Memorial



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Writer: Alan Russell Rosenberg

Memorial to: Bob Berg

Graduation year: 1969

Year deceased: 2002

Department: Music

On December 5th 2002, Bob Berg Lost his life to a tragic car accident on Eastern Long Island. He was a superb international Jazz Tenor & Soprano Saxophonist. . He was part of the 1969 class if I stand correct.

My Musical Tribute to him and to his survived wife and children can be found on my Official Webpage (Click on my name above to find my web page) entitled "Whatever We Imagine" Please look for it and listen. He was a landmark in the Jazz Community
Writer: Robert Bruce

Memorial to: Gregg Burge

Graduation year: 1976

Year deceased: 1998

Department: dance

Anyone who knew Gregg still misses his ability to dazzle us with his faith, laughter, love and passion for performing. For an audience of one or thousands. Among many treasured memories are the times I would show up backstage, unannounced, when he was performing in 'the Wiz' on Broadway. He never failed to make time backstage including once signing a photo with the words "eternal friendship"..Now that he has passed, I often think of those words, that promise, and his amazing spirit. Below is Gregg's obituary from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published in 1998:

-Mr. Burge choreographed for Michael Jackson, Spike Lee and the '92 Games.
Gregg Burge, Broadway Dancer by Cato Bass STAFF WRITER.
Gregg Burge, 40, of Sharpsburg was an award-winning dancer on Broadway who also worked as a choreographer for Michael Jackson and Spike Lee. The world saw his talent as a choreographer and dancer in the closing ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
The Funeral of Mr. Burge, who died Saturday from complications of a brain tumor at Piedmont Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. today at Shaw Temple AME Zion Church. Marshall Newsome Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Burge choreographed Michael Jackson's "Bad" video, which was nominated for an MTV award for best choreography.
In Spike Lee's "School Daze," Mr. Burge played Virgil, the student body president. As a choreographer, Mr. Burge worked with Mr. Lee on reggae and Steel Pulse's "Reaching Out" video.
In the closing ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Mr. Burge performed with Atlanta's dancers in a number he choreographed.
Mr. Burge's film debut was as Richie in "A Chorus Line," a part he had performed on Broadway. Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel called Mr. Burge's solo performance in the film a "show-stopping scene." An athletic dancer, Mr. Burge appeared as Louis in Francis Ford Coppola's film "Cotton Club" and more recently in HBO's story of the Negro League baseball teams, "Soul of the Game."
Mr. Burge performed a solo dance at a White House dinner for President Ronald Regan and at President George Bush's inaugural gala.
A New York native, Mr. Burge was a two-time winner of the Fred Astaire Award for his Broadway performances in "Song and Dance" and "Oh Kay!" He also spent 3 1/2 years on Broadway in "The Wiz" as a the scarecrow and did a world tour as the male lead in "Sophisticated Ladies."
Mr. Burge was a graduate of New York's High School of the Performing arts and earned a bachelor's of fine arts in dance from the Juillard School.
A Juilliard classmate, Bruce Anthony Davis of New York said Mr. Burge "was one of the hardest-working dancers that I have ever met in my career. We were so much alike, both feared and ferocious dancers, and when we stepped on stage, we came at each other with everything that we had."
The late Sammy Davis Jr. inspired Mr. Burge to pursue dance as a career. Bruce Anthony Davis, who performed with Mr. Burge in Broadway's' "Sophisticated Ladies" and "Song and Dance," will be performing a Sammy Davis Jr. tribute in New York and will dedicate a performance to Mr. Burge's memory.
Mr. Burge, who in 1992 choreographed "Conrack," a Washington, D.C., show based on the Pat Conroy book, "The Water is Wide," moved to Sharpsburg to be closer to his family.
Survivors include his mother and father, Thelma and Fred Burge of Sharpsburg, and two brothers, Frederick Burge of Los Angeles and Christopher Burge of New York.
Writer: Alan Isaacson

Memorial to: Jerome Ashby

Graduation year: 1975

Year deceased: 2007

Department: Music

Below is the text of the obituary as published in the New York Times by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on 12-28-2007 for our good friend and great talent Mr. Jerome Ashby. He will be sorely missed by those of us who were lucky enough to call him our friend during those wonderful days at PA.
Alan Isaacson - Class of 1975.

ASHBY--Jerome. The New York Philharmonic deeply mourns the
untimely passing of Jerome Ashby, 51, on December 26, 2007,
after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer. Mr. Ashby, whose last performance with the Orchestra was on December 1, joined the Philharmonic on August 6, 1979, and served as its Associate Principal Horn as well as Principal Wagner Tuba. He made his Philharmonic solo debut on April 19, 1982. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Mr. Ashby attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York and The Juilliard School, was an active recitalist and chamber musician, and served on the faculties of Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, The Curtis Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival School. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Patricia; his mother, Miriam;
his daughters Elizabeth, Juanita, Violeta, and Melody; and
grandson, Jerome. Lorin Maazel, Music Director Members of the Orchestra Paul B. Guenther, Chairman Zarin Mehta, Pres./Exec. Dir. Members of the Staff
Writer: Steve Lewis

Memorial to: Steve Tindall

Graduation year: 1964

Year deceased: 2004

Department: Music

I have fond memories of Steve. We became friends from the first day. He introduced me to jazz patterns on drums and was always willing to help me or anyone else in the school.

I'll miss him.
Writer: Elaine Lissy

Memorial to: Sylvia Flower Hyde

Graduation year: 1953

Year deceased: 2006

Department: Dance

Survived by husband Brody and four children
Writer: Carla Davis

Memorial to: Vincent Anthony Genova

Graduation year: 1959

Year deceased: 2007

Department: Music

Vince died in Australia on January 17, 2007 of cancer at the age of 64. He is surivived by his four daughters from his first marriage and his wife, Liz.

Vince was considered one of the best jazz piano players in Australia. He entered the High School for Performing Arts in 1955 and graduated 1959. He then entred the Navy and playe din the US Navy Presidential Band. In 1964 he studied with Oscar Peterson in Toronto. Nathan Davis was head of the Jazz Music department at the University of Pittsburgh where Vince arned a Doctorate of Music.

He accompanied Harry Belafonte on a nine-month world tour. He received a Teaching Fellowship at Pitt, lecturing in Jazz History. He also taught at Central State University, Ohio as a resident Professor of Music, and was a visiting lecturer in jazz studies at Texas A&M in El Paso, TX. He also taught at Queensland Conservatorium of Music and Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

His credits read like a Who's Who of Jazz: Roberta Flack, Eddie Henderson, Larry Coryelll, James Moody, Richards David, Sonny Rollins, Elvin Jones, Ron Carter, Eric Kloss, Buck Hill, Allen Houser, and the Washington Jazz Ensemble, just to mention a few.

Vince will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

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