Hayes, Morris D. (1919-2006) | University of Illinois Archives

Morris Hayes (1919-2006) was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. After serving in the U.S. during World War II, Hayes earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Nebraska. Hayes directed high school choral programs in Pueblo, Colorado and Scottsbluff, Nebraska before accepting his first college position. From 1956 to 1957 he briefly served with the University of Wisconsin-Extension Office in Madison. He then became the chairman of music education and director of the University Oratorio Society and Glee Clubs at Kansas State University. In 1966, he became the director of choral programs at Wisconsin State University (now the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire). Here he developed the Men's and Women's Choirs, the Concert Choir, the Oratorio Society, the Singing Statesmen, and Women's Chorus. From 1972 to 1974 he served as the national president of the ACDA.

In 1983 on behalf of the ACDA and the People to People cultural exchange program, he led the People to People National Student Chorale Concert (a mixed-gendered chorus of university students from the US) on an international tour of China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. During the tour, Hayes was joined by Russell Mathis, another past president of ACDA. Hayes retired from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1987. Following his retirement, he was invited to serve as a visiting director of choral activities at Florida State University in 1988 and Murray State University (KY) in 1989. He died on June 15, 2006 in Oceanside, California.