Letters

Congratulations for the superlative Winter 2019 issue. Powered by the radiance glowing from your cover of President Designate Sarah Mangelsdorf, the standard alumni magazine format was transformed, presenting the unique in personalities, from letters to the back cover image of the balsa engineering competition.

In all, a handsome, well- designed, inclusive, and representative presentation of this University today. May I predict that the coming Day of Giving will demonstrate the effectiveness of your leadership.

Gail Hitt ’57

Bronx, New York

Remembering a Musician and a Friend

I was surprised and saddened to learn of the recent death of Norman Schweikert ’61E (In Memoriam, Winter 2019). He died at the age of 81 in December 2018. I first became aware of him in April 1959, when I saw him perform as principal French horn of the Eastman Wind Ensemble under the late Frederick Fennell ’37E, ’39E (MM), ’88 (Honorary) at Troy Music Hall in Troy, New York.

I was a 14-year-old freshman at Troy High School at the time and the horn was my instrument. I was so impressed with the wind ensemble’s playing that day that I decided I wanted to be part of the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music scene; and so it came to pass.

After I graduated from UR, I made it a point to become acquainted with him and thus began a friendship of 50-plus years.

Mr. Schweikert’s accomplishments on the horn are too numerous to mention here, but in addition to his playing and teaching, he was a scholar, amassing what is probably the most thorough, privately researched body of information on who played what, when, and where in American symphony orchestras.

His research extended to foreign orchestras as well. By combining excellent performance with exceptional scholarship, he exemplified perhaps the finest tradition of our University.

Harrington (Kit) Crissey Jr. ’66

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania

A Slam Dunk Image?

David Keller ’82, ’84 (MS) of Pleasantville, New York, writes to say that he saw four fellow members of the Class of 1982 playing basketball in the archival photo that opened Class Notes in the Winter 2019 issue.

They are (left to right) Eric Forman ’82, Scott Mack ’82, Stuart Goodman ’82, ’88S (MBA), and Jay Sharin ’82.

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Review welcomes letters and will print them as space permits. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Unsigned letters cannot be used. Send letters to Rochester Review, 22 Wallis Hall, Box 270044, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0044; rochrev@rochester.edu.