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MSU’s Doran Arboretum dedicates sound garden in honor of former music professor

Zacharie Lamb // WKMS
The Conklin family cut the ribbon to the newly renovated and renamed Ray Conklin Sound Garden with Murray State’s Kala Dunn, left.

Murray State University's Doran Arboretum held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning for the newly renamed and renovated Ray Conklin Sound Garden, named in honor of a former music professor who died in 2018.

The arboretum’s Sensory Garden was buzzing with a cacophony of sounds during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly dedicated Ray Conklin Sound Garden. It’s one of five different stations in the Doran Arboretum’s sensory garden, where visitors can engage with all five bodily senses: taste, feel, sight, smell, and sound.

Conklin’s family, former colleagues, and past students attended the dedication to celebrate the legacy of a music educator, father, and grandfather.

Zacharie Lamb // WKMS
A new informational board welcomes visitors to the Ray Conklin Sound Garden.
Zacharie Lamb // WKMS

Ray Conklin joined the Murray State University Music Department faculty in 1973 to teach low brass instruments. During his 45-year tenure at Murray State, he started the university’s jazz program and achieved the rank of emeritus professor. Conklin died at 71 during the 2018 spring semester, just weeks away from his retirement.

Representing Conklin’s family at the ribbon cutting ceremony was his wife, Liz, his daughter, Sarah McKee, and two grandchildren, Molly and Parker. Liz Conklin spoke at the event about the significance of renaming the Doran Arboretum’s sound garden in honor of her husband.

“He loved this place,” Liz Conklin said. “[Ray] said ‘this is the true gem of Murray, Kentucky. It's the arboretum,’ and he loved to come out here.”

After his death, the Conklin family established a scholarship at Murray State in the professor’s name for music students at the university. Now, they’re giving the opportunity for making music to the whole community by donating the funds for the renovated sound garden.

Brian Parr, dean of MSU’s Huston School of Agriculture, spoke on behalf of the Doran Arboretum to thank the Conklin family for their investment in the sound garden.

“[The Arboretum] is a place for us to enjoy,” Parr said. “And no doubt, the addition of this sound garden has made that enjoyment much greater.”

Zacharie Lamb // WKMS
Molly McKee, left, joined by her grandmother Liz Conklin, talks about her grandfather Ray Conklin at the sound garden dedication.

Ray Conklin’s granddaughter, Molly McKee, spoke about the memories she has of going to the arboretum with her grandfather. She hopes other people can make similar memories for themselves in the new space.

“I remember when he would take me out here on walks and out to play on the little playsets. I hope that y'all will take your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, out here to play and enjoy the sound garden,” McKee said.

A child plays with one of the newly installed Harmony Flowers at the Ray Conklin Sound Garden.
Zacharie Lamb // WKMS
A child plays with one of the newly installed Harmony Flowers at the Ray Conklin Sound Garden.

Visitors to the sound garden now have the opportunity to work with nature to make their own music using a collection of six metallic, flower-shaped bells tuned to the first six notes of the C Major Scale. By striking the Harmony Flowers with rubber mallets, visitors can play tunes such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” using the musical notation painted on the sidewalk.

According to an infographic on display, Conklin was known by his students and colleagues for taking a kinesthetic approach to music education. He believed that through physical activities a musician can have a more holistic approach to music and sound.

Zacharie Lamb // WKMS
Left to right: Todd Hill, Hunter Moffitt, Eli Meece, and Todd French perform a brass quartet arrangement of “O’Danny Boy.”

Michael D’Ambrosio is the chair of Murray State’s Department of Music – a position Conklin himself once held. D’Ambrosio recalled being on faculty alongside Conklin and said it was Conklin’s unique approach to teaching that has had such a profound impact on those who knew him.

“Ray Conklin was a force of nature in the Department of Music, challenging everyone around him to be their very best, students and colleagues alike,” D’Ambrosio said. “There are Murray State grads all over the country, in the world with Ray's imprint on them: doing music, not doing music; It doesn't matter. He's lit that fire.”

Former students and colleagues of Ray Conklin performed a special low brass arrangement of “O’Danny Boy” to further mark the occasion. Two of his past students, Eli Meece and Hunter Moffitt, talked about how they hoped to honor their mentor.

“He helped me go through, like, my whole life,” Moffitt said. “I spent so much time with the guy,... I needed to do it. I wouldn't have missed it.”

Meece felt attending and contributing to the debut of the Ray Conklin Sound Garden was a chance to give back to the community.

“It was extra special because Hunter and myself went through [Conklin’s] last years,” Meece said. “It really feels like we're kind of passing the legacy on out to the community.”

Zacharie Lamb is a music major at Murray State University and is a Graves County native.
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