We miss Hugh. In 1988, 35 high school musicians asked Hugh to lead Triangle Youth Philharmonic. Hugh received typed pleas from students to lead a young orchestra. Hugh accepted TYP’s May 22, 1988 entry.
Hugh and Margaret McElrath Partridge were Philharmonic Association (now TYM) Artistic Director and TYP Conductor for nearly 30 years.
Hugh and Margaret’s passion expanded TYM’s 35-musician band to orchestral and jazz in 2005. Hugh was Artistic Director Emeritus for 8 chamber, jazz, and orchestral groups serving 500 TYM students in 2019. Hugh led his band in two English concerts with Raleigh’s sister city’s City of Hull Youth Symphony Orchestra.
HUGH directed TYP at Charleston’s Spoleto Festival and Michael Easley’s 2005 and 2009 inaugurations. Margaret and Hugh collaborated with composers, conductors, artists, and communities.
The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, and City of Raleigh, North Carolina Arts Commission awarded it the 2011 Business Support of the Arts Award in Arts Education and the 2012 Medal of Arts. Hugh sought talented TYM musicians. He promoted creativity, welcomed newcomers, and taught great orchestral and jazz music.
Hugh’s DNA has been in every TYM musician for 36 years. Hugh graduated 19in 58 from Jacksonville’s Robert E. Lee High. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Viola from Indiana University in Bloomington under William Primrose and a Master of Music in Violin and Viola from Butler University in Indianapolis.
Hugh was Indianapolis Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, and NC Symphony lead violist from 1976–2006. Wichita State, Butler, and UNC-Chapel Hill were his students. Hugh earned the 2003 Raleigh Medal of Arts for “extraordinary achievement in the Arts.” NC Symphony awarded the 2005 Maxine Swalin Outstanding Music Educator Award. The 2018 Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, United Arts Council of Raleigh, and Wake County Business Support of the Arts Arts Education award went to him.
