Dear faculty, staff and students,
It is with profound sadness that I share with you the tragic news of Rebecca Tyree’s death from a bicycle injury yesterday. She passed away at the hospital last evening in the presence of family and friends.
Faculty members are on campus today to meet with students, including the music department’s interim chair James Wiznerowicz and director of choral activities Erin Freeman.
Becky was a vital and beloved part of our VCUarts community. As assistant professor of choral music education and choral ensembles, she inspired the next generation of choral educators and believed in the transformative power of choral singing. She was deeply devoted to service learning through projects such as SPARC’s Live Art, which trains kids to sing, act, and dance, and the RVA Street Singers, which serves people affected by homelessness in the Richmond community.
Becky was extremely accomplished, dedicated, and decorated as a public school music educator with 25 years of experience prior to joining our faculty in 2000. That dedication continued with her work here, where she was profoundly committed to our music students and to the art of choral singing.
She was adored by her colleagues, students, friends, and family. Her unexpected death comes as a shock to us all.
Our thoughts are with her family. We will pass along information about arrangements when they are known.
With heartfelt sorrow,
Shawn
Shawn Brixey
Dean | School of the Arts
Special Assistant to the Provost for the School of the Arts in Qatar
Professor | School of the Arts
Affiliate Professor | College of Engineering
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