Simon Kovar

{{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Simon Kovar | honorific_suffix = | image = frameless | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = Simon Kovar in 1930 | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = 15 May 1890 | birth_place = Vilnius, Russia | origin = | death_date = {{death date and age|1970|01|17|1890|05|15|df=y}} | death_place = Encino, California, U.S. | genre = | occupation = | instrument = Bassoon | years_active = | label = | associated_acts = | website =

| module = | module2 = | module3 = }}

'''Simon Kovar''' (May 15, 1890 – January 17, 1970) was a Russian-American bassoonist and one of the first renowned teachers of bassoon in the United States.

==Biography== Born Sĭmon Kovarskí in Vilnius, Russia, Kovar initially enrolled at the St. Petersburg Conservatory as a violin student studying with Leopold Auer. In 1914, Kovar began learning the bassoon with the aim of joining a military band. This move was intended to help avoid being drafted into World War I. Kovar narrowly avoided enterance to the military, and was sent to Riga to play bassoon in the People's Opera Orchestra.

Kovar immigrated to the United States in June 1922 and settled in New York City. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed second bassoonist with the newly reformed New York Philharmonic, on the condition that he take regular lessons with the orchestra’s principal bassoonist, Benjamin Kohon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=osu1180538766&disposition=inline |title=The Basoon Pedagogy and Publications of Simon Kovar |author=Amy Bassett, DMA |date=2007 |work=Ohio State University |access-date=June 11, 2025 }}</ref> Kovar developed into a consistent player during a time of unrest in the philharmonic, occasionally playing first bassoon under the baton of Willem Mengelberg and Bruno Walter. In 1938 Kovar purchased Heckel bassoon #8253, which he would go on to play for the remainder of his career.<ref>{{cite web | title=Heckeldex | url=https://heckeldex.org/bassoon-index/ }}</ref> Kovar was head of bassoon faculty at the Juilliard School of Music<ref name="Noted"/> and also taught bassoon at Columbia University, the Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, and the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. In 1957, Kovar published his ''24 Daily Studies for Bassoon''<ref>{{cite web | title=24 Daily Exercises - BSN | url=https://www.trevcomusic.com/products/stx-b750-kovar-24-daily-exercises-bsn }}</ref> which became well known as an essential method book. Kovar also published edited versions of the concert studies for bassoon by Ludwig Milde, and Julius Weissenborn.

In 1955, Kovar moved to Encino, California,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Paulding |first1=Litti |title=Miraflores Tea a Friendly Idea |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-barbara-news-press-simon-kovar-18/130262364/ |work=Santa Barbara News-Press |date=July 6, 1958 |location=Santa Barbara, CA |page=26 |access-date=August 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> to live near his daughter Leah Herzberg and son-in-law Norman Herzberg. He continued teaching bassoon privately and at the Music Academy of the West<ref name="Noted">{{cite news |title=Noted Bassoonist Again Heads Academy Woodwind Section |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-barbara-news-press-simon-kovar-18/130208260/ |work=Santa Barbara News-Press |date=June 17, 1956 |location=Santa Barbara, CA |page=27 |access-date=August 18, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> through the late 1960's. Kovar died on January 17, 1970 from complications related to emphysema.<ref name="Obit">{{cite news |title=Simon Kovar |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-simon-kovar-1890/130150384/ |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=January 18, 1970 |location=Los Angeles, CA |page=42 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> He was survived by his wife Rose Kovar, and daughters Eleanor Imber and Leah Herzberg.<ref name="Obit"/>

==Notable Students== *Norman Herzberg, professor of bassoon at the University of Southern California 1953-1991<ref>{{Cite web| title=Norman Herzberg: An icon of bassoon pedagogy | url=https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/umi-uncg-1629.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512192951/http://libres.uncg.edu:80/ir/uncg/f/umi-uncg-1629.pdf | archive-date=2013-05-12}}</ref> *Bernard Garfield, principal bassoon Philadelphia Orchestra 1957-2000<ref name="curtis.edu">{{cite web | title=Curtis Mourns the Passing of Bernard Garfield | date=30 May 2025 | url=https://www.curtis.edu/news/curtis-mourns-the-passing-of-bernard-garfield/ }}</ref> *Sol Schoenbach, principal bassoon Philadelphia Orchestra 1937-1957<ref name="curtis.edu"/> *Stan Getz, jazz saxophonist<ref name="getz"> {{cite web | last = Hamlin | first = Jesse | title = In lovely whispers and piercing wails, saxophonist Stan Getz found the bittersweet heart of jazz and bossa nova | publisher = San Francisco Chronicle | date = 2004-05-21 | url = https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/In-lovely-whispers-and-piercing-wails-2757184.php | access-date = 2006-01-21 }} </ref> *Ray Pizzi, jazz multi-instrumentalist <ref name="pizzi"> {{cite web | last = Price | first = Tim | title = Ray Pizzi Interview: The Pizza Man! He Delivers | publisher = www.timpricejazz.com | date = January 1991 | url = http://www.timpricejazz.com/articles/raypizzi.html | accessdate = 2006-01-21 }} </ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20031117031938/http://www.idrs.org/tango3.acgi$/www.idrs/registration/WWAll6K.taf?_function=detail&Layout_0_uid1=33296 International Double Reed Society Who's Who] *[http://www.marvinroth.com/bas_kovar.htm Marvin Roth Bassoonist - Remembrances of Simon Kovar]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovar, Simon}} Category:American classical bassoonists Category:1890 births Category:1970 deaths Category:Lithuanian Jews Category:Lithuanian emigrants to the United States Category:Academic staff of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal Category:Deaths from emphysema Category:American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent Category:Jewish American musicians Category:Juilliard School faculty Category:Manhattan School of Music faculty Category:Musicians from Vilnius Category:20th-century American musicians Category:20th-century classical musicians Category:20th-century American Jews