In Memoriam to Sandra Sue Batscha - former SSO violinist

SANDY BATSCHA 1955 - 2010

A celebration of Life



photo provided by Debbie Stille, edited by sjwr

Having auditioned for Maestro John Shenaut along with several other would - be SSO musicians in 1979, violinist Sandra Batscha joined our orchestra ranks for the 1979-1980 season. Other new orchestra members that season were Joanie Christenson, Henry Hooker, Alicia Randisi, Tim Wright, Andy Brandt, Nathan Ladyzhensky, Terry Franco and Debbie Stille. For several years before moving to Dallas in the mid - 80's Sandy served as Assistant Principal sitting next to Principal Second Violin Grace Patterson playing orchestra concerts and performing in various school ensembles with Jimmy Lee, Connie Bernet, Grace Patterson, Debbie Stille, Terry Franco, Daniel Pankratz and Tom Stark. By 1989 she had auditioned for and won a position with the Dallas Opera. She received her 20 year performance certificate last year.

Sandy was always known as a quiet, kind, unassuming individual who loved music and shared that love with her friends and colleagues. As a 19 year old teen - ager who even then was considering music as a career she survived experimental heart surgery and adjusted to a long period of rehab and recovery. Sadly, as she had been preparing for  additional heart surgery, possible within a year or so, she collapsed on her way to a performance in Dallas Tuesday November 2, and passed away the next day. Sandy was 55 years old.

Debbie Stille - "She was remembered as both a solid, talented violinist who knew her parts and could be counted on to play the right notes in the right places, and a humble, caring person who had kind words for everyone she encountered. It was clear to all of us that, despite her declining health, she was happy with her life, her profession and her family and friends . . . . . for that and for the honor of knowing her these many years, I am truly grateful."

Last Friday November 5 I drove to Restland Cemetery in Dallas to attend the memorial service for our friend and fellow musician Sandy Batscha. It's a three hour drive for me, so I had time to reflect on life as it is and what we sometimes would like it to be. The various components do not always compute and sometimes offer more questions than answers. I was told a few days ago from someone here who had attended Wednesday's Dallas Opera performance that Sandy's chair was left vacant that night. Another person on FB remarked that a big hole has been left in our hearts and that it will take time to heal.

For those of us who remember Sandy, the sadness in the loss of a friend and colleague gives us pause to think about unexpected intercepts in our life, things that many of us may never truly understand. Photos below were taken before the service.

Restland Chapel, Dallas TX
Sandy's violin

Adagio from Oboe Concerto in C m by Benedetto Marcello

Kristin Van Cleve, violin

Suneetha D'Apice, violin

Mitch Maxwell, 'cello

Liesl-Ann de Villers, viola

Stewart Williams, oboe

Other musicians playing at the memorial service were Kareen Britt, flute - David Williams, harp - Jennifer Bryan, violin - Naoko Nakamura Stromberg, harp.

At the end of the service, all musicians who had brought their instruments were invited to come to the front and play Copland's "Simple Gifts", and as I moved to the front to stand beside another horn player, (someone whom I had never met), I felt blessed that I had the opportunity to share music with others who felt as I did about Sandy Batscha. Each year after Dallas Opera season ended, Sandy would let me know that she was available to play SSO when we needed her.

Before and after the service I had a chance to greet and hug many orchestra musicians who had known Sandy and whom I had hired  to play SSO during my 32 years as personnel manager - Cathy Richardson, Jennifer Bryan, Dan Lewis, Chris Pike, David Williams, Ceci Lagarenne, Dwight Anderson and others whose names escape me at the moment.

I would like to thank Sandy's sister Cathy (herself a violinist) and oboist Stewart Williams for helping co-ordinate the beautiful service at Restland Chapel. Also, many thanks to Deborah Stille for providing me with some information that I had long since filed away and forgotten years ago.


Susan W. Rogers, SSO 2nd Horn