Free Republic

We have been informed by close friends of the death of Gervase de Peyer, the foremost British clarinet player of his time. Gervase was 90. A founder of the Melos Ensemble, with whom he recorded extensively, Gervase was principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1956 to 1973. He was also a founder of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and an influential teacher.

Pete Fountain, whose easygoing, apparently effortless style on the clarinet and his perpetually sunny disposition made him a natural ambassador for New Orleans, died Saturday in New Orleans. He was 86. Other details were not available. Mr. Fountain, who was in hospice care, had been in poor health in recent years, suffering a stroke and undergoing heart surgery.Unlike other musicians whose lives were marked by marital strife, substance abuse and run-ins with the law, Mr. Fountain lived a blissful existence with Beverly Fountain, his wife of 64 years, and a sizable number of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A regular on...

Lorin Levee, Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, passed away peacefully on February 22 surrounded by friends and family. Mr. Levee, born July 8, 1950, is survived by his mother Mildred, brother Phil, son David, daughter Marissa Martinez and granddaughters Maya and Gwen Levee.

Marine Corps Cpl. Stephanie Fontilara carries a machine gun as she works security patrol at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. But in her other military duties, she carries something far less lethal - a clarinet. The 2004 Palmdale High School graduate is a member of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band. Fontilara follows in the footsteps of her grandfather, a Marine staff sergeant. "I just thought it would be kind of cool to do something different than my friends, who were going to college," the 20-year-old said in a phone interview from Iraq. Her recruiter saw her perform and asked...