George Merlyn Muldoon

Passed away at his Petaluma residence, June 11, 2015 at the age of 87 years. Uncle of Glenna LeGrand and her late husband Donald, Great Uncle of Meghan Meeks, Michael LeGrand, Emily Usher and the late Damon LeGrand. George Muldoon, active member of the Music Teacher's Association of California was the winner of the Association's annual State Composer's Contest in 1986. He was a longtime piano and music composition teacher in Petaluma. His students have won state composing awards, received college scholarships in music and theater and have become music teachers. Muldoon, a student of the French modern composer Darius Milhaud, received his music degree in America followed by graduate work in theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. After spending several years acting and directing, he joined the faculty of the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Muldoon was commissioned to write a ballet for the Pacific Ballet Company in San Francisco, wrote an Opera for the San Francisco Arts Festival, and incidental music for a Tennessee Williams stage play in London. His other compositions include orchestral music, string quartet music, choral music and many piano works. He had an avid interest in the theater as a director, a writer of one-act plays and an educator. He developed a drama program for the Mill Valley School District where he taught drama at Edna Maguire Middle School for many years. Besides George's lifelong involvement in music and theater, he also had interests in magic, photography, bicycling, science fiction movies and the sciences, especially stargazing and the cosmos. He was an active hiker of Mt. Tamalpais in Mill Valley, Yosemite and other parts of the Sierra Range. George was politically active, and especially interested in the anti war movement and ending the death penalty. And, of course, anyone who knew George knew he loved a good party! A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 26 , 2015 at 6:00 P. M. at Elim Lutheran Church, 504 Baker St., Petaluma. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Darius Milhaud Society, 15715 Chadbourne Rd., Cleveland, OH 44120 or the Music teacher's Association of California, 414 Mason St., San Francisco, CA 94102 in his memory.