Kalmen Opperman

In this day of celebration
love and many gifts
any desire to become real.
Happy birthday to you a Merry Christmas!

Salvatore and Joseph Lettiero

Happy 90th Kal!
I studied with you at Hartt School in the 80's.  You helped me start over
in grad school to learn double lip embouchure and I am
forever grateful.
(although at the time I felt like it was impossible!
I'm playing in orchestras, quintets and teaching middle school music.  All
the compliments I
get on my sound sound I owe to you!  Even though
I haven't kept in
contact I think of
you often and all
the knowledge you
have passed on .
Best wishes for a
Healthy NEW YEAR!

Kathy Crotty / FLORIDA

Hello, Kal. It's been 30 years since I studied with you for a brief stint in NYC in between my travails with Stanley Hasty, who is your vintage, but am sorry I missed your bash! (Not sorry in his case). I was just playing a mouthpiece you made for me - it's vintage \"you\". Nice recollections. (B-t-w, you and my twins share the same birthday!) Best wishes,

Gary Dranch

Say hi to Kal from me & wish him a very Happy 90th Birthday!

John Moses

Kal-
We met for the first time in the Spring of 1982 while I was finishing five years of study with Harold Wright. I happened to be in NYC to perform a quintet at the 92nd St Y and as luck would have a pad fell out of my Eb/Bb side key. The oboist(a Gomberg student)told me he was going to see you to pick up a reed knife that he had ordered. He called you asked if he could bring a friend who needed some help. After repadding the key, you listened to me play and we talked about \"Buddy\". I tried one of your mouthpieces and was very impressed by how it played. I had gotten a 5RV Lyre from Buddy but there was no comparison. As we were about to leave I asked you \"How much do I owe you?\" To which you replied \"..get out of here before I change my mind.\" Your kindness and generosity have always stayed with me. After Buddy died his wife called me along with other former students to help clean out his studio. I can proudly say I have one of your mouthpieces that was made for Buddy. The legend lives on! Happy Birthday

R Muraida

dear Mr.Opperman
Mazal tov on your 90th birthday!  Ad mayah v'esrim!

Audrey Travis

Mr. Opperman, I have a Eb clarinet mouthpiece hand made by you from the late 70s.  It's wonderful -- still going strong and still is the only mouthpiece that works well for me.  If you are only remembered for your exquisite mouthpieces (but will be remembered for much more), that would be enough for clarinet immortality! 

Also, those of us on the Klarinet list wish you a Happy Birthday and many more years of adding to your body of clarinet work.

Lee Ann Hansen
Principal Eb Clarinet,
First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band
Edina, Minnesota

I have enjoyed playing \"en seul\" (from Stoltzman's song book) so much, and find it a very good performance piece.
Thank you and happy birthday.

Terry Jackson

Happy birthday to a clarinet icon.

Mike Vaccaro

Hello Kal,
It has been awhile. Happy Birthday

Adam Alter

Nice job with the site! 

Teri Herel

Dear Kal, my fondest memories from my transformational years during high school and adolescents so much helped by your kind, trustworthy, interested dedication to my being serious and taking myself seriously: the remembrance of my time with you will always be with me in a strengthening way as you are always in my thoughts, from age 14 to now 70.  I wish you all the best in the years ahead.

Tony Burry

Mr. Opperman, You probably don't remember me but I studied with you in the 1970's at Hartt.  I would be surprised if you do, I was not one of your best student!!  I just wanted to let you know that I was at your birthday celebration last night and I really enjoyed it - it was wonderful. I am in New York on business and it was just a coincidence that I looked at the
carneige Hall web site to see if there was anything going on - and I couldn't believe it when I saw your birthday celebration - so I had to go.

Wishing you all the best - I am so glad I was able to be there last night to help celebrate you.

By the way - I still do a lot of playing:  I play in an orchestra as well as a woodwind quintet.

Ann Hetric

Dear Kal, I wish you a very Happy Birthday! I retired about 5 years ago, sold my home in California and bought a motor home that I lived in  and traveled over most of the West. About 6 months ago I purchased some land and put up a small manufactured home in Yuma Az. Plan to spend the winters here and travel in the motor home during the summer. Would love for you and Louise to come out for  a visit. Have a wonderful celebration.

Steve Adelstein

My name is SuHoLee. I'm from Korea. I'm Korean student.
I can English at little. I'm sorry .
I find you because I'd like study make reed mouth piece.
How can I study your skill?
I don't know skill.
I hope we will meet soon .
Thank you .

SuHo Lee

Hi Mr Opperman this is a great web site. I really enjoyed the audio clip it was very helpful as usually your advices. I learn a lot of good things from you always as far as the clarinet laying and the life in general. You always have been my mentor together with my father.I hope you feel better and I am really wiling to see you on December First in Carnegie Hall. Ciao Maestro!!!

Giancarlo Bazzano

Hello Mr. Opperman and Louise!  I know long time no hear from me...I apologize.  I'm am still alive, still in the US Air Force (over 26 years now).  I left California in August 2008, after 8 years being in my home state, and am now living in Germany. I'm in the little village of Enkenbach-Alsenborn near Ramstein Air Base. I was selected for promotion to Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) in Feb 2008 and now am the manager for the United States Air Forces in Europe Band.  I still play clarinet from time to time but spend most of my time these days dealing with personnel issues.  I'm enjoying traveling Europe and enjoying life.  I will be in Europe until August 2011.  I hope all is well with you and Louise.  I think of both of you quite often.  Happy 90th my dear friend and mentor...  Will write soon.

Bill Castleman

I am happy to learn that Kal is being celebrated with a concert for his 90th birthday!
My name is Fredrik Fors and I am associate principal of the Oslo Philharmonic.
I have had several lessons with Kal over the years and he has meant so much for my playing! When my orchestra visited New York I would visit him in his appartment and play for a whole day! The last lesson I had was over the phone(!) when I prepared to play the Mozartconcerto with my orchestra a few years ago. I have lost contact with him since then because I heard he moved and I don`t have his new phone and address.
I would like to ask if you have this information for me? I would like to contact him again and congratulate him. He is a true inspiration!

Fredrik Fors

Website looks fantastic!

Carol

Dear Kalmen
I very like your clarinet studies!i every day practice it！i think it's scientific！
One day  in China i played your student’s BARREL and MOUTHPICE（made in Dear Kalmen）！WA！！！It's Wonderful！
I want buy to it！but i don‘t know how to buy it！！！
So i just Contact you！Hope you can help me！thanks！！！
Happy 90th birthday！
 
 

Good luck

Chen