Ellen and Larry McDonald created a foundation for their careers in music at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha. Both are now professional musicians, teachers and business owners.<\/p>\n
They agree that going to UW-Waukesha \u2014 now part of 51ÁÔÆæ and called UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha \u2014 was an excellent decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a demanding school, so I was well-prepared for the quality of work that was necessary when I transitioned into UW-Madison and then out of the academic world into the real world,\u201d said Larry, who graduated from Waukesha in 1980.<\/p>\n
Ellen McDonald, who graduated from Oconomowoc High School, grew up with music. She started playing piano at age 5, became a church organist at 13 and taught music when she was 15. \u201cI went to the Wisconsin Conservatory after high school, then realized the program I liked was at UW-Waukesha. It was a better fit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She chose the Waukesha campus because of the location and the madrigal music program. \u201cThe madrigal program was excellent, and I met lifelong friends there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry McDonald chose the Waukesha campus for one reason \u2013 \u201cmoney,\u201d he said succinctly. He tried a few majors \u2013 mathematics, weather and climatology, engineering \u2013 and finally ended up in music, \u201cmuch to my father\u2019s chagrin,\u201d he added with a smile. His dad was a violinist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n
He went on to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree at UW-Parkside, then went to UW-Madison for his master\u2019s degree in composition\/guitar performance and a doctorate in composition and theory. In addition to an ongoing performing career, he is a composer and taught guitar at Carroll University for 20 years. He is also a piano technician, repairing instruments of all ages.<\/p>\n
The lower cost of the two-year campus made it possible for him to finish with only $300 in debt, and that only because he spent the money he saved for his final semester of tuition for a wedding ring \u2013 \u201cthat proved to be a good investment.\u201d The McDonalds, who met at the Waukesha campus, were married in 1980. UW-Waukesha has honored both with Outstanding Alumni awards: Larry in 1993; and Ellen in 2000.<\/p>\n
They now own the Hartland Music Building, which houses several music-related businesses and a coffee shop.\u00a0Ellen, who studied the business of music at Carroll University, is the president of Hartland Piano and administrator of the Waukesha County Conservatory of Music.<\/p>\n
They remember faculty members at Waukesha who inspired them. \u201cAt Waukesha, you worked with professors, not TAs. The level of the faculty was extraordinary,\u201d Ellen said.<\/p>\n
Both she and Larry mentioned faculty members Don Stimpert and Andrea Matthias in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndrea was meticulous. My degree was in her area, theory and composition. She was very meticulous in her craft. I never heard her play a wrong note,\u201d Larry said.<\/p>\n
Don Stimpert and the madrigal program he organized were key factors in her decision to come to the Waukesha campus, Ellen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon was a mentor of mine,\u201d added Larry. \u201cHe kind of fit right into my persona of making sure the work was done and not done superficially. He still works and plays at a very high level.\u201d<\/p>\n
The McDonalds have stayed in touch with those faculty members and others from the music program at Waukesha, often hiring students and graduates in their businesses. \u201cWe still have connections with many people who graduated with us. We\u2019re all on Facebook together. It\u2019s really a community,\u201d Ellen said.<\/p>\n
She regularly encourages students to start at the Waukesha campus, she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very high regard for what the campus has done,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful facility, and it\u2019s very close. It\u2019s a nice way to get started, then you can go on to a four-year degree if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ellen and Larry McDonald created a foundation for their careers in music at what’s now UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha. Both are now professional musicians, teachers and business owners. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":835,"featured_media":67697,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[249,250],"section":[125,122],"display_categories":[115],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[167],"class_list":["post-67696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-community-engagement","tag-student-success","section-alumni","section-campus-community","display_categories-top-story-secondary","uwmnews-feed-alumni-association"],"yoast_head":"\n