Obituary of Samuel F. Pellman

Samuel F. Pellman passed away Thursday, November 9, 2017. He was born in 1953 in Sidney, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he studied composition with David Cope, and an M.F.A. and D.M.A. from Cornell University, where he studied with Karel Husa and Robert Palmer. For nearly four decades Sam was an admired teacher, a groundbreaking scholar in the area of electroacoustic music, and an indispensable part of the fabric of the Hamilton College, Clinton, Central New York and music communities. At Hamilton Pellman taught music theory and composition and was co-director of the Studio for Transmedia Arts and Related Studies. He also served as Associate Dean of the Faculty, Posse mentor, and leader of the arts development. In 2015 he received the Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award. Pellman's music has been presented at festivals and conferences in Melbourne, Paris, Basel, Vienna, Montreal, New York City, Beijing, Capetown, Buenos Aires, Hsinchu, Perth, Prague, and Oslo. He authored An Introduction to the Creation of Electroacoustic Music, a widely-adopted textbook published by Cengage. One of Sam's music videos NGC 1999, will be presented as part of an exhibition at the TUF Gallery, New York City on December 2–3, 2017. He also recently completed the pitch design for the "Tower of Voices" chimes, which are now being constructed at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. Sam was the organist and the director of instrumental music at the Clinton United Methodist Church, tour accompanist for the Oneida Area Civic Chorale, secretary of the Kirkland Democrats, and a board member of the Syracuse Society for New Music. Sam is survived by his wife of 42 years, Colleen Roberts Pellman; his daughter, Emily Predmore (Michael) of New York City, and his son, John Pellman of New York City. Other survivors include his mother, Carol Sue Pellman of Sidney, Ohio; his sisters Kay Borchers (Ted) of Ft. Loramie, Ohio and Jennifer Cox (Dirk) of Knoxville, Tennessee; his brother, Mark Pellman (Luann) of Troy, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his father, Frank Pellman. There will be a Memorial Service for Sam on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. in Wellin Hall of the Schambach Center, Hamilton College. Following the service there will be a time to meet the family at the Linda Johnson Gallery, Kennedy Center for Theater and the Studio Arts. Arrangements by Owens-Pavlot & Rogers Funeral Service, Inc., Clinton. The Pellman family wishes to thank COCVAC, the Oneida County Sheriff's office, the Clinton Fire Department, the staff of St. Elizabeth Hospital, and the staff of George's Farm Products. In lieu of flowers please consider donations in Sam's memory to Clinton United Methodist Church, A Better Chance of Clinton, or the Kirkland Town Library.