October 10, 2018  |  News & Events, Sad News, Timely Announcements

Colleagues,

I share with you sad news from Dean Scott Emmons in the Peck School of the Arts.  Gregoria Karides Suchy, Professor Emerita of Composition and Music Technology, passed away on October 3, 2018.

After completing her B.S. in Music Education at the Milwaukee State Teachers College in 1945, Professor Suchy joined the institution that later would become the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and served as a professor of music theory and composition for over five decades. As a music theory professor, she taught nearly every music major who graduated from UWM between 1945 and 1999 – generations of future music educators, composers and performers.  Professor Suchy was a recipient of the UWM Ernest Spaights Plaza Award and UWM Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as many other teaching, composition, and community service awards and recognitions.

In the 1950s, Professor Suchy was the first composer to create an electronically produced ballet. Her composition “Greek Rhapsody” was performed at the 2010 Boston Marathon Concert and another recent work, a tango for jazz ensemble entitled “Ariana’s Tango,” was premiered at UWM. Her acclaimed compositions have been performed by ensembles ranging from the New York Contemporary Music Ensemble to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Professor Suchy’s obituary is online and there is a related article in the Journal Sentinel.  Funeral services were held this past weekend.

Our condolences to Gregoria’s family and to the many others whose lives she touched.

Take care,

Johannes

Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs