Russell P. Getz

1982-1984

 
Born 	September 27, 1925, a native of Denver, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Died 	Friday, May 9, 1986 after a heart attack

B.S.	Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania 1949
MS 	University of Pennsylvania 1953
Ed.D.	Pennsylvania State University 1963

Directed band and choral groups at the Hempfield district,

Served  	two years as choral director at Millersville State College, and as music 
	department chairman of the Hempfield (Lancaster County) schools
Joined 	the faculty of Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1976 as 
	Associate Professor of Music and Choral Director and in 1985 was promoted 
	to full Professor and was named Chair the same year

Worked during the presidency as division chair of the music education program and

director of the college choir at Gettysburg College

Directed the highly regarded Ephrata Cloister Chorus from 1958 until his death 

Significant Publications:

Articles in Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians

Co-authored, Reading and Writing Music

Published many articles in professional journals and society publications

Significant Personal Accomplishment:
Served as Music Advisor and Coordinator of the Arts, Department of Public Instruction 
 	1964-1973,
 	as Chief of the Division of Arts and Humanities of the Pennsylvania 
	Department of Education 1973-1976, 

as a chairman, for 13 years, of the music department at the Hempfield, PA,

school district, and

as MENC Eastern Division president 1969-1971

Worked on the MENA National Commission on Instruction for 6 years

Conducted a variety of church choirs and community choral groups over the years and 
	was a guest conductor for many church and school choral and instrumental 
	festivals, and
	numerous performances by the Lancaster Opera Workshop.
Was well known in south central Pennsylvania for his restoration of the music of the 
	Ephrata Cloister, a German religious community which flourished in 
	Lancaster County prior to the American Revolutionary War

Founded, supervised, and taught at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts

 
Personal Biography:
The son of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Getz 
Was a 1942 graduate of East Cocalico High School, Reamstown, PA. 
Earned B.S. degree from Lebanon Valley in 1949 (having served in the 
	U.S. Army from 1943-46), 
	M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1953, 
	and D.Ed. from Penn State University in 1963. 
 

Sources Used:

MEJ, December 1979

1984 and Beyond, MEJ, September 1983

Karen Dupell Drickamer, Head, Special Collections and College Archivist, Gettysburg 

College, PA

Other Sources:

Fowler, C. B. A look into the crystal ball. (Eastman School conference--The Future of

Musical Education in America). High Fidelity/Musical America Edition, 34, Jan.

1984, MA6-9.

Notable quotes from the Eastman Conference. Music Educators Journal, 70, Nov. 1983,

42-44.

Candidates for president-elect. Music Educators Journal, 66, Dec. 1979, 81.

1984 and beyond. (speech from 1983 MENC division meeting). Music Educators

Journal, 70, Sep. 1983, 52-54.