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Teri Noel Towe wrote (February 7, 2011):
From the February 3, 2011, newsletter from Gotham Early Music Scene:
Our community lost an extraordinary member with the death of Johannes Somary on February 1, following a severe stroke in late December. He founded the ensemble Amor Artis 50 years ago(!), and remained its Music Director until his passing. He leaves a rich legacy of concerts, recitals, recordings, and premieres of important and unjustly neglected works. Through his work with the ensemble, at Horace Mann School, and as an organist, composer, and conductor he gathered a huge following of people for whom his youthful enthusiasm and curiosity, caring, scholarship, encouragement, organizational skills and musical brilliance was a life-changing experience (you can read vivid and poignant testimonials from many of them in the online CaringBridge journal devoted to him). There will be a Funeral Mass celebrating Somary's life at 12 noon this Saturday, February 5 at Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, Park Avenue at 84th Street, New York City. Following the Mass, a private family burial will take place in his wife Anne's hometown of Blawenburg, New Jersey. The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations to preserve Johannes Somary's legacy may be made to Amor Artis. |
