| The past few days have been extremely difficult for me with John's passing, viewing on Thursday, and funeral yesterday.
I can't begin to express the enormously positive impact John Mack had on my life. I was honored to spend a great deal of time with John over the past 18 years on stage in the orchestra, teaching together, and on the golf course. His contribution to music through his playing and teaching cannot be overstated. He was a beacon of integrity, generosity, and quality.... When I first got here I was 26 years old, he was 60 and long in his prime as the premiere oboe player in the world. He immediate accepted me as an equal with such support and kindness, always there to offer encouragement and praise. He was a big part in making my transition easy and successful. At CIM we started a woodwind/brass sectional class together. The wealth of insight from John as we went through every imaginable orchestral work the past 17 years doing this was incredible and inspiring. We often continued our discussions about the class or things that we played in the orchestra on the phone later that night.....He loved to talk about music, style, phrasing, every tiny detail. Nothing escaped his keen awareness of everything going on around him and it was always enlightening to discuss anything with him. John had seemingly endless energy for his work and for his students. John was also a terrific golfer. As he got older he wasn't as long off the tee but from 150 on in he was deadly up and down. He loved a good scotch, a fine cigar, and a good laugh. He loved telling stories, especially of his teacher Marcel Tabuteau and George Szell. For me I could never get enough....he was fun to be around and such a wonderful man......
John was a dear wonderful friend and I will miss him tremendously.....
Michael Sachs |