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Enduring Resonance: Honoring Dr. David Stech

Kat Reichert, CLA Public Information Office
November 3, 2025
cla-pio@alaska.edu

51�������� Department of Music dedicates Davis Concert Hall pipe organ in memory of Professor Emeritus Dr. David Stech; recital by Dr. Stephen Price set for Sunday, Nov. 9

Join the 51�������� Department of Music on Sunday, Nov. 9th at 4 p.m. in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall as the university honors and commemorates Professor Emeritus Dr. David Stech, a pillar of the Fairbanks music community. This special dedication concert will name the Davis Concert Hall’s pipe organ in his honor and feature a recital by Dr. Stephen Price, with collaborations by 51�������� faculty and students.

Stech, who served on the 51�������� Music faculty from 1972 to 2008, shaped generations of Alaska musicians as a professor of theory, ear training, and organ, and as department chair. A University of Minnesota–Duluth graduate (B.S., Music), he earned his M.A. from The Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Music from Michigan State University, where he studied music theory pedagogy with Paul Harder. A pioneering scholar-practitioner, Stech was among the first to apply computer technology to music instruction and analysis. In 1976, he programmed early computer-assisted applications to teach music fundamentals—sharing them across Alaska long before the internet was widely available—and later leveraged MIDI tools to enhance aural skills and improve error detection for students.

Stech’s vision is audibly present in the Davis Concert Hall itself: an organist and co-tonal designer of the three-manual, sixty-six stop Gress-Miles organ—the largest pipe organ in the State of Alaska—he helped ensure the instrument would serve both teaching and performance at the highest level. His scholarship continued into retirement with reconstructions of Marcel Dupré’s recorded improvisations, painstakingly transcribed so today’s organists can study and perform them.

For colleagues and alumni, dedicating the hall’s signature instrument in Dr. Stech’s name was an obvious, heartfelt choice. Department Chair Jaunelle Celaire reflected on both his technical expertise and his devotion to students and the department.

“From the very beginning, David Stech has always been completely dedicated to the organ. He has helped maintain the instrument from the day he arrived at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Music Department,” she said. “He had a reputation of a pretty intense piano proficiency exam. The alumni still talk about it to this day! He dedicated so many hours to the department, the students, and the curriculum in the Music Department. The organ was his baby! And because he took such good care of it, we could not find a better way to honor him than naming it after him.”

Beyond his stewardship of the instrument, Celaire spoke about Stech’s enduring influence as a teacher and mentor. “Dr. Stech’s teaching empowered the students to be confident in their skills. He fostered self-expression and lifelong learning through music,” she said. “He inspired the students and the greater Fairbanks community to be better role models and to take pride and the things that they cared about. His passion was definitely the organ, and it was beautiful to see him always educating our community about this instrument.”

She added that his impact continues to resonate through generations of alumni. “So many of our alumni have amazing memories and stories about their time with Dr. Stech,” she said. “Those stories paint a picture of success, growth, and excellence.”

The department’s connection with recitalist Dr. Stephen Price grew organically. “A couple of years ago, we met Stephen Price. Stephen reached out to us because he was very interested in playing an organ recital here in Fairbanks. He flew up and played one of the most beautiful organ recitals that we had witnessed. Stephen‘s heartfelt attitude and appreciation for our department, faculty, and students made him part of our Fairbanks family, and we have kept in touch with him since! When we were brainstorming ideas on dedicating the organ in Dr. Stech’s name, we immediately thought of Stephen because of how invested he was just a couple of years ago. He has also given us some really creative ways to honor Dr. Stech, and for that, we are very grateful for the input in building his legacy.”

Attendees can expect a rich, collaborative program. Price will perform a full solo recital, joined by the women’s ensemble of the Choir of the North for Brahms’ “Ave Maria.” A string ensemble will also accompany him, creating what Celaire described as a truly special and memorable moment of collaboration for the department.

Beyond campus, Stech’s legacy also lives at Fairbanks International Airport, where his family recently donated a historic photograph of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II meeting on May 2, 1984, an image in which Stech appears at the organ. The photo was unveiled on May 2, 2025, a reminder of Fairbanks’ role on the world stage and of Stech’s enduring contributions to Alaska’s cultural history.

Celaire emphasized that the evening is about more than music; it’s about reflection and gratitude. “I just want the audience and the attendees to appreciate a great man who played a stellar role in our music department. It is important to remember those who have shaped us into the musicians and educators we are today.”

An endowed scholarship for music students has been established in Stech’s name. Checks may be made payable to “UA Foundation” with “Dr. David Stech Endowed Scholarship” in the memo line and mailed to UA Foundation, PO Box 755080, Fairbanks, AK 99775. Donations can be made by choosing “Other” under “Designation,” and typing “in memory of Dr. David Stech.”