Chicago mourns a musical mainstay, 53

Chicago mourns a musical mainstay, 53

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norman lebrecht

September 04, 2019

The sound engineer, bass player, musical organiser and co-founder of Coffee Cup Productions, the irrepressible Mark Tulloss, has died tragically of a heart attack. Every corner of the Chicaog music community is bereft.

The filmmaker John Theroux writes: ‘We all lost someone really special. Even if you did not know him, you will feel how special he was evey single time I turn a projector on from this day forward. Let me tell you about this person for a second. Mark Tulloss had a smile and an energy that was contagious. His partner Kirsten Kuhlmann and him run Coffee Cup Productions which has lifted up SO MANY ARTISTS including myself. I never knew this interview would be the last time Mark and I talked ‘face to face’. He was so giving, had a ton of ambition and we were going to high five eachother at that beautiful financial finish line; the one any artist like Mark deserves to cross. He worked SO HARD, he spread SO MUCH LOVE and my deepest condolenses go out to his family and his close friends, who are also WONDERFUL people. This person HUMAN-ed in a way that I RESPECT so much. I miss you so much Mark. And we are all missing you way too soon. I love you ♡ the light you shined, shines on. We are going to shine it so hard for you ♡’

Comments

  • Karl says:

    Deepest sympathy to Mark’s friends and family. Although I didn’t know him personally, I can tell by this writing piece that he’s a wonderful man and will be missed dearly. Keep his memory strong and stay close to loved ones in this difficult time.

  • Roman Henclewski says:

    I am in shock… Mark had an energy/Ora about himself… We have lost a great one…

  • George G Sims says:

    I
    WANT TO PUT A MUSICAL SHOW ON ABOUT THE CHICAGO IL MUSIC i,m from Chicago 60 year,s MUSIC man and singer and I want to put on in the Atl Ga I,m Bro Gerald George Sims 3rd At mrsims60@yaoo.com 404- 931- 1643 Old School Let Do It Now

  • Drumrjoe says:

    I looked forward to playing gigs where Mark, Kirsten and Dirk would be there. It meant that everything would go smoothly and that was largely because Mark knew how to run things and also how to deal with last minute snags. He was always professional and easy going. Such a huge loss for the Chicago music community.

  • Mark Tulloss was a personal friend and my audio-video engineer for so many of my most prominent concerts- with orchestras and chamber music with the CSO and distinguished soloists like David Yonan and Ilya Kaler. He left us all a beautiful legacy with his supreme talent in all things musical and artistic. And he was always so jovial, smiling and fun-loving. A nicer man you could not meet. A genuine person and supportive friend like him is a gift and a blessing – he will be forever in our hearts and minds.

  • Isabella Nebel says:

    All through the alienating and sometimes bitter and weird world of high school politics, even as teenagers, Mark was the one person, day in and day out, who I could count on to make me smile, NO MATTER WHAT. He dwelled on the good and turned his back on what didn’t matter. It was a dark time for me and there was Mark, a reassuring smile and pat on the shoulder always making things better. always reminding me to move toward what made me happy instead of away from it. He was mature beyond his years. Always a kind word, always a compliment, always his sweet nature turning things light. He spoke truth, he was generous, he was gentleness itself. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I never heard him express self-pity. I can’t imagine what it was like for him to always be in the minority, not only in flesh but in spirit, because his wisdom and positivity were truly enlightened. No one could match his brave attempts at creating a better reality for those he cared about. Someone like Mark is never appreciated enough, never enough: because he turned the spotlight on others instead of himself. Because he was kind and forgiving instead of selfish. I never understood how someone could be so enduringly, consistently good. My heart has a hole now. I feel the loss to the world of a great light and we can not afford this loss. If there is a heaven he is there already, smiling at all of us with his magnificent, benevolent smile, and his shining eyes, beseeching us, be good, do right, just be happy.

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