Simon Kovar 3778952 206867372 2008-04-20T11:38:36Z Wassermann 3443648 '''Simon Kovar''' ([[May 22]], [[1890]] – [[January 17]], [[1970]]) was a 20th century [[bassoon]]ist and one of the most renowned teachers of the instrument. Simon Kovar was born Simon Kovarski in [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]], then a part of [[Russia]], in 1890. He took up the bassoon at age 20 after originally studying the violin. Kovar came to the United States in June of 1922, settling in New York City where he took the position of second bassoonist with the [[New York Philharmonic]]. He was highly regarded as a teacher and was head of the bassoon faculty at the [[Juilliard School of Music]] for 28 years. Kovar also taught at Teachers College at [[Columbia University]], the [[Music Academy of the West]], and the [[Curtis Institute of Music]], the [[Manhattan School of Music]], [[Mannes College of Music]], and the [[Conservatoire de musique du Québec]] in [[Montreal, Canada]]. His students ranged from top orchestra bassoonists, including [[Sol Schoenbach]] and [[Bernard Garfield]] to jazz musicians, including saxophonists [[Stan Getz]]<ref name="getz"> {{cite web | last = Hamlin | first = Jesse | title = In lovely whispers and piercing wails, saxophonist Stan Getz found the bittersweet heart of jazz and bossa nova | publisher = San Francisco Chronicle | date = 2004-05-21 | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/21/DDGOO6OMQQ1.DTL | accessdate = 2006-01-21 }} </ref> and [[Ray Pizzi]].<ref name="pizzi"> {{cite web | last = Price | first = Tim | title = Ray Pizzi Interview: The Pizza Man! He Delivers | publisher = www.timpricejazz.com | date = 1991-01 | url = http://www.timpricejazz.com/articles/raypizzi.html | accessdate = 2006-01-21 }} </ref> His ''24 Daily Studies for Bassoon'', written in the late 1950s, are considered first-rate practice exercises for the bassoon. In the 1950s, Kovar moved to [[Encino, California]] where he continued teaching almost until the time of his death in 1970 from complications related to [[emphysema]]. He was survived by his wife Rose Kovar and two daughters, Elinore Imber, also a professional bassoonist, and Leah Herzberg. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.idrs.org/tango3.acgi$/www.idrs/registration/WWAll6K.taf?_function=detail&Layout_0_uid1=33296 International Double Reed Society Who's Who] * Obituary in ''The New York Times'', January 19, 1970. *[http://www.marvinroth.com/bas_kovar.htm Marvin Roth Bassoonist - Remembrances of Simon Kovar] <p> {{DEFAULTSORT:Kovar, Simon}} [[Category:American classical bassoonists]] [[Category:1890 births]] [[Category:1970 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths from emphysema]] [[Category:Lithuanian-American Jews]] [[Category:Jewish American musicians]] [[Category:Juilliard School faculty]] [[Category:Manhattan School of Music faculty]] {{US-woodwind-musician-stub}}