Professor Ira Halverson Has Died

My favorite memory of Dr. Halvorson is when he came to the 5 Points poetry reading a few years ago and after we were done, told us that we all needed to work on our diction and articulation.

And I'm sure he prefaced that admonition with "wretched children," Evan.

Mr. Halvorson will be missed.

Mr. Halvorson once told me that he was a POW in a Nazi camp. He had a pretty good time of it though in comparison to others because he could play the piano so well and had the initiative to organize a camp band, which everyone liked. I think he was captured as a paratrooper.

Hi Josiah, Matt! I saw your comment-maybe you'll see this. Dame and I are so happy for you about Indianna. Talked to Brae briefly to get the news-she is going to get back to us and catch us up Warmly, Kate Josiah, I like your energy about your work.

My favorite memory of Mr. Halvorsen is also the last time I saw him alive. He was playing piano at Neal Howard's wedding, and when the bridesmaids were supposed to walk down the aisle there was a delay and they weren't processing, so Mr. Halvorsen had to improvise a little. Finally, after some minutes, he stopped suddenly, turned around and exclaimed loudly, "Where are those girls?!" I think the laughter went on for a good two minutes.

I heard he was shot down over Europe durring ww2 and rode the back country on a bycle until he was picked up by the nazis.

I heard from one of his students/friends that he built an outdoor shower on his back deck, and that he only ever showered outdoors.

He also once told me I needed to exercise.

Probably one of the only true eccentrics I've ever known. Although others have tried, he was genuinely eccentric. He used to park his RV outside the Music Building at Covenant and tell us how he liked to nap in it between classes because he could sunbath under the skylight (nude of course). In class he would come in with the (hush now) "Unity word for the day" which was always incredibly smarmy and simple. He would quote French erotic poetry that unfortunately none of us could translate. But my favorite was told by a piano student who came in to his studio for a lesson. There was no Halverson in sight so the kid began to timidly plunk out some of the lesson he had prepared. Suddenly a voice from under the piano admonished him. "That's not right child!" and Halverson woke up from his nap.
He was one great pianist as well. I brought in the Hindemith trombone concerto one day and he proceeded to sight read the piano accompaniment. It was 20th century music at its most complex, and the piano accompaniment was a condensed version of an entire orchestra. There were polyrhythms galore, and notes all over the place, but he did it! I asked him to play for my daughter's wedding recently. I wanted part of the Holberg suite by Grieg. Our string quartet ended an Irish jig and he was supposed to play next. He started noodling around, improvising on what we had just played and brilliantly morphed the jig into the Grieg piece. It was magical! Great musician, great man, great friend. I'm glad I knew him.

Josiah,

May I use this picture of Halvorsen for this week's Bagpipe?

-Max

one of my favorite memories with ira... he called me from canada (where he went each summer for piano lessons... he was always eager to learn more) wanting to ask me about something i had said to him in a previous conversation... he quoted me directly at some length... i realized he must have been listening to the tape (he taped our conversation)... then i was worried because i knew he only listened to tapes in his van and he shouldn't be on the phone with me while he was driving (did you ever see him navigate that massive van? did you ever ride in that thing with him? it's like riding with todd... sorry todd)... i told him to call me back, but he assured me that he had pulled over onto the side of the road... the dear Christian man was listening to our taped conversation and couldn't wait but needed to share some word of encouragement (Php 2:1)... i have no idea what we talked about... but he taught nonetheless (3:17)...

Dr. Halvorsen was my piano teacher for a year when i was in middle school. Without fail, he always sucked on a peppermint while I played my lesson, and he always fell asleep. He was very confrontational about my need to practice, and it often made me cry afterwards... but that was good for me.
I also remember the times he attended our 5pts poetry readings- he seemed to really love them although he couldn't make out half of what we said!

I seem to remember that he always got comp tickets to plays that were comedies. His laugh was infectious and if you wanted people to laugh, you made sure Dr. Halvorsen was there. I never had him as a teacher, but I can remember making him laugh with my role as Moonshine in Misdummer Night's Dream my freshman year. It was encouraging and I did my absolute best work that night.

Sometime around 1975 Mr. Halvorsen invited me to a jazz workshop in Knoxville. I was a confused, hedonistic college sophomore. He read "Christ the Tiger" outloud while I drove. Not a word was missed. Three piano techniques I still abide by: 1) sit high on the bench; 2) let your motion start in the tail bone; 3) trills and other flourishes are not mechanical--they are built in by the Creator and just have to be shaken, no flicked...out. This man more than any other showed me that we creatures are best if sometimes we demonstrate that we are full of passion and utterly crazy.

so many hilarious stories, so many beautiful memories. i remember once in the middle of admonishing a group of us about the need to talk to jehovah's witnesses when they come to our doors, he anecdoted about a mother and daughter combo he once made wait outside for a few minutes ... "i was in the middle of a really nice bowel movement..."

his strange dieting habits, the piano bolted into the back of his van, his many "girlfriends" he talked about, they all lend to so much laughter. and yet his honesty then brought admiration on a very unique level from those he interacted with. one friend once told me a story that when he showed up for his interview with covenant for his position, he was wearing a hawaiian shirt and lederhosen. when asked by another friend of mine later on if that was true, he replied, "nonsense, they would have never hired me! but i did show up for my first day of work in that getup (wink).

any subject you broached him with, he had studied more extensively than just about anyone i've ever met. not just music, but theology, philosophy, poetry, literature, science, he knew about it all. he was once a missionary in france even.

and i only interacted with him a handful of times. that is how much of an impression dr. halvorsen could make on a person. i am very sorry to hear he has passed. but i am grateful that i was able to meet, eat, drink and talk with him the few times that i was provided with.

Laura and I were honored to attend Dr Halvorsen's Memorial Service on Friday. We were honored to have known such a man as that. There were great stories from many former students, some tales from the brother of his first wife going back into the 1940's when David first dated his sister, wonderful pictures of a young David I wish we had known, music played by his young grandson and also a composition of his from the 70's. I think I remember him playing some of that for me as he was writing it in 1977. There is not much that brings tears to my eyes anymore, but music like that at a time like that is tearfully beautiful. What an honor!
I too have been surprised by the lack of news about Dr Halvorsen from an institution that had him for its heartbeat. Nevertheless, it is quite obvious by the accounts of his many friends what a treasured gift he was to those who knew him, even casually.
I'll give him credit for a major portion of what I learned at Covenant College and I'm not talking about acedemics. We all know that "knowledge will pass away". It is silly of us to elevate knowledge supremely. It is love that is the abiding, greatest thing. Dr Halvorsen had that and knew how to give it. What an honor!

During a chapel hymn sing, Dr. Halverson made us sing a hymn a second time. He said:

"I've heard more noise at a pin-dropping contest."

I did Mr. Halverson"s laundry as my "practical work" the year he came to Covenant as his wife had to wait several months before coming. We got to know each other really well! I never had an opportunity to study under him, but we remained dear friends throught . My 2 kids, both studied extensively with him (so I had great excuses to look him up when I was on campus.) His absolute zest for living, and living before God was so contagious that even when he was cranky he still exuded that love. He literally made the stage rock when he played one of Joanna's Senior Recital pieces, the piano moved! He made a tremendous impact on my life at Covenant and since. I'm sorry he was not granted the respect of a well-loved professor in goodly time...I'd have travelled from Atlanta if I has known!