We learned with great sadness about the passing of Peter Eötvös. We lost a great composer, conductor, supporter, and friend.
Ensemble Musikfabrik worked closely with Peter Eötvös on so many occasions. His works are an important part of our repertoire. Together with him, we worked on Steine, snatches of a conversation, Windsequenzen, Märchen, Natasha, da capo, Sonata per sei, Secret Kiss, Fermata, Tri sestry …
He regularly joined us as a conductor and always managed to bring out the best in us with his warm, friendly, precise, and insistent conducting. He cared for the music and the musicians.
The ensemble profited immensely from his knowledge, experience, and passion. Besides the collaborations on stage, he was always accessible to our questions and was generous with his time when we consulted him for repertoire choices and project development.
Besides what he did for the ensemble, many of us have always spoken of him fondly, referring to him as a friend and a father figure. We were lucky to experience his driven passion for music through his calm and loving encouragement and advice. His well-timed hand on the shoulder, soft tap on the back, kind words, and sometimes even zen-like expressions eased many of us through stressful tasks and difficult situations during our careers. For many, he eased the way over the bumpy uphill path that new music can sometimes put ahead of us.
Our heartfelt condolences go to his family, his friends, the Eötvös Foundation, and the whole music world. It is hard to imagine and accept our future without him, but we will always cherish the memories we gathered and have the greatest appreciation for all he gave to us.
Thank you, Peter Eötvös! Rest in peace.