Expand / Collapse search
☰

New scholarship at MacPhail Center for Music aimed at the healing power of music

By
Published  June 22, 2025 10:30pm CDT
People
FOX 9
Retired doctor helps fund scholarship at MacPhail Center for Music

Retired doctor helps fund scholarship at MacPhail Center for Music

A retired doctor is honoring his late wife by starting a scholarships for musicians at the MacPhail Center for Music. FOX 9's Leah Beno has more.

The Brief

    • While grieving for his late wife Lois, retired doctor Dick King found renewed value in the healing power of music.
    • In the process of taking piano lessons at MacPhail Center for Music, King worked with his instructor to create a scholarship for students.
    • James Pumphrey is the first scholarship recipient, in large due to his volunteer work playing music for toddlers at a crisis nursery in Minneapolis.

(FOX 9) - Seventeen-year-old James Pumphrey proves he has patience and a true love for sharing music. When he’s not volunteering time to sing lullabies at a Minneapolis crisis nursery, Pumphrey is playing a variety of music and instruments, ranging from jazz, to singing opera. 

All of this contributed to Pumphrey becoming the first recipient of a scholarship offered by MacPhail Center for Music and retired doctor, Dick King. 

"Singing is such a vulnerable thing, and to see that they can be comfortable enough, even in a situation that might be pretty scary, to be away from their families, but be comfortable enough to sing and do kind of uncomfortable things that might end up opening new horizons for them. It's really cool to see," Pumphrey said.

King has been grieving the loss of his wife, Lois, and music has suddenly become a large part of his life as we

"It keeps me connected, and it allows me to go to bed and not ruminate over the fact that she's gone. I mean, that's what I found. It just helps me with the grieving, amazingly," says King.

Helping more music students

What they're saying:

The Kings created a binder full of scholarships over the years, giving to organizations including the Schubers Club, the Raptor Center, and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Most recently, King turned to his piano teacher at MacPhail and the two created a scholarship focused on the power of healing music can provide.

"I said, let's do something a little bit different than we normally do," says instructor, Jon Iverson. "Let's specifically set up a scholarship to inspire somebody to go use music as a tool to heal others, to proactively go do good in the world. "

 For that King knew if Lois was alive, she would be singing his praises.

"She was spectacular, and I could do it, so why not? Not everybody has that opportunity, but I have had the opportunity to not only honor her after she dies, but to live with her for 58 years or so. Spectacular," said King.

For more information, click here. 

PeopleMinneapolis