Violinist Don Hufnail has been, without question, the longest-serving faithful member of the orchestra. Last season marked the 67th anniversary of his first appearance with the Summit Symphony. In 1941, as a junior at Summit High School, he had been invited to join the orchestra by J. Fred Muller, one of the original founders of the orchestra and its first conductor. Don has been an active member ever since, with time out for military service and college.
At Wayne University in 1942, he played in the orchestra (violin) and the concert and marching bands (tuba) while also studying violin with the assistant concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony. His college career was interrupted while he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theater of War as gunnery officer and part-time navigator.
Upon discharge from service, he enrolled at Drew University where he obtained a B.A. degree in English and psychology while finding time to letter in baseball and basketball. After graduation he was invited to try out with the Brooklyn Dodgers and played with an affiliate team in New England for two seasons. At that point a wife and newborn son necessitated a job with more security, which he found working for Prudential in Newark for 35 years.
In addition to his decades of performing in the first violin section, Don has also held essential managerial positions on the board of the orchestra including vice-president, publicity manager, and chairman of a fund raising committee.
Don with his great-grandson Jack during intermission at the March 9 Summit Symphony concert
Family members include: wife Avis (deceased), daughter Nancy (deceased), daughter Carol (business administrator for a local realtor), daughter Cynthia (school teacher in Alabama) and son Mark (co-owner of MPH Entertainment in California, producing documentaries for television and an occasional movie – e.g. My Big Fat Greek Wedding). He is also grandfather to 7 and great-grandfather to 4.