In Monday’s (6/4) Seattle Times, Melinda Bargreen writes, “Robert Bonnevie, a French horn player beloved of Seattle Symphony audiences and music students, died May 29 after a battle with frontotemporal dementia in Seattle—the city where he had grown up before going on to a career that spanned several continents. He was 77. He played a major role in Seattle’s arts community as principal horn in the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and taught generations of talented youngsters. ‘Bob was an extraordinary horn player. His contribution to the musical life in Seattle cannot be overstated,’ said conductor laureate Gerard Schwarz, who as Seattle Symphony music director worked closely with Mr. Bonnevie for nearly 17 years. If you heard the Seattle Symphony anytime over the course of more than three decades, from 1967 through 1998, you probably heard Mr. Bonnevie in the principal’s chair, performing the challenging high-wire balancing act required of one of the toughest jobs in the orchestra. Mr. Bonnevie’s distinctive sound was a staple element of the orchestra. … Mr. Bonnevie worked with three music directors: the late Milton Katims and Rainer Miedel, and Schwarz. In 1998, Mr. Bonnevie became principal emeritus of the horn section, retiring in 2000. He also taught young musicians and coached them in youth-orchestra programs and at Garfield High School.”
Posted June 7, 2012
