New Wave Musician Killed; Family Creates Harvard Fund

A fund to benefit the arts at the University has recently been net up in memory of a well-known, Harvard-educated TV musician who was murdered in his Los Angeles apartment two weeks ago.

Peter Ivers '68 was found dead on the night of March 3 by an associate, and police have determined that he was beaten to death by an intruder. No suspects have yet been found, but Detective Dan Settle of the Los Angeles Police Department said yesterday that he believes Ivers was killed by an "opportunistic burglar."

Members of Ivers family said yesterday that it was too early to decide exactly how the money will be used because the fund's size is still undetermined. "We just don't know whether there will be enough to set up a fund for students, or refurbish the Agassiz or try something else." Merle Ivers, the artist's mother, said.

Ivers visited Harvard as part of the Learning from Performers Program and as the artist in residence at Radcliffe College in 1981 During his two-month stay in Adams House he wrote a musical score for the play. "Alladin," and gave several lectures on "New Music."

During his visit to Harvard in 1981. Ivers called himself a "bodhisattva of new wave music," and said that bands must be unruly, antagonistic, and non-conformist to protect their artistic integrity.

Ivers was known to experiment with different types of music and was actively involved in combining new wave and video into so called new music. He is best known for composing the score for the cult movie "Eraserhead."

As a national cable TV emcee for "New Wave Theater," Ivers was recognized as "very progressive" by his peers. Mark Canton, a vice president and senior production executive for Warner Brothers, said yesterday that "he was way ahead of his time and people were finally recognizing his talent."

Many people in the Harvard community who knew Ivers also expressed deep regret over his death Myra A Mayman, director of the Office of the Arts at Radcliffe, commented that "while he was here he was really connected with a lot of students and we are all going to miss him."