Yale Bulletin and Calendar

February 25, 2000

Volume 28, Number 22

Ronald Roseman

Virtuoso oboist and composer
Ronald Roseman dies

Ronald Roseman, professor of oboe at the School of Music and an internationally-known virtuoso oboe soloist, died Feb. 10 at the age of 66 in his home in New York City.

Professor Roseman was a prolific recording artist with more than 55 solo and chamber music recordings to his credit, spanning 35 years. An active composer, his recent works included a wind quintet commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts, a setting of Psalm 22 commissioned and premiered by the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall in 1989, a double quintet for woodwinds and brass commissioned by the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and "Sonata a Quattro" commissioned by the Alaria Ensemble.

Professor Roseman taught at the School of Music since 1975, and was also a faculty member at the Aaron Copland School of Music and the Juilliard School.

"The School of Music and our summer program at Norfolk have lost an esteemed friend, cherished colleague and consummate artist," said Robert Blocker, dean of the School of Music. "In the quarter-century that Ronnie taught at Yale, his contributions enabled our oboe studio and chamber music program to be among the finest in the nation. We will miss him greatly."

Ronald Ariah Roseman was born March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the High School of Music and Art, and later Queens College, where he studied composition under Karol Rathaus and Elliott Carter. He studied oboe with Lois Wann and Harold Gomberg at the Henry Street Settlement and at the Mannes School, and also at the Aspen Music School and at Tanglewood as a scholarship student.

After graduating with honors and as Phi Beta Kappa from Queens College, Professor Roseman played first oboe and as a soloist with the American Chamber Orchestra. He subsequently performed with the Little Orchestra Society, the Casals Festival Orchestra and numerous other orchestras on a freelance basis.

In 1961, Professor Roseman joined the New York Woodwind Quintet, which has been called the finest American ensemble of its type, and performed with that group until shortly before his death. He performed with the New York Philharmonic in the 1960-61 and 1973-74 seasons, in the latter as acting co-principal, and was a founding member of the "Y" Chamber Symphony.

As a performer, Professor Roseman's interests covered a wide range of music, from pre-Baroque to contemporary. He performed on alto shawm with the New York Pro Musica for 13 years, with Gunther Shuller's "Twentieth Century Innovations," the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Galliard Baroque Ensemble and the Bach Aria Group. He performed with the Tokyo, Juilliard, Guarneri, Fine Arts and Composers String Quartets, and he was a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Speculum Musicae. In addition to the Yale Summer School of Music and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Professor Roseman performed at numerous other music festivals, including the Aspen, Waterloo, Kuhmo in Finland, Young Pyung in Korea, Grand Canyon and Bach Aria festivals.

Professor Roseman is survived by his wife, Okkyu; a son, John; and a daughter, Remie. As a memorial to him, the family has requested that donations be made for the re-release of his recording of Handel's Oboe Sonatas. Contributions may be made out to Bridge Records and mailed to Remie Roseman, c/o Marakon Associates, 245 Park Ave., 44th Floor, New York, NY 10167.

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