Rice remembers Shepherd School founding member Fliegel

Rice remembers Shepherd School founding member Fliegel

BY JENNIFER EVANS
Rice News staff

Raphael “Ray” Fliegel, one of the founding members of the Shepherd School of Music and a violinist with the Houston Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years, died July 25 at the age of 86.

“Ray was a consummate musician, superb teacher and a human spirit of incomparable warmth and generosity,” said Robert Yekovich, dean of Rice University’s School of Music. “With Ray’s passing, the Shepherd School has suffered an immeasurable loss.”

Raphael Fliegel

Fliegel began studying violin at age 6 and by his teens had earned a reputation as a brilliant performer, even being called “a Bayou City prodigy” following his debut as soloist with the Houston Symphony at 15.

Only a few years later, he began a career with the symphony that would span 55 years, 25 of which he served as concertmaster, helping shape the symphony’s string section.

His solo appearances during these years included performances under such conductors as Ernst Hoffman, Efrem Kurtz, Ferenc Fricsay, Leopold Stokowski, Sir John Barbirolli, Andre Previn, Lawrence Foster, Carlos Chavez, Arthur Fiedler, Andre Kostalenetz, Sir Malcolm Sargent and Christoph Eschenbach.

Fliegel joined the Shepherd School faculty in 1975 at the invitation of founding dean Samuel Jones, teaching violin to promising young violinists and orchestra repertoire to all string students for the next 30 years. He also taught an independent study course to prepare students for professional auditions that led several to careers with major orchestras.

“I love it,” he said in an interview during the music school’s early years. “I’m never happier than when I’m teaching talented young musicians.”

Arthur Gottschalk, chair and professor of composition and theory, joined the Shepherd School in 1977 and collaborated with Fliegel on countless projects over the years.

“[Regarding] everything we worked on together, I had tremendous fun and learned something from him,” Gottschalk said. “Since that first year, I have always been known to say, ‘I want to be like Ray Fliegel when I grow up.’ I continue to hope so.”

Fliegel became professor emeritus of violin in 1989, but continued to be an active member of the Shepherd School, as well as the Houston Symphony, from which he retired in 1995.

A memorial concert will be held in Fliegel’s honor this fall. His family has established the Raphael Fliegel Violin Scholarship at the Shepherd School.