We have all lost a dear friend.
Matty was a devoted teacher and a tremendous musician,
but most of all, he was a friend and an example to all of us.
He touched all our lives in a very special way.
Matty lived his everyday life with a rare humility and grace.
Matty�s skills as a teacher are legendary.
He was a master teacher who gave all of his students
a most solid foundation, but his most important lessons went way beyond
teaching us the skills necessary to play and teach music.
By his example, he redefined on a higher level the words,
dedication and commitment.
He helped us to develop and nurture an attitude that would bring success,
no matter what we were trying to accomplish.
Matty�s teaching schedule at Duquesne University was
busy enough to fill three full time positions.
You could find him at Duquesne seven days a week.
Twelve hour days were the norm.
But he would always find extra time for his students.
He was willing, even anxious to give up any free time he had.
Matty always encouraged the extra effort.
He would often get the Trombone section of the
Duquesne University Orchestra together and rehearse us.
I remember one such rehearsal that was scheduled
during a time that was reserved for faculty meetings.
Matty, not one to go back on his commitment,
came to us with a plan.
Just after said faculty meeting began, one of us,
who shall remain nameless, interrupted the meeting with word
that while practicing in Matty�s office he had intercepted
a long distance phone call from California.
Matty promptly excused himself from the meeting,
came downstairs to the recital hall and coached us.
This was not one of his assigned duties.
Matty was devoted and dedicated to his students.
He lead by example.
Matty always gave his best effort and demanded the same from us.
I remember feeling very ill one evening.
I had a bad case of the flu with all the trimmings.
My roommate tried to explain to Matty that I could not come
to rehearsal because I was very ill.
At which point Matty promptly called me on the phone.
The conversation went something like this:
"McCollum - can you spit?" he said
"Excuse me Mr Shiner" I said,
not fully understanding the question.
"Can you spit", he repeated
"yes" I replied, still not understanding where this was going.
"If you can spit, you can play, get over here" he said.
Everyone who ever played in an Ensemble that Matty directed
knows that we did not rehearse until we got it right,
we rehearsed until we could not get it wrong.
Come to think of it, I cannot remember Matty
ever missing a lesson or rehearsal.
He simply would not allow himself to become ill.
Again he led by example.
Matty was a surrogate father to all of us.
His concern went beyond our performance in lessons and ensembles.
His concern for us included academic and music classes.
At every lesson he would inquire about our progress.
He had good reason to inquire about my progress with piano class.
Piano class was a hurdle everyone had to overcome
to graduate from Duquesne.
I remember standing at Matty�s piano during a tuba lesson,
playing the star spangled banner or some other patriotic song
thinking "Continuity is the word".
He wanted us to succeed and would do anything
he could to make it happen.
The man responsible for piano class was Matty�s closest
friend and compatriot, Mr Carmen Rummo.
Mr. Rummo was every bit as demanding as Matty.
Matty�s dedication and devotion to his students was equaled
by Mr. Rummo along with Matty�s beloved brother, Eddie Shiner.
Together these three men made Duquesne University a very special school.
Their dedication and devotion to teaching is unmatched.
I�m sure all of us in the teaching profession try our best
to continue Matty�s legacy.
It is in this way that Matty lives on.
I would like to recite a poem. (the author is unknown to me)
The Teacher said to the Students:
"Come to the Edge."
They replied: "We might fall."
The Teacher again said:
"Come to the Edge."
And they responded: "Its too High."
"COME TO THE EDGE."
The Teacher Demanded.
And they came
And he pushed them.
And they Flew.