Faith Lueth

“Faith” was her middle name – and it was a lifelong principle for Dorothy Faith Lueth, who passed away early Friday morning after a brave battle with an aggressive cancer. A devoted teacher and musician, she was Professor of Music Education at Berklee College of Music, where she taught music courses and served as Student Teacher Coordinator. Among the ensembles she regularly conducted was the Gordon College Women’s Choir; she was an active member of Mu Phi Epsilon music honorary.

A graduate of Boston University, Faith Lueth held a master’s degree in choral conducting from the Boston Conservatory and an Artist-Teacher Diploma from the Choral Music Experience Institute. During her career in public school music education, she taught general music, chorus, strings, and music technology. She inspired generations of students with her love of harmony and her formidable work ethic. 

Mrs. Lueth served as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and conductor throughout the East Coast and as far afield as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The winner of several awards for distinguished teaching, she presented choral workshops for state, regional and national music educators’ conferences, and her choral groups have been selected to perform nationwide.

Her students knew her as a warm-hearted, generous mentor and a mighty advocate for music, a woman of high principles and a gift for connecting with all kinds of students. She believed in teaching the whole student, not just to sing, but also to think and to understand.

Her daughter, Rachel Carroll, recalls: “Long before it was part of the school curriculum, she had her students read ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ and taught them about the Holocaust, and showed them the poetry that came from the students who were their age and how music became a refuge for them. She culminated it by having them perform ‘I Never Saw Another Butterfly,’ and then took the middle-school students on a trip to Europe, showing them the Terezin and Auschwitz death camps, which greatly impacted the kids.” 

In order to start a traditional boys’ choir in the public school, Mrs. Lueth bribed the boys with donuts to come to early morning rehearsals. To better connect with the kids, she bought a Nintendo and learned how to play Super Mario Brothers, so she could speak their language and build relationships.

“She cared deeply about each student,” her daughter Rachel remembers. “Every single one.” 

Her awards for distinguished teaching have included the Lowell Mason Award, presented by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association for excellence and leadership in music education; the prestigious Distinguished Service Award given by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association for outstanding leadership and contributions to Music Education; and the Dean’s Award for Creative Scholarship and Professional Contributions presented by Berklee College of Music Professional Education Division.

Mrs. Lueth was a past president of Massachusetts ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and she served on the board of the Eastern Division as Middle School Repertoire and Standards Chair. She also served on the Massachusetts MEA Executive Board in several capacities, including President, Secretary, Higher Ed Representative, and High School Representative. A proponent of strong professional development, she was a three-term Conference Chair. Most recently, she was the Choral Techniques Editor for the Massachusetts Music Educators Journal.

Faith Lueth was also a prominent activist in high-school music education, helping to develop anchor standards for high school choral ensembles in Massachusetts. She was instrumental in developing Common Music Assessments with Connecticut and Massachusetts music educators. For the past several years she was an Ed Prep Reviewer for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She served as consultant to several school districts in the areas of curriculum development, assessment, and development of the choral program.

“Teaching,” Faith once wrote, “is the most noble of all professions. You can change thousands of lives during the course of your career and affect those lives into adulthood. Letting students develop to their greatest potential has always been part of my teaching. The focus is on the student."

Faith’s love of music and her ability to motivate students were passed on to her daughter Rachel Lueth Carroll, who also became a music teacher. Faith’s example also has inspired granddaughter Emma to major in Music Education.

Faith is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Rick Lueth; her daughter Rachel Carroll; her son-in-law Brendan Carroll; and granddaughter Emma Carroll.

The Lueth family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to her many friends who enriched her life for so many years and offered support during this difficult time.

Faith’s Wake will be held Friday, Aug. 19th, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Eaton Funeral Home, Needham, MA. Her funeral service is scheduled at 10 a.m.  Saturday, Aug. 20th, in Westgate Church, Weston, MA.

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