CLASS OF 1973 | 2015 | ISSUE 3

Newsmaker: Daoud Haroon ’73

Daoud Haroon ’73 was named a 2014 United States Artists (USA) Fellows in music. United States Artists is one of the largest grantmaking organizations in the country providing direct support to artists, celebrating originality and diversity in American artistic practices. A trombonist and percussionist in the 1940s and 1950s with many Boston-based musicians, he moved to New York City in 1960 and was a member of the Makanda Ken McIntyre band. He recorded and performed with them during the “NYC Loft Period” of the 1960s and ’70s. Enrolling at Wesleyan, he studied ethnomusicology, particularly the music of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the development of music in the African Diaspora. Now retired from teaching, he remains interested in the intersections of music, social justice and religion. Also a writer, he has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, and Africa, and he continues to perform and participate in various ensembles. He has a BA in Music from Wesleyan and an MA in History from Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas.

We have news of retirements and special journeys and ongoing work as we move on in our lives.

Gary Jacobson writes that he and Sharon have left New Jersey and have relocated to retire and are very much enjoying the lifestyle. He says his most recent news is the birth to son Lee ’05 and wife Michelle of their grandson, Wesley Martin. “Mike McKenna is already recruiting him for rugby duty!” says Gary. He says he keeps track of what my family and I are doing through Facebook.

Dr. Jim Powers writes from Nashville that he participated as a delegate with the Gerontological Society of America in a transculturual presentation on geriatric care at Shanghai University in June.

From Middletown, Bill Corvo, of William Corvo Consultants, says he is currently working on developing the world’s largest fuel cell project here in Connecticut. He says O&G Industries, Inc. is the senior partner and they will be using Fuel Cell energy technology from fuel cells in Danbury, Conn., manufactured in Torrington.

Steve Young sends his regards from New Hampshire, where he is enjoying quasi-retirement. He says he is teaching a seminar this fall at Wesleyan, jointly listed in history and government, on “Modern China and the World since 1945.” He says, “It is fun to engage with current Wes students in an area where I spent considerable time during my foreign service career.”

Daoud Haroon has recently returned from a three-month visit to Thailand, during which time he said he had some special dentistry to ensure his trombone embouchure will provide plenty of support in the coming months, which will include further research and travel in the area of ethnomusicology. He says he kept an ongoing photo-journal of his three months in Thailand on Facebook, which can be accessed via facebook.com/hajj.haroon. And he says there is an ongoing compilation of his activities on: mancebomosaic.com.

He recently celebrated his 81st birthday, and as a recipient of the UnitedStatesArtists-2014fellows.org, award, he says “It has enabled me to undergo a continued spiritual and cultural rebirth. I do hope that my current activities will act as an inspiration to all of my friends, family and classmates.”

From Wisconsin, Tom Pfeiffer writes, “Life is fairly good with me. My youngest is a senior in college and the two older kids are out in the real world. I am trying to take more time to enjoy life while still working at a bit slower pace.” He says he visited Argentina early this past summer to spend some time with his daughter, who was on a junior year abroad program in Buenos Aires. He said this adventure included a several day side trip to Iguazu Falls on the Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay border. “That was a bucket list type of experience!” he says. Tom says he has been to his family home at the Jersey shore three times this year to perform needed maintenance and to “enjoy life along the Atlantic.” On the last trip there in September, he took friends on a whale watching tour and got to see up close a pair of humpback whales feeding and then breaching 10 miles off of Cape May. He called that “another bucket list item.” He also experienced South Carolina during a trip in the spring, especially enjoying Charleston. He said he hoped that charming city would be able to recover from this past fall’s devastating floods.

My thanks for your response to our e-mail outreach. As always, I look forward to hearing your news.

PETER D’OENCH | Pgdo10@aol.com