Beverly Hills High School

A Tribute to Robert Holmes

Robert Holmes passed away Thursday, March 18, at 10:15 am .He suffered from a fatal heart attack last Saturday morning and was recuperating and making a courageous rebound until today. He had 87 quality years of life.

Bob's son buzz (Class of 1967) writes this brief message:

I will, as we all will, miss him greatly. His life reminds me of the parallel to the movie "It's a Wonderful Life", as he touched so many with his love of music. The family is planning a memorial for him on April 11 at Idyllwild Arts (ISOMATA) and want as many colleagues, students and friends as possible to come.

Buzz and the family can be reached in Idyllwild, California - area code 909.

The memorial service was held at the Idyllwild Arts Academy (formerly called ISOMATA) on April 11, 1999, at 1:30 PM at the Idyllwild Arts Foundation / Bowman Theater. Family, friends, colleagues and students from Bob's lifetime of teaching filled the theatre.

Please call 909 -659-2171 X 331 to RSVP.

Donations may be made to the Robert Evans Holmes Memorial Fund, Idyllwild Arts Foundation, PO Box 38, Idyllwild, CA 92549-0038.

Robert Holmes received his Bachelors degree from Otterbein College and his Masters of Music degree from the University of Michigan.

He was considered one of the founders of the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts (Idyllwild Arts), and conducted the Festival Choir from 1957 to 1974. He taught music in Cleveland, Chillicothe, and Dayton Ohio; at Ball State University in Muncie Indiana, and at Hollywood High School, and Beverly Hills High School. He was a past president of the Southern California Vocal Association (SVCA), and the Western Division of the Music Educator National Conference (MENC). He had received the prestigious Howard Swan Life Achievement Award from the American Chorale Directors Association (ACDA), nd the Life Achievement Award from Otterbein and MENC.

After he retired from teaching, he went on to form the Idyllwild Master Chorale, where up until he passed away, he was serving as Director Emeritus, and still conducting often.

He was truly dedicated to choral music, and touched countless lives with his enthusiasm. Richard Dreyfuss who played the lead in "Mr. Holland's Opus" has said that he based his portrayal on his high school music teacher, Robert Holmes.

His Wife Elaine, four children, sons David, Dwight and Robert, and daughter Judith and ten grandchildren survive Robert. His daughter Jeanne Marie Ritter who died in 1988 precedes him in death.