The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jim S.
Date: 2003-03-13 17:49
A current posting to e-Bay refers to someone whose name began with a "Z" and who was the "best of us all" according to one of the group at Eastman. "Us" is said to have included Larry Combs and Elsa Verdehr. I seem to remember someone, perhaps this person, who was supposed to be very good and was from the Pacific Northwest and who returned home from the East to teach. Can anyone remember who this was? I believe he was teaching in Bellingham.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-03-13 18:32
jim -
It's probably Gene Zoro, who traded back and forth with Larry Combs as principal in the High School Orchestra at Interlochen in the mid-50s. He's been discussed here and on the Klarinet list several times. I believe he teaches at a university.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2003-03-13 22:52
jim S. --
Just had a moment to look up the item on eBay. It appears that mouthpiece maker Dan Johnston made the comment. Perhaps you can find out from him.
Todd W.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-03-14 12:22
As I recall the eBay person was selling his old Dan Johnston mouthpiece...cleaning off his desk I think he said
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Author: Shawn
Date: 2003-03-14 13:22
The "Z" stands for Gene Zoro. I once helped Dan demonstrate the differences with his mouthpieces at a convention. The Z facing was the one that played best for me. When I asked about the meaning of the "Z" he said that it was named after Gene Zoro. I hope this helps.
Post Edited (2003-03-14 21:10)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-03-14 17:32
Hi,
Gene Zoro (only one r) is an old cabinmate of mine from Interlochen in the mid 1950s. Yes, Larry Combs was there too as a young clarinet genius from West Virginia as I recall. At last checking, Gene is a professor at W Washington in Bellingham.
A very nice guy and he was a great player then.
HRL
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Author: R13A
Date: 2003-03-15 13:24
jim
the clarinetist you are referring to is undoubtedly Eugene Zoro. Gene, when in HS was a member of the Seattle SO. He attended Eastman at the same time as Larry Combs and Peter Hadcock. As a frosh at Eastman, he sat next to Stan Hasy as 2sd clarinet in the Rochester SO. In , I believe 1966 or 67, I met Larry while he was in the NOS and Gene's name came up as he was my teacher at the time (Northeast Lousiana State College). Larry mentioned that Gene was equal to he and Peter combined. I understand that Gene completed his senior clarinet requirements as a soph by playing the Neilsen Concerto. As a teacher, Gene was like my later teacher, Leon Russianoff, in that he very rarely played in a lesson. He 'talked' you through fingerings, nuances, etc. This was recently agreed to by Lawrence Gibbs at last years Okla Symposium. Lawrence, who also had Gene as a teacher at NLSC, is currently professor of clarinet at Lousiana Tech.
Gene relocated back to the Seattle area where he became the prof of clarinet at Western Washington Univ. Over the yrs, he toured Europe with a chamber group and made just a few recordings...one, the Bernstein Sonata. which is available on CD.
Gene recently retired from WWU and is living in the Seattle area. He also attained a MS in clarinet from Eastman. His wife, also an Eastman grad, is a very accomplished pianist.
regards
dennis
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Author: R13A
Date: 2003-03-15 13:35
PS...... in the mid 60's , Gene drove a black VW bug .....but his license plate did not read Zorro lol
.....and yes, he was affectionately known as Mr. Z
regards
dennis
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