78°
77º | 100°
Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music is mourning the loss of Larry Rachleff, the longtime conductor of its symphony and chamber orchestras.
A university-issued press release said that Rachleff died at the age of 67 on Monday from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family,” the Shephard School’s Twitter account said in a tweet.
According to the release, Rachleff was born in New London, Connecticut on Feb. 25, 1955.
He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor of science degree, as well as earned a master’s degree from the University of Michigan.
His career at Rice began in 1991, and according to the institution, the Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Orchestral Conducting, was revered by his peers in the classical music world “for his deep musical understanding, powerful interpretation of scores and rapport with performance ensembles.”
Lynette S. Autrey Dean of Music Matthew Loden called Rachleff “a once-in-a-generation musician and educator of the highest caliber,” per the release.
“On the podium, he was a clear and inspired conductor who routinely expected his ensembles to collectively outperform individual talent and ability,” Loden said in the release. “Teamwork, disciplined listening and joint responsibility for bringing the best possible music to an audience are just a few of the legacies of excellence that Larry leaves behind.”
Rice President Dr. Reginald DesRoches said in the release that Rachleff played an immeasurable role as “a truly extraordinary part” of the Shepherd School.
“His impact on the school’s incredible trajectory is immeasurable, and his legacy of musical excellence will live on through the lives of the countless individuals he impacted over the years,” DesRoches said.
Rachleff leaves behind his wife, Susan, and their son, Sam, who’s enrolled in the Shepherd School for the upcoming fall semester, in addition to his mother and a sibling, per the university.