Thomas Osborn, 72; Pepperdine Music Professor, Conductor

Thomas Osborn, 72, former conductor of the Pepperdine Orchestra and longtime professor of music at Pepperdine University, died July 30 after suffering a heart attack at Los Angeles International Airport while returning from a trip to the North Pole.

Born in New York City, Osborn earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton and a master of music degree from Yale. Years later he earned his PhD in music from USC.

After teaching during the 1960s at Western Washington State University in Bellingham, he joined the USC School of Music. He later taught at Cal State Northridge and Woodland Hills’ Pierce College.

In addition, he served as music director and conductor of the Downey Symphony as well as the Cal State Northridge Youth Orchestra Program.

From 1980 to 2002, Osborn was professor of music at Pepperdine, also serving as music director and conductor of the Pepperdine University Community Symphony and music director of the annual fall musicals.

Most recently, he was music director and conductor of Concertos With Orchestra in Thousand Oaks.