Donald Mulvaney: Musician, Composer, Teacher and Social Activist

Editor’s note: The date of Mr. Mulvaney’s death was Sept. 15. It was incorrect in the original obituary.

contributed by Anne Hughes

Donald Martin Mulvaney, 63, of Brooklyn, New York, formerly of Norwalk and Greenwich, Connecticut died at 9 PM on September 15, 2015 at Westchester Medical Center of injuries sustained in a four-car accident on August 15 on the Taconic Parkway in Yorktown, when an SUV, approaching from the northbound lane became airborne, crossed the divider and collided with the Mulvaney vehicle.

The accident also previously claimed the lives of his wife, Ledell Mulvaney, 61, and daughter Katherine Mulvaney, 31, who died at the scene.

Mr. Mulvaney had been in critical care on life support at Westchester Medical Center since the accident, undergoing numerous procedures over the past several weeks in an effort to save his life.

Don, Ledell and Kat were a highly musical and creative family, who all volunteered their talents for many years at Silver Lake Conference Center, the Outdoor Ministry camp and conference center, operated by the United Church of Christ in Sharon, Connecticut. They were returning from their final production of ’God Show,’ a high school biblical musical theater camp they directed annually there, when the accident occurred. (see 1/12/2004 Norwalk Hour feature story of Godshow coming to Norwalk).

Their work with Silver Lake Conference Center was one of the many areas where they lent their talents. Music, education and social activism were at the core of their professional and personal lives, whether in Brooklyn, where they moved in 2008 or previously in Norwalk and Greenwich
Connecticut.

Norwalk citizens gathered in a vigil for the Mulvaneys at First Congregational Church on the Green of
Norwalk, the Mulvaneys¹ former church there, last month.

Don was born on Feb. 3rd, 1952 in Rockville Center, NY and grew up on Long Island. Mr. Mulvaney was educated at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and after graduation was known for his jazz drumming, percussion, vocals and compositions with his many ensembles, beginning with Orchestra Luna, considered one of the best bands in Boston in their day who later signed with Epic Records.

He went on to play and record with many such luminaries as Tony Bennett, Itzhak Perlman, Maureen McGovern, Jaco Pastorious, Bill Frisell, jazz singer Mark Murphy, Melissa Manchester, and countless others, was a sought-after musician on Broadway, performing in the original production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and appeared briefly with Barbra Streisand in the movie The Mirror Has Two Faces.

Mr. Mulvaney earned his MFA in Music Composition at SUNY Purchase in 1993. He and Ledell met as Berklee College students in Boston in 1977 and were married on August 18th, 1979 at First Congregational Church on the Green in Norwalk. Many of his former and current students and musician colleagues have been pouring out testimonies to his lifelong passion as a teacher and as an inspiring and accomplished musician. As Jonathon Konya offered, ”Don was my drum teacher and one of my earliest musical mentors growing up in Norwalk, CT. Don was a beautiful, generous man and a wonderful drummer. He helped me understand that if you love people around you, work hard and follow your creative drive, life will give back to you in spades. It has so far, and he is a big piece of the reason I’ve stuck with it.”

Don and Ledell had two children, Katherine Ledell, born June 16th, 1984 in Brooklyn, NY, and Devan, born June 9th, 1987, also in Brooklyn. For most of their married life, Don and Ledell made their home in Brooklyn, NY, Greenwich, CT, then Norwalk, CT and moving back to Brooklyn, NY in 2008 where they could be closer to the City¹s artistic and music scenes.

Together Don and Ledell became active leaders in the Park Slope United Methodist Church, starting a gospel choir, joining the People’s March for Climate Change and Occupy Wallstreet, faithfully marching in New York¹s Gay Pride, advocating tirelessly for racial justice in the Black Lives Matter movement and always,working for peace.

In addition to Don teaching music at Fairfield University, Eagle Hill School in Southport, Side By Side Charter School, Norwalk, Regional Center for the Arts, Magnet School of Performing Arts, The International School of Brooklyn, and Whitebird Theater Camp, Don and his wife Ledell co-founded and directed Connecticut Children’s Musical Theater from 1995 ­ 2002, introducing scores of elementary and middle school youth to original musical theater scripting, writing, and performing.

Don was known best as a prolific musician and composer of 20th and 21st century music, orchestral pieces, pop, rock, jazz, latin and children‘s music. He is featured on many albums recorded over his almost 40 plus years of professional musical career. He was a long-time member of the American Federation of Musicians and the local NYC Music Union 802.

Mr. Mulvaney leaves behind his brothers Robert and Richard, his son Devan and Devan‘s partner Lucy Westphal, numerous nieces and nephews, as well as a wide community of friends resulting from his many years as a musician, composer, teacher and enthusiastic volunteer at church and community organizations in the Tri-State area.

A wake is planned for Fri., Sept. 25th, 6-8 p.m. at Park Slope United Methodist Church on 410 6th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215. A memorial service for Don, Ledell and Kat Mulvaney is planned for Sat., Sept. 26th, at 4 p.m. at First Congregational Church on the Green in Norwalk. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Ave, Norwalk, Ct. Contributions in the Mulvaneys’ name may be made to Silver Lake Conference Center, 221 Low Rd., Sharon, CT 06069 or Park Slope United Methodist Church or First Congregational Church of Norwalk on the Green.

SEE:

• Musical Family Suffers Tragic Loss in Taconic Crash
• UPDATE: Toddler Among 3 Dead in Fatal Taconic Crash