Violist, teacher, and chamber musician Karen Ritscher passed away in New York City on May 31, 2025, at the age of 73. Born in 1952, Karen served as Principal Viola for the Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, and Brooklyn Philharmonic; and as Assistant Principal Viola for the American Composers Orchestra. She also performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet Orchestra, and the New York City Opera Orchestra. She was also a member of the Aureus Piano Quartet and the Azure Ensemble, a chamber group that features the work of living female composers. She also recorded the complete works for viola and piano by Ernest Bloch.
Karen served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Boston University, Rice University, the Mannes College of Music, Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music. As an expert on player physicality, movement and self-expression, she held workshops in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Korea, Taiwan and China, and was the featured viola master-clinician for the College Division at the American String Teachers Association Conference in 2009.
She served on the faculty of the annual Karen Tuttle Coordination Workshop from its inception in 2002, working with violists’ physical and emotional awareness to help create a beautiful sound through tensionless playing. Additionally, Karen published many articles on practice, physicality and performance. She was the string consultant for Madeline Bruser’s book, The Art of Practicing; A Guide to Making Music from the Heart and co-authored The Karen Tuttle Legacy: A Resource and Guide for Viola Students, Teachers, and Performers.
Click here to read Karen’s full obituary.
Operatic soprano Dinah Bryant passed away in Belgium on June 4, 2025 at the age of 71. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Dinah earned her Bachelor of Music at Georgia State University, but matriculated as a pianist and cellist. She switched to vocal studies after professor Peter Harrower asked her to demonstrate phrasing to a vocalist she was accompanying. He asked her to study voice with him the next day. She continued onto Manhattan School of Music, studying with Daniel Ferro and Rose Bampton.
Bryant performed more than 50 operatic roles across Europe and throughout the Americas. While she began her career in lighter soprano repertoire, by the 1990s she had evolved into a full-fledged dramatic soprano, taking on iconic roles including the title characters in Salome and Ariadne auf Naxos, Leonora in Il Trovatore and Fidelio, Sieglinde, Senta, Chrysothemis, Donna Anna, and Marie in Wozzeck.
Off the stage, Bryant was the voice of the leading lady, Sophie, in the 1989 Academy Award-nominated film, Le Maitre de Musique with José Van Dam, for which she was awarded a Grand Prix du Disque. She also recorded several albums, including with her husband Daniel Blumenthal.
Click here to read Dinah’s full obituary.
Tenor Juan del Bosco passed away on April 8, 2025 at the age of 41. He earned his Bachelor of Music from Manhattan School of Music in 2014, studying classical voice with Mignon Dunn. Juan made his debut at Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater in 2016, and won the José Mojica Price for the best tenor at the Concurso San Miguel, one of the most highly-regarded music competitions in Latin America.
He made a significant impact on opera in his native Mexico and beyond. He was Founder and President of the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia in Mexico, which quickly became one of the few largest Opera festivals in the country. He was additionally founder of the organization Passion for the Opera, which supports young singers in the early development of their operatic careers. Juan was an accomplished performer in his own right, having repeated work with New York Lyric Opera Company, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, and at Lincoln Center among his credits.
Click here to read Juan’s obituary.
Music educator and soprano Gloria Diamond (née Ciricillo) of Rockaway, New Jersey passed away on June 13, 2025 at the age of 86. Born in 1938 in Newark, Gloria earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Manhattan School of Music in Voice, studying with John Brownlee. Gloria appeared as soloist in notable contexts including with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. She was also a music teacher at Brooklawn Junior High School in Parsippany, New Jersey, and was Choir Director for the American Association of University Women’s International.
Click here to read Gloria’s full obituary.
Kim Mackin of Fall River, Massachusetts, passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 71. Born in 1954, Kim studied viola with Lillian Fuchs at Manhattan School of Music. After earning her Bachelor of Music degree, she toured in Israel, Mexico City, Spain and other European locales as principal viola of various ensembles. She moved to the Boston area, where she played in the Boston Pops Orchestra among other ensembles.
Click here to read Kim’s obituary.
Sharon Lucille Moe Miranda, of Brooklyn, New York, died on June 6, 2025 at the age of 83. Born in 1942 in Rapid City, South Dakota, Sharon was raised by her Lutheran Minister father and musician mother, and started music at an early age. She attended St. Olaf College, where she later received a Distinguished Alumni Award. She earned her Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, studying French horn with Arthur Berv. Sharon met her husband, fellow French hornist Tony Miranda on the stage of Carnegie Hall.
Sharon was a long time member of many orchestras and music groups, including Principal Horn of the American Symphony Orchestra; Musica Aeterna, New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Chamber Soloists and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, among others. Sharon was also a contractor, music educator, arranger, and composer. Several of her compositions were premiered at Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall. A few of her teaching posts included Manhattan School of Music Precollege, New Jersey City University, and Long Island University.
Click here to read Sharon’s full obituary.
Arts administrator and alto Elizabeth “Liz” Norman, of Brooklyn, New York, passed away on May 18, 2025 at the age of 66. Born in 1959, Liz, who grew up in Iowa, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from McGill University in Montreal. She earned her Master of Music degree in Classical Voice from Manhattan School of Music, studying with Adele Addison.
Liz was best known as Executive Director of Voices of Ascension, her position from 2009-2023. During this time, she helped develop the Board of Directors, more than doubled the annual budget, diversified programming and funding sources, expanded the staff, and established an endowment fund to help sustain the organization for generations to come. She previously served as Director of Arts Education for the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and as a teaching artist for the New York City Opera. Liz was an active mezzo-soprano in her own right, singing in the New York City Opera Chorus as well as Voices of Ascension (before her executive directorship).
Click here to read Liz’s full obituary.
Violinist and music educator Leon Shmorhun, of Baldwin, New York, passed away on April 7, 2025, at the age of 90. Born in 1930 in Minersville, Pennsylvania, Leon obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from The College of Wooster in Ohio and later achieved a Master’s Degree in Music in 1969 from The Manhattan School of Music. He performed with The Wheeling Symphony, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Pierre Monteux School of Conducting, and The 7th Army Orchestra. Early in his career he performed orchestra club dates with performers such as Nat King Cole, Liberace, Johnny Mathis, Paul Anka, and Sammy Davis Jr. As an avid public school music educator, Leon taught string lessons first in Rockville Centre Schools followed by Freeport Public Schools for over 35 years until his retirement at age 70. He was also very active in Nassau Music Educators Association and New York State School Music Association. Leon enjoyed music but also enjoyed various hobbies, especially photography.
Click here to read Leon’s full obituary.
John J. Sweeney, Esq., of New York, New York passed away on June 25, 2025, at the age of 71. Born in 1953, John earned a Bachelor of Music study classical Organ with Paul-Martin Maki at Manhattan School of Music, later earning a Master of Music in Theory. In 1989, John joined the New York City Law Department’s Workers’ Compensation Division as an Assistant Corporation Counsel, subsequently rising to Deputy Division Chief followed by Division Chief.
Following his time with the NYC Law Department, John directed workers’ compensation programs for both The City of New York and the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). At the MTA, he managed the legal and claims program for the 50,000 employees of the New York City Transit Authority and the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority. From 2023 until his death, John was “of counsel” position with law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King.
Read John’s Bond et al. appointment announcement and career highlights here.
Oboist and educator Teri Tomberg (née Lewin) of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away on June 17, 2025, at the age of 91. Born in 1934, Teri earned her Bachelor of Music degree studying oboe with Anton Maly at Manhattan School of Music, later earning her Master of Music degree at the Indiana University School of Music (now Jacobs School of Music). In Peoria, Illinois, she taught at Bradley University and conducted the Peoria Civic Opera before establishing permanent roots in the Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area, where she met her husband David Tomberg. Teri taught in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District until her retirement. She was a dedicated member of her community, volunteering at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Cleveland Heights libraries book sales. She also took up ballet dancing, sang in the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and traveled internationally, and cherished her family time with her grandchildren.
Click here to read Teri’s full obituary.
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