Gary Amano, the long-time director of the Utah State University piano program who resigned following a 2018 sexual harassment investigation into his department, died last week at age 73.
Amano was eulogized as an “amazing” musician and teacher by friends and former students writing messages in his obituary guestbook at Legacy.com.
“Professor Amano you will be missed! Your gift of music has blessed my life, and so many others. Thank you for sharing your love of piano performance and for giving me a chance to attend USU on a piano scholarship,” wrote Angela Moulton.
“Farewell, my precious old friend and teacher. You will be greatly missed by the many who loved you. I will forever treasure the innumerable memories of you, your family, and our many wonderful moments together,” wrote John “Jack” Douglas Gray.
These sentiments contrast sharply with complaints lodged against Amano by more than a dozen former female students interviewed in an outside investigation of the piano department in 2018. The investigation concluded Amano created a “hostile work environment for women and discriminated against female students on the basis of gender.”
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.