Jerry Horner, one of the world's cherished and influential classical musicians and mentors, passed away on February 27, 2019, at the age of 83.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a fund that will create a residency for a string quartet to promote and perform one of the greatest repertoires known to man.
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Jerry Horner holds an esteemed legacy as the violist of the Fine Arts Quartet, one of the most distinguished ensembles in chamber music today. Throughout his lengthy career, he enjoyed a brilliant history of performing success throughout the world and an extensive recording legacy. Prior to joining the Fine Arts Quartet in 1980, he was the violist of the Vermeer, Claremont and Berkshire quartets. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in the major musical centers of the United States, Europe and Asia, collaborating with many of the outstanding chamber musicians and soloists of our time.
Mr. Horner has held principal violist positions in the Pittsburgh, Dallas, and Houston Symphonies and has appeared as soloist more than fifty times with these and other orchestras with such conductors as William Steinberg, James Levine, Lucas Foss, Kazimierz Kord and Donald Johanos.
Teaching positions have included Professorships at the University of Wisconson-Milwaukee, Indiana University, Bloomington, Northern Illinois University, The North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Pittsburgh. Guest professorships and performing residencies include such prestigious institutions as le Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris, and Lyon, Hochschule fur Musik in Stuttgart, the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, Yale University, the University of Toronto and the Mexican National Conservatory among many others. In addition, Mr. Horner was involved in the founding of two not-for profit organizations that teach stringed instruments to children, including inner-city youth.
A native of Los Angeles and a Magna cum Laude graduate of Indiana University, he studied viola and chamber music David Dawson, William Primrose, Josef Gingold and Daniel Guilet. He credits his early training in Southern California with Leah Sekora and Vera Barstow.
Now retired, Mr. Horner retains the honor of Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and devotes himself to teaching viola and chamber music, giving master classes and coaching promising young musicians throughout the world. He makes his home in Bloomington, Indiana.