Alan Stanek: Paying it forward
Photo: Alan Stanek (BME '61) and a rendering of his likeness painted by his late wife, artistJanette Swanson Stanek.
Academic scholarships looked a little different when Alan Stanek was a student at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music.
Stanek—who earned a bachelor’s in music education at Boulder in 1961, followed by an MM degree from the Eastman School of Music and a DMA in clarinet performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance—relied on some financial assistance on his academic journey.
Before enrolling at Boulder, Stanek had been considering other schools in the state; but encouragement from then-Band Director Hugh McMillen, in addition to the prospect of scholarship support, brought him to the College of Music.
“The scholarship was $54 a year—$27 a semester—for four years,” recalls Stanek, currently based in Omaha, Nebraska following his retirement in 2001 from an illustrious career as an educator, academic administrator and professional musician. “It paid for books and helped me pay my expenses to go to college.”
Photo: Valentine “Tiny” Henrich.
Slight as an annual sum of $54 seems today, that boost left a strong impression on Stanek who established the , named for one of Stanek’s most influential instructors at Boulder from 1957 to 1961. The fund has provided financial support to musicians in training at the College of Music for more than a decade, serving as a critical resource for the college’s woodwind department.
Stanek’s generosity and commitment to up-and-coming music students hasn’t been limited to Boulder: He’s given back to many of the institutions that were instrumental in forging his own professional path—from Hastings College where he taught and directed the orchestra early in his career to the Idaho State University Music Department where the professor emeritus served as chair for a quarter century.
Stanek attributes his continued contributions in part to his family legacy—he’s quick to reminisce about the generosity of his grandfather who set up an educational trust. He also notes his deep ties to his unique experience in Boulder, a place where he found support and inspiration around every corner.
“I was given every opportunity at Boulder,” adds Stanek who went on to garner numerous awards and prestigious recognitions including his induction into the Idaho Music Educators Hall of Fame. “By my second year, I was principal clarinet in the band, librarian for the band department and playing in the orchestra.
“Hugh McMillen was a father figure to me. He came to my high school to talk about the Boulder bands program.”
Henrich, an adjunct professor at the College of Music during Stanek’s undergraduate tenure, also left a deep impression. “I thought it would be nice to honor him as my mentor and the mentor of many,” says Stanek. “I was able. I called and said I’d like to establish a scholarship in his name.”
That scholarship has helped countless students, reflecting Stanek’s decades-long commitment to music education. At Idaho State University—in addition to his administrative duties—he taught clarinet, clarinet performance literature and woodwind methods for music education majors; coached chamber music ensembles; and supervised student teachers. He also served as conductor/music director of the Idaho State Civic Symphony, and as principal clarinetist of the Idaho State Civic Symphony and the Pocatello Municipal Band.
Stanek’s legacy is multifaceted—he’s a dedicated Rotarian, a founding member of Citizens CommunityBankin Pocatello, Idaho and a committed father, grandfather and husband. But a big part of his lifelong work has remained rooted in music, specifically in the instrument he played in bands and orchestras across the country and internationally in France, Belgium and Hungary.
Thanks to his commitment, College of Music students will continue to receive support in pursuing similar paths—assistance that amounts to a lot more than $54 a year.