San Francisco Classical Voice

Donald Aird, a distinguished composer and conductor who played a major role in Bay Area music, particularly in the new music scene, died Tuesday morning, August 7, of a heart attack in the Dulles Airport, in Maryland. He was 77. Mr. Aird was returning from Maine to his home in Kensington.

While noted early in his career as a choral conductor and organist, for the past 20 years he devoted himself principally to the composition of works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, voice and chorus. A natural melodic inspiration, clear harmonic design and formal structure characterized his music, its expressive values reflecting his fine sensibilities. The always ready and inventive humor and geniality that reached out to his wide circle of friends was also reflected in his music. And, as he never followed trends, his music remained distinctively his. Those who performed his works included the soprano Judith Nelson, the Royal College of Music, the London Bach Society, Earplay, the Hilliard Ensemble, and the San Jose Symphony, among other organizations.

Mr. Aird was born in Provo, Utah, and studied composition with Ingolf Dahl (at the University of Southern California) and with Roger Sessions (at the University of California at Berkeley). He received graduate degrees in music from San Francisco State University. Mr. Aird was organist and choir director at Berkeley's St. Marks Episcopal Church in the 1950s. In that period, he also took over leadership of the Berkeley Chamber Singers, conducting it for many years. Later, he became Director of Choral Arts at the University of Minnesota. He also taught at the University of Southern California. Mr. Aird was a leading figure in the Bay Area new music consortium and performing group, Earplay, and served on its board.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, a son, Brooke, daughter, Samela, and two grandchildren.