Obituary of Martin N. Ainspan
Albany, New York
Martin N Ainspan, 89, a professional accordionist and music teacher residing at the Massry Residence in Albany, died due to complications of a stroke on Monday, December 17 at the St. Peter’s Hospital Hospice Inn. Born in Albany, Martin had been a resident of the Capital Region for his entire life. He began his music training at age nine and continued to perform and teach music for the rest of his life. He attended Albany High School but switched and graduated from Philip Schuyler High School when the advanced music classes he was taking at Holy Names Academy conflicted with his first period classes at AHS. He also composed the graduation song for his senior class at Schuyler While in high school he would travel to Manhattan on weekends for additional music training. During his youth he performed on the radio, at numerous concerts, weddings, parties, and other events and programs.
He graduated in 1952 from the Manhattan School of Music in New York with both Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Music Composition and Theory. He immediately obtained a job after graduation as a music teacher with the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District where he taught elementary, middle school, and high school students, led and conducted the district’s orchestras, bands, and choirs until he retired from teaching in 1988. He opened the Albany Accordion Center at 783 Madison Avenue in 1952 (later at 263 Quail Street) and taught private lessons in the evenings and on weekends throughout his career.
Martin married the former Phyllis Branz in 1956. They were lifelong members of Temple Israel of Albany, NY and active members in the Jewish community and Israel-focused organizations. He was predeceased by his brother Robert in 1983, in 1997 by his daughter, Sara Miriam Ainspan, and in 2015 by his wife. He is survived by his son, Nathan D. Ainspan, Ph.D., and his wife Debbie Ann Doyle Ainspan, Ph.D. of Arlington, VA, his grandson Isaac Mark Doyle Ainspan and his sister-in-law, Helene Ainspan of Albany, NY
Services will be held at the Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Avenue, in Albany on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 10 AM. Interment will follow in the Temple Israel Cemetery in Guilderland. Those wishing to remember Martin in a special way may make a memorial contribution to a charity of their choice or to The Sara M. Ainspan Memorial Israel Scholarship c/o Temple Israel, 600 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208. The period of mourning will be observed at the Massry Residence, 182 Washington Avenue Extension in Albany on Wednesday from 3-7pm, Thursday from 2-5pm and on Friday from 1-4pm.
