Klarinet Archive - Posting 000787.txt from 1996/10

From: "David B. Niethamer" <niethamer@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Himie Voxman
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 1996 18:44:06 -0500

Linda, you wrote:

>can anyone tell me about Himie Voxman? I have seen his name on music for
>years, and i think he has done some of the best arrangements for clarinet
>duet ever published. is he still with us, and if so where is he and what
>does he do?
>
This was a thread on the FLUTE list, and your request came the *very day*
after I did some housecleaning. I've finally had a chance to do some
hunting, and here, below, is the post about Voxman from FLUTE. Hope this
is what you wanted.

David Niethamer
****************

A word about Himie Voxman.
Himie Voxman lives in Iowa City (his vivacious wife Lois just passed
away in the spring of '96) where he continues to edit woodwind music.
Mr. Voxman was head of the School of Music at the University of Iowa
for about 35 years. His leadership in that capacity was unmatched...he
was kind, capable, and the faculty loved him. He was in this position
when I did my undergraduate work at the University, and again when I
did my doctoral work years later. I was fortunate to have him as a
chamber music coach and advisor in my undergraduate days, and as a
classroom teacher in woodwind methods and materials in graduate
school. He donated his huge personal library of woodwind music to the
University.

He once told me that he began scour bookstores, etc. in Europe early
on and purchased old method books for woodwinds (which are now housed
in the rare book room at the Univerity Music Library) and woodwind
music. At this time (40-s and 50's?) there was not much available for
the student flutist of quality (I remember Voxman saying that the
choice was limited for the most part to bird-tweeting songs, etc.) It
was at this time that he put together the Advanced Method books for
flute and the Selected Studies (Rubank), both of which I use with
great frequency with younger students (even though I probably have all
the duets memorized!).

The music building at the University was named the Voxman Music
Building in his honor last spring. Voxman is a modest, very gracious
man. It is a wonderful idea to honor him at the NFA-Chicago
convention. I'll contact Patti Adams and suggest this.

Jan Boland
JBOLAND@-----.edu
http://wwwacn.cornell-iowa.edu/~JBOLAND