Bob Moog Passes Away at Age 71
August 22, 2005
Electronic music pioneer and founder of
Moog Music Inc., Dr. Robert Moog, died yesterday afternoon at his home in
Asheville, N.C. He was 71. Dr. Moog had been diagnosed with brain cancer
(glioblastoma multiforme or GBM) in late April 2005. He had received both
radiation treatment and chemotherapy to help combat the disease.
He is survived by his wife, Ileana, his four children, Laura Moog Lanier,
Matthew Moog, Michelle Moog-Koussa, and Renee Moog; his step-daughter
Miranda Richmond; and the mother of his children, Shirleigh Moog.
Moog started building theremins as a teenager and established the R.A. Moog
Company in 1954. One of the first electronic musical instruments, the
theremin provides a unique, tremulous sound and is played without the
thereminist touching it. In 1963, Moog created the first Moog Modular
synthesizer, with the more portable Minimoog following in 1970. The
Minimoog opened the world of synthesized music to thousands of musicians.
Moog sold Moog Music in 1971 to Bill Waytena who then sold it to Norlin
Music in 1975. Moog left Moog Music, a division of Norlin Music in 1977. In
1978, Moog founded Big Briar Inc., in the mountains of Western North
Carolina, which then took the Moog Music name in May 2002. Today, the
Asheville-based company designs and builds high-quality analog synthesizers,
guitar effects modules, theremins, and a unique controller for acoustic
piano called the PianoBar.
Moog remained active with the company up to the day he was diagnosed with
cancer. Adams, who has been president of Moog Music since May 2002, notes:
"Bob and I had been planning his retirement for next year, and in that
process we identified two very talented people to continue Bob's legacy of
musical innovations, Steve Dunnington and Cyril Lance. Steve is a graduate
of UNC-Asheville's Recording Arts Music program. He has worked closely with
Bob since 1994. Cyril is a senior engineer with a degree in physics from
Cornell University."
More About Bob
Moog was a warm, outgoing man who enjoyed meeting people from all over the
world. He especially appreciated what his wife says he called "the magical
connection" between music-makers and their instruments.
Moog received a BS in Physics from Queens College (New York City), a BS in
Electrical Engineering from Columbia University (New York City), and his PhD
in Engineering Physics from Cornell University in 1965. He received his
honorary doctorates from Polytechnic University, Lycoming College, and
Berklee College of Music. His many awards include the Silver Medal of The
Audio Engineering Society, the Trustee's Award in 1970 and a Technical
GRAMMY in 2002 from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the
Billboard Magazine Trendsetter's Award, Seamus award from the Society of
Electroacoustic Music in the United States, and the Polar Music Prize from
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He wrote and lectured extensively on a
variety of topics in music technology and man-machine interface, and
contributed major articles to Encyclopedia Britannica and the Encyclopedia
of Applied Physics.
A public memorial celebration is planned at the Orange Peel in Asheville,
N.C. for noon Wednesday, August 24. Fans and friends can also direct their
sympathies or remembrances to www.caringbridge.com/visit/bobmoog.
Moog's family has established The Bob Moog Foundation dedicated to the
advancement of electronic music in his memory. Many of his longtime
collaborators including musicians, engineers and educators have agreed to
sit on its executive board including David Borden, Wendy Carlos, Joel
Chadabe, John Eaton, David Mash, and Rick Wakeman. For more information
about the foundation, contact Matthew Moog at mattmoog @ yahoo.com.
For more information, visit their web site at www.moogmusic.com. |
