Jonathan Kramer

It was with great sorrow that I heard of Jonathan Kramer's recent passing. We had been trading emails just a few weeks before his death and I had no idea of his illness. Jonathan was a great artist, theorist, critic, educator, and above all a wonderful human being.

His accomplishments were many from his books to his compositions to
the number of excellent students (working in a variety of aesthetics)
that came out of his studio(s). Perhaps what I liked most about...

Jonathan Kramer was my teacher and will be deeply missed. He was one of the most open-minded musicians I ever met and I benefited immensely from his instruction. Despite our aesthetic differences, Jonathan was always able to make cogent, detailed comments on my music and helped me to develop the ability to objectify my work in order to be more critical. A fantastic teacher and wonderfully esoteric composer.

A True Loss to the Musical World! I studied with Jonathan for a semester while he was still in Cinci and I was a doctoral student at OSU. I had heard his "Music for Piano No.5" and knew that I must work with him at some time. When I brought this up to my mentor, Gregory Proctor (who was scheduled for sabbatical), he highly encouraged me to contact Jonathan. The time I spent with Jonathan then, and in the years that followed, was tremendous and deeply effected my work as a composer and music...

When I was Artistc Director/Producer of
Res MusicAmerica, in March, 1990, we performed ATLANTA LICKS by Jonathan D.Kramer. It was a big hit with our crowded enthusiastic audience.

What a terrible loss.

I would not be a composer today if it were not for the encouragement Jonathan gave me as an undergraduate student at Yale. Even after I went to grad school, he asked me to send him samples of my work. He never failed to comment extensively and insightfully and continued to mentor me for many years after our formal student/teacher relationship had ended.

He was a man of great heart, a man of generous spirit, a brilliant thinker and a very...

We are shocked and deeply saddened by Jonathan's death. He was a dynamic, witty and brilliant man who was generous with his gifts of time and insights. His program notes for the Cincinnati Symphony were miniature masterpieces and I deeply regret never having taken his course at CCM when I worked there. His warmth, his genius and his engaging spirit will be sorely missed. Our condolences to Jonathan's family, his friends and colleagues.
Anne Arenstein and Richard Sarason

Blessings to everyone touched by Jonathan's death... and life. There aren't many who can honestly be labeled good men. Jonathan was a good man.

We are deeply saddened to learn of about this tragic loss. We offer our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers to all of those close to Jonathan, especially to Norma, Stephanie, and Zach. We remember our days together in Cincinnati with fondness and wish that Dallas and New York had been much closer.

Marty, Monica, and Alex Sweidel

To Steph and Zach our deepest sympathy on the loss of your father