Terry Graves, the former music department chair of the Idyllwild Arts Academy, died suddenly last week while on vacation in London, England.
Terry began working as a member of the adjunct music faculty from the academy’s founding in 1986 until 1989. In 1997, he rejoined the Idyllwild Arts Academy faculty as music department chair until resigning from his full-time responsibilities at the end of the 2002 school year. He was planning to continue his involvement with the academy teaching classical guitar.
Terry was a respected and loved member of the Idyllwild Arts community. During his tenure as music chair, the department added several wonderful new faculty members and expanded its concerts and programs from Idyllwild to highly professional venues around Southern California.
He successfully recruited Ransom Wilson, a well-known conductor and flutist, as the new music director. The music graduates expanded on their extraordinary record of acceptances at the finest conservatories and music programs during this period and his leadership helped add to the arts academy’s excellent reputation.
Most recently he performed with the Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra at the 2002 commencement ceremony.
Terry resided in Redlands and was highly regarded as a classical guitarist who performed around the world as a soloist and as a member of the Falla Guitar Trio.
He also taught guitar at the University of Redlands beginning in 1981 and was named director of the University of Redlands Community School of Music and the Arts from 1989 to 1997.
Surviving Terry are his wife, Susan, and daughter, Stephanie, a graduate of the arts academy. Terry was 48 years old. Services were to be held at Calvary Chapel in Redlands at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 10.