Stanley Drucker Obituary, Death – Stanley Drucker New York Philharmonic Orchestra American Principal Clarinetist has passed away sadly and untimely which has left the family in serious grief and agony according to a social media publication. “The news that Stanley Drucker, who recently passed away after serving as the Principal Clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic for the previous 61 years, has passed away is one that I must share with you despite the fact that it fills me with a great deal of sadness. In the early years of my life in New York City, when I was fortunate enough to play in many concerts with the New York Philharmonic, he was not only an incredible friend but also someone I looked up to as a musical hero.
During those years, I was fortunate enough to play in many concerts with the New York Philharmonic. He never failed to greet me with a smile and an entertaining story about what he had been doing during the previous week. He never missed a chance to do either of those things. He never passed up an opportunity to engage in either of those activities. Some of the most fruitful years of my professional career were spent performing with Bernstein, Mehta, and others such as Leinsdorf. Those were some of the years that I spent with them. The playing of Julius Baker in the world of flutes was comparable to the playing of Stanley in the world of clarinets in terms of its quality.
It was not uncommon for individuals to provide feedback on either of their performances. It was an advertisement for his performance of the Corigliano Clarinet Concerto that was published in The New York Times. When we were standing outside of Avery Fisher Hall, he showed it to me, and he was so excited to show it to me because it was an advertisement for his performance. I will never fail to recall how enthusiastic he was about it. His grin was so wide that it went all the way to both of his ears. The feelings of happiness and contentment that he was experiencing were beyond his capacity to contain them.
When it came to playing the clarinet, he had a natural talent that was unmatched by anyone else! In addition to that, I participated in a number of chamber music performances throughout the New York City metropolitan area alongside Naomi Drucker, who is his wife. These performances took place in a variety of locations. In addition to that, she is endowed with a considerable amount of talent when it comes to playing the clarinet. Lee Drucker, who is a member of the band Stray Cats and goes by the stage name Lee Rocker when he plays live shows, is the couple’s son.
Stanley told me the story of a night in which both he and Naomi, when they thought back on it, felt a great deal of pride. The night in question took place many years ago. At the time in question, the NYP was giving a concert, and Naomi, along with Lee (who was dressed head to toe in rock make-up at the time), were spotted in the audience watching the performance. They left the concert put on by the New York Philharmonic and made their way to see Lee’s Stray Cats play after they had finished there.
Stanley and Naomi shared the sentiment that it was one of the nights that stood out most vividly in their memories from their lives up to that point in time. To put it another way, Stanley, each and every one of us is going to miss you terribly and we cannot express how much. You stood out to me above everyone else in every way that it was possible. You were an important inspiration for musicians across an entire generation. We are grateful that you are willing to share both your generosity and your talent with us, and for that, we thank you. You will never, ever be forgotten. Within the context of this particular scenario, Stanley is the only option.”