Dear Rice Community,
I am writing to share the extremely sad news that Larry Rachleff, the longtime conductor of the Rice Shepherd School of Music symphony and chamber orchestras, died Aug. 8 after a long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 67.
The Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Orchestral Conducting, had an immeasurable impact on the lives and careers of countless musicians. At Rice since 1991, Larry was revered as a dynamic, exacting maestro who expected – and elicited – the very best performance standards from his students and helped bring the Shepherd School to world-class standing.
A devoted educator, Larry was dedicated to the many students who crossed his path, whether at the Shepherd School or through other engagements. He was highly sought-after as a masterclass instructor around the world and was an enthusiastic advocate of public school music education, conducting all-state orchestras and festivals in virtually every state in the U.S. and throughout Europe and Canada.
Larry was remembered by faculty and staff as an elegant and gracious colleague who was not only an exceptionally encouraging teacher but also a steadfastly supportive mentor to his peers.
Before joining Rice, Larry was a faculty member of Oberlin Conservatory, where he was also music director of orchestras and conductor of the contemporary ensemble. He also previously served as conductor of the opera theater at the University of Southern California, music director of the San Antonio Symphony, and as a principal conducting teacher for the American Symphony Orchestra League, the Conductors’ Guild and the International Workshop for Conductors in the Czech Republic. In 2017, he concluded 21 years as music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra.
Larry was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame (ACMHF) in fall 2017.
He will be greatly missed by the Rice community and beyond. The Shepherd School will honor Larry at the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra opening performance for the 2022-2023 season at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 in Stude Concert Hall. More details, including ticket information, will be available at music.rice.edu/events.
Read more about Larry and his accomplishments at Rice in Rice News.
Kind regards,
Amy Dittmar, Howard Hughes Provost