Dude mourns concertmaster

Sunday’s LA Philharmonic matinee concert was dedicated by Gustavo Dudamel to the memory of Barry Socher, a violinist in the orchestra for 35 years and a life-force in the area. Barry had died the day before, at 68, of cancer.

In a busy career, he also served as concertmaster for the Los Angeles Master Chorale Orchestra, Pasadena Pops Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, the Ojai Festival and Oregon Bach Festival orchestras.

He was a founder of the Armadillo Quartet and a lover of the great outdoors.

There’s a lovely tribute on violinist.com:

I joined the LA Phil when I was 19, in 2007. The first image seared into my memory of Barry onstage at the Hollywood Bowl was that of a guy who looked like Brahms – very serious – but with a stuffed, plush armadillo peeking out from under his seat.