Schwartz, David (18th June 1916-5th June 2013)

He was a violist born in Detroit, Michigan, who studied at the Curtis Institute and joined the Cleveland Orchestra when he was 20 years old.

He enlisted in the Air Force during WWII and joined the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band in 1943 as their lead violist. When he came back home after the war he joined the Detroit Symphony, was the principal viola for the Puerto Rico Symphony and became a long-time member of the NBC Orchestra under Toscanini.

He was proven to be a versatile session musician and performer of classical music, particularly on the Beethoven: The Late String Quartets series on Vanguard Classics, as a member of the Yale String Quartet.

His discography reads like a Time-Life retrospective on great artists and groups of the twentieth century, including collaborations with Cannonball Adderley, Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Neil Diamond, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bill Evans, Astrud and Joao Gilberto, Leslie Gore, Buddy Holly, Julio Iglesias, Quincy Jones, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Glenn Miller & The Army Air Force Band (for which he also served as Assistant Leader), Wes Montgomery, Harry Nilsson, Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio, Lionel Richie, Santana, Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra, Teena Marie, Tom Waits, and Deniece Williams.

His film credits included Brubaker, Electra Glide in Blue, In the Mood, Nunzio, The Punisher, and Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.

In the field of musical education he was a faculty member of Yale School of Music and Art in the 1960s and in the ’70s became a Professor of Viola at the California Institute of the Arts.

After leaving the California Institute of the Arts he became a sought after principal violist and studio musician.

In 2003, he was presented with The Curtis Institute of Music’s Alumni Award, the highest such honour conferred upon its alums, for his outstanding contributions to music, within and without the halls of his alma mater.

He died in 2013 when he was 96 years old.

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams recordings
Emotion (Barry Gibb/Robin Gibb)
S CBS 6164B (UK 45)

Lalo Schifrin recordings
Love Rhapsody from “The Concorde – Airport ’79” (Lalo Schifrin)
Theme from “The Concorde – Airport ’79” (Lalo Schifrin)

Sources:

Schwartz, David (18th June 1916-5th June 2013)

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