Richard Angeletti, left, and William Dann

 7/2/08

New scholarship created for piano students

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas piano students today and tomorrow will benefit from a new scholarship established by William Dann.

The scholarship honors Richard Angeletti, professor emeritus of piano who taught at KU from 1960 until 1999. Dann studied piano with Angeletti in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He described his former professor as “remarkable.”

“You can be a great performer, but not necessarily a good teacher — Richard Angeletti is both,” Dann said.

Dann, who lives in Lawrence, created the $30,000 endowed scholarship through KU Endowment. The first scholarship will be awarded this fall.

Steve Hedden, dean of KU’s School of Fine Arts, said new scholarships are always cause for celebration, as they’re often the key to helping students through college. Hedden said this scholarship is important to him on a personal level, as he also was a student of Professor Angletti.

Angeletti said he was surprised when Dann called to ask permission to name the scholarship after him. “I am so moved by this,” Angeletti said. “I’ve had so many wonderful students, but I’ve never had anything like this happen. I’m just so happy that Bill Dann thought enough of me to do that.”

In retirement, Angeletti continues to play the piano and occasionally perform. He also stays in touch with former students, many of whom are performing and teaching at various locations around the world.

During his career at KU, Angeletti served as chair of KU’s piano department in the 1970s, and later directed the piano division. Angeletti started KU’s artist-in-residence program, which lasted for 22 years and brought world-famous pianists to campus to teach and perform. He performed hundreds of recitals across the country, accompanied artists through Columbia Artists Management, and taught at KU’s summer Midwestern Music Camps. In the 1970s, Angeletti was named an Outstanding Educator of America.

The Richard Angeletti Piano Scholarship is managed by KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment is the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.

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