Tribute Wall
Saturday
15
February
Memorial Service
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Saturday, February 15, 2020
The Presbyterian Church of Morristown
57 E Park Place
Morristown, New Jersey, United States
(973) 538-1776
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Nick petralia posted a condolence
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
I just recently saw that James Has past. Im so sorry for his family's loss. I was in both his music tech classes back in highschool. He was such a great teacher. He was actually the reason I started getting into the intricacies of music production. He will be missed but his memories and teaches will live on with everyone who knew him.
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Eddie Roush posted a condolence
Saturday, May 2, 2020
I just found out about this. Jim was one of my best friends growing up, in elementary and high school, and in the Dayton Boys' Choir. My sincere sympathy and prayers to his family.
Ed Roush
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Linda McKnight lit a candle
Thursday, February 13, 2020
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Dear Peg,
Jay and I are so sorry about Jim's death. I have such fond memories of the four of us in the music field, and want to share a couple of anecdotes.
I remember the "Trout Party" that you had at your house, at which the invited group of musicians produced the most spirited and rollicking rendition of Schubert's Trout Quintet ever, followed by great food, fellowship, and fun.
I think of the way you and I had to leave our respective hubbies alone each summer as "music birthday bachelors" because their respective birthdays, which were only one day apart, always fell during the week-long ASTA summer string program at which you and I both taught. I remember you and I agonizing over when and how to celebrate their birthdays: do we celebrate them before ASTA, or after? Do we invite them to ASTA and take them to dinner there, knowing that, with the busy ASTA schedule, the birthday dinners might be brief and hectic? However, every year both Jim and Jay reacted with grace and good humor to having working wives who abandoned them on their respective birthdays; they wanted us to enjoy the musical experience of ASTA, and were gentlemanly and selfless in putting us first. They loved us so much, and I know Jim's heart is overflowing with love for you in heaven still.
You and Jim have always treated all with whom you interacted - students, friends, colleagues, community members - with kindness, consideration, and regard. Thanks for your friendship and inspiration, and thanks to Jim in heaven.
Linda McKnight & Jay VandeKopple
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Nandu, Meenu and Diya posted a condolence
Monday, February 10, 2020
Jim Roberts was well known as an accomplished musician – an awesome pianist, a creative genius and a respected teacher. While all of this is doubtlessly true, we remember Jim as a kind, gentle and affable soul who formed a unique bond with our little daughter, Diya and to whom he offered a lot of encouragement. He enjoyed and appreciated our daughter’s musicality. Jim would also play the same pieces Diya was taught at the end of her class on his grand piano much to the thrill of Diya and one of us (parents) watching.
Jim had generously offered to accompany Diya on the piano for her orchestra recital. A week before Jim passed away, he was happily practicing with Diya for her upcoming performance along with Mrs. Roberts, Diya’s violin teacher and mentor (see video clip) only to be cruelly cut short.
While we mourn his passing, we celebrate his stirring music and his wonderful humanity – Diya dedicated to Jim’s memory the Concerto in A Minor (Presto) composed by Vivaldi that she played beautifully on the day of the recital. We all missed Jim, yet somehow one couldn’t escape the feeling that he continues to guide and inspire not just Diya, but also the many that came under his wings at some point or another of his illustrious career and life.
May his soul rest in peace.
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Marisel Estévez lit a candle
Friday, February 7, 2020
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I met Jim through my music teacher and friend, Peggy, his wife, around tail end of the ‘70s. Peg had taken me to their home In NJ, for the first time. Music was my love and friend; the one thing that centered...and sometimes saved me. It was the one, sacred love. I was an adolescent and Professionally trained Musicians were like Royalty to me! And for an afternoon, I was a guest in their home! I was honored...and shy, almost unworthy in their presence! These people did this for a living...and got away with it! They were So bohemian, exotic...and Chose me to be their guest for a day! Jim and Peg were much younger then. They barely had their college years behind them. They were young, hopeful, attractive and talented. Jim was warm and welcoming, and the rest of that day seems mostly a blur, thirty-something years later. I was too busy taking it all in! I kept in touch with them, and at one point, my two years living in San Diego coincided with their time there. Once again, Peggy invited me to their San Fernando Valley home, and I took a Greyhound to visit. Their son Jimmy was a little boy and Anna was merely two or so. She shared her favorite movie with me: The Beatles Yellow Submarine. She was pretty adorable! When bedtime came around, Peggy started making accommodations for me, I suddenly asked if I could sleep underneath Jim’s baby grand piano, downstairs. She knew I would Love that! So I slept an entire night underneath the baby grand; it was the Coolest thing! But then, it got better! In the morning when we all got up, Jim came downstairs, sat at the piano and started playing! Right there, at the top of the morning! It was like a free concert! And I thought: I Love waking up in this house!! I’ll remember Jim as a smart man, a talented, accomplished musician, and a warm host and friend. God keep you. Rest In Peace Jim. With love & friendship always, Marisel Estévez
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Greg Vitale posted a condolence
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Jim Roberts truely changed my life. He was the ideal of what a teacher should be and a driving force of encouragement every student needs in their lives at some point. I wasn't anything close to a great student in school. But in high school I was assigned a project to research anything id be interested in. Someone mentioned this class called "music tech" I hadn't heard of. No guidence counceler has suggested it when I was picking electives. So I went looking in the dark recesses of Randolph high to find this class. Found a dark room, full of stuff with buttons all lot up and computers. But no teacher. It took me a week to track down this mysterious tech wizard and find out what was going on in there. And that simple assignment changed everything. Jim spend time, energy, and even his own money teaching me everything he could. He researched things he didn't know when I asked, and providing me opportunities, or his own personal equipment to give me opportunities to experiment and learn and play out these crazy ideas in my head. He even went out of his way to get me a graduation gift. A first edition livr sound book that hadn't been published yet and then apologized it was late! A simple gesture that meant so much. He set me on a path to college by inviting his former student in to talk to us about their school, he gave me the fundimentals of where the rest of my life would lead. I even had him on my list for my wedding next year. Im writing this as I sit back stage at the ABC debates in new hampshire after installing all of the LED screens. This is what I do all over the world now. And it's all thanks to Jim Roberts. I just hope at some point he understood how much he touched his students lives.
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Eva Maria Bannert MA posted a condolence
Monday, February 3, 2020
What a loss!
My first encounter with Jim was during the time Anna was my intern student in Vienna. Jim‘ s quiet smiling way did not give away what a musical genius sat in front of me. Some weeks later I received a big box with his song books. Jims’s way of teaching music with Anna singing all the American songs is truly outstanding. Since then the Roberts and my family have been in close contact. Little by little we learned about Jim’s compositions, his unusual way with students, his love for his top music equipment and his devotion to classical music but also to rock music. We will miss this great musician, wonderful cook and family man.
Eva Maria Bannert and Wolfgang Stockinger
Dr. Christina and Dr. Peter Bannert
Vienna, Austria
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Ellen Zufall uploaded photo(s)
Sunday, February 2, 2020
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Dear Peg,
About Jim, here are some of my enduring memories:
At the University of Ohio, your senior year recital, hearing you play together;
in Salzburg, his explaining the use of mathematics to understand Hindemith's compositions;
His pioneering work in the field of electronic music;
His explanation of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) protocol;
His playing of William Bolcom's 'Grateful Ghost' at my wedding reception;
His visits to Berkeley, once with Jimmy (see photo);
His appreciation of composers such as George Crumb, Pierre Boulez, and Olivier Messiaen;
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Sarah Ramadan posted a condolence
Thursday, January 30, 2020
My condolences to the Roberts family. I had Mrs. Roberts as a violin teacher for years, during which she introduced me to the double bass-- which I fell in love with and I still play in college. The Roberts' always welcomed me into their home, and I am so grateful I got the chance to meet such a wonderful family. Mr. Roberts will be surely missed.
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Kathy Zufall uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, January 30, 2020
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Dear Peg, Jimmy and Anna,
It is still hard to imagine Jim will not just walk into the room, sound out one of his belly laughs, and brush off the whole thing. I thought he would be giving me a hard time for a lot more years.
Of the many memories I have of Jim, I thought I'd share a few. He took some small cassette tapes I had made of interviews with Dad's parents and put them on a CD, preserving them for us in a beautiful way Those little tapes would never have made it. Likewise, he made a CD recording of 2 of our favorite childhood records: Space Songs and Science Songs. I'm now indoctrinating my grandkids with "The sun is a mass of incandescent gas" among other favorites. Thank you Jim!
Several years ago it was my unexpected pleasure to see Jim fall in love with the Pacific Northwest. He and Peg came out and took a trip to the San Juan Islands and he just seemed positive about everything: the beautiful islands, a great restaurant out on San Juan Island, my little house and yard. It seemed like he had made a new discovery, which, of course, he had.
In his prime, Jim was a fine pianist and he and Peg played together so well. Music was always a big part of him.
Thanks for the good times.
Love, Kathy
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Sid Pope uploaded photo(s)
Monday, January 27, 2020
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Jim With his sister Ruth
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Frances Walton posted a condolence
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Dear Peg, A beautiful memory of Jim: I always cherish any time with a great grand piano. The grand in your home ,Peg, touched me deeply,
particularly with it's exceptional bass. As a cellist, I always consider "the bass leads the phrase"! Jim truly embraced the piano.
His first instrument? I would guess.
In a burst of enthusiasm, upon hearing the theme to Handel's "Harmonious Blacksmith" Variations, he gave me a lost Book II of his
Beethoven Sonatas! His "Roberts 2005" notated on the Cover always reminds me that I was blessed by the Pianist and Musician,
Jim Roberts. Jim was a great artist in an expansive and generous fashion. He embraced many and varied elements of music
application.....participating fully in each, with ease and total enjoyment. Music was his natural habitat and he relished
every moment....really lived in it, like second skin. Was Jim's music participation one of his happiest moments? I like to think of
Jim and Peg so!
Always love,
Frances Walton
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Lisa Romain posted a condolence
Sunday, January 26, 2020
I met Peg Roberts as a young violinist in New Jersey Youth Symphony's "Junior Strings" orchestra when I started to take the section seating auditions seriously. I went to her house in Mount Tabor to receive extra coachings before the audition. Later, when I worked my way up into the orchestra that included wind and brass players, I met Anna, who played in the horn section. For the rest of my time in the New Jersey Youth Symphony, I remember seeing Mr. Roberts setting up microphones to record our concerts, then sitting at a table at the front of the stage, watching the recording equipment as the concert went on. It was wonderful to see an entire family that was so deeply involved in an organization that gave me a much needed musical and social community at a time where I felt out of place at school, for being so serious about music.
My condolences to Peg and Anna and to your family.
Lisa
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Jacqueline Bell posted a condolence
Sunday, January 26, 2020
I met JIm while I was a beginner violin student of Peg. I really didn't have much natural talent and during one of my less finer moments in practice I saw him look in her studio, I glimpsed his face but it had no indication of the terrible noise he had heard. I guess as an educator, he had levels of expectations of students and he knew I was new.
Another time, I excitedly brought over to Peg's some sheet music from the movie: Legends of the Fall. In lessons we went the traditional route of learning but she always encouraged all genres. Jim happened to be around that day and volunteered to play the piano part. So while she played the string part, I would be able to hear what it would sound like. Now all this was very elementary in music education but he wanted to be a part of even that.
I think he knew how much I enjoyed listening to them both.
Jim had aspects of his personality that many were not aware of. He loved culinary pursuits. I remember him being in the Mt. Tabor house kitchen, putzing around . He took the delights of food and preparation, as something to be enjoyed.
Thanks Jim for always a smile and (encouraging) greeting to me.
Warm regards,
Jackie Bell, retired 8 years community orchestra just proving that with enough work, anything is possible
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Danielle Merzatta uploaded photo(s)
Sunday, January 26, 2020
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So many wonderful moments with Jim will be in our memories forever- I wish I had taken photos this Christmas morning over crepes and bacon for breakfast. I feel lucky, though, to have these photos of the Christmas recital he prepared with Laurily. She loved him so completely- we all did. And do! Jim always said Yes! when we asked if Laurily could come over and he was the most terrific and doting piano teacher. We will miss his generous words- he was always letting us know how he loved us- his unbelievable talent- there was nothing like hearing him play- and his warm, gentle, loving musical mentorship.
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Namita Kallianpurkar posted a condolence
Thursday, January 23, 2020
I'm so sorry for your loss. Mr. Roberts was my elementary school choir teacher in grades 4-5, and then my music theory teacher in grade 11. He had a wonderfully eccentric and nerdy sense of humor, played gorgeous piano, introduced me to music tech, and was endlessly patient with his students (even when he was very annoyed). I still remember when he auditioned me for choir at 10 years old by making me sing Happy Birthday. I was so lucky to have been taught by him for 3 years. I'll miss him.
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Anna Macleod uploaded photo(s)
Monday, January 20, 2020
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The family of James S. Roberts uploaded a photo
Monday, January 20, 2020
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