DePauw alum Steven Linville ‘06 died in the late evening of Oct. 19, 2021. Via an email sent over fall break, President Lori White personally notified the DePauw community of his death, writing that, “His loss is a tremendous blow not only to those who knew and loved him but also by those who never met him.”
Linville was a tenor who graduated cum laude with a musical performance degree from DePauw’s School of Music (SOM). As a student, he partook in the DePauw Opera, the Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society and Mu Phi Epsilon, a co-ed international professional music fraternity. He was also involved with the Lambda chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. The DePauw fraternity mourns his loss, stating on an Instagram post that, “His loss will forever mark us.”
In 2007, a year after he graduated, Linville returned to DePauw to serve in several esteemed positions within the SOM. He began as an assistant to the dean and coordinator of publicity.
In 2011, he began as a music director for DePauw musicals while simultaneously working toward a Master of Music in vocal performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, which he then earned in 2012. A year later, he started the position of part-time assistant professor of music.
He performed in several roles, including Pluto in “Orpheus in the Underworld” and Ivan in “Die Fledermaus.” He also performed in several musicals, such as “Guys and Dolls” and “Hello, Dolly!” He performed several pieces as a concert soloist as well, from Mozart’s “Requiem” to Handel’s “Messiah.”
Since 2017, he served as director of productions for the SOM and planned over 200 SOM events each year, as well as managed other aspects of the performing arts production team. He also took the lead on grant applications and was recently involved in a successful grant application to the Alan W. Clowes Foundation which allowed DePauw to refurbish the seating and carpeting in Kresge Auditorium at the Green Center for the Performing Arts.
Throughout his time as a School of Music faculty member, he was heavily involved in productions such as “Our Town,” “Venus,” “Urinetown: The Musical,” “Young Frankenstein” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” Outside of DePauw, Linville maintained a private voice and acting studio, was executive producer for Intimate Opera of Indianapolis for nine years, was choral director at Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church for two years, the director of music at Plainfield United Methodist Church for almost a year and involved with the Indiana Opera Chorus.
A Celebration of Life, through music, for the professor will be held today (Monday, Oct. 25), at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium, as announced by President White in an email sent on Oct. 21. Linville is survived by his parents, Paul Linville and Shari Bay Linville, and his siblings, Chris Linville and Courtney Linville, who President White confirmed requested a “colorful celebration” that encapsulates his “exuberance.”
