George Papich, 88, Professor Emeritus of music, died July 27.

Dr. Papich taught at Northern Michigan University before moving to North Texas in 1967, where he served as a professor of viola for 33 years and was named a Regents Professor in 1988.

After retiring in 2000, he returned to serve as an adjunct professor and director of the College of Music’s Center for Chamber Music Studies. He served in those positions from 2002 to 2019, when the George Papich Chamber Music Studies Competition at UNT was named in his honor.

As a young man, he toured Europe as part of a virtuoso string trio sponsored by the U.S. Army. He was principal violist of the 7th Army Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Symphony, Dallas Lyric Opera and Dallas Ballet. Active as a chamber musician throughout the U.S. and Europe, he also performed with the Fine Arts Piano Quartet at Northern Michigan University, Shiras String Quartet, North Texas String Quartet, Arriaga String Quartet and Chamber Music International.

He and UNT colleague Edward Rainbow published “A Pilot Study of Performance Practices of Twentieth-Century Musicians” and “Research in the Performance Practices of Musicians” in the Journal of Research in Music Education.

He also made three recordings featuring the works of fellow UNT faculty member Larry Austin on the Folkways and Eridda labels. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, the Texas Music Educators Association and the American String Teachers Association.

Dr. Papich earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan and was a student of Robert Courte and Mischa Mischakoff.