Conductor and violinist Terrance Malone Gray died on June 26 at age 59. “He was Chicago Symphony Youth Orchestras’ longest-serving employee, conducting ensembles for almost 30 years,” states an unsigned article on Tuesday’s (6/28) Violin Channel. “He was also a faculty member and conductor at the Chicago School for the Performing Arts, as well as a member of the St. Neri Chamber Players and the first violin section of the Chicago Sinfonietta—the latter of which he was a founding member…. Born in Wisconsin, he started his musical career began on violin under the tutelage of Elizabeth Grabow Mueller. Gray went on to study … at DePaul University…. He served as concertmaster of the DePaul University Orchestra and as concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Upon graduating, he became Music Director of the South Side Family Chamber Orchestra and the principal conductor of CYSO’s Concert Orchestra. In 1999, Gray was appointed the principal conductor of the Illinois Chamber Symphony, and during the 2002 season was Music Director/Conductor and Professor of Violin at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. In 2010, he had his premiere performance conducting the Chicago Sinfonietta…. That same year, Gray was awarded a Conductor of the Year award from the Illinois Council of Orchestras.” No cause of death was given. He is survived by his children Nyah and Esai.
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