Mark Popkin Sr.

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Brooklyn College University of North Carolina

Mark Popkin Obituary

Mark Popkin
Chapel Hill
Mark Popkin, Physicist and Bassonist, founding member of Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and North Carolina School of the Arts, dies at 82.
Mark Popkin. husband of Elsie and father of Laird, Benjamin and Elizabeth, grandfather of Madeleine, Emma, Sarah, Rose, Teddy, Max and Josie.
He taught bassoon and coached chamber music at the North Carolina School of the Arts since its founding in 1965. He received his B.A. in Physics from Brooklyn College and his M.S. in industrial engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He served in the military, and worked in the Brooklyn Naval Yards research labs, where he worked on groundbreaking projects including the Polaris Missile guidance system.
A student of the legendary Simon Kovar, he has was a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center since its inception in 1966. He performed as principal bassoon with the New Jersey Symphony, the New York Pops, the New York Choral Society and the
Winston-Salem Symphony, and played with the Houston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Casals Festival, the Madeira Bach Festival, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the New York Chamber Symphony, the New York City Center and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras, the New York City Ballet Orchestra, the Symphony of the Air, and the Columbia Records Orchestra.
He was the founder and director of the Glickman-Popkin Bassoon Camp and Mark Popkin's Bassoon Camp By-the-Sea. His book, "Bassoon Reed Making, Repair and Maintenance," third edition, published by the Instrumentalist Company, has been characterized as "the bassoonists' bible." Popkin also designed and produced important bassoon and contrabassoon reed making tools, marketed through his Clarion Music
Company, and now through former student, Kendall Wilson.
Mark gave master classes throughout the USA as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. His wind transcriptions are published by Musica Rara, Editions Compusic, Alry Publications, and the Theodore Presser
Company. The Opus Five Woodwind Quintet was awarded a 2001 Winston-Salem Arts Council Artists Projects grant to produce a CD of his transcriptions for wind quintet of the Debussy and Ravel string quartets. Popkin also won the 2003 Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina, as NCSA's top teacher.
The Popkin family asks instead of sending flowers and cards please make a donation to Bassoon Camp (http://www.bassooncamp.com), where he was always an inspiration to hundreds of bassoonists whether they were college students, professional, amateur bassoonists or those who just plain loved the bassoon. Make checks to Wildacres Foundation (put GP Bassoon Camp Scholarship fund in the memo line) and send them to: Maria Narf Spuller, ?717 S. Marshall St, Suite #103, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
The ceremony will be at Temple Emanuel in Winston Salem, North Carolina, on Wednesday at 6 PM: Temple Emanuel, 201 Oakwood Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 (336) 722-6640, templemanuel.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News & Observer on Sep. 7, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Mark Popkin

9 Entries

Susan Wilson

September 6, 2011

A marvelous pedagogue and player, a dear and fine man, and a guy who just knew how to have a good time -- none of these come close to describing Mark. I was lucky enough to study with him in the early 80s and he was such a joy. We bassoonists owe a debt to his legacy to play well and carry on.

Kevin Moore

September 3, 2011

So sorry for the loss of this wonderful man. I enjoyed his wind repertoire class so much it was a pleasure to take it twice. Deepest condolences to the family.

Anne Gillis

September 3, 2011

I almost hate to use the term "teacher" when I think about MPop. To me, that word refers to someone who steps into a role or puts on a hat. During lesson time, he didn't become someone else or play a part; that's just the essence of who he was.... all the time. (And not just about bassoon stuff.) And he didn't really "teach" anything. It was more that he pointed out that the ability was inside us all the time. He helped us to look at whatever skill or technique or phrasing or fingering, differently. He just brought it out of us. And after, it really became obvious that what we deemed complicated really was "a piece of cake." He never let you feel inferior or incapable, and when you left, you not only felt that you were a better player than when you walked in, you also knew you were a better player than you thought you were WHEN you walked in. You also knew you were a better person. His love and passion were infectious, and just his presence in any situation would alter the dynamics of the room and the people in it.

It's a little scary to think that we no longer have the luxury of conversation to get us over our next hurdle. It is now upon us to take everything we learned, everything he gave us, and put it to use. I just hope that I can remember it all and do him justice.

Mpop,
I love you and miss you so much. Thank you for everything you did for me. Now it is time for you to spend eternity with "She who must be obeyed!"

September 2, 2011

my sympathy to mark's family. it was a privilege to know him and learn from him. mary margaret wagner gpbc '04 marquette, michigan

Kristen Goguen

September 1, 2011

When people ask me about MPop, I tell them it's hard to fully understand what an amazing person he was without knowing him. He was so full of life and genuine affection for everyone around him. It was hard not to be happy when you were around Pop. I will eternally be grateful that I knew him, and even more grateful for the wisdom he shared with me. I will always carry a little piece of him with me. MPop, I will miss you, but I know that you and Elsie are reunited at last. I love you!

Kristin Bruning

September 1, 2011

I knew Mark as the father and father in law to my dear friends, Benjie and Sherry Popkin. Until the end, he remained jolly and ever ready to talk with me about our beloved New York City-- the bialies, the pizza, the energy, the people. What a special person for me to have known, even if only peripherally. Mark - you will be sorely missed! Thank you for all you gave to so many. Kristin(Bruning) and Michael O'Beirne

Ashley Heintzen

August 31, 2011

I will never forget the musical wisdom and life teaching Mark Popkin imparted to me during high school at NCSA. Even after 25 years, my reeds are still Popkin modeled. As a teacher, I will remember and strive to show my students the same compassion, humor and devotion that was a hallmark of Mark's teaching style. The best lesson I learned from Mark was not to take life or myself so seriosly. He was well loved, and will always be remembered with love and humor.

Maria Spuller

August 31, 2011

Wonderful man, teacher, father, mentor, and bassoonist. He was much loved. Many of our lives were changed forever due to our interactions with Mpop.

Cowles Liipfert Jr

August 31, 2011

Mark was like my other Dad. I will miss him dearly.

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