Gary Lee Ebensberger

Dr. Gary Lee Ebensberger, of Arlington, Texas passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife by his side. He will be remembered as a loving father, friend and colleague to all who knew and loved him. He was born on July 11, 1939, in New Braunfels, Texas to Charles and Margaret Ebensberger. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, son Steve and wife Debbie, son David and wife Angie, son Paul and wife Karla, and his eight grandchildren, Sam Ebensberger, Ryan Ebensberger, Elana Ebensberger, Charlie Ebensberger, Ruby Ebensberger, Phoebe Lapps and husband Ben, Emily Stanley and husband Casey, Abigail Ebensberger, and five great grandchildren. The Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Arlington, Texas, with a reception to follow in the Great Hall at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Dr. Gary Ebensberger was one of the nation’s foremost choral musicians. He received his Doctor of Music Arts degree in conducting from the University of Texas at Austin. At the Austin Campus, he was director of the University Men’s Glee Club. His dissertation topic was “The Motets of Francis Poulenc.” Dr. Ebensberger’s Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts degrees are from Sam Houston State University.

Dr. Ebensberger was for 14 years Chairman of the Music Department, and Professor of Choral Conducting at the University of Texas at Arlington for a total of 35 years. He was the Musical Director and Conductor of The Fort Worth Chorale of Schola Cantorum for 25 years. Under his leadership, Schola Cantorum toured Germany, Austria, and England, performed with The Royal Philharmonic in Royal Festival Hall in London, the Festival of the Mass in San Francisco, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and the Texas Choral Directors Association Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Ebensberger conducted All-Region choirs, All-State choirs and Choral Festivals throughout the United States. In 1988, Dr. Ebensberger adjudicated the Dublin International Choral Festival in Ireland, and in 1989 he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the University of Texas at Arlington choir and four other choruses from across the nation. He returned to Carnegie Hall in 1997 to conduct the Faure’ “Requiem” with the New England Symphony.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, the Fort Worth Chorale of Schola Cantorum of Texas, or the Vocal Music Department at the University of Texas at Arlington.