Few people have shaped the sound and spirit of The Hartt School quite like Nina Paranov Fagan, whose name became synonymous with excellence, artistry, and quiet dedication behind the recording console. A lifelong member of The Hartt School family and daughter of co-founder Moshe Paranov, Nina carried forward her family’s legacy with her own unique gifts—combining musical sensitivity with technical mastery to preserve and elevate the performances that defined generations of Hartt artists.
A staff member at The Hartt School for 50 years described by colleagues as “the most quiet backbone of the institution," Nina passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Nina's relationship with Hartt was indeed close. Raised in an environment which constantly included musicians, faculty, and students, she acquired at an early age a true understanding of the creative process. After studying at Hartt, Nina became a part of the professional staff of the School in 1961, when she took over the responsibilities of audio director, organizing the Hartt Recording Studio. From that day on, with its beginnings in reel-to-reel tape and ending up in the digital field, Nina was at once engineer and an artist. She preserved the performances, taught young musicians how to record their first sessions, and ensured that Hartt music would be heard days after the last applause.
Over the decades, Nina engineered thousands of recordings and trained countless students who went on to careers in recording and performance. She was a trailblazer in preserving the School’s history, championing the transfer of Hartt’s analog archives to digital formats to protect them for future generations. Her fingerprints can still be heard in the sound archives of nearly every department—from opera and orchestral performances to jazz and chamber recitals.
There are so many remarkable people that have built the history of The Hartt School,” explains Dee Hansen, professor emerita of music education and author of One Hundred Years of Hartt: A Centennial Celebration of The Hartt School (2020). “When I began to explore the founding of Hartt programs, she became larger than life. Nina was clearly an exceptional, special person. She overcame incredible odds as a woman and a woman with a disability to be one of the most important curators of Hartt history. She has left us with a jaw-dropping gold mine of our musical heritage, all catalogued and lovingly preserved for future generations."
Nina was beloved for her warmth, helpfulness, and humor. She had an ear for detail and an eye for talent and vigorously encouraged students to listen to performance closely—not only to the music but to each other. She was generous to a remarkable degree, not merely in the studio itself. She and her husband, Edward Fagan, helped to establish scholarships to assist Hartt students in their pursuit of artistic dreams.
In recognition of her lifelong impact, Nina was inducted into The Hartt School Hall of Fame (Class of 2019–20) and honored by the University’s Founders’ Society for her enduring support and service. Yet for those who knew her best, her legacy lives most vividly in the countless moments she helped capture—the performances that became memories, the students who found confidence through her guidance, and the community she nurtured with compassion and grace.
Through her artistry, mentorship, and unwavering dedication, Nina Paranov Fagan ensured that Hartt’s music—and the people who make it—will always be heard.
Those wishing to share a memory of Nina or record the ways she touched their lives may do so through this Share A Memory form, which will be preserved in the University of Hartford Archives and Special Collections.