Michel Edwin Ashmore

Michel Edwin Ashmore, 81, passed away on April 29, 2022, in Termini Imerese, in the province of Palermo, on the northern coast of Italy where he lived for several years. He was professor emeritus at Cottey College, having taught piano there from 1972 to 2015.

Michel was born April 15, 1941, to Edwin and Winnie V. Short Ashmore in Fox, Okla., and graduated from McAlester High School. He began his musical studies with his father, and at the age of 17, made his orchestral debut with the Oklahoma City Symphony. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., and a Master of Music degree from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Before coming to Cottey, he served on the faculties of the Eastman School Preparatory Department, the University of Oklahoma, the University of South Dakota, and Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

During his career, Michel performed as a recitalist and chamber musician in New York and throughout the Midwest, including appearances with the orchestras of Oklahoma City; Cherokee, Iowa; Sherman, Texas; the University of Oklahoma; and the Northland Symphony of Kansas City. In addition to his many recitals at Cottey College, he also performed at ceremonial occasions on campus such as presidential inaugurations, retirements, and gatherings of members of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and at the Convention of International Chapter, P.E.O. Sisterhood in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1989.

Michel was a teacher known for his dedication to his students. He pushed them to reach their full potential and was generous with his time. This included individual lessons, a weekly repertoire class, small informal concerts, and trips to Kansas City for performances. He taught students how to bow properly and always used the same parting word: practice.

His professional development included attendance at invitational workshops with some of the world's renowned pianists, including Alfred Brendel, Daniel Barenboim, Leon Fleisher, and Richard Goode. He performed at the International Congress of Spanish Music in Santiago de Compostella, Spain, and was one of 125 applicants from the United States and Europe accepted for the Brendel on Beethoven workshop at Carnegie Hall in 1993.

He spent many summers lecturing and performing in Brewster, N.Y., under the auspices of the Educational Alliance of New York City, and later performed as pianist at the Silver Bay YMCA conference and retreat center in Lake George, N.Y.

Michel pursued his interest in Italian culture beginning with several spring break and summer trips to the province of Palermo where he attended musical events and studied the language. This led to the purchase of his home in Termini Imerese where he has resided since 2015.

He will be remembered by his colleagues and friends for his excellent memory. In a studio filled with stacks of music, books, and assorted papers related to various college committees, he never failed to go to the exact location to retrieve something he or someone else needed.

Preceded in death by his parents, Michel is survived by his beloved niece, Jordyn and her children, Emma, Jacob, and Parker; and other relatives.