by Daniel Hathaway & Mike Telin
One of the best-known and most cherished members of Cleveland’s community of classical freelance musicians died suddenly on Saturday evening. James Meyers, 62, was recording a concert at Kent State University, where he served as director of recording services, when he suddenly collapsed and could not be revived.
We knew Jim as a longtime member of Trinity Chamber Orchestra and Trinity Chamber Players who also recorded many of our concerts and conducted on a number of occasions. In the last year, he also become a correspondent for ClevelandClassical.com, writing concert and CD reports for the web site.
But Jim, who studied at Oberlin, Kent State and CSU and spent three years teaching at Haverford College in Bryn Mawr, PA, played in and conducted every conceivable instrumental ensemble in Cleveland’s freelance world.
Among his most recent projects was old time radio drama, and he participated in the development of ‘Radio Boy’ at Geauga Lyric Theater and elsewhere.
Jim will be sorely missed by a multitude of colleagues and acquaintances. As George Faddoul, one of his longtime mentors, said on Sunday, “Jim had his hands in so many things, and I don’t know anyone who had so many friends. We joked about holding a party for a hundred of his closest friends, and that could be absolutely true.”
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 13 at noon (not February 27 as previously announced) at Garfield Memorial Church Family Life Center, 3650 Lander Road in Pepper Pike. For planning purposes, the family requests that you please inform Jim’s cousin Beverly Choo by email if you plan to attend.
The Kent State University School of Music will hold a memorial concert for Jim on Saturday, February 13th at 3:00 p.m. in Ludwig Recital Hall. A memorial concert in Cleveland is in the planning stages.
ClevelandClassical.com would like to develop a collaborative “Life of James Meyers” in his memory. We invite those who knew and worked with Jim over the years to contribute their reminiscences below in the form of comments. If you have a digital picture of Jim, please send it to lorraine@clevelandclassical.com and we will add yours to the gallery we posted on January 28.
