Dr. Daniel Musselman, associate professor of music, passed away in his home on Monday, Nov. 19, after battling cancer for almost two years. While Musselman’s physical body is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the lives of his students at Union University.
Having joined Union’s faculty in 2010, Musselman served as acting chair of Union’s music department and taught classes on composition and music theory. Upon coming to Union, Musselman had earned a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Bob Jones University, a master’s degree in composition from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and a doctorate in composition from the University of Kansas. Musselman was known for his love for music and his ability to compose pieces for choral and instrumental ensembles, soloists and chamber opera. This love for music will continue to inspire others, especially his students.
“He’s probably one of the reasons why I didn’t change my major,” said Sallie Norman, a senior music education major. “I never didn’t look forward to going to his classes, and if I didn’t have all my work done or something, I knew it wouldn’t be a defining factor of how the class would go. He would just know what I needed, and it was very strange. But he just knew.”
As students spoke about Musselman, words such as “great,” “genuine” and “personable,” were used to describe their music teacher.
“He made it interesting and fun and just talked like he had always done,” said Matthew Hampton, a junior worship leadership major. “And to me, that showed a great faith and great courage and strength of what it means to be a man. He didn’t let his cancer stop him. All throughout teaching he never let cancer get in the way.”
“When I remember him in class, I remember his wonderful instruction,” said Ruthie Jo White, a junior music composition major. “He always told us that if he was there in class, he wanted us to have all of him there. He didn’t want us to receive a diminished version of himself because of the disease. He didn’t want cancer to win. I also smile thinking about his humor in and out of the classroom. For some reason, he always teased me about my harp. I’ll miss him harping on that so much.”
One reason Musselman’s students admired him was because he was not only a man of great character, but a man of great talent.
“He was a genius composing and writing his own music,” said Norman.
Norman went on to describe a time when she had spent hours on an assignment that included composing music. When she finally went to Musselman for help, it was seconds before he gave her multiple ways she could continue with the work she had started. She was amazed at his gifted ability to compose.
“He was one of the most gifted teachers I have ever had,” said White. “He made things that were completely foreign to us as clear as possible, and he did it with an inspiring enthusiasm. He was organized and driven and always expected the best from us. We never truly knew the extent of his pain because he never talked about it. He wasn’t hiding it; he just knew that complaining about the pain let cancer win. He never let it win.”
“Cancer only wins when it gets in the way of our celebration and our teaching,” said Hampton. “He was a man of great faith. He never really saw fear.”
As family, faculty and students continue to grieve the loss of Musselman, it is no doubt that cancer did not win. Musselman’s faith and passion will continue to live on in the music he composed and in the hearts of those who knew him.
The following information was shared in a Union University news release written by Nathan Handley:
Visitations for Dr. Musselman were held at First Baptist Church on Sunday, Nov. 25, from 4-6 p.m. and on Monday from 2-4 p.m. A Celebration of Life service was on Monday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m.
Friends of the Musselmans have set up a fund for the family at Foundation Bank in Jackson. Checks should be made payable to Musselman Family Fund and can be dropped off at Foundation Bank or the Office of University Ministries on Union’s campus.
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Photos by Katherine Cheshire
