Allegro

Requiem

Volume CIX, No. 6June, 2009

Geoffrey Clarkson, piano

Edgar A. De Pool, saxophone

Howard A. Kravitz, trombone/conductor/arranger

Carmen Leggio, saxophone

Michael Levin, violin

Nathan Mash, drums

Hal Militare, saxophone

Manny Oquendo, drums

Don Palmer, violin/conductor

Kimberly Reeves, violin

Myor Rosen, harp


Carmen Leggio

Carmen Leggio, 81, a saxophonist who joined Local 802 in 1949, died on April 17. Mr. Leggio was also a member of AFM Local 38-396 (Westchester County).

Mr. Leggio played with bands led by Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and Maynard Ferguson. He also played with Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis and Thad Jones.

Near the end of his life, Mr. Leggio was still performing in various clubs and restaurants throughout Westchester. In 2006 he recorded an album called “Three Legends Live At The Division Street Grill,” which featured Bucky Pizzarelli and Local 802’s own Bill Crow.

He is survived by his daughter Teresa and brother Frank. 

For much more on Mr. Leggio’s life, see Bill Crow’s Band Room.

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Michael Levin

Michael Levin, 58, a violinist and a member of Local 802 since 1983, died on May 7.

Mr. Levin was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1987. He graduated from the New England Conservatory where he worked extensively with composer Gunther Schuller and Rudolf Kolisch, violinist of the Kolisch Quartet. Formerly assistant concertmaster of the North Carolina Symphony, he participated in many summer festivals as both an orchestral and chamber musician, including the New Hampshire Music Festival, the Skaneateles Festival, and the Eastern Music Festival, and has collaborated with many artists, including Leonard Rose and Jeffrey Solow. He had been concertmaster of the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra since 1987 and was an active recitalist and chamber musician in the New York area.

“He was also an animal lover,” remembers his wife Christine. “He had a wonderful, 16-year relationship with his incredible cat Winfield.”

Mr. Levin also had a love of the outdoors. During his college summers, instead of attending music camp every single year, he took one summer to participate in the Outward Bound program. He went to the San Juan mountains in Colorado where he learned to rappel off mountains and ford streams. He never stopped talking about this program and how much it meant to him, said his wife.

He is survived by his wife, Local 802 member and violist Christine Ims. He is also survived by his mother Jeanne and sister Cynthia, who is the producing artistic director of the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo.

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Myor Rosen

Myor Rosen, 91, a harpist, teacher and composer, and a member of Local 802 since 1935, died on March 13.

Along with his brothers Robert and Abe, Mr. Rosen belonged to a trio of family harpists. All three learned music in the New York public schools, and all joined Local 802.

Mr. Rosen studied at Juilliard under a full scholarship with the renowned master Marcel Grandjany.

He performed as principal harpist with the symphony orchestras of Indianapolis, Mexico City, Minneapolis, and the Columbia Broadcasting System.

In 1960, Mr. Rosen was offered the principal harp position with the New York Philharmonic, a post he held for 27 years until his retirement in 1987.

Mr. Rosen performed with the NBC Symphony under Toscanini, and appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic and other major orchestras. In 1992 toured Japan with solo appearances in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima.

Mr. Rosen recorded with all the major music labels. He toured all over the world with Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez and Zubin Mehta.

His collaboration with Marilyn Horne for a “Live at Lincoln Center” broadcast was cited as one of the outstanding programs of 1979.

Mr. Rosen composed the original music to the NBC series “Arts and the Gods” as well as for the Camera 3 productions of “David the King” and “The Song of Solomon.”

He is survived by his brother Robert, son David, daughter Linda and grandson Michael. 

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To submit an obituary, photo or reminiscence of a deceased member, e-mail Allegro editor Mikael Elsila at Allegro@Local802afm.org. Survivors of deceased members should call Theresa Couture at (212) 245-4802, ext. 115 to ask about a possible refund of Local 802 membership dues. And spouses of deceased members should call the AFM pension fund at (800) 833-8065. Ask for the pension benefits department. Spouses may be entitled to a pension benefit.