 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben
Date: 2005-01-28 23:38
I just heard that Emily Bernstien died yesterday from cancer. She was the clarinetist who played beautifully in the Terminal Movie scored by John Williams, staring Tom Hanks. I am sure all who knew her will miss her.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-01-29 01:55
That's horrible! She was a great player and will be missed. Lots of gorgeous clarinet playing in the Terminal Score
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2005-01-29 02:05
My condolences.
I wish to watch the Terminal video soon, as many people praised the clarinet pieces in the movie.
Sorry about my ignorance, but is she related to the composer Bernstein?
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-01-29 04:50
The most reccent Clarinet magazine has an article on her, i read this and was motivated to see the movie..... maybe i'll do that tonight
donald
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-01-29 05:03
I worked here in NYC with Emily, and her father Elmer Bernstein.
She was a wonderful clarinetist, and a terrific producer of her father's famous film scores.
She will be missed.
PS Also, check out Emily's impressive bio from the Henry Mancini Institute:
http://www.manciniinstitute.org/woodwinds.cfm
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
Post Edited (2005-01-29 05:15)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-01-29 11:46
Ah! I knew that Emily wasn't related to Leonard, and Elmer wasn't related to Leonard - but not that Emily was Elmer's daughter.
Makes perfect sense though.
Wow - to think that both passed away within 2 years (1?) of each other!
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-01-29 13:54
This is an email I just received from my good friend, David Shostac, who lives and works in LA. He wanted Emily's last wishes to be know to her musical friends. All of you who knew Emily's wonderful playing might be moved to help in her memory.
"Emily and I worked together for many years. She got better and better as a player, until she was just awesome. Then she got cancer. She didn't know anything was wrong with her until she was hit with terrible pain one day. Turned out a cancerous tumor on the outside of her liver had exploded. That was the first sign, and we all hoped that the surgery was a success and they had gotten it before it entered the liver.
Then it came back, in the lungs and eventually her whole body. She was
still playing, but losing ground. Then she went for a treatment one
day, and while walking into her house she just collapsed. A tumor on
her spine that was totally unsuspected had pressed into her spinal
cord, causing instant paralysis. From there on it was a matter of
months. Joanne, her partner, protected her and allowed very few
visitors; I didn't get to see her, but sent messages to her.
It's weird, she was a good person, not one of the aggressive political
types, she just did her job extremely well. Just having reached the
top of her profession, bam she was taken out, but at least she did have
that experience."
Emily Bernstein 1958-2005
Emily Bernstein was the Principal Clarinetist with the Los Angeles
Opera Orchestra and The Pasadena Symphony, under the direction of
Jorge Mester. She was also a member of the acclaimed contemporary
music ensemble XTET and served on the faculty of the Henry Mancini
Institute.
Emily graduated with Honors from Stanford University with degrees in
both Music and English and later earned a Master of Music degree from
the Eastman School of Music. After graduating, she went to Mexico for
two years to play with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jalapa and teach
at the University of Veracruz.
On March 26, 1994, Emily performed in her first concert with The
Pasadena Symphony as a principal musician, filling in at the last
minute for an ill Dominick Fera. After just two rehearsals, she played
Stravinsky’s Fairy Kiss, a work that is abundant with extensive
clarinet solos. Dominick retired at the end of that season and Jorge
appointed Emily the new principal for the 1994-1995 Season, a post she
has held ever since.
Emily made frequent guest appearances as a soloist and chamber
musician throughout the west and recorded for the Delos, Phillips, and
Sony Classic labels. She was an active studio musician and performed
on hundreds of motion picture and television scores including The
Terminal, Catch Me if You Can, Pirates of the Caribbean, Seabiscuit,
and JAG. She had a busy private teaching studio and loved to jog with
her two border collies, Shane and Nala, in her spare time.
It is with a profound sense of loss that we note the passing of this
talented artist and dear friend. Her passion for her art and her love
of life was a comfort and a joy to all who knew her.
At Emily’s request, please consider making a donation to the newly
established Emily Bernstein Fund at The Pasadena Symphony in lieu of
flowers. This fund will ensure the continued excellence of the
ensemble that was such an important part of Emily’s artistic life,
allowing her devotion to music to live on for years to come.
The Emily Bernstein Fund
The Pasadena Symphony
2500 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 260
Pasadena, CA 91107
Please make checks payable to The Pasadena Symphony.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Phil O'Connor
Date: 2005-01-29 16:49
Hello to all interested: Emily was a wonderful friend of mine, and will truly be missed. I would like to help remind everyone at this time that music is a precious gift for all of us to share with each other. We are all responsible to each other to be brothers and sisters to each and every one in the fraternity of music. I learned this through Emily (along with a WHOLE LOT MORE!!!), and now I hope you go out and sit next to your stand partners, band mates, orchestral colleagues, pit fellows, and any other performance related situation that I may have ommitted, while carrying this idea. I am proud to have been fortunate enough to be one of her closest friends while she was here, and I am also proud to spread on this ideal of hers concerning music. It has been particularly difficult seeing one of your best friends deal with an awful disease, and I hope that all of you will never have to see it hurt any of your family, or friends. Don't ever take for granted the things we have in front of ourselves, musically or socially. I would also like to let you know that Emily was not Elmer's daughter, that is a different Emily. Coincidentally enough, there are really two Emily Bernsteins in the music business. The other Emily is an orchestrator and writer of music here in town. The clarinet playing Emily's father is Al Bernstein, who is a wonderful gentleman! I hope for all of you to live life healthy, and happy, and put every bit of energy you have into your music and families out there.
Regards- Phil O'Connor
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-01-30 13:27
After reading these postings I rented and watched "The Terminal". Despite some negative reviews I and my wife found the movie delightful. The quest for autographs of jazz greats was an interesting twist. What a shame that most of the clarinet performance was at the very end of the movie. I now share the feeling of loss for this fine musician.
Bob Draznik
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2005-01-31 15:24
I am very sorry to hear about this..her playing is incredible and with any great artist there is going to be a great loss.
I also admired her phrasing and innate sense of where the music should go. Her desire to steer clear of musical politics also a testimony to her as well. It is sad to see so much in fighting and political bickering in the world of music. It is very important to see artistic potential in musicians of all levels and skills....and very important as well as to respect each other as individuals too.
What I feel made her playing so great was it was as if she was speaking personally. This is a rarity in this industrial age of commercialism.
Her wonderful playing on the "The Terminal" attests to her incredible gift.
Hopefully more people will familiarize themselves with her wonderful records.
David Dow
Post Edited (2005-01-31 15:32)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-01-31 18:33
"her wonderful records."......
Have searched but don't find any...other than soundtracks of 2 movies....
Bob Draznik
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-01-31 18:57
BobD wrote:
> "her wonderful records."......
> Have searched but don't find any...other than soundtracks of 2
> movies....
The latest issue of The Clarinet lists about 40 of the 500+ movies in which she has performed ...GBK
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-02-01 18:47
Thanks GBK....however, soundtrack cds don't always include exactly what is in the movie so I've been rather shy about them. I interpreted DDow's comment to infer she had solo cds on the market.
Bob Draznik
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