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| Karen Clark (Photo courtesy of University of La Verne.) |
Karen Clark, an adjunct professor with the Music Department, passed away on Sunday, July 15, from cancer.
Memorial services will be held on Thursday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m. at First Methodist Church, 918 Euclid Ave., in Ontario.
“Karen taught class piano in the Music department for many years and was a joy to work with. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer, underwent surgery, chemo and suffered a long journey,” said Iris Levine, chair of the Music department. “May she now rest in peace. She will always be remembered for her talents, her joie de vivre and dry sense of humor.”
Clark received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano from Claremont Graduate University. She also received a Master of Music degree in organ from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in piano and organ from Scripps College.
She received piano performance awards and special recognition from the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (Pacific Western States), the University of Michigan, the former Pasadena chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the Covina chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota and Scripps College.
In addition, she taught class piano as a senior adjunct professor at the University of La Verne and was organist at First United Methodist Church of Ontario. Clark taught private piano and organ students, some who have won performance awards through the Certificate of Merit program sponsored by the Music Teachers' Association of CA, the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, and the Pomona Valley branch of M.T.A.C.
Former students have been or are currently enrolled in music programs at the Universities of Idaho, Miami, and Southern California. She was a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Guild of Organists and was Branch Recitals and Scholarship Auditions chairperson of the Pomona Valley branch of MTAC, and was the chairperson of the Pomona Valley Center for the National Guild Piano Playing Auditions.