OBITUARIES

LUTHI PHOTO PHILIP IHLE

TEPPO HAUTA-AHO

Finnish double bassist Teppo Hauta-aho died on 27 November at the age of 80. As well as a performer of classical, jazz and free improvisation, he was a self-taught composer, penning almost 300 double bass works in his lifetime. His 1978 piece Kadenza is considered his most well-known work, often performed as a required piece in competitions.

Born in 1941 in Janakkala, Finland, Hauta-aho studied double bass with Orvo Hyle and Oiva Nummelin at the Sibelius Academy from 1963, going on to study abroad with František Pošta in Prague. He performed as a member of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 1965 to 1972, and the Finnish National Opera Orchestra from 1975 to 2000.

Hauta-aho was in demand as a jazz bassist in Finland throughout the 1970s, as well as being an active recitalist, often appearing with his duo partner, the pianist, singer and songwriter Carita Holmström. From 1971 he performed as part of the Tuohi Quartet, a Finnish jazz ensemble also featuring saxophonist Paroni Paakkunainen, pianist Heikki Sarmanto and drummer Edward Vesala. Assembled for the Montreux Jazz Festival, the quartet won its EBU Jazz Band Competition. The ensemble also performed at the Newport Jazz Festival in the US. Among Hauta-aho’s other collaborators were violinist Philipp Wachsmann, saxophonist Evan Parker and second bass master Barre Phillips.

GILLIAN EASTWOOD

Violinist Gillian Eastwood died on 9 November aged 8 8. She was a longstanding member of two London-based ensembles: the Philharmonia Orchestra and the orchestra of English National Opera (ENO).

Born in Runcorn, Cheshire, on 2 April 1933, Eastwood studied the violin with Albert Sammons at the Royal College of Music, winning all the major violin and chamber music prizes. After completing her studies she was appointed leader of the Carl Rosa Opera orchestra. In 1957 she joined the Philharmonia’s second violin section, eventually becoming principal second violin in 1976. She worked closely with renowned violinist Carl Pini, who was concertmaster of the Philharmonia from 1975 to 1981 (see Obituaries, December 2021). Eastwood also became the first woman to serve on the Philharmonia’s Council of Management.

Eastwood left the Philharmonia in 1985 after 28 years with the ensemble. She went on to become the ENO’s principal second violin until 2004, when she retired to become the sole carer for her husband, Anthony Farnell, until his death in 2009.

DMITRY GERIKH

US violinist Dmitry Gerikh has died at the age of 71. For 28 years he performed in the violin section of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, New York.

Born in 1950 in Odessa, Ukraine, Gerikh began his violin studies with Boris Brant at the Stolyarsky Music School for Gifted Children. Aged 15 he won the first prize at the Ukraine Young Violinists competition. He went on to study at the Odessa Conservatory, gaining a masters degree with Arthur Zisserman, followed by postgraduate studies at Gorky State Conservatory with Simeon Yaroshevich. On graduating he served as concertmaster of the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra and formed Pastoral, a Baroque ensemble that toured Ukraine and Europe extensively.

Gerikh immigrated to the US in 1989, initially becoming principal second violin with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. In 1993 he joined the Buffalo Philharmonic in the same position, and remained there until his death.

MIRA MENZA

Violist Mira Menza died on 20 November 2 021 aged 71. A popular member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Israeli Opera, she also performed in chamber ensembles.

Born Abia Yaakov Menza in 1950, in Jerusalem, she was raised in Tel Aviv, where her first position as a violist was in the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra. She went on to study the viola in the Netherlands, where she worked with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. On her return to Israel she became a founder member of the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion in 1988. The following year, the ensemble was appointed the resident orchestra of the Israeli Opera.

HANS LUTHI

The respected London-based violin maker and restorer Hans Luthi has died at the age of 4 1. Having studied lutherie at the Geigenbauschule Brienz in Switzerland, he worked at two workshops in South Korea before moving back to Europe. From 2009 he worked on the team of Florian Leonhard Fine Violins in Hampstead, London, with a couple of freelance periods including restoration projects for Peter Biddulph and Eckhard Kropfreiter. A number of his friends and colleagues have written this tribute:

‘In April 2021 we received the devastating news of the loss of our friend Hans Luthi. A violin restorer of the very highest order and beloved friend and colleague, Hans was a wonderful husband to Remi and adored father to his dear son Tobi and stepdaughters Venus and Ella. His work was simply superb, of a world-leading level.

‘Depression thrives in isolation, and distressingly that side of Hans’s life was kept firmly separate from his work and friendships. In the workshop Hans prioritised helping colleagues and he was always patient and kind. We will remember his secure and expert hand, and his almost super-human level of skill and perfectionism. But most of all the memory of his laugh, his hilarious dry sense of humour and his warmth shall live on in all of our lives that he so illuminated.’