Dr. L Curtis Hammond

Dr. L. Curtis Hammond, 57, of Morehead, Associate Professor of Music at Morehead State University, passed away Thursday, February 27, 2020, at Baptist Health in Lexington.

Born May 23, 1962, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he is the son of Larry Clinton and Joan Marie Huls Hammond of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  In addition to his parents, he is survived by two daughters, Abby Hammond and Meghan Hammond, both of Morehead, and their mother, Cathy Hammond of Morehead.

Other survivors include one brother, Robert “Bob” Hammond of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; one sister, Pammy Bates of Estelline, South Dakota; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

Dr. Hammond, Associate Professor of Music, has taught at Morehead State University since 1993. He received the Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University, the Master of Music degree with the Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Nebraska. His horn teachers have included James Wehrman (University of Nebraska, now St. Louis Symphony), Kendall Betts (Minnesota Orchestra), William Capps (Florida State University), Richard Solis and Eli Epstein (both of The Cleveland Orchestra). In addition to teaching horn at Morehead State, Dr. Hammond also teaches graduate courses, Music Theory, Music Sight Singing, Music Listening, and Class Brasswinds, and conducts the MSU Horn Ensemble. He is a member of the MSU Faculty Woodwind Quintet, The Baird Winds, and the MSU Faculty Brass Quintet, the Horizon Brass Quintet.
 
Dr. Hammond has performed in the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, The New Sousa Band, New Colombia Brass Band, Florida Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, Albany (GA) Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, and the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra. He has had the opportunity to play under Leonard Slatkin, Robert Shaw, Gunther Schuller, Frederick Fennell, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Pierre Boulez, and Kurt Masur. Dr. Hammond has also performed with Barry Tuckwell, The American Horn Quartet, Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma, Andre Watts, Anna Moffo, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, Richard Stoltzman, George Shearing, Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, Charlton Heston, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Peabo Bryson, Aaron Neville, Melissa Manchester, Sheena Easton, Roberta Flack, and LeAnn Rimes.

He was a deacon of the First Christian Church and board member and performer of the Cave Run Symphony Orchestra.  Curt had wide-ranging interests. He was an H. O. train collector and loved all things trains.  He also loved to play golf, was passionate about watching his girls play sports, bonding with family over the Minnesota Vikings, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and, frankly, all sports.  He enjoyed traveling to Lake Poinsett, SD, with family to spend time with his South Dakota family and friends; relaxing and walking and feeding the birds while enjoying a cup of coffee; all things music (even a Jonas Brothers concert); and lastly, “whipping it up in the kitchen.”

A Celebration of Life will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Morehead First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with the Rev. Donald Chase officiating.  Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers: Tyler Sullivan, John Johnson, David Oyen, Brian Mason, Anthony Nolan, Aaron Bates, Scott Bates, and Joshua Bates.  All former and current students and co-workers will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Visitation will be Friday, February 28, 2020, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Northcutt & Son Home for Funerals, 400 Fraley Drive Morehead, KY 40351, and on Saturday, February 28, 2020, from 12 noon until 2 p.m. at Morehead First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 227 East Main Street, Morehead, KY 40351.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Dr. L. Curtis Hammond Music Scholarship Fund, MSU Foundation, 150 University Blvd., P O Box 1887, Morehead, KY 40351.

View memorial tribute or sign guestbook at www.northcuttandson.com

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