Class of 2008 (1st reunion) (L to R) Row 1: Victoria Johnson, Stephanie Hood, Jasmine Jackson, Carla Ruiz-Ney Row 2: AnnaKaye Burgher, Wendy Joseph, Leah Roberts, Allison Scenna, Onyebuchi Chukwuma
Row 3: Jazmine
McKellar, Leane Willis, GinaMarie Cody, Adaobi Iheduru
Norman Parrish McLean
Wesleyan remembers beloved Professor of Music Mr. Mac Wesleyan Professor Emeritus Norman Parrish McLean, known with great affection as Mr. Mac by many, passed away Sunday, January 4, 2009. He was a beloved and admired teacher and colleague at Wesleyan, and the memory of his impressive voice and presence is vivid still.
He and his wife owned and operated McLean Antiques in Macon from 1952 until her death in 1996. He moved to Athens, Georgia, in 1998 and most recently resided at Arbor Terrace. Mr. Mac will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather who appreciated art in its many forms.
In 1922, Mr. Mac was born in Alamo, Tennessee, the son of Norman Arthur and Cordie Bennett McLean. Preceding him in death was his wife of forty-five years, Dolores Hanke McLean. Mr. Mac served in the U.S. Army from 1941-1945, honorably discharged as a Sergeant. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama in 1949 and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York. He studied with Madame Regina Neidliner in New York, Anna Kasas of Indiana University, and Martial Singher of Chicago. He and his wife Dolores performed with symphony orchestras in New York, Boston, Chicago, and throughout the country. He served on the faculty at Cornell College in 1951 and at Wesleyan from 1952 until 1985 as Professor of Music.
Last November, Nadine Cheek Whitney ’79 and Ellen Futral Hanson ’83, his former students and current Wesleyan music faculty members, took several voice students to the NATS Master Classes at the University of Georgia. While they were in Athens, Nadine, Ellen, and the students visited with and sang for Mr. Mac at Arbor Terrace. He loved it and even sang along on the hymns. He was alert, well dressed as always, and happy that day. Although his memory was deteriorating, Mr. Mac talked about Wesleyan and the music department where he taught for over thirty years.
He was known as a demanding professor who expected excellence from his students. Many of his students, still performing in the U.S. and Europe, stayed in touch with Mr. Mac through the years.
Ellen and Nadine report that they have much to remember about what they learned from Mr. Mac as a teacher and mentor: “We can never fill his shoes, but we will carry on in his memory, for the love of music and beautiful singing; we will teach our Wesleyan students in honor of what he gave to us and to so many others!”
Wesleyan celebrated the life of Mr. Mac with a special event during the 2009 Alumnae Weekend. The weekend also included a performance by Metropolitan Opera Star Frederica Von Stade, accompanied by Martin Katz. Both of these marvelous musicians held an extraordinary Master Class on campus – fittingly, this year’s edition of the Norman McLean Master Class series. In honor of Mr. Mac, donations may be made to the Norman McLean Master Class at Wesleyan College in Macon: Wesleyan College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 4760 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 31210-4462.
Wesleyan Magazine Summer 2009