UMass remembers a pioneering professor: Oct. 20 concert will endow new Orville Wright Fund

Respected professor and prolific musician Orville B. Wright passed away on June 20, 2012. His widow, Joan Wright, has now honored her husband’s commitment to teaching by establishing a scholarship fund in his name at the UMass Boston. A benefit concert for the fund will be held on October 20 on the university’s Dorchester campus.

“My husband was extremely passionate about his music and his teaching,” said Mrs. Wright. “He was a very giving person. That is why myself and my friends thought the scholarship would be a good way to remember him going forward.”

Friends like prominent Jazz musician Walter Beasley will play at the concert. The proceeds will seed an annual scholarship awarded to one or more students majoring in music. They will be known as Orville Wright Scholars.

“I am not rich, but I am just trying to help them as much as I can,” said Wright, who began funding the scholarship a year ago. “Even if it is just a little extra for books.”

“I am very glad they have initiated that scholarship,” said Peter Janson, a senior lecturer in the Performing Arts Department. “[Wright] was a respected colleague. From talking with former students of his it was really obvious that he inspired them to work hard enough to be the best they could be.”

Professor Wright and his wife are both originally from Trinidad. Wright came to Boston with his family in the 1970s to study music at the Berklee College of Music. After graduation, he remained at Berklee as a professor eventually becoming head of a Performing Arts department. After 28 years, Wright transferred to UMass Boston and became the head of the Performing Arts Department there in 2007.

“When Orville came to UMass from Berklee he believed that the UMass students had to be able to compete with Berklee students,” said Wright. “He felt it was his job to bring them up to that level. He was definitely trying to push his students because he felt they could do better. That was his way with everything he did.”

Walter Beasley, who has sold over a million records and is regularly charting on the Billboard Jazz charts, worked with Wright at Berklee.

“I immediately found out that Orville wanted to win,” said Beasley. “He was put in charge of a department that was not designed to last but he really wanted to win. Under his leadership the department not only survived but flourished.”

Wright helped Beasley fight for a promotion that was being denied him because of the color of his skin.
“Orville said to me, ‘You know, Walter we have come through thick and thin but they just don’t like you. This is a classical example of institutional racism and I am going to support you in any way possible,’” recalls Beasley. “I was surprised that he was taking a chance on trusting me to fight this kind of fight and that he was willing to put his own career on the line to help me and many other African Americans in the college.”

“I was extremely lucky to have Wright as a mentor because he taught me not to let other people’s prejudices stop me. Coming to Boston being 18 years old during the busing incidents and having somebody like Orville around to put his hand on my back and say ‘You’re gonna be alright young man,’ was really big for me.”

Wright raised two children of his own Sean and Kayron. Wright taught all over the world often traveling back to his home country where he was instrumental in improving music education. His wife explained that Wright’s passion for music and teaching and the tenacity with which he pursued these endeavors, “was very inspiring for me and my kids to see,” said Wright. “He made me strive to be a better person.”

For tickets to the Benefit concert contact heather.brigham@umb.edu.


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