George Anthony (“Tony”) Robertson died June 24 of complications following surgery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was 64. Born in Macon, Georgia, November 21, 1947, he began piano study at age six, and organ study at age 16 with Doris Jelks of Wesleyan College. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Greensboro College, where he studied with Harold Andrews and Lorna Lutz Heyge. He held positions as organist-choirmaster at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Burlington, North Carolina (1970–72) and First Friends Meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina (1973–93). In 1993 he was appointed organist and assistant choir director at First Baptist Church in Elkin, North Carolina, a position he held at the time of his death.
Robertson served several terms as dean of the Winston-Salem AGO chapter and was instrumental in starting “Organists Against AIDS” concerts to benefit AIDS Care Services of Winston-Salem. He also served on the board of the Triad Pride Men’s Chorus. He had given recitals in Georgia and North Carolina, and recently was featured on the summer recital series at Old Salem on the historic Tannenberg organ. George Robertson is survived by his mother Helen, his brother Bill, and a host of friends. A memorial service was held July 21 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, High Point, North Carolina.
Jacques Taddei died on June 24 in his Parisian home at the age of 66. Born in Nice on June 5, 1946, he had studied philosophy at the Paris Sorbonne; at the Paris Conservatory, he was awarded two Premier Prix, in piano and in chamber music, and studied composition with Tony Aubin. A virtuoso pianist, in 1973 Taddei won the Grand Prix in the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition. After studying improvisation with Pierre Cochereau, director of the Nice Conservatory, and organ with Marie-Claire Alain, in 1980 he won the Grand Prix d’Improvisation at the Chartres International Organ Competition. An advocate of cultural activities, he then was director of the Conservatory in Rueil-Malmaison and served as assistant mayor in this city for twelve years.
In 1993, Jacques Taddei was appointed titular organist at the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde in Paris, France, succeeding César Franck, Charles Tournemire, and Jean Langlais. In 1995, he created the International Organ Competition of the City of Paris. He also directed the Conservatoire national de Région in Paris from 1987 to 2004, was music director at Radio France from 2005 to 2006, president of the International Summer Academy in Nice, a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts since 2001, a General Inspector of National Education since 2006, and director of the Musée Marmottan in Paris since 2007. Among Taddei’s high distinctions: Officier de la Légion d’honneur, Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite, and Commandeur des Arts et Lettres.
—Carolyn Shuster Fournier
