Sandy Feldstein: 1940-2007
Music Publishing Legend Remembered

Music Publishing legend Sandy Feldstein passed away Aug. 30 after a year-long battle against cancer. He was 66.

At the time of his death, Feldstein served as president of his own company, PlayinTime Productions. But for more than 30 years, he was considered one of the print music industry’s brightest guiding lights and a mentor to many top executives in the music products industry today. Feldstein served as the executive vice president of Alfred Publishing, president of Columbia Pictures Publications and Belwin Music Inc., president of Warner Bros. Publications and the president of Carl Fischer Music.

He was involved in a variety of music industry associations including terms as past president of the Music Industry Council, the Percussive Arts Society and the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers. In addition, he sat on the boards of the American Music Conference, the International Foundation for Music Research and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. He was an active member of the National Association of Music Merchants, the Music Achievement Council and the MENC Foundation.

Feldstein held a doctorate degree from Columbia University and his earlier experiences in music education included serving as professor of music education at the Crane School of Music, at the State University of New York at Potsdam.

Feldstein was also a gifted composer, arranger and author. He published more than 600 musical compositions and books in all educational areas. ASCAP honored him with the ASCAP Standard Award for Composition every year since 1964. Feldstein said he was most proud of being selected to compose the theme song for the Music Educators National Conference sesquicentennial celebration. The composition “America Takes Note!” was performed by thousands of school children in the 1980s.

In an e-mail, his son David said that he, his sister Tracy and their mother Wendy were with Feldstein when he passed away in their Trazana, Calif., home early in the morning.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 2 p.m. at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions be made to the newly established Sandy Feldstein Music Education Fund. The Music for All Foundation has organized the fund. Please make contributions payable to “The Music For All Foundation” and write Sandy Feldstein Music Education Fund on the comment line. The address is 39 West Jackson Place, Suite 150, Indianapolis, IN 46225.