Graham C. Grindlay

Graham Charles Grindlay, beloved son of Jonathan and Sandra Grindlay of Lincoln, MA, brother of Kathryn Grindlay of Berkeley, CA, and husband of Rachel Spicer of Quaker Hill, CT, left us suddenly on January 11, 2011. He died abruptly of natural causes in his apartment in New York City.

Graham was born on February 4, 1978 in Boston, and grew up in Lincoln, MA, where he attended the Lincoln schools through his graduation from Lincoln-Sudbury High School in 1996. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Computer Science in 2000, and went on to complete an M.S. in Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2004, and an M.S. in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT in 2007. Since 2008, Graham had been a Ph.D. candidate studying computer science in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University. He was fascinated with sound and musical performance, and had been developing machine learning algorithms to transcribe musical scores from audio recordings. His current focus was on using statistical models to separate individual instruments from a multi-instrument musical composition.

Graham was a skilled woodworker and built many musical instruments, including electric basses and an electric bass cello. He brought his passion for music and engineering together to craft instruments that were both novel and beautiful, including a programmable electric bass designed to guide the player with LED lights built into the fret board.

Graham’s creativity and brilliance were complemented by his generosity, humility, kindness, and zest for life. From his earliest years and throughout the rest of his life, Graham entertained and amazed us. His family and friends adored him, and felt so blessed to know and love him. In 2005 Graham met the love of his life, Rachel, and they were married in the summer of 2009. They shared a love of the outdoors and enjoyed hiking and traveling to exotic places. Their time together was filled with curiosity and wonder, deep affection, and abundant laughter.

Graham’s humor and positive creative presence were infectious, and his ability to find joy in every corner of life will forever inspire everyone who knew him.

Contributions in his memory will be gratefully received by the Graham Grindlay Computer Science and Music Scholarship Fund, Development Office, Oberlin College, 50 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074.

MEMORIAL SERVICE
Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.
FIRST PARISH in LINCOLN
14 Bedford Rd.,
Lincoln, MA 01773
781-259-8118
www.firstparishinlincoln.org

Arrangements under the care of Glenn D. Burlamachi, CONCORD FUNERAL HOME, Concord, MA.