In Loving Memory Of
NOCCA has learned of the passing of one of its founding music faculty members: Dr. Bert Braud.
Dr. Braud served within the Music Department (1973-1991), Chair during NOCCA’s inception, providing education, training and support to students in classical, jazz and vocal music. He dedicated his life to the study of music and music education. We are thankful to him and what he provided to this institution.
Alumni have already begun organizing a memory scholarship in his name through The NOCCA Institute.
Image courtesy of The NOCCA Archives.
Here is the link to services, obituary as well as guestbook.
Alumni share their love and support:
“I am proud to be a NOCCA graduate, and I consider my studies there with Dr. Bert Braud to have been the greatest influence on my life!” Conductor Paul Mauffray
“Dr. Braud was one of the toughest and best teachers I had. His work ethic and demand for excellence over-prepared me for a career in the music business. He was a kind man who showed me that a command of music theory was imperative to an aspiring musician.” Harry Connick, Jr. Musician and Actor
“Bert Braud was my theory teacher at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). I learned a lot about theory; and he piqued my intellectual interest in music and the history of western music because he was very, very intelligent. He’s the first one that told me I should think about trying to become a composer.” Wynton Marsalis, Musician, Composer, and Bandleader
“In an earlier post, I mentioned my high school theory teacher in high school, Dr. Bert Braud. He taught us how to analyze Bach’s chorales. What I didn’t say in the story was that he just leafed through the pages of the harmonizations I had done of over 350 chorales and said,“That’s a good start,” and handed it quickly back to me. It checked my pride and let me know that he expected us to work, and that the experiencing and knowledge of great music is endless. I am happy to remember and recognize him and that today.” Wynton Marsalis, Musician, Composer, and Bandleader
“Afternoons from 1 to 5, he attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where…he learned theory from ‘my great teacher’ Bert Braud, whose theme-and-variation class subsumed Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Bach.” from an article on Wynton Marsalis
“Of course, I’m very honored and quite surprised that OffBeat Magazine selected me for a Lifetime Achievement Award in music education. My initial response was ‘why did they award this to me?’ I can think of some other very deserving people including two of my former teachers Hank Mackie, and Dr. Bert Braud” Prof. Steve Masakowski., Guitarist and Chair of Jazz Studies
“When I think about my upbringing, I think about Alvin Batiste, Roger Dickerson, Ellis Marsalis, Dr. Bert Braud, George Jensen, Kidd Jordan. Those are all of the great educators who have given their lives to educate us.” Terence Blanchard, Trumpeter, Composer, and Music Educator
“Instrumental in his classical training was Dr. Bert Braud” from an article on trumpeter Nicholas Payton