Professor leaves record gift to Music Department

A former piano studies professor has left the largest-ever donation to the music program at Sacramento State.

The gift from the estate of the late Thomas L. Gentry, when combined with a previous endowment gift, will provide more than $300,000 to support scholarships for piano majors in the Department of Music, the most generous contribution the University has received solely for music.

Ernie Hills, chair of the Department of Music, says Gentry was interested in drawing the best students possible to Sacramento State, and that the Gentry Piano Scholarship program is an extension of that desire. “He believed that strong students become strong graduates. Piano was his passion, and he wanted to benefit the piano program specifically.”

Over his 30-year career with the University, Gentry was known as a gifted pianist and as a demanding piano teacher who expected much from his students but also looked out for their interests.

“He was very dedicated to interpreting music,” says emeritus cello Professor Wallace Rushkin, who played with Gentry in a trio for several years. “He was a tough teacher, but he was also a good-hearted fellow. He was a hard worker who expected his students to be hard workers, too.”

Voice Professor Claudia Kitka worked with Gentry on a number of recitals over the years, where he accompanied her on piano. “He was a brilliant musician, a fantastic pianist,” she says. “He was so tall—6-foot-7 or so—with huge hands so he could play all sorts of pieces that would be difficult for others to play, she says. “He really loved classical music. He was serious but with a sardonic sense of humor.”

Gentry is also remembered for his contributions to the artistic community in Sacramento through his involvement in the Sacramento Saturday Club. “Tom was very engaged in the life of the University and in the musical life of the city,” Hills says, adding that Gentry enjoyed entertaining people and in bringing big-name artists to town to perform.

Before establishing his own scholarship program at Sacramento State, Gentry had already demonstrated his commitment to setting high standards for quality when awarding scholarships to students, Rushkin says. In overseeing the Saturday Club’s scholarship program, Gentry always wanted to make sure that “the money went to students who were really talented,” Rushkin says. “He was always thoughtful about students, and what was best for them.”

“Integrity was a vital factor in his life,” Rushkin adds. “He was very perceptive and he believed in doing things for the right reasons. All of our colleagues had the utmost respect for him.”

Gentry Piano Scholarships will be awarded to both undergraduate and graduate students studying music with a concentration in piano performance. For more information on supporting student scholarships at Sacramento State, contact the Office of University Development at (916) 278-6989.