Leri Slutsky, a BSO violinist for 25 years, passed away on March 24, 2006 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He continued to perform with the BSO throughout his illness, even playing on our strenuous European Tour last fall. He will be greatly missed by all of his colleagues.

Leri and Genia on our fall tour	Leri with Maestro Temirkanov

On stage at the Meyerhoff before rehearsal	Leri and the love of his life

The Gift

Your wisdom taught me many things.
You taught me courage wisdom brings.
And when I searched for true advice,
You would be there, I never had to ask it twice.

I cherish how you treated me,
When so adult I tried to be.
My every heartache and my pain
You did not throw away in vain.

You always taught diplomacy,
And many sides to each story.
You taught me how in life there’s more
Than black or white or rich or poor.

Your loving hand you used to guide
My interests, wishes and my pride.
Your heart you breathed inside of me
And gave me love and poetry.

Your own prediction I became
With reddish mane, blue eyes, life’s flame
But even you could not predict beyond this destiny and truth
How much I’ve come to treasure you and relish in your endless youth.

Dina Feinberg (Leri's daughter)

Among the current BSO members, I, besides his wife Genia, knew Leri the longest. When I came to New York in 1978, I started playing in the Russian-American Chamber Orchestra. That’s where I met Leri and Genia both. There was a huge gap in status between him and myself. He had been, for many years, a member of the U.S.S.R. State Symphony Orchestra, one of the best there. He was an assistant to Yuri Yankelevich, who was as famous there as Dorothy DeLay here. In New York he was already on the faculty of the Mannes School and an active free-lancer. And I was a “novice,” without any symphonic experience whatsoever. But he could not be nicer to me (and everybody else, as a matter of fact). He was always ready to listen to me playing the audition excerpts and give me advice based on his exceptional musicianship and profound experience. And after we met again in Baltimore, Leri continued to help me become a better player.

The amazing thing about him was that he hasn’t changed much in the years I knew him. I will always remember him as optimistic, smiling, full of energy, an inveterate traveler, a kind and generous man.
- Gregory Kuperstein, BSO violinist

My fondest memories of Leri are of his perpetual good and happy spirit. He was without exception one of the most cheerful members of the orchestra. Even in his last days at work, which were obviously quite difficult for him, he loved being among us and playing the music.

In the days before we used risers on stage, seeing the conductor was always a challenge. At my end of the flute section, I was always trying to position myself between whichever two second violinists were seated in front of me. Since the violins rotate, each week it was two different violinists obstructing my view. Leri was the favorite of the flute section to sit ahead of us, since he was so short. Leri, with a large twinkle in his eye, would always turn around and ask if we could see. Then he would ask if his hair, of which he had precious little, was in our way. It was a ritual we repeated every time he sat there, and it never failed to make us smile.

I shall miss Leri, my colleague and friend. His quiet dignity and joy in performing will always be an inspiration to me.

Laurie Sokoloff, piccolo