Wayzata Elementary String Program Oral History Project: Interview with Ted Hughart

Titles: Wayzata Elementary String Program Oral History Project: Interview with Ted Hughart (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Ted Hughart began his professional career as a jobbing musician in the Minneapolis area while he was a student at the University of Minnesota. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1957, he played professionally with the Kansas City Philharmonic, served as principal bassist with the 7th Army Symphony Orchestra for two years, and afterwards returned the Twin Cities as a free-lance musician. In 1963, upon earning a degree in music education from the University of Minnesota, he was invited to Wayzata Public Schools, where he established and taught in an elementary string program. He left in early 1965, departing for Los Angeles with his young family and embarking upon a free-lance career. Between 1965 and 1991 Ted worked with many well-known artists, including Vicki Carr, Dick Haymes, Ray Conniff, Liberace and played in TV orchestras for Carol Burnett, Joey Bishop and Steve Allen, among others. His list of TV film, musical theater and live performances is long and rich. In 1992 Ted's life took a new, equally exciting turn when he and his wife took a year to sail the Sea of Cortez aboard a Bristol Channel Cutter. Afterwards, they relocated in San Diego, where Ted made guest appearances with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, worked as a free-lance musician for musical theater productions (Starlight Theatre and the Old Globe Theatre) and continued to be an active jazz musician. In his free time, Ted pursued body surfing in the beautiful ocean near his home. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Ted Hughart describes his recruitment to Wayzata Public Schools in 1963 as the first elementary string teacher, refers to the secondary school string offering already in existence, talks about the structure of the elementary program during his year and a half within the district and the strong administrative and parental support for the new program. He then discusses his concern about lack of respect for professional musicians, public funding for arts education and the importance of opportunities in early childhood.

Dates

• 03/13/2001 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewer: Weber, Lynne
• interviewee: Hughart, Theodore

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 109
• Accession Number: AV2007.12.17

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Wayzata Elementary String Program Oral History Project' <OH 109>

Quantity: 1.5 hours sound cassette 16 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 00:44:36 running time

Subjects

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