Homer Mensch

Homer Mensch (November 14, 1914 in Sussex, New Jersey - December 9, 2005 in Manhattan, New York) was a prominent classical bassist who was a former member of the Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the New York Pops, and the NBC Symphony. As well, he held faculty positions at Yale University, at the Manhattan School of Music (in both the college and pre-college divisions), the Juilliard School (also in both divisions), the Mannes College of Music, Rutgers University, Dalcroze School, Queens College, and Catholic University. He taught upwards of 45 students a week from beginners, to conservatory students, to professionals both in the classical and jazz fields.

Mr. Mensch studied bass with former New York Philharmonic principal bassist, Anselme Fortier, at the Manhattan School of Music. As a teenager, he played with the Dick Messner Big Band at the Hotel McAlpin in order to pay for his bass lessons. He was also an excellent tennis player in his youth, and originally wanted to pursue a career in tennis. However, he was also a promising bassist and eventually chose music over tennis. "This was at the start of the Great Depression," he told the Juilliard Journal, "so pursuing a career in music was pretty risky. I was lucky that my parents didn't try to make me go into a field that was a safer bet."

Mr. Mensch joined the Pittsburgh Symphony in 1932 after winning the audition on the stage of Carnegie Hall in front of Otto Klemperer. He was assistant principal bass under Klemperer and Fritz Reiner until 1938. He then joined the New York Philharmonic under John Barbirolli. In 1943, Mr. Mensch left the Philharmonic to serve in the U.S. Army in Texas during which time he played bass in the U.S. Army Band.

In 1944, Mr. Mensch returned to New York as a freelance musician. He subsequently performed with the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini and played in numerous television and radio shows. He has recorded with Gregor Piatagorsky, Isaac Stern, Nathan Milstein, the Bach Aria Group, the Casals Festival Orchestra, the Columbia Symphony, and on every commercial recording made in NY. He also recorded with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and numerous others. Mr. Mensch can also be heard on many soundtracks from the 1940s until the 1970s. For example, the theme from the 1975 film Jaws is played by Homer Mensch. Fact|date=February 2007

At the request of the New York Philharmonic's then-conductor, Leonard Bernstein, Mr. Mensch returned to the Philharmonic in 1966. He remained until 1975, playing under Bernstein and Pierre Boulez. After leaving the Philharmonic, he served as principal bass of orchestras such as the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, the New York Chamber Symphony, the New York Choral Society, Little Orchestra Society, and the New York Pops.

Mr. Mensch joined the Juilliard faculty in 1970 and became the chair of the double bass department in 2002. He joined the Manhattan School of Music faculty in 1980 and received MSM's Presidential Medal for Distinguished Service in May 2005.

Partial list of notable students

* Gregg August, jazz bassist, composer, assistant principal of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
* Daniel Armstrong, member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
* Joseph Bongiorno, assistant principal bass of the New York City Opera Orchestra
* Michael Burr, former principal bassist San Francisco Symphony
* Zachary Cohen, principal double bassist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
* Peter Compo, former member of the CBS Symphony
* Marji Danilow, member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Orchestra
* John De Witt, Mannes College of Music professor of double bass
* Paul Erhard, University of Colorado at Boulder professor of double bass
* William Everett, former member of the San Francisco Symphony
* Matthew Frishman, Minnesota Orchestra
* Gary Gatzke, Interlochen Director of Alumni Engagement, Principal Bassist of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra
* Timothy Goplerund, composer
* Glenn Lewis Gordon, Oslo Philharmonic, Norway
* Mark Helias, composer
* Christopher Hanulik, Los Angeles Philharmonic and UCLA professor of double bass
* Robert Kassinger, member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
* Roger Kline, member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
* Steve Kirby, jazz master
* Gregory Koeller, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra
* Albert Laszlo, Juilliard School professor of double bass
* Christian McBride, jazz master
* Kurt Muroki, Guest Artist - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
* Linda McKnight, Manhattan School of Music professor of double bass
* Richard Myron, bass professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Music de Paris
* Ron Naspo, former member of the American Symphony Orchestra
* Kathryn Nettleman, principal bassist of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
* Donald Palma, Yale University professor of double bass
* David Phillips, composer
* Melanie Punter, bass professor at Florida State University
* William Ritchen, member of the San Francisco Symphony
* Paul Robinson, principal bassist Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra
* Judy Sugarman, member of the Little Orchestra Society
* Laura Snyder, Milwaukee Symphony
* Kristoffer Saebo, freelance bassist and fellow of The Academy—A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and The Weill Music Institute.
* Michael Taddei, former principal bassist Opera National de Lyon (France)
* Frank Tusa, jazz master
* Lex Valk, member of the Houston Symphony Orchestra
* Matthew Way, member of the New World Symphony

Links

* List of contemporary classical double bass players
* Juilliard School
* Manhattan School of Music

External links

* [http://www.juilliard.edu/update/journal/j_articles783.html Juilliard Journal 2005 Obituary]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E7D61E31F930A25751C1A9639C8B63 New York Times Obituary]
* [http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/3474.html PlayBill Article on Homer Mensch]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E5DF1039F934A25750C0A962948260 New York Day by Day: Stringed Subway Rider (March 17, 1984)]
* [http://www.homermensch.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993624,00.html TIME Magazine: Still on the Beat (March 15, 2004)]
* [http://www.juilliard.edu/update/journal/j_articles784.html Juilliard Journal: Remembering a True Mensch]
* [http://www.juilliard.edu/update/journal/portrait_fac_0512_Mensch.html Juilliard Journal: Interview with Homer Mensch]