EXETER, NH (May 19, 2006) - Irving Forbes, Chairman Emeritus of the Phillips Exeter Academy Music Department, has received the annual Founder’s Day Award, established by the Academy Trustees in 1976 to recognize exceptional service to the school.

Forbes was a member of the Academy faculty for 27 years, arriving in 1959 as a versatile music instructor, able to teach students to play all wind instruments, from the piccolo to the tuba. He went on to direct the glee club, choir, band and orchestra, and served as chair of the music department from 1971 until his retirement in 1987.

During Forbes’ tenure, the music department grew significantly, especially with respect to the number of professionals teaching music lessons on campus. Forbes is especially remembered for nurturing a love of music amongst the entire Academy community through enthusiastic all-school sing-alongs and music appreciation classes. Active in the community, Forbes played bassoon in the Portland Symphony Orchestra for many years and also served as conductor of the Rockingham Choral Society.

This year’s Founder’s Day Award was presented to Forbes during an all-school assembly attended by the Trustees on May 19. Forbes was also honored at an evening reception where family, friends and faculty gathered to perform for Forbes in concert, then joined in a reminiscent sing-along.  

Forbes is a past recipient of an Excellence in Teaching Award from the Brown Family Fund and was a Wheaton J. Lane ’21 Bicentennial Professor in the Humanities at the Academy.

Phillips Exeter Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory school that was founded in 1781 and originated the system of instruction known as Harkness teaching in 1931. In the spirit of its charter to foster both goodness and knowledge, students come from a wide variety of geographic, economic, racial and religious backgrounds. The diverse student body comes from approximately 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 25 foreign countries.

Contact:           Julie Quinn                                Johanna Maranto

                        (603) 777-3450                       (603) 777-3267

                        jquinn@exeter.edu                    jmaranto@exeter.edu