Maestros of Ministry: Their Legacy in the Department of Music and Worship

16  |  MAESTROS of MINI STRY BACKGROUND Upon his graduation in 1976 from Eastman School of Music with a Master of Music degree, Professor Charles Pagnard sought a university position to teach trumpet. He saw a posting for an “instrumental guy” at a place called Cedarville College. Although he had grown up in Ohio, he had heard very little about this small Chris- tian school in the southwestern part of the state. When he came to campus for a visit, he was impressed with the fact that there were serious Christians committed to higher education. After performing a recital and after completing several interviews, Pagnard was offered the job, with the charge to build up the instrumental side of the Music Department. With Matson and Anderson serving full time for several years already, the choral area was already well established and building a respectable name for Music at Cedarville. Pagnard embraced the challenge of developing a Symphonic Band, a Brass Choir, and later, the University Orchestra and Jazz Band. MINISTRY One of Pagnard’s initial duties as Director of the Symphonic Band was to stabilize the Band after years of short-term directors and sporadic concerts. From this springboard, he created the Brass Choir, an ensemble that would last under his leadership the entire forty years of his tenure at Cedarville. Prior to his arrival, an infor- mal brass group, formed from existing Symphonic Band members, would occasionally perform a few pieces that the director deemed “concert ready.” Pagnard wanted to change that into an ensemble that was committed to learn challenging repertoire and performing regularly. To do this he had to create Brass Choir as a curriculum offering. This allowed him to build up an elite group of brass students who performed at least once a semester as part of the course requirement. Under his leadership, the Brass Choir at Cedarville became one of the large ensemble offerings, along with Symphonic Band and the later University Orchestra. This accomplishment, in particular, was pivotal as most universities do not have speciality ensembles on the same par as the Band and Orchestra. When Michael DiCuirci joined the faculty shortly after Pagnard, DiCuirci assumed the position of Director of the Symphonic Band, freeing Pagnard to build up another impactful and important area, the Orchestra. Pagnard stabilized, established, and brought pride of performance and ownership to the University Orches- tra. He always felt, however, that the Orchestra should be directed by a string specialist, because the core of an A philosophy of excellence in musical skill that derives from both a love for music and a love for God is the foundation of Pagnard’s contribution to Cedarville.