Charles “Chas” Wetherbee, University of Colorado associate professor of Violin since 2012, died Monday of cancer, his family announced. He was 56.
“As with many others today, our hearts are heavy,” said John Davis, dean of the CU College of Music. “Our community will miss him deeply. Chas brought a wealth of expertise and experience from his varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral concertmaster, teacher, coach and collaborator.”
Wetherbee was scheduled to perform Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra on Jan. 22. That concert will now be dedicated to his memory.
Charles and Karina Wetherbee in 2018
A remarkable GoFundMe campaign that was launched to support Wetherbee’s wife and three children on Dec. 5 has raised more than $200,000 from 1,200 donors. Karina Wetherbee is a photographer, mixed-media artist and former critic for The Summit Daily and Vail Daily newspapers. She and Chas are the parents of Tristan, Sebastian and Tessa.
“Chas composed his final note last night, with so many loved ones nearby,” Karina wrote on the GoFundMe page. “I know now that his life’s work was a symphony of the most grand and sweeping and lyrical beauty, and each note of that music was made up of all the millions of interactions he had with every person who entered his life.”
David Jacob Korevaar, a professor at CU Boulder, posted that Wetherbee and his music “have made the world a better place.”
Charles Tyler Wetherbee, who was born in Buffalo in 1966, gave his first public performances at age 6 when he debuted with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Symon Bychkov. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and went on to perform throughout the world — including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Canada, Mexico and across the United States.
Wetherbee performed with the National Symphony under Mstislav Rostropovitch as well as the Kyoto Symphony and Japan Philharmonic, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogotá, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra.
Chas Wetherbee
The Washington Post described Chas as “a consummate artist … with flawless technique.” But that’s only part of his legacy, Davis said.
“He was also a consummate mensch, widely known and loved for his kindness, enthusiasm, unwavering optimism and overall graciousness. I know we’ll all miss his artistry, his humanity, his friendship and his ready, sparkling smile.”
As a recording artist, Wetherbee was represented on Naxos, Seize the Music Records, Weasel Records and Vienna Modern Classics. He also was featured on a recording with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra playing Massenet’s “Meditation” from Thaïs.
Charles Wetherbee with the Carpe Diem String Quartet.
Wetherbee served as Director of the Snake River Music Festival in Dillon and was first violinist of the highly respected Carpe Diem String Quartet, with whom he regularly toured.
Korine Fujiwara, violist of the Carpe Diem String Quartet, called Wetherbee “my best and most trusted friend, co-conspirator, longtime collaborator … and a beautiful example of all that is good in the world.” On the GoFundMe page, Fujiwara added, Wetherbee “has captivated us all with his versatile and compelling artistry on the concert stage and charmed us with his passionate and sparkling personality over the decades.
“In these last few weeks he was continuously surrounded by love radiating from all around the world. Oh, how we will miss him."