{"id":2706,"date":"2026-02-18T21:21:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/?p=2706"},"modified":"2026-02-18T21:21:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:21:21","slug":"the-heart-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/the-heart-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"The Heart of Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Peter<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For more than thirty years, Professor Peter Wordelman has brought heart to EOU\u2019s Music Department. His gentle presence, expressive conducting, and unwavering belief in every student has shaped far more than musicians. In his rehearsal room, students have discovered courage they didn\u2019t know they had, built friendships, and found a place where their voices\u2014literal and figurative\u2014mattered. His influence doesn\u2019t end when a concert is over; it lives on in the confidence, compassion, and artistry his students carry into every chapter of their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To honor this extraordinary legacy, 1961 EOU alum Gary D. Pierson and Lynn W. Duncan established the Peter Wordelman Music Scholarship with a generous donation to the EOU Foundation. Their gift, born of deep gratitude for the way Wordelman has shaped countless lives, is an investment not only in students but also in the strength of communities and the ongoing vibrancy of EOU itself.
\u201cPeter fosters an atmosphere where kids want to succeed,\u201d Gary said. \u201cHe gets the most out of the kids; they want to do things for him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in the 2027\u201328 academic year, the scholarship will support full-time music majors who show dedication and passion for their craft. By easing the financial weight students often carry, it will allow them to devote more time to rehearsals, performances, and the demanding work of becoming artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was kind of embarrassing when they suggested using my name,\u201d Peter smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s very honoring; I think the right word is \u2018humbling\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many students, scholarships are not simply assistance; they are the difference between standing on stage or watching from the sidelines. Support like scholarships removes obstacles, opening space for students to create, to lead, and to share the power of music with communities across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe more Foundation Scholarships we have, the better,\u201d Peter noted. \u201cSchool is only getting more expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gift ensures that Wordelman\u2019s spirit\u2014his humor, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to student growth\u2014remains woven into EOU\u2019s story. Even future students who may never have the privilege of meeting him will feel the impact of his legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMusic changes people,\u201d Peter often says. \u201cWhen students feel connected, supported, and challenged, they become the best version of themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through this gift, Pierson and Duncan help future Mountaineers rise to that best version\u2014lifting their voices, shaping their lives, and carrying forward a legacy built on heart, hope, and harmony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For more than thirty years, Professor Peter Wordelman has brought heart to EOU\u2019s Music Department. His gentle presence, expressive conducting, and unwavering belief in every student has shaped far more than musicians. In his rehearsal room, students have discovered courage they didn\u2019t know they had, built friendships, and found a place where their voices\u2014literal and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":491,"featured_media":2725,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[182],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2025"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/491"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2706"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2727,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2706\/revisions\/2727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eou.edu\/mountaineer-magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}