Robert Forman Leng Obituary in Fremont at Fremont Chapel Of The Roses

Robert Forman Leng

9/18/1958 - 10/4/2012

Obituary For Robert Forman Leng

Lifelong musician Robert Leng died October 4th after suffering a lengthy illness.

Robert served as co-director, conductor, and composer at The Decisive Instant, a large creative music ensemble that includes veterans of the Los Angeles improvisational and creative new music community. He also engaged for many years in music composition, orchestration, arranging, and publishing projects under the umbrella of his own organization, Point Beyond Music. Prior to moving to Los Angeles in 1998, he was Faculty Instructor and Music Theory Coordinator at Fairmount School of Music in Cleveland Heights, OH.

Leng's education included a post-graduate fellowship with composer Karlheinz Stockhausen at Hochschule fÃ¼r Musik KÃ¶ln in Germany. He engaged in MA/PhD composition studies at UCLA with Paul Chihara, Jerry Goldsmith, and Ian Krouse, and composition studies at Cleveland State University with Rudolph Bubalo, Edwin London, and Eric Ziolek, earning a BM/MM in Music Composition & Theory. He was an elected member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society - Delta Tau Chapter.

Robert Leng was a multi-instrumentalist whose interests included improvisation, experimental and avant-garde music. His influences were artists ranging from Thelonius Monk and Ornette Coleman to Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix. His primary instruments were saxophone and keyboards. Over the years, he performed for fun with a number of pop bands and, more recently, improvisational collaborations.

His groups and associations include American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers; American Federation of Musicians; American Music Center; American Composers Forum; Society for Electro-Acoustic Music - US; International Alliance of Composers; Pi Kappa Lambda; The Composer Collective. For many years, he supported the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or the Silver Lake Music Conservatory of Music.

There will be an Ash Scattering Memorial Service on Saturday, October 27, 10:30am off the coast of Long Beach. Anyone wishing to attend, please contact Deborah Grantham at dgrantham310@gmail.com.

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Condolences

10/01/2021

Barry Watkins

Debbie, Sorry For the loss of Bob. He was a great friend in High School and beyond. We lost track of time after he moved to California. We will miss him.
10/01/2021

Timothy Dorman

I raise a glass and wish you a joyous voyage my friend. You are not gone, just transposed to the Key of E-ternity.
10/01/2021

Oz

Dear Robert and family, Know that he was truly well-loved by many, for his freely-given enthusiasm as well as his superb musical talents. Artists like Robert are few. I cherish the time I had with him.
10/01/2021

Jonathon Grasse

I met Robert in the late 90s at UCLA. At that time I had no idea he was into avant-garde improvisation(as I was and remain): we were both "academic" composers. Only years later did we cross paths again as fellow musicians. Allow me to say that I truly wish I could have known him better - to have talked more about these unspoken music interests. In preparing a recent CD of improvisations, I asked him to participate. My own mother's death 1/1/12 complicated the finalization of the CD and I simply went with what I had. Just another quip about wishing to have known more of his music and his spirit. Rest in Peace Robert.
10/01/2021

Carla Cheshire

I met Robb through his wife Deborah. After spending a day with them in San Francisco, I felt I had a new friend! I enjoyed visiting with him several times over the past couple of years. I appreciated his offbeat sense of humor and his laid-back way of looking at life. Enjoy gigging with angels! Love & Peace
10/01/2021

Martha Morinaka

Thoughts & prayers are with you and the family.
10/01/2021

Scott Heustis

Robert and I played many times over the past few years. Hung out a lot too. He was an amazing man in every way. RFL forever.
10/01/2021

Tom Steck

Robert, I will always say that I wished I met you sooner, but what that really means is that all of interactions were intense, restful, inspiring, supportive, easy, rejuvenating, and it truly felt that we had been friends much longer than we actually were.B
10/01/2021

Harlan Rinto

Knew him many years ago. A great guy.
10/01/2021

Mike Baruffa

Rest in peace, my friend. You will forever be first-part, first-alto sax. It was an honor, a joy and just plain fun growing up and making music with you. Every memory is a good one. May God bless you and your family. Mike

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