Hearts are breaking for Yossi Kalichstein

There has been an outpouring of tributes for the dearly loved pianist, who died yesterday of cancer, aged 76.

Pianist Orli Shaham: Devastating news to learn of Yossi Kalichstein’s passing last night. I’ve known Yossi my whole life. Such a generous, warm, loving, quick-witted, genuine mensch, terrific musician and ideal colleague. I will miss him terribly. Thank goodness for the many recorded treasures he left us (his Ravel Trio comes to mind), and the piles of supportive and riotously funny emails I can look back on. This excerpt seems particularly apt:
And, Orli, I am entertaining an idea, with ONLY April 1 being of any significance and the REST of the year will be a joke. What do you think?
In either case, make the most of today!

Conductor Yoav Talmi: My dearest friend, the wonderful Pianist and teacher – Joseph (Yossi) Kalichstein died today after a long illness.
My wife and I loved Yossi very much for his rare personality, his incredible sense of humour, his deep musicianship and for being a real “mensch”.
We kept a very close friendship since our Juilliard days some 54 years ago.
Yossi performed with me as soloists with many orchestras, including the Oslo Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Quebec Symphony, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Arnhem Philharmonic in the Netherland, to mention but a few.
We shall cherish his memory forever.

Violinist Cho-Liang Lin: ‘The world lost a great musician and I lost a dear friend. Joseph Kalichstein succumbed to cancer this morning. I will miss him very much. RIP, Yossi.’

Pianist Shai Wosner: ‘Yossi Kalichstein was a great artist and a mensch. Apart from owing him a big, personal debt of gratitude, running into a beaming Yossi and chatting in echt Israeli Hebrew in a hushed Juilliard hallway so often made my day as a student. His legacy lives on in numerous recordings and in the loving collective memory of the classical music community.’

Conductor Leonard Slatkin: ‘My dear friend and colleague Joseph Kalichstein passed away today. Ever since our days as students at Juilliard, we remained close. His brilliance as a musician was only surpassed by his genuine humanity and compassion for others. If ever the word “mensch” applied to anyone, it was Yossi. This is a tremendous loss for all of us.’

Cellist Roberta Cooper: ‘We are absolutely devastated by the loss of Joseph Kalichstein. Yossi was a brilliant pianist, extremely intelligent, and one of the funniest, wittiest friends in our circle. Our hearts go out to Rowain and his entire family, whom he adored, and to the members of his great piano trio, who were like his family for over 45 years.’

Conductor David Robertson: ‘Back in 1986, Yossi Kalichstein and I first played together with the Jerusalem Symphony performing Prokofiev 3rd. Then in Aspen, I was lucky enough to have him as soloist in Beethoven’s Emperor for my US debut in 1994. Ever since those first experiences he has been a wise, kind friend, a brilliant wit, and a deep musician. Heaven gets one of the best musical partners there is.’

Pianist Nadia Weintraub: Saddened to hear of the passing of my mentor and dearest Piano Prof. at Juilliard the great pianist and artist Joseph ( Yossi) Kalichstein. I am fortunate to have been his pupil. His big heart, smile and his legacy will live on. יהי זכרו ברוך’