MACKIE, Shirley

Shirley Mackie October, longtime Wacoan, beloved music teacher, and accomplished composer. Miss Mackie was born in Rockdale, Texas to John R. Mackie and Marie Mackie on October 25, 1929 and lived in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, until her family moved to Waco in 1936. Educated in Waco Public Schools, she played clarinet, alto saxophone, French horn, and bass viola in school bands, orchestras and chamber groups.

She was also student conductor of such groups from ages eleven to sixteen, played first chair clarinet in all those school organizations as well as first chair clarinet in the Texas All-State Band, and won 35 first-place medals in Texas Music Educators solo and ensemble contests. She attended Louisiana State University Baton Rouge on a music scholarship and was principal clarinetist with the symphony orchestra. From LSU she received undergraduate and graduate degrees with majors in clarinet performance and composition. In 1953 she served as program director for The Aspen Institute of Music. She established a private music studio, was founder/conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Waco, served as principal clarinetist of the Waco Symphony Orchestra, served as band/orchestra chairman for TMTA, as Student Affiliate and Young Artist chairman for WMTA, concertised with a chamber trio, and participated in university sponsored seminars as guest composer. After being named "Teacher of the Year" in 1968, she limited her work with schools to the teaching and performance of instrumental music where she introduced experimental music on the high school level by composing a number of such works for her own wind and percussion students as well as for multi-piano ensembles.

As a young composer, she received numerous performance and monetary awards. In mid-life, she accepted commissions for mostly large works Requiem, Symphony, Ballet, etc., and was named a Texas Archival Composer in the early 1970's. After retiring from teaching in 1978, she composed at her leisure and pursued numerous other interests. Shirley was named LSU School of Music Alumnus of the Year in 2000 and wrote several articles on music and the teaching and performance of music for several music journals. In 2001 she was named "Distinguished Graduate of Waco High School" by the WISD Foundation. Shirley influenced the lives of many with her gentle instruction in clarinet and suffered through countless auditions and recitals.