St. Joseph’s University, New York’s President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., recently performed a piano recital at his alma mater Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, to reconnect with Del Mar and Richard King High School’s Class of 1972 for their 50th graduation anniversary.
Dr. Boomgaarden performed works by Rachmaninoff and Chopin, and debuted an original composition that he wrote for the event which took place in the hall where he performed his first recital at age 15.
Dr. Boomgaarden started his musical career at Del Mar, studying piano with Blaise Montandon, former professor of piano and co-chairman of applied music; and composition with William Schroeder, former chairman of the theory department and composer-in-residence.
In between pieces, Dr. Boomgaarden shared memories with his former classmates and about his journey with music. Following the recital, Dr. Boomgaarden reconnected with peers, as well as students from Del Mar who attended the performance.
“Returning to Del Mar College, where I studied piano and composition as a high school student, was very meaningful to me,” said Dr. Boomgaarden.
“The professors there changed my life, and I know that our St. Joseph’s students are being taught in the same way by our wonderful faculty. Education unlocks so many doors, and brings so much good into the world. The experience of playing in the same hall where I gave my first recital was a powerful and unforgettable experience to me.”
At SJNY, Dr. Boomgaarden combines his musical talents with his passion for teaching by serving as an instructor for various music courses on both campuses. This semester, he is teaching Great Figures in Music and How They Can Open the Door to Personal Excellence on the Brooklyn campus. He has previously taught North American Roots Music and Music of the Romantic Era, as well as many other courses.
Dr. Boomgaarden is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, and also studied at the University of Vienna, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He has held teaching positions at the Eastman School of Music and Ithaca College Conservatory of Music.
A concert pianist and country fiddler, Dr. Boomgaarden is also a noted historian of opera, music aesthetics and harmonic theory. His writings include his book on the interrelationships between philosophy and music, “Musical Thought in Eighteenth-Century Britain and Germany,” and articles in “The New Grove Dictionary” and “The New Grove Dictionary of Opera,” as well as the “British Dictionary of National Biography.”
