NATCHEZ – Services for Dr. David Stuart Blackburn, 70, of Natchez, who died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mary Basilica with the Rev. Dennis Flach and the Rev. David O’Connor officiating.
A graveside service will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home, followed by a luncheon at the Towers in Natchez.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the church.
A musical tribute to Dr. Blackburn will be held at 7 p.m. today at St. Mary Basilica featuring the Alcorn State University Concert Choir and other musical friends. The family will greet visitors beginning at 6 p.m. today at the church.
Dr. Blackburn was born and raised in Parkersburg, W.Va. He graduated from Parkersburg High School.
He received a bachelor of music degree from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, N.J.; a master of music degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.; and a doctorate of musical arts from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
Dr. Blackburn was the founding artistic director of the Natchez Festival of Music, a position he held for 19 years until his death. Under his direction, the festival earned national acclaim because of its high degree of excellence.
Before moving to Natchez in 1989, Dr. Blackburn had vocal studios in Philadelphia, Pa., and New York, N.Y., and coached singers at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.
As a teacher of music for over 44 years, he always encouraged and nurtured young talent and guided his students toward excellence, teaching them many life lessons along the way.
He conducted vocal and choral clinics and served as judge in vocal competitions throughout the country. In addition, he was a published composer.
He served as head of the graduate voice program at Baylor University, Waco, Texas; chairman of the Division of Fine and Applied Arts and chairman of the Music Department at McMurry University, Abilene, Texas; and chairman of the graduate program of Church Music at Scarritt College, Nashville, Tenn.
While at McMurry University, he developed the recording group Morning Star as well as a concert choir, Chanters, which performed worldwide.
At the time of his passing, Dr. Blackburn was professor of voice and choral music at Alcorn State University, a position he had held since 2001.
He received the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Arts in Mississippi in 1998; the Governor’s Award of Excellence in the Arts for Opera and Music Education in Mississippi in 2003; and the Distinguished Professor honor during his tenure at McMurry University.
In February 2005, Dr. Blackburn was awarded a certificate of recognition for Black History month for being a role model and strong advocate for the advancement of diversity at Alcorn State University and in the community, which had a positive impact on the lives of students, faculty and citizens throughout the state of Mississippi. This award was given by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
In March 2006, he was presented with a resolution on the floor of the Mississippi State Senate recognizing his accomplishments.
Dr. Blackburn had a distinguished background in church music, inspired by the positive upbringing and teaching of his father, the Rev. Dr. Harry William Blackburn, his mother, Eva Mae Garrison Blackburn, older sister, Janie McFarland, and his major professor at Westminster Choir College, Walter Johnson.
Before being called to Scarritt College to provide leadership and to train persons for Music Ministry for the United Methodist Church, he served as Minister of Music in leading churches within the United Methodist Church, including Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo, Texas and St. Paul United Methodist Church in Abilene, Texas.
In 2001, he married Sara Pearson of Rosedale, with whom he loved to travel and enjoyed numerous adventures throughout the world and who worked closely with him in all of his musical endeavors.
He was an active member of New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Natchez where he served as worship leader. He never drank nor smoked, and instead focused on the health and wellness of himself and his family and physical activities, including tennis, jogging, skiing, bicycling and most of all golf.
A highlight in his golfing career was when he hit a hole-in-one at Duncan Park Golf Course in Natchez.
Dr. Blackburn was preceded in death by his father, the Rev. Dr. Harry William Blackburn; mother, Eva Mae Garrison Blackburn; and brother, Dr. Howard Blackburn.
Survivors include his loving wife, Sara Pearson Blackburn; three sons, Phillip Alexander Blackburn of Los Angeles, Calif., Britten Stone Blackburn, his wife, Daniele, and daughter, Madison, all of Birmingham, Ala., and David Christopher Allen, his wife, Leah, and son, Nicholas, all of Atlanta.; four stepdaughters, Lucy Jackson Coleman, Mary Elliott Coleman and Sara Katherine Coleman, all of Arlington, Va., and Alexandra Blackburn of Mobile, Ala.; one adopted daughter, Shana Braxton; two brothers, Dr. Robert F. Blackburn of Inverness, Fla., and Roger D. Blackburn of Haddonfield, N.J.; and a sister, Jane B. McFarland of Waco, Texas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Natchez Festival of Music, David Stuart Blackburn Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 2207, Natchez, MS 39121.
Pallbearers will be Kelvin Lyons, Sam Hendricks, Dr. Larry Konecky, Glen Ballard, Ray Squitieri, George Hogan, Joe Byrne, Ronald Riches, Dr. Donzell Lee, John Pearson IV, Darrel Patterson and James Forde.
Honorary pallbearers are Bill Lewis, Richard Nechamkin, Dr. Donald Killelea, Robert Haltom, Reuben Harper, Michael Tatum and Ken McDonald.