Notes from the Class of 1984

Marquis Who’s Who recognized Geary Larrick (DMus) with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award this year for excellence in the fields of music and education. Geary is a retired professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and still performs in the area.

A group of alums traveled to Martha’s Vineyard this summer, wrote Katharine Montstream (Soc) of Burlington, Vt. The Buffs included Jen Barrow (Econ’90;MPubHealth’98) of Denver, Charlotte Dworshak (Engl’13) of Burlington, Mike Quas (Kines’92; MD’97) of Burlington, and Sydney Montstream-Quas (IntlAf, Hist’91; MPub-Health’97) of Barrington, R.I. Katharine writes, “We were there to boogie board, fish, swim, hang out on the dock and visit with family and friends.”

Deborah Yardley Beers (DMus) performed her original piano piece “Variations on a Laundry Song” at the Women, Feminists and Music: Transforming Tomorrow Today conference, held at Berklee College of Music in June. Deborah is a faculty member at Rivers School Conservatory in Weston, Mass.

With more than 30 years of diving experience, Bruce Nicholls (Fin) decided to pack up and move to the Caribbean. Most days you can find him in or under a boat, or as he says, “living the dream.”

Geary Larrick (DMus) of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, wrote the article “Marimba Classics” that appeared in the December issue of Rhythm! Scene, published by the Percussive Arts Society. His first article appeared in the magazine in 1968.

Stevens Point, Wisconsin native and retired music professor Geary Larrick (PhDMus) took the coronavirus shutdown in stride, ensuring he walks laps in his basement every day. He also practiced Marimba an hour a day, and caught up on 1982 World Series Milwaukee Brewers games he missed while studying hard at CU. Two of his music compositions were performed in summer 2020 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as part of the virtual festival for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. 

Since his first article was published in 1966, Geary Larrick (PhDMus) has written for many publications, including Books in Print, RILM Abstracts, Music Index and WorldCat. He lives in central Wisconsin with his wife, Lydia, where he is a retired music professor from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and recently welcomed his second grandson.

A graduate of CU’s organ performance program, Barry Farmer (PhDMus) has enjoyed success as a musician, educator and administrator in faith communities, public schools and universities across the country. He is a lifetime member of the College Music Society and holds certification as a massed ringing conductor with the Handbell Musicians of America. Over many years, he has played concerts as an accompanist, harpsichordist and organist, primarily in the southeastern U.S.

After spending 50 years in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Geary Larrick (DMus) moved to Glenview, Illinois. He and his wife welcomed a second grandson into the family this year. He still plays his marimba every day, he wrote, and has an electronic piano as well.  

After serving as communications director at the Yale Climate and Energy Institute, Eric Ellman (Geol’84) moved to London to live on a canal boat. The movie was spurred by the 2016 death of his friend Mark Pagani (Geol’83), Yale geology and geophysics professor. From there, Eric applied for a grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry to produce climate-themed theater on the Grand Union Canal With the goal of bringing climate science to the general public. His project convenes performers and climate scientists from the United Kingdom and United States, including those with CU’s Inside the Greenhouse project, a partnership between CU’s theater and science departments to creatively tell stories about climate change.

Stuart Whitehair (Hist’84; Law’87), an attorney based in Bozeman, Montana, has published his first novel. Due North is a murder mystery set in scenic Paradise Valley, Montana, and is available through Amazon. Stuart has maintained his connection with CU as a former member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and has run the CU at the Game website (cuatthegame.com) for the past decade. His CU at the Game podcast will be entering its third season in 2022.

In December 2021, Jenny Glidden Guberman (Fren’84) published her first book, Chattahoochee Cats, which was edited by Sydney Chinowsky (Engl’16). Inspired by her grandchildren and her rescue cats, this chapter book for second graders teaches readers about other countries and self-reliance. Jenny hopes to inspire people to accomplish their goals regardless of their age. Her sister, Susannah Glidden Lusk (Psych’72), and brother Jocelyn Cheney Glidden (Phil’68) attended CU Boulder as well. Jenny lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ever since his graduation, Geary Larrick (PhDMus’84) has built a career writing for publications. Geary’s work has appeared in Books in Print, Music Index, RILM Abstracts, WorldCat and Google Scholar. He and his wife, Lydia, live in Glenview, Illinois, close to their daughter, son-in-law and grandsons.

Musical composer Geary Larrick (DMus’84) lives in the Chicago area as a retired music professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He previously spent 50 years in central Wisconsin. In the 1970s and 80s, Geary gave the Colorado premieres of his “Sonata” for bass drum, which was composed in Aspen, “Marie: A Four-Mallet Rag” for marimba or vibes and “Duo Sonata” for trombone and percussion, which was presented in the CU College of Music recital hall. In 2023 Geary completed four symphonies and a Missa brevis. Much of Geary’s work is in the CU American Music Research Center.

Dave Murrow (AeroEngr’84) retired in 2023 after a space science mission career at NASA and in the commercial industry. He has been appointed to NASA’s Planetary Science Advisory Committee, where he offers guidance on projects to explore the moon and planets. Dave writes that he still loves Colorado and “plans to camp in all of the state parks and ski at all of our state’s resorts.” He lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.