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NewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletter November 2014 Volume 24, No 4

Another Successful Reunion

The 2014 Reunion

The seventeenth gathering of Chicago Symphony Orchestra alumni was held on Friday, October 10, 2014, at the Cliff Dwellers, 200 South Michigan Avenue, adjacent to Orchestra Hall. Attendance was lower than usual—approximately 50 persons attended—but a good time was had by all.

CSOAA members who had passed away were remembered and new members were welcomed

Steve Lester and Jim Smelser read the names of retirees for whom the CSO Members’ Committee had prepared plaques: violinists Albert Igolnikov, Arnold Brostoff, and Jennie Wagner; violists Tom Wright and Karen Dirks; principal bassoon David McGill, principal horn Dale Clevenger, and trombonist Jim Gilbertsen. None were in attendance.

Board members for 2014-2015 were nominated and elected without opposition: Tom Hall president-editor, Eric Wicks vice-president, Ray Niwa treasurer, Don Moline secretary, and directors Don Koss, Samuel Magad, Paul Phillips, Beverly Schiltz, and Gary Stucka.

The traditional Cliff Dwellers buffet dinner followed the business meeting.

All reunion photos in this issue are by Dan Rest.

CSOAA president Tom Hall holds forth.

Richard Kanter

The CSOAA has lost another dear and beloved colleague. Richard Kanter, a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s oboe section from 1961 until 2002 and a longtime member of the CSOAA board (most recently as secretary), passed away after an illness of several months on Friday, October 10. He was 79.

A native Chicagoan, Dick was born in 1935 and began studying the oboe at the age of fourteen with CSO oboe and English horn Robert Mayer. After graduating from high school, he received a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where his teachers included Marcel Tabuteau and John de Lancie; he also studied with CSO principal oboe Ray Still and Robert Bloom. While a student, Dick played principal oboe for the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra for one season and English horn with the Grant Park Symphony for several summers.

After graduation from Curtis, Dick served as first oboe for the U.S. Navy Band in Washington DC for four years, traveling to every state in the continental United States. Following his military service, Dick joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s oboe section at the invitation of Fritz Reiner in 1961, where he served for 41 years before retiring in 2002. In his retirement, Dick was an oboe and English horn coach with the Asian Youth Orchestra, based in Hong Kong.

Source: Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Linda Baker & CSOAA VP Eric Wicks Steve Lester & Jim Smelser with retiree plaques

Sam Magad & CSOAA treasurer Ray Niwa CSOAA secretary Don Moline greets Fred Spector

Bob Rada Ella Braker Larry Combs

Local 10-108 president Gary Matts, CSO ICSOM delegate Lora Schaefer, Lora’s husband Will Berndt, and Local 10-108 vice-president Terry Jares

Peggy & Will Scarlett Beverly Schiltz & Gordon B. Peters

Martha Sabransky & Edgar Muenzer Mary Sauer & Richard Hannenberg

Norman & Sally Schweikert with Sherry Kujala

Martin Fako & Joe Kainz Rachel Goldstein & Charlotte Lehnhoff

CSO Archives director Frank Villella & CSOAA volunteer Janice Holling

enjoy a moment with Frederick Stock.

All reunion photos by Dan Rest

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Alumni Association (CSOAA) is an unincorporated not-for-profit organization established in 1991 to unite and serve former members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. All current and former CSO members, their respective spouses, and musicians who have regularly performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may hold membership in the CSOAA upon payment of $30 annual dues. Other persons may be granted membership at the discretion of the CSOAA Board of Directors.

President-Editor: Tom Hall (TomMHall@aol.com) Members should notify the editor of any changes in their contact information. Vice President: Eric Wicks Secretary: Donald Moline Treasurer: Raymond Niwa Directors: Donald Koss, Samuel Magad, Paul Phillips, Beverly Schiltz, Gary Stucka CSO Association Liaison: Frank Villella, Director, Rosenthal Archives CSO Director of Human Resources: Lynne Sorkin Volunteer: Janice Holling Address: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Alumni Association, c/o Rosenthal Archives, 220 South Michigan Avenue,

Chicago IL 60604 Phone: (312) 294-3055 E-Mail: csoalumni@cso.org Web site: http://cso.org/alumni. User name:Alumnus and password:csoAA1 (both case-sensitive). (Please do not share user name and password information.)