A much-loved New York conductor has died, at 70
mainWe have been notified of the death, from cancer, of Jonathan Strasser, after a richly variegated musical life.
He was a regular conductor with the Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela in Caracas and, nearer hme, music director of the Staten Island Symphony.
He was an accomplished violinist, and a teacher in the Precollege Division of the Manhattan School of Music.
He made a cameo film appearance in the 1980 movie, Fame.
One student writes: ‘Mr. Strasser was THE music teacher in NYC for all aspiring young musicians.’
The funeral is today at 11.30 at Riverside Memorial Chapel.
Boruch Dayan Emess. Thank you Norman for posting this. I knew Jonathan very well, and even represented him for a while. Through the years we grew apart, and I would not have known of his passing. He had a very musical brother who accompanied me in concert on occasion who passed away quite a few years ago, and no real family accept his students and friends to speak of. His father was a jeweler, and I will always remember when I visited Jonathan in his pristine upper west side brownstone, which he owned, the gems he would display so proudly on his blue velvet sofa. I am so sorry he is no longer with us.
I found out on his Facebook page. I remember him from Facebook especially its final scene where they perform I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC and Jonathan is conducting.
Look for it on Youtube
I was luck to see him conduct in NYC back in 2014 !! Here is my best pic of him
http://georgenet.net/celebrities/Musicians/JonathanStrasser1.jpg