We share the sad news that George S. Bozarth, eminent Brahms scholar and a lifelong supporter of the American Brahms Society, passed away on 31 October 2025 at the age of 78. Bozarth was a founder of the ABS in the Brahms sesquicentenary year of 1983, when he also helped to organize major exhibits of Brahms manuscripts and celebrations of the composer’s legacy at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He served as the Society’s Executive Director for 31 years. His work on Brahms’s manuscripts and other primary sources continues to provide a strong foundation for scholarship, especially on the composer’s songs.
George was a Professor of Musicology at the University of Washington, where he taught for forty years before retiring in 2018. In addition to his Brahms research, he was a collector of historical keyboard instruments. He served for many years as the artistic director of the Seattle-based organization Musique du Jour, for which he and his wife the fortepianist Tamara Friedman organized performances on period instruments in Seattle and the surrounding area for 35 years.
The Society extends its condolences to Tamara and to George’s family, friends, and colleagues around the globe. He will be sorely missed.