ELIZABETHTON, TN — Phillip Ray Hart, 68, of Elizabethton, TN, died Friday, April 20, 2012. He was preceded in death by his parents James Curtis Hart and Mary Pauline Hart, and brother Jerry Dalton Hart.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Lucille Jarvis Hart; father and mother-in-law Linville and Joy Jarvis of Greensboro, Sisters and brothers-in-law Bev and Wilson Chandler, Carole and Buddy Pegram and Steve Jarvis; brothers JC Hart and wife Joy of Trafford, AL, and Joseph Hart and wife Patricia of Rainbow City, AL. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Phillip earned a BS in Music Education degree from Jacksonville State University and a Master of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University. While at LSU he completed all of the coursework for a PhD in Music History and Literature. He studied trumpet with George Foss, former principal trumpet with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.
Phillip enjoyed a 33 year career at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton, TX where he was Instructor of Music and Head of the Music Department. During his time at WCJC, he created and coordinated three very popular annual concerts: the Something Old Something New scholarship recipient concert, the Candlelight Holy Days Concert, and the Holy Week Concert. Over the years these concerts grew in size and notoriety, involving not only WCJC students, faculty, and friends, but local school, church, and community choirs, soloists, and ensembles as well.
Phillip authored two textbooks, Music Appreciation: A Course Outline Including Listening Examples, and Music Literature: an Introduction in Outline Form which he incorporated into his classes. His favorite part of teaching was watching young people learn and grow not only as musicians, but as independent individuals as well.
From 2004 until 2010, Phillip and his wife Lucille collaborated to create the "Hart to Heart" concert series. Phillip played the AKAI Electronic Valve Instrument and Lucille, a lyric soprano, performed contemporary arrangements of familiar hymns to accompaniment tracks by Phil Driscoll and Sandi Patti.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on May 16 at Lawndale Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC, with visitation at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lawndale Baptist Church Music Ministry.
From 2004-2010, Phillip and his wife Lucille collaborated to create the "Hart to Heart" concert series with Phillip playing the AKAI EVI 1000 Wind Controller Synthesizer and Lucille singing soprano.
They performed contemporary arrangements of favorite hymns to accompaniment tracks by Phil Driscoll and Sandi Patti.
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