Eileen Houston (left) with Ava Ordman, MSU associate professor of trombone and chair of the brass and percussion area, at Houston's home in Delta township, a part of the Grand Ledge School District.

When Eileen Houston established two scholarship funds in the College of Music on behalf of herself and her late husband, both of which support music majors studying trumpet or trombone, it was out of gratitude to their MSU brass professors Merrill Sherburn and Byron Autrey.

"To this day I remember the encouragement that the faculty provided," Eileen says. "It meant everything to work with faculty members who believed in your talent and who went out of their way to create opportunities for you to succeed."  

Eileen (BM '62 and MM '68) and her husband, Bob (BM '68), who died in 2009, grew up in Wyandotte, Michigan. Bob, the oldest of three boys, first picked up a cornet in the fourth grade. Eileen studied piano and violin as a child. After a family visit to relatives in Kansas during which Eileen experimented on a variety of brass instruments, she settled on the trombone. Both families were generous in their encouragement of musical pursuits and provided opportunities to hear and see musical performances in addition to private lessons.

Following high school graduation, Eileen studied music education at MSU, majoring in trombone under Sherburn. It was as a member of the university's top band, then under the direction of Leonard Falcone, that she learned the intricacies of musical interpretation. She also played in orchestras and cites pieces by Mahler, Elgar, Verdi, and J. S. Bach among her favorites. Bob worked one year, served four years in the U.S. Navy, and then worked another year before spending one year at Flint Community College. He then transferred to MSU, where he majored in music education and studied trumpet with Autrey. Bob taught high school and then middle school band in Grand Ledge for two years; Eileen spent three years teaching elementary and junior high band in Fenton, two years teaching elementary and junior high strings in Jackson, and then 33 years in Grand Ledge teaching elementary, junior high, and middle school band. Both continued to perform as members of the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint Concert Band, and Lansing Symphony Orchestra.

She notes that although music education as a profession continues to evolve, the fundamental basics of developing young musical talent are the same now as they were at the beginning of her career. "Once young students recognize that a band, an orchestra, or a choir is a very large team, with everyone working together and learning from their mistakes, things fall into place," she says. "It's the responsibility of the teacher to set standards that are both high and realistic, so that every student can achieve his or her full potential as a musician. Expecting excellence usually results in excellence."

Bob and Eileen shared fond memories of Michigan State and appreciated the support shown by their respective instructors. Eileen has chosen to honor them by ensuring that future generations of brass students will be able to pursue their own musical paths. Recipients of the scholarships are selected for their promise, dedication, and perseverance. 

To learn more about the J. Robert Houston III and Eileen G. Houston Brass Expendable Scholarship and the J. Robert Houston III and Eileen G. Houston Brass Endowed Scholarship, contact Linda Conradi, assistant director of development, at (517) 353-9872 or conradi@msu.edu.