Bernard Lurie, retired Concertmaster of the Hartford Symphony, CT Opera and Hartford Ballet passed away peacefully on March 31, 2016 at the age of 82. Bernie was born in Philadelphia on June 20,1933 to Bertha and Morris Lurie and was the loving brother of Ruth Lurie Snyder. Bernie was also a retired Professor of Violin, Viola, Ensemble, Conducting and Orchestra Studies at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. For 25 years he conducted the Greater Hartford Youth Orchestra (GHYO) with concert tours of Romania (1973), Switzerland (1976), England, Ireland and Scotland (1979), Italy (1983) and China (1987). He also founded the orchestra at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Bernie studied violin under world renowned pedagogue Raphael Bronstein who brought him to New York and then to the Hartt School where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. He was the recipient of several scholarships and fellowships including those awarded by Tanglewood and Hartt. Bernie was a former member of orchestras in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New England, and served many as Concertmaster including the Brattleboro Music Festival, Hartford Music Festival, New Haven Symphony "Concerts on the Green," as well as symphonies in Bristol, New Britain, Waterbury, Meridan, CT. He performed under the batons of such conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Aram Khachaturian, Charles Munch, Lorin Maazel, Jorge Mester, Arthur Winograd as well as Arthur Fiedler and Lucas Foss. His former students continue to perform in major symphony orchestras and chamber groups around the world. Bernie was a beloved husband of Sheila Lurie, loving father to Elena Lurie Meinhardt and Stephen Lurie, loving Poppy to Jillian and Garrett Meinhardt and Jadyn Rose Lurie. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, April 3 at 11am at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ 07039 with internment following at B'nai Abraham Memorial Park in Union, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in memory of Bernie to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy or Temple B'nai Abraham. The family wishes to give special thanks to Dr. Eilon Krok and the staff at Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ.

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Published by Hartford Courant on Apr. 2, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Bernard Lurie

Sponsored by the family.

18 Entries

Mike Taylor

December 14, 2020

Here he is conducting the young peoples orchestra. Hartford, July-1979

Dave Keen

December 12, 2020

He sold my parents my first important student violin upgrade! And i loved the violin so much, but being a kid i still liked his better, why? Because of the darker tone of the wood! Not the sound tone, the greyscale tone of the actual wood hahaha

God love him, he was a hero in my childhood.

Bob Scherago

April 4, 2018

I worked at WTIC in the 1960's and 70's as an engineer, and frequently worked with Bernie and the Hartford Symphony when we broadcast the in-school concerts, the Aetna Insurance Company concerts, and the opera performances. He was a gentleman, a talented musician, and a fun person to interact with. I just learned of his death, and am so sorry.

Helen Haynes

May 19, 2016

I have often thought of Bernie Lurie over the years. He had great character and such passion for music, and was a wonderfully kind and humorous person. He made a deep impression - I remember the very first time I met him and how encouraging he was. He dedicated a great deal of himself to inspiring young people to love music and was extraordinarily generous. The GHYO is one of my fondest memories. I had the privilege of traveling to Romania as a member and later to the British Isles as a chaperone. I will never forget Bernie
pulling out his violin to play the Blue Danube Waltz during a trip down the Danube. Thanks to his family for sharing him - we were so lucky to have known and learned from him.

Jean Lewis

April 30, 2016

I was sad to hear of Bernie's passing. I was in the GHYO for all 4 years of high school, including trips to both Romania and Switzerland. As a teenager, I was intimidated by him, but appreciated how hard he made us work. He held us all to the highest standards, and the orchestra was great.I was glad to reconnect with him as an adult by email a decade ago. He was a major influence in both my music and life in general.

Michael Taylor

April 28, 2016

I am so sorry to hear of his passing. I saw him many times when I attended the Bushnell and Park concerts, and remember taking his picture a couple of times while he was performing in the outdoor Venues. I spoke to him only once or twice in the early 80's and found him a friendly, soft spoken gentlemen. A friend of mine went with his youth orchestra to Europe in the 80's and learned a lot.

Mindelle Seltzer

April 24, 2016

My daughterJudy, and I just reminisced her years in the Greater Hartford Youth Orchestra, since we saw the tribute to Bernie in The April 23rd article in today's Hartford Courant. Judy was s member of the 1979 trip, from which she had fond memories of going to Tatoo, drinking Shandy's in the pubs, and playing to enthusiastic audiences in the British Isles. She played clarinet, and was a clarinet major at Vassar College, class of 1984. Mr. Lurie had a strong influence on Judy's love of music, and her choice of major.
Mindelle K. Seltzer

Sara Olson

April 24, 2016

I am very sad to hear of the passing of Bernard Lurie. Having spent every Saturday afternoon in High School with him at Greater Hartford Youth Orchestra rehearsals, I feel very fortunate to have known him. We were lucky to have him as our leader, not to mention all the fantastic trips we went on. In the 1980's, we played concerts in Italy and China. We played such great music him. I'll never forget the concert with Charles Nelson Riley. He will be missed by many.

April 10, 2016

With heartfelt sympathy on Bernie's passing. My Dad Isy had many wonderful years of playing together with Bernie in the HSO and he always asked to be remembered to my brother Max.

May his memory serve as a blessing.

Bud & Charlotte Jason (Janowsky).

Deb & Bob Abraham

April 7, 2016

Bernie was an institution in the Hartford area music world, and an inspiration to so many young and aspiring musicians. Just thinking of Bernie brings back great memories of our younger years.

Deb & Bob Abraham

Leo Snow

April 7, 2016

I am so sad to hear this. Although I did not him personally, I heard many Hartford Symphony concerts while he was concertmaster and admired his strong musicianship. My thoughts are with his family.

April 5, 2016

To Sheila and the Lurie family,

Please accept my deepest sympathy.
I knew Bernie for thirty years and considered him a friend.
I remember the time he shared photos of the trip he took to Glacier Park with Stephen.
He was a lovely man and touched so many lives.
James Kallal MD

Roxanne Tamarkin Donovan

April 4, 2016

I send my condolences to the Lurie family. Mr. Lurie was my violin teacher, and my conductor (I was on the 1979 tour of England, Scotland and Ireland with the GHYO) -- and a huge, positive, caring influence in my life. I will always be grateful for him. I send sympathy and love and gratitude.

Phil/Ruth Glazier

April 4, 2016

Our deepest sympathy.
Phil & Ruth Glazier and Family

Don and Brad Noel

April 3, 2016

Bernie Lurie was more than a familiar pillar of the Hartford Symphony; he was a unique musical leader of both the orchestra and his many students. We missed seeing him the first chair when he retired, and missed seeing him in the audience when he could no longer attend as a listener to the musicians he had led. We join in mourning his loss, but also in celebrating a life well lived.

Loretta Dyson

April 2, 2016

David and Laura join me in expressing our deep sympathy in your sad loss. Bernie was one of a kind and played a vital role in the lives of so many young people.. David is a professional musician and Laura is the administrative director of a symphony orchestra in Illinois. Neither will ever forget .the fabulous trips abroad of the GHYO and I will never forget all those cookies we sold. .I find myself smiling as I think about all the wonderful things we shared with Bernie and you, Sheila. God bless. Loretta Dyson
.

Carol Goldberg Schectman

April 2, 2016

Sincerest condolences to all of you on the the loss of such a wonderfully loving, special man. We will all miss his laugh, humor, "stories", dedication, Chalker Beach, and especially the music....Bernie will always live on in our hearts and memories. He is now at peace, Z"L. "May you find comfort with the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

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