Eric Dalheim, a University of Illinois Professor of Accompanying from 1961-2005, earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree in voice and a Bachelor of Music in piano from Baldwin-Wallace College (1954-55), a Master of Music degree in piano and ensemble from the University of Illinois (1961), and pursued additional studies with an esteemed array of musicians which included George Reeves, Paul Ulanowsky, Gerald Moore, Paul Hamburger, and Dalton Baldwin. Professor Dalheim was a frequent
collaborator with fellow university faculty members for vocal recitals,
instrumental solo recitals and chamber music concerts, as well as a partner
with professional performers and advanced student performers in required degree recitals. In addition to
his many performances each year at the University of Illinois and throughout
North America, he taught Vocal Literature, Principles of Accompanying and
Advanced Accompanying, as well as having coached singers at both the
undergraduate and graduate levels. Professor Dalheim had a profound life-long
influence on many of his students, as can be seen in this posting by a former
student, which ends with, "Thank
you for making me an infinitely better musician. Thank you, Eric Dalheim,
for sharing your wisdom." In 1974, he was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory. An avid collector of vinyl recordings and reader of mystery novels, he was also a pocket billiards enthusiast -- counting it no disgrace that he once lost an exhibition match to the legendary billiards master Willie Mosconi. Married to soprano Barbara
Dalheim, he regularly collaborated on stage with his offstage partner in a
wide-ranging repertory that encompassed everything from art song and
"parlour" music to the contemporary and avant-garde music for which
his soprano/wife is widely recognized as an expert interpreter. Eric Dalheim passed away at his home
in Champaign, Illinois, on April 18, 2011. His obituary is available
on line here and will open in a new tab or
may be downloaded below as an Acrobat Reader pdf file. The program to his memorial
service can be downloaded below as a pdf file). |