30 years he taught at the International Music Camp at the Peace Gardens and for several years was a member of the International Brass Quintet. An especially devoted family man who mentored his children in educational and artistic pursuits, he was equally comfortable quoting poetry or baseball facts, listening to Mozart or playing board games. Family gatherings were among his greatest joys. He was loved, admired and respected by his family, his students and his colleagues, and was proud to be a member of the BU Music Faculty. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his dearly loved children Charles (Kaoru), James (Kathryn) and Ann (Christopher) Maloney, his 5 grandchildren Matthew, Caroline, Sylvia, Christopher, and Wesley, his brother Paul and sister Carla (Curtis) Mick. Memorial services will be held in Florida this fall and in Brandon in the spring. A memorial scholarship fund is being established at Brandon University School of Music to honor this beloved faculty member.

As published in Brandon Sun on Oct 12, 2019