Timothy Keith Cahill Endowed Scholarship Fund in the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute

Scholarship benefitting students in the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute of UNCSA School of Music.

The Timothy Keith Cahill Endowed Fund for Faculty Support in the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute honors Mr. Cahill’s long standing appreciation of opera and opera education at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Timothy Keith Cahill was born May 10, 1924, and died April 29, 2012. Although Tim retired from the Public Relations Department of RJR Industries after 36 years, his life was centered on music, both as a performer and a listener. He began piano lessons at age five·. At age 11, he began playing tenor horn and joined the Moravian Easter Band, continuing in the early morning service for more than forty years. At R. J. Reynolds High School, he learned string and reed instruments as needed by the orchestra. At graduation, he was recognized by the Altrusa Club Award as the outstanding musician in his class. The next year, he began organ lessons at Salem College under Dr. Charles Vardell, Jr. Tim interrupted his business career to study organ at Northwestern University. He graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Church Music. In Winston-Salem, he served as organist at Trinity Moravian, Calvary Moravian, and Parkway Presbyterian Churches. In Thomasville, he served 25 years at Memorial United Methodist Church, after which he retired as a church organist. Tim enjoyed performing with many local choral groups, including the annual Handel’s Messiah and Winston-Salem Symphony Chorale, the Centenary Methodist Church Choir, and others. He participated in more than thirty operas with Piedmont Opera. Tim’s generous volunteer association with Piedmont Opera was recognized by the Beverly Sills A ward for his work in the office and on the stage. He attended many performances of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and other local performing groups. Tim also applied his competitive musical talents to ballroom dancing, winning regional and national awards in competitive performances. Tim’s musical talents offered opportunities to collaborate with many friends and associates, all of whom he warmly enjoyed.