James Michael Nabours

Born in Tucson, Arizona, Michael Nabours always loved the southwest desert country, particularly the Grand Canyon, where he and his wife made many backpacking trips in the 60’s and 70’s. While living in Berkeley, California in the 60’s he spent six years in the Reserve National Guard, where he was mobilized during the People’s Park protests, followed by traveling the western US, and then a year living in Guadalajara, Mexico.

He had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of music history, with a particular interest in Renaissance Latin American music. He was trained as a musicologist at the University of Arizona, UC Berkeley and the University of Southern California. In addition he was a multi-talented musician, who played piano, harpsichord, cello, gamba, and sang countertenor. He enjoyed playing chamber music and played cello for several years in both the Tucson Symphony and the Culver City Symphony.

Although for 55 years he lived in Culver City and the Westside of Los Angeles, for more than a decade Michael and his family spent their summers in Guadalajara, Mexico. Known as Sr. Nabours, he taught in the Culver City Spanish Immersion Program for two decades, and for many years he volunteered his musical skills both in classrooms teaching recorder, and as school and district choir accompanist.

He is survived by his wife of almost 62 years, Mary (Larson), his son and daughter-in-law Matthew and Marzena (Wolna) and his granddaughter Camila Clair.