Tomáš Svoboda Obituary, Death – Tomas Svoboda, a composer and pianist who had lived in Portland for a significant portion of his life, passed away on November 17, 2022. In the year 2012, he suffered a severe stroke. The information on his Wikipedia website reveals that “His compositions have been recorded and there are currently recordings available of more than fifty of his works. His music is played all over the world. Svoboda’s CD recording of Piano Trios was given the “Critics Choice Award” in 2001 by the American Record Guide, and his Marimba Concerto was recognized with a Grammy Award nomination for the Oregon Symphony in 2003.”
This was announced on 45th Parallel Universe’s website in regards to the passing of composer Tomas Svoboda:We are deeply saddened to learn of the demise of composer Tomas Svoboda, who was an important figure in Oregon’s cultural history. Tomas was a genuine musical force of nature, and his contributions to the cultural community of Portland are incalculable; his legacy will live on forever. Tomas, may you rest in peace…please accept our condolences as you and his family go through this terrible time.
In memory of Tom, we will pay homage to him by playing his breathtaking “Chorale” at the concert that we will be doing at The Reser Center on December 1st. Tomas Svoboda, who resides in Portland and is widely regarded as one of the most talented composers in our country, has been producing an increasing amount of music over the course of his career. That’s not a bad accomplishment for a guy who fled Czechoslovakia and ended up working as a music professor in the United States of America. After thirty years of service as a music professor at Portland State University, he took early retirement. The Oregon Symphony gave the world premiere of his large symphonic work, “Vortex,” in March, and I thought it was about time that I had a conversation with him about his work because I had really appreciated it.