McAllisters Endow Piano Professorship in Fulbright College; Inaugural Holder Named

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Growing up, Emily Joyce McAllister was an award-winning pianist. She has been a church organist since the age of 15 and is a third generation church musician. While attending the University of Arkansas, she studied music - piano and organ, specifically - and she has had a successful career as a professional musician. Because of her love of music and the influence her study of piano and organ have had on her life, J.W. and Emily McAllister have endowed the Emily J. McAllister Endowed Professorship in Piano in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences with a $500,000 gift. Jura Margulis has been named the inaugural holder of the position.

The McAllisters met on the University of Arkansas campus in a freshman English class and they both graduated in 1960. Not only was this the beginning of their relationship - a relationship that will celebrate 50 years of marriage later this year - but it was the beginning of their deep connection to the university.

“If I can help in any way to promote or advance the music program at the university, I’m delighted to do so,” said Emily McAllister. “My studies at the university provided the foundation for a most fulfilling and enjoyable career in music.”

J.W. McAllister is a retired vice president of Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. Together, the Memphis residents enjoy visiting Fayetteville and staying at the Inn at Carnall Hall. They are active in volunteer work, particularly with the Memphis Symphony and various other arts and educational endeavors. The couple has three sons and three grandchildren. Their eldest son is also a University of Arkansas alumnus.

“We are grateful to the McAllisters for establishing this new professorship,” said G. David Gearhart, vice chancellor for university advancement and chancellor-elect. “Our university deeply values the fine arts, and I love to hear stories of students who make a living from their passion, much like Emily has done. Her enthusiasm for music is contagious.”

The inaugural holder of the Emily J. McAllister Endowed Professorship in Piano is Jura Margulis, a third generation pianist and teacher. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Jura Margulis was raised in Germany, where he studied with his father, Vitaly Margulis, at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg. He was also a student at the prestigious Fondazione per il Pianoforte in Cadenabbia at Lake Como in Italy. He moved to Baltimore, Md., to study with at the Peabody Conservatory, and he made the United States his home.

Margulis’ orchestral appearances include performances with the Russian National Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, the Südwestrundfunk Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Venezuela, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. He has recorded six CDs for Sony, Ars Musici and Oehms Classics, covering a wide spectrum of repertoire. Margulis, an associate professor of music, lives in Fayetteville with his wife, Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, and their two sons.