Atlanta mourns a principal cellist
RIPThe violinist Charles Rex writes:
It is with great sadness and sense of extreme loss that not only have I lost my dear brother, but the world of music has lost a true artist and devotee to the love of beauty. Christopher Rex passed away yesterday afternoon in Atlanta, Georgia. Chris had been the principal cellist of the Atlanta Symphony for 39 years as well as the founder and director of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival and the Madison Chamber Music Festival for over 20 years. My greatest musical joy was performing with Chris which we did quite frequently, the highlight of which was to premiere with the New York Philharmonic a double concerto, “The Veil of Illusion,” written especially for us by composer Stephen Paulus as a joint commission by the NYP and the Atlanta Symphony, a portion of which can be heard on the NYP’s Instant Encore site. He also performed with many of the greatest artists of our time in chamber music concerts at the festivals he founded. Living alongside the artist in him was a person with a unique sense of humor, and some of my happiest years were living and working with him in the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1970s. Although we would later be separated by a thousand miles, we always remained close, and when we got together, it was if we had never been apart. I will miss him totally beyond my ability to put into words.
From th website of his chamber music festival:
Christopher Rex celebrated 50 years as a symphony cellist and recitalist in 2018. After graduating from the prestigious Curtis Institute, he studied under renowned cellist Leonard Rose as a graduate student at The Juilliard School. Mr. Rex launched his career with several regional symphony orchestras before joining the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy for seven seasons. He subsequently became principal cellist of the Atlanta Symphony for 39 seasons.
Mr. Rex served as principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic on a European tour in 1988 and has performed as soloist with the New York Philharmonic in Lincoln Center and the Manhattan Philharmonic in Carnegie Hall. As an orchestra member, he has performed in Carnegie Hall more than 50 times in addition to playing two recitals in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. Mr. Rex was one of the founding members of the Georgian Chamber Players in Atlanta and the Christiania Trio with Atlanta Symphony concertmaster David Coucheron and Julie Coucheron, David’s pianist sister. He also is artistic director of the Madison Chamber Music Festival in Madison, Georgia.
I had the honor to film his performance of Barber’s Cello Sonata (and his insights on the composer) for my documentary “Samuel Barber: Absolute Beauty.” From that session, here’s his timeless performance of the Chopin sonata: https://vimeo.com/29188352
I heard Christopher Rex in many concerts at the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival concert series. His efforts brought a sleepy town (Fernandina) a new sophistication and vitality, enriching the cultural life in towns further afield, even the big city of Jacksonville, which jumped on the “bandwagon” with local musician Chamber music performances. A “pebble,” which landed in the pond and made waves, beautiful musical waves.
I sang in the Chorus under Robert Shaw for five years. Mr. Rex was probably the finest cellist I have ever had the honor to work with, and he was a one-of-a-hell nice man. Rest in peace, sir…