Bonnie Brooks Excellence Endowment in Piano Pedagogy
The Department of Music received a generous $250,000 Excellence Endowment in Piano Pedagogy in the name of Dr. Bonnie Brooks, a long-time supporter of the Piano Program at UTEP, from her husband Mr. Lewis Peeples. Both dear friends of Dr. Oscar Macchioni, Keyboard Area Coordinator and Assistant Chair.
Bonnie S. Brooks died unexpectedly in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 3, 2020. She was a long-time resident of El Paso and retired from UTEP as a Professor of Educational Psychology. She served as President of the El Paso Woman's Club and was deeply involved in the classical musical scene of El Paso and her summer residence in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Bonnie presided over the El Paso Pro-Musica Guild and was an avid supporter of El Paso Symphony, El Paso Opera, and UTEP's Music and Chemistry Departments.
Bonnie was a major donor to the New Mexico Rails-to-Trails program, whose reconstruction of 'Bonnie's Trestle' was accomplished on her property in 2019.
She was also an accomplished pianist; her beloved 1928 Steinway M was donated to UTEP and is currently hosted in Dr. Macchioni's studio.