Brother Don Campbell - Dead at 65

August 21, 2012

Signature Sinfonian and pioneer in music therapy Don Campbell, Gamma Theta (North Texas) '65, was the best-selling author of 23 books, most famously The Mozart Effect, which has been translated into 24 languages and has become an international best-seller. He died on June 2, 2012, from pancreatic cancer.

Campbell's work combined modern science with the world of music, to elucidate how sound and music can be used responsibly to enhance all aspects of our lives.

In a recent interview for The Sinfonian magazine, Campbell said of his Sinfonian experience, "Being a Sinfonian at North Texas was a great privilege and an amazing experience. I had just come from four years in Europe while in high school. I had no background in jazz until I started singing with the Sinfonian chorus and meeting brothers who were jazz players in the famous “Lab Bands” at the university. I made lifelong friends not only with other Sinfonians but a dozen different styles of music."

In Campbell's most recent book, Healing at the Speed of Sound, he writes “Beauty, expression, and harmony are timeless. As we move forward in the twenty-first century, let us hear the mathematical structure of music underlying the chaos and cacophony of our cities. Let us counter the war songs with transcendent chant and song. Let us open our ears to tunes sung in the darkness of the night, and celebrate the radiant sounds of the ancient hymns, chants, and ballads. Whoever we are, in whatever city or nation in the world, each of us has a unique song to sing, a voice with which to express the joy we experience in our lives. With music, we can join with others and, together, bring harmony and health to this world.”

These words echo many that are expressed in the philosophy and goals of Sinfonia. Phi Mu Alpha extends condolences to the family and friends of Campbell, as we celebrate his life and advancement of music and harmony.

To view the public memorial service that was held in Campbell's honor, click here. ###

From the Desk of:
Mark A Wilson, Director of Communications
(800) 473-2649, ext. 104
wilson@sinfonia.org
***************************************************************