View a eulogy for Paul Richard Smor, USMA '55, who passed away on November 16, 2012.
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Paul Richard Smor
West Point, 1955
Be Thou At Peace
Posted by West Point 1955 on November 12, 2017:
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Paul Smor, Musician Mason Jones, principle horn, Philadelphia Orchestra, called the Valley Forge Military Academy Band Director, Capt. Feltham, in 1951 saying he heard that he had an outstanding French Horn player and he would like to hear him. Feltham arranged an audition though SMOR said he wasn't interested, as he planned to go to WEST POINT. After the audition, Mason offered Smor a full scholarship to Curtis School of Music including room and board in downtown Phila. Additionally, he guaranteed Paul the first opening in the Orchestra's horn section even if he was still a student. Further, Mason would be his teacher, pro-bono. Paul would have been set for life in the PHILA. ORCH. He turned it all down for The Point and a military career as an Army engineer. Mason said that Paul was the best young horn player he ever heard next to himself. Mason had joined the Orchestra at 18 as assistant principle and became Principle the next year at age 19. Mason spent 40 years with the Orchestra, excluding 1942-1946, when he was principle horn for the US MARINE BAND. |
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