The University lost a music professor in a car accident Monday. The students who studied with Professor Fred Mills lost a mentor. And the music community lost a legend.

“Just stepping into his office was like stepping into a professional atmosphere of learning,” said Glynn Segars, a University student who studied with the world-renowned trumpeter for four years.

“He loved music, it was his whole life.”

Mills joined the University community in 1996, after 24 years playing the trumpet with the Canadian Brass – a brass quintet that traveled the world and was deemed the “world’s leading brass ensemble” by The Washington Post.

The band’s Web site offered words of remembrance for Mills Tuesday.

“He inspired thousands upon thousands of young musicians around the world to explore their own musical talents, tastes, interests and love of performance,” a statement read. “Freddy’s influence in the musical world is incalculable – his love of life, whacky sense of humour, deep knowledge of music, amazing memory for events, wide range of friends, will be truly missed by everyone with whom he came in contact. He was a Canadian national treasure.”

University graduate Chris Probst said he will also remember Mills’ whacky sense of humor, adding it shaved decades off the 74-year-old professor in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.

“He was ridiculously funny, even when he was in a bad mood, there was a twinkle in his eye,” he said. “You’d think he was 40, he just kind of had that youthful spirit.”

One of the courses Mills taught was a trumpet warm-up class at 7:15 a.m., Monday through Friday. And despite the early schedule, Segars said he enjoyed the class.

“He incorporated everything you learned at the University in those warm-ups,” he said.

Segars has one more semester until graduation and said he laments he will not be able to continue his education under Mills’ expertise.

“He wanted your best,” he said. “He was gifted. He was a fantastic musician. And not having him here leaves me with so much to learn.”

At 5:53 p.m. Monday, officers were dispatched to a single-car accident on US-78 in Monroe.

“Witnesses said he was weaving a little bit and left the roadway,” said Lt. Paul Cosper, spokesman for the Georgia State Patrol.

The 1999 silver Lexus then hit an embankment and overturned.

When troopers arrived, Mills was conscious and speaking, Cosper said. Mills died Monday night at Athens-Regional Hospital.

“It’s unfortunate,” Cosper said. “Sometimes in an accident, you’ll never really find out what happened.”

Mills was returning from a performance at the Pentabrass International Brass Festival in Italy.

Probst said these trips were not rare for the professor, who would often travel to countries such as Brazil, Switzerland and Russia.

“On the international stage he was very much requested to go out and perform,” he said.

Mills presented Probst with his doctorate in musical arts in August after four years of training.

“I think the biggest thing he tried to teach everyone was to not only be a better trumpet player, but a better musician,” Probst said. “Every time you were around Fred you didn’t know what to expect, but you knew it was going to be fun.”

While at the University, Mills coached The Bulldog Brass Society – which, like Canadian Brass, is also a brass quintet. Many alumni of the quintet hold prominent positions, including the president’s own United States Marine Band.

Phillip Bloomer is the tuba player of The Bulldog Brass Society, and said it was Mills’ spontaneity and musical genius that inspired his students.

“He was energetic until the end,” he said. “He never got old — he was always very young in spirit.”

Last weekend, Bloomer and Mills corresponded in a series of e-mails regarding recruiting an ensemble of brass musicians for an October concert. In Mills’ final e-mail to Bloomer on Sept. 4, he signed off with what Bloomer said was a very characteristically upbeat message.

“All is well in the Italian Alps!”