Thomas J. Stacy Jr. (Tom) passed away peacefully surrounded by
his loving family on the evening of April 30th, 2023. Born August 15,
1938 he was a true Leo who loved life, entertaining and painting. His
wife Marie, with whom he enjoyed 62 years together, sons Phillip and
Barton, daughter in law Helen and grandchildren Thomas and Ally
Rose survive Tom.
Tom enjoyed an illustrious 38-year career with the New York
Philharmonic. The most recorded English horn player in the world,
receiving a Grammy nomination in 2005 (Best Instrumental Soloist
Performance with Orchestra) for his recording with the London
Symphony Orchestra, of EVENTIDE- Concerto for English Horn,
written for him by Kenneth Fuchs.
Tom has been hailed as "the Heifetz of the English horn" by The New
York Times, and was called "a poet among craftsmen" by Leonard
Bernstein. He has appeared as guest soloist with major orchestras
throughout the world. Additionally he has appeared as soloist more
than 70 times with the New York Philharmonic. Tom has been
profiled on CBS Sunday Morning, where he was compared to
Segovia and Rampal as a pioneer soloist, as well as on NPR's All
Things Considered. He also was interviewed and has performed
three times on CBS This Morning. An estimated 5.4 million viewers
have seen his solo performances with the New York Philharmonic
on Live From Lincoln Center telecasts.
He has given the world premieres of more than 30 new works. In
January 1994, Tom was soloist in the world premiere of Ned Rorem's
English Horn Concerto; a work created especially for him as one of
the New York Philharmonic's 150th Anniversary Commissions, and
performed the work on the Philharmonic's Asian Tour and the
Philharmonic's 1996 European Festivals Tour. In November 2000,
Tom premiered a new work written for him by John Wyre for English
Horn and gamelan, in Toronto; the CBC broadcast the concert. As a
best-selling crossover-recording artist, Tom Stacy has shown his
musical versatility by combining the sensuous sound of the English
horn with synthesizers, guitars, and percussion on two CDs from
London's nu-view label.
His final solo performance with the Orchestra was in the 08-09
Season, performing a Telemann oboe d'amore concerto, Lorin
Maazel conducting. Tom had a passion, sharing his knowledge with
other English horn players at his long running annual seminar in
Carmel Valley, CA.
Tom grew up in Augusta, Arkansas—population 3,000. His mother,
Nora Lee, a church organist, and he listened to the NY Philharmonic
Sunday afternoon broadcasts, which inspired the life that, was to
come. While in junior high school, he sold his motorcycle in order to
buy his first English horn. He graduated from the Eastman School of
Music With Distinction, and received the George Eastman
Scholarship, presented by the faculty for distinguished achievement
in all areas of study.
"Remember to keep laughing", Tom Stacy